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A last day in Sibiu and goodbye to Transylvania

Spent until after lunch in Sibiu just wandering, wandering. Sibiu has these amazing attic room windows in their roofs that have king of slitty eyes. I became obsessed with these eyes watching me and I couldn’t stop myself taking photos of them. You will see when I do a photo download. I took my time over lunch and had a gelato sitting in the Piata in the sun. Can’t complain about that. Back in Bucharest now after a long and fairly 5 hour train ride. My time in Transylvania has been amazing, I have loved Romania so very much and can’t understand the bad press is seems to get. The people are friendly, helpful and many speak English although traditionally German is their second language due to their Germanic heritage.

I have had a few discussions with Romanians who are very aware of their need to market their country. There are ‘Roma’ peoples about the place that add colour and interest and yes there is some begging but no more than in many countries.

Anyway…it has been a great experience, a magical country with all the interest of Europe without the crowds of tourists.

I am going to extol the virtues of Romania!!

6 weeks of travel in Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania has been a real treat. three very different countries with such treasures and surprises. I have just loved this first rewarding phase of my travels.

Tomorrow…maybe an art gallery in Bucharest that is open on a Tuesday…otherwise a very laid-back, regrouping day before Italy on Wednesday.

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A day in Sibiu

I have spent a leisurely day in Sibiu and honestly I’ve run out of adjectives for these beautiful towns in Transylvania. In many ways Sibiu is the one I love the most, just for its ambience, it’s laid back chic ness really. Again just a beautiful small town with wonderful buildings, a fortress wall and passages, towers, bastions. It is Sunday so when I set out this morning people were coming and going to church…religion is big in Romania. So I just wandered all over the place. Nothing too dramatic just absorbing it all and loving it….so many photos!! I went to the art gallery in a magnificent building. It is supposed to be the best art gallery in Romania which is good because it will compensate for the missed ones in Bucharest. And it was good….some lovely pieces. What it reinforces is the strong Saxon/Germanic influence in this region that perpetuates. Germans and their influence everywhere.

I then found a lovely place for lunch and sat in the warm sun on this lovely day. I wandered the fortress walls and the towers, I sat in the Piatas and watched Romania on their play day. It was gorgeous. The other observation is that there are quite a few gypsy’s about in their distinctive dress. They do beg at times and you do (rightly or wrongly) make sure your bag is well zipped up.

Now I’m out to dinner in an LPG recommended restaurant in a cellar. Unfortunately my camera is recharging so no photos of this really lovely atmospheric place. Only,and usual, problem is that IRS full of smoke. I just asked some guy not to close the door when he got up to do same. Anyway, you would all love it here and how I wish you were with me!!!!

I start with breaded, fried cheese and I follow with ‘peasants stew’. Hopefully this will save until I get back to my lovely hotel to send!!!

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Sighisoara to Sibiu

Well my darlings I’ve just arrived in Sibiu after another really big day. I got to my hotel and it’s lovely particularly after last nights completely revolting shithole. Then I went to connect to wifi to send last nights email and it wouldn’t connect again. That was it for me, it’s these tiny little things that is sometimes all it takes and I melted down. I sent a distress signal to Hammy of course. Then I sat, pulled myself together and thought of the old turn it off trick. Lo and behold it worked!!! And I’m back on deck. Crisis over, now it need a glass of wine most urgently and that’s what I’m doing as I write this.

I hated the room last night so much that it quite unreasonably unsettled me. So I was out of there early…they also provided a shit breakfast…I kept myself nice because I needed them to keep my case for the day, but I was out the door to explore nice and early.

Well, there were things to do places to go in this magical little town full of delights. First I had to climb to the top of the beautiful clock tower to get the perspective of this town as a Citadel. So you stay inside the citadel surrounded by walls, towers and bastions. Up I went but was somewhat thwarted by mist and fog, very atmospheric but not good for perspective or photos. Nonetheless it was terrific, great views and a real sense of the town. The next thing was the church on the hill. A cover stairway leads up to it…172 steps. Well why put it off, ot had to be done!!

That was really not a problem…not to say I bounced of but it wasn’t too hard. The gripe I have, and I’ve already said this, is that they don’t let you take photos inside their churches. I get very frustrated but if you try and cheat there are always members of the Romanian mafia disguised in all sorts of pious ways just waiting to nab you!!

I spent the rest of the day walking around the citadel walls, up and down the hilly, cobblestone streets and into and out of ancient churches. Really al quite enchanting. I allowed myself lunch in the restaurant Casa Vlad where he was apparently born(or was that died??).

Then off to the train for the 3 hour ride to Sibius…and here I am. I love watching all the villages roll by in amongst the hills and forests, it is lovely.

As I said before I’m getting grubbier and grubbier so something’s got to give but I guess not until I get to Italy. First impressions of Sibiu….just gorgeous!! Romania has grabbed me by the short and curly….it is fabulous!!

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Sighisoara

I’m having big trouble with iPad connecting to wifi. I seem to be able to connect up the phone but the iPad which is really going to disconnect me from the world and it’s so strange how awful that feels. Anyway the missive will go ahead and hopefully will stay in draft form if I can’t send it. Just arrived in Sighisoara and it is obviously a beautiful town although night has rapidly descended. I have a train to Sibiu at 3 tomorrow so will have to do all the exploring I can tomorrow.

First a whinge. The Romanians are the biggest smokers I’ve ever encountered and they smoke EVERYWHERE !! Restaurants are full of smokers as I’ve said but I arrived at my hotel here which is rustic to say the least and as usual I struggle up the stairs to my room and it STINKS. I’m not a particularly fussy person and I can put up with a bit but this was really overwhelming. So I asked if they had another room…no go! So I’ve opened every window I can and have left the room to eat. That’s my only whinge.

Well, what a busy, busy day! And a terrific day. At 8 this morning I set out with Valli, the guy from the hotel who is lovely and who takes tourists around. So I and a lovely Canadian couple set off. Gorgeous, gorgeous warm day as was yesterday which is a good thing as I’ve developed holes in my very hard working and only pair of shoes so rain is a real bummer!!

First stop Bran for an injection of Dracula and his castle that wasn’t really his but was interesting and atmospheric with a bit of most appropriate mist about. But god it was another climb up to it and then stairs and more stairs!! But still it was great. Finally got to see this castle that epitomises Romania. Now I’ve got to see the new Dracula movie.

Then we went off to Rasnov to explore the massive fortress on the hill. Again it was so interesting and so full of the Hungarian Saxon history of this part of the world. I guess for this reason it is full of German tourists too.

The Canadians then had to catch their train so we dropped them off but I paid my Valli for the extended tour which was actually the best part of the whole day. Off we went to a couple of fortified churches which were fabulous. They are churches and in fact whole villages that were walled to defend themselves against the ottomans and others. Amazing in many respects…ancient frescoes, defence passages all around, hidden tunnels. I was just entranced, and they were so pretty too. So I loved it…gorgeous warm day and so much to appreciate.

Then back to the train station for the train to here. Through farmland with peasants toiling in the fields with horses and hand implements for slashing etc.

As I said where I’m staying here is somewhat depressing but it’s only for one night so I’ll cope.

I’m starting to think settling down in Italy is well timed with holes in the shoes, an orange bag that is a kind of grey, brown, grubby colour and a case full of clothes that have been worn to death including my jeans that have been washed once in six weeks….well what do you do???
Some maintenance won’t go astray though!!

That’s it for another day.

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Brasov with love

I’ve spent the day exploring Brasov. It was supposed to be a slow, easy day but so much to see again so it has entailed its fair share of walking, walking. It is magical, just enchanting I reckon. It is supposed to be where the Pied Piper emerged from Hamlin and you can just imagine it. It has a Germanic, Saxon history which is reflected in the architecture. It sits at the base of a mountain/large hill which is covered in deciduous trees just changing colour. It has lovely narrow, cobblestone streets, gorgeous churches and buildings. Very special really.

First thing this morning the bloke from the hotel took me to the station to change my ticket to Sighisoara for the afternoon tomorrow. This means I can go with him and another couple to Bran and Rasnov.

He is going to drop them at the train station before me and then take me to some fortified churches I really want to see. So I’m paying for a bit of an easy option tomorrow but much more efficient than the local buses. He’ll then drop me at the station for my train to Sighisoara. Only one night there so will need to be more efficient at seeing what I want to see and moving on!!

I’m enjoying the Romanian food and wine too. I’m good at hopping into whatever cuisine is going in the country I’m in. I had a pig shank last night…smoked then baked. Huge and couldn’t eat it all, I did think how much you boys would have loved to have been there to polish it off for me.

Love from magical Transylvania.

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Transylvania

How I miss my mac air when it comes to emails. But for the next 5 days it’s just the iPad so I’ll have to be patient to get the job done.

Oh God, it’s been a big day. Where to start. Set off this morning with just my lovely little case in tow…I feel positively light weight when I just have the one little companion. I got the Metro to the Central Train Station. Got on the train to Brasov and then got off the train at Sinaia which is where Peles Castle is. All this sounds easy but takes a bit of concentration to ensure you’re on the right train and indeed getting off at the right stop…all good. Then you have to jump through hoops to get your ticket stamped so you can get back on the train and finish the journey to Brasov. Then you have to leave your luggage and set off to find Peles.
All I knew was that it was up hill from the station so up I went…and up and up and up. No signs anywhere so you keep asking people and they just say ‘yes…up’. Well honestly I think it is my biggest walk yet and all uphill. I got there finally and the only way you can see it is on a tour…and the tours are massive which is such a shame. I didn’t have time to draw breath. The English tour had already started so off I went. For all my whinging I have to say it was a marvellous, fantastic, fairy tale castle that I loved. Reminded me so much of that castle in Portugal Rose and Ang, whose name escapes me so I’ll have to look it up. Same misty rain and magical mountains. I just loved it to pieces. You have to pay more than the entrance fee to be allowed to take photos in these places so I always try and sneak a few but you risk being sprung and publicly humiliated which happened today and also happened a few days ago in Bulgaria…you’d think I’d have learnt my lesson because it is embarrassing!!!

There are three parts of the Sinaia experience, so the next one the Pelisor Palace was nice but definitely the poor cousin of Peles. Then the walk back….omg!! Half way back is the 3rd piece of the puzzle, the Sinaia Monastry. I always love a good Monastry and this one was lovely but by now my stumpy legs were seizing up. So kept going to get way back down to the station. On the way there I’d checked out the trains and they were coming very frequently but as will have it I got back to find no train for 2.5 hrs….so went, cold and tired I had to sit and wait. This was a bit dismal but the train finally came and simultaneously the sun came out and the train choofed through these wonderful mountains covered in trees with leaves turning all shades of red, orange and yellow. The were tiny churches with wonderful steeples and ornate cottages peeking out. If there was a fairyland I reckon Transylvania could lay claim to being it. I am absolutely enchanted by Romania and I can’t understand the often negative feedback you get about it.

Then the taxi driver from the station let his country down. He tried to cheat me big time….very big time. I gave him the rounds of the table, told him what a cheat he was and he agreed to half what he first said but that was still four times more than he should have charged, I paid him but made him feel bad…I hope!!!

So, plans for next couple of days. The guy from the hotel will take me to Bran and a few other places with another couple staying here on Friday which leaves me with a fairly easy, slower day tomorrow to just explore Brasov…I’ll like that I think. To be able to do the little tour on Friday I have to go back to the train station to change my ticket to Sighisoara to a later train. Will do that on the bus so there is no need to use taxis again!!!

Exhausted after a very big day I am now ready to tuck up…but proud of my little legs for doing what they could never have done a year ago…with special acknowledgement to the knees!!

Signing out for another day!

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More of Bucharest

This is honestly a wonderful city. I’m constantly in awe. The people are friendly and helpful, there are beautiful buildings around every corner…and I still feel this way after a day of bleakness and rain. This is the second day where it has just rained miserably all day, the other being Day 1 in Sofia. What to do?…get about your business is all you can do. So off I set to work out my next moves, plan the next episode.

I went to the tourist bureau re how to travel in Transylvania and they just said you have to go to the train station Gara de Nord, in line with this city’s feeling that they are the next Paris!! I said isn’t that a long way away..oh not not at all just 4 stops on the Metro…here I go again, I have to conquer the next Metro system and even change lines…no problem!! Anyway go my ticket to Brasov (near Bran which is the ‘Dracula’s castle’ venue. I want to go to Sinaia on the way to see the Peles Castle. They assured me I can just hop off the train, get my ticket stamped and will be able to jump back on a train in the afternoon…again you just have to put your faith in the information you get and wing it. I’ve got 2 nights in Brasov which should be enough to see the town and take in a trip to Bran. Then I go to Sighisoara for an night…supposedly a wonderful typically Transylvanian town then on to Sibiu for 2 nights…for the same reason. Then back to Bucharest for the 13th and 14th, then fly to Roma in the evening of the 15th. That’s the plan at least, lets see how it goes!!

So…pouring rain but spent the day exploring the city again, dripping wet but not too miserable all said and done.

I went to the area where the riots of 1989 (I think!!) finally deposed Ceausescu…just lovely buildings, churches…never a boring moment, always something to marvel at, wet and all. The only whinge is that yesterday I couldn’t see the art gallery I wanted to see because it was Monday. So I went to the National Art Gallery today as compensation for not being able to go to the Contemporary Art Gallery and guess what…closed Monday AND Tuesdays!!! God it annoys me! So no art galleries for me in Bucharest because I come back…you guessed it…next Monday and Tuesday!!!

Only problem when its wet and miserable is that I keep seeking warmth and sustenance with coffees and food…this is very bad for me.
I came back to the hotel earlier than usual and have taken the opportunity and reorganise my case to go off again. Once again I won’t have my laptop which I’ve loved having particularly for my nightly email. They’ll be shorter for the next 5 days!!

That’s all for now my lovelies. Nearly time for another foraging expedition!!

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Another day of loving Bucharest

This will be a shorter missive today you’ll be pleased to hear…I’ve just spent an hour working out how to get the Bulgaria selection up on Facebook…a few false starts but there is no limit to my talents!!

Last night after my update I set off to a traditional Romanian Restaurant, a really beautiful building/ beer hall, full of murals and atmosphere. Very touristy but also full of Romanians, the place buzzed. However I hadn’t booked and therefore I had to sit in the cellar area (which was lovely) but it was also the smoking area. Yes they still smoke in restaurants here. I came out smelling like a campfire. I even contemplated having to change my clothes, it was a close call but it’s only been 5 days so on balance I decided not to!!!

I sat next to a mother and 2 daughters who were chatting away in Romanian so we didn’t converse until right near leaving time and they wanted something that was on my table. They asked in English with clear Aussie accents. They had moved to Australia when the girls were 3yrs…lived in Brisbane and go back regularly to ensure the girls keep up their Romanian language skills. Amazing cos there really aren’t too many Aussie’s here. Lots in Turkey but Romania isn’t on the ‘must do’ list in Australia yet. It will be when I start blabbing about it!!!

So off I went this morning. fortunately I was pretty smart off the mark and got to the (in)famous Palace of Parliament in time for the first tour (you can only go in as part of a tour) at 10. Thank god I did. When the tour was finished 1hr 45 later the entrance was just jam packed and people were being sent away for a couple of hours before they could be included in a tour. You have to surrender your passport to get in and are forbidden to stray from the group at all.

It is a massive emblem of Ceausescu’s megalomania but despite yourself you can’t help but be overawed and, reluctantly, hugely impressed. Just designing it is a mind blowing thought. It is truly incredible and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I got out and I have to say it is quite tiring walking to it then through it but, glutton for punishment that I am, I was determined to go to the Contemporary Art Gallery on the absolute opposite side of this massive building. So off I chooffed on the stumpy and getting stumpier little legs. Ham and Az had affirmed that this was a fabulous gallery so I was determined. I finally got there and guess what?? IT’S FUCKING MONDAY….AAAAAGH!!!!!!! How am I supposed to remember what day it is??? I suspect that that was the death knell for this gallery but we’ll see.

Then I had to plod back thinking I’ll go here and there on the way back in the name of efficiency. But my camera ran out of battery…this is a minor disaster for the traveller but I have to admit it gave me a good excuse to ‘have’ to go and charge the batteries. I left it at the hotel charging and went to have lunch. It had (blast!!) to be a long lunch to allow for charging. It was a welcome break in the midst of sightseeing! I then only had time for a few more little excursions and then back here for my evening break to send my email before dinner which has become my routine. Time for a glass or two of wine, the purchase of which is figured into my routine.

I’ve sorted a schedule for my little tour into Transylvania which commences on Wednesday and starts with Brasov for 2 nights.

So..time to forage.

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Here in Bucharest

Well it’s still a bit hard for me to believe but here I am in Bucharest as planned.

Amazingly the instructions and connections to get here worked perfectly. I just find it hard to believe really, I was just waiting for disaster to strike.

But first back to last night: I got back from Nessebar and decided I really should get out and about in Burgas and forage for food in the real world (as opposed to the unreal world of the ridiculously posh hotel). I searched and searched for decent food but after perusing multiple menus it all looked horrible. The other reason I decided to get out and about was that I was finding the commitment to my NBF, Lana, a bit overpowering. But eventually I gave up and decided I needed some at least reasonably healthy food and back I traipsed to the hotel. In I walked and sure enough I then spent the evening listening to Lana’s life story, which by the way is totally extraordinary as a Jewish woman in the Ukraine during WWII. I did have a really nice meal, just a yummy entree of octopus risotto and then a dessert…guess what? Creme Brûlée!!! Then I made my excuses as I had to settle the bill and get myself sorted out for a very early start.

Sleepless night as is always the way when I have to be somewhere and I toss and turn about whether I’m going to make it at all!!

I set off for the bus station at 6.45 via my stumpy legs as it wasn’t far enough for a taxi…only about 400M but I’m pulling over 30Kgs behind me!!

No issues at all…bus turned up on cue and got to Ruse at 12md. Went straight to find out about bus to Bucharest…urgently cos I had been told it left at 12.30. Yes, got the last seat on the little mini bus which was crammed to a point of anxiety. Off we went. Border control extraordinarily slack, didn’t even have to get out of the bus. Looked at everyones ID or passport. Got to mine and took it off…OK.
But WAIT…..bus is taking off and accelerating away and my passport is back at control. STOP THE BUS!!!! Fortunately there was a British guy on the bus too and he helped me to get the driver to stop. Driver hops out and runs back to ‘Passport Control’….then we wait and we wait and the other passengers are getting impatient and still the driver is waiting for my passport. Well not to be too melodramatic he eventually came back with my passport but it was quite tense for a while. There was nothing wrong I’m sure just that I was the only non-EU person on the bus and had to be ‘checked’.

Arrived in Bucharest and the bus drops us off. I, of course, have no idea where I am and have no money. Roads all look closed off, who knows what the hell is going on!! I find a place to get money, then no worries I’ll just hop into a taxi!! Bloody hell I will…taxis bluntly refuse to take me when I say what hotel I want to go to… ‘trouble with police’!! So I start walking but having no idea where I was going really made it difficult and the taxi drivers who wouldn’t take me told me it was right in the centre and ‘a long way’.

Eventually having walked a fair way I found a taxi, who actually didn’t realise that the the road to my hotel was blocked off, and therefore took me. Of course he soon realised but he was a darling and I was in the taxi after all!! He found a way to drop me within 100M…I could have kissed the lovely young man.

God, I’m going on tonight!!!

I have to just say that I’d had nothing to eat or drink since the night before!!

Got to my hotel and the world changed dramatically!!!

It is a small, lovely hotel right in the old centre. They were delightful and I dropped my bags and went out for food and drink. Lovely, lovely street full of outdoor cafes, lovely English speaking staff everywhere. So I refuelled went off on a very sedate ‘passegiate’ to explore the area. Now, remember that I’ve had nothing but negative feedback about Romania that has said stuff like the people are awful and won’t even acknowledge you, you’re likely to robbed instantly etc etc.

So…I’ve only been here less than half a day but it is AMAZING and totally delightful. It was Sunday afternoon and it just buzzed everywhere, cafes line all the streets, people wandering about, and I couldn’t believe that everywhere I looked were beautiful buildings.
Have no idea what they were but they were stunning. Lovely arcades full of people, even smoking Shisa’s like I haven’t seen since Egypt. I was literally taken completely by surprise and although it’s early days I just fell in love with this city and by default the country!!

My hotel is gorgeous, the staff are just lovely and it just feels good to be here. Better not rave too much in line with my theory that just when things are going well you get payback!!!

And I’ve raved enough!.

No idea how I’m going to manage my excursion around Romania and have to do a bit of serious homework to that end now but have booked back here for the nights of 13th and 14th in preparation for flying to Italy on 15th and have established that they will keep the mammoth case for me, so feel as if at least that’s sorted!!

Sorry this is such a rave…I guess you are free to give up on it as you see fit. I think part of it is a surge of relief

Lots of love to all who endure my blog!!