Romania is a little bit different than what I expected. I thought it was going to be more Slavic, but, our guide told us that they were “an island of Latinity in a Slavic Sea.”
Hearing the language spoken, there were definite similarities to Italian, so, I could pick up words and phrases here and there.
Some of my favorite things in Romania were:
1. The castles.
2. The Dracula focus – although a fictional character, I bet the country makes more money on the legend than anything else.
3. Meeting with a Roma / Gypsy family was fascinating.
4. Mushroom Hunting.
and 5. Visiting the Merry Cemetery. There are a lot of fun and funny gravestones there. They are all carved from wood. Some of them have likenesses of the people buried there and how they died, what they did for a living or information about their family. The funniest was the mother-in-law marker. Here is the English translation:
Under this heavy cross
Lies my poor mother in-law
Three more days should she have lived
I would lie, and she would read (this cross).
You, who here are passing by
Not to wake her up please try
Cause’ if she comes back home
She’ll criticise me more.
But I will surely behave
So she’ll not return from grave.
Stay here, my dear mother in-law!
Here is the picture:
Here are some other pictures:
There was one tragic thing about Romania. As we were wandering aimlessly around Brasov, we found a wagon selling one of my very favorite treats in the world, CHIMNEY CAKES. I was SO happy! We immediately bought one and I couldn’t wait to tear into it.
Then, I ate a bite. I was exceedingly disappointed that it was barely edible.
I hope to find my happy place with the perfect chimney cakes in Hungary.