TRANSYLVANIAN TRAIN TRUNDLINGS - Sighisoara and Sibiu, Romania

 ......our last blog post from our first thoughts about Bucharest and Brasov........

Old town of Sighisoara, Romania

Rich and a hedge

The train from Brasov further into Transylvania was another visual treat. This time agricultural scenes of green and yellow fields with pretty hills and sheep grazing in the distance formed the view out the window. Small villages with almost exclusively white Saxon-style church spires, red tiled roofs and the odd horse and cart appeared every few miles. We were shocked to see some extremely basic villages with houses made of rough bits of timber and seemingly populated by Roma people. 

Inside the Romanian train, Brasov to Sighisoara

Villages whizzing by our window, train from Brasov to Sighisoara, Romania

Scenic backyards in village, from the train, Romania

We'd booked a hostel online in Sighisoara, liking the look of the ancient building, and hoping there might be some other travellers up for a chat. What we found instead was an empty, soulless place with a cranky and rude proprietor. Since we had already paid for for five nights, we made the best of the situation. The building was indeed a relic of the medieval village, and smack bang in the middle of the old town, but the lack of atmosphere and the bad attitude of the owner was disappointing. 

Our hostel street, Sighisoara, Romania

Pretty Sighisoara is unique for it's completely and intensely intact citadel. The small cobblestoned centre inside the fortified walls and towers is a condensed preservation of the town as it was in medieval times. Only quaint small shops, cafes, restaurants and pensions in the old style are present, with all the main and modern shopping being down the hill in the downtown area. We're not sure how the colouring system works in such protected places, but each building was painted a different shade of pastel, and the results were charming. All traffic except essential vehicles seemed to be banned, so it was delightfully tranquil to stroll around.

Clock tower off the main square, Sighisoara, Romania

Sighisoara was settled in the 12th century by the Saxons, at the request of the King of Hungary, in order to fortify, protect and settle the town. The German/Saxon roots and influence on architecture and culture is still apparent in the town, particularly in the hillside cemetery, where names such as Schmitt, Muller and Wagner prevailed amongst the headstones. Our early morning walk there was enhanced by the twittering of so many songbirds. 

Old Saxon graveyard, Sighisoara, Romania

Spires and turrets of a myriad of houses, churches and fortifications dominated the skyline. The diminutive main square, Piata Cetatii, was home to a few handsome cafe/bars, which were a pleasant spot to sit, watch and enjoy an Ursus (Bear) beer. A few days into our visit there was an influx of young students into the town- if it hadn't been for them, the place would have been nearly empty. 

A pleasant place for a beer, Piata Cetatii, Sighisoara, Romania

An empty Piata Cetatii, Sighisoara, Romania

Although not many travellers about, Sighisoara was clearly a touristy place in busier times. We had a brochure for Medieval Minigolf thrust into our hands in the square, and were left wondering what that was all about. The Dracula tack was in full flow- T-shirts, souvenirs, Dracula's supposed birth room and some sad looking Dracula "experiences" with mannequins, creepy music and the story of Vlad's life (for more information about that myth, see our last blog post here). 

Dracula was here, Sighisoara, Romania

Statue of Vlad, Sighisoara, Romania

We best enjoyed the citadel first thing in the morning, before anyone else was up, and we had the place to ourselves to watch the sunrise and the light gradually glowing onto the medieval buildings on the hill. 

We escaped the centre for what we thought was going to be a stroll in an ancient oak forest on the outskirts of town. MapsMe, however, had other ideas, and took us on a hike up a vertical hill. As lovely as the views were, we were happy to arrive in the actual forest amongst the oak and beech trees, and on relatively flat ground again. A host of bugs accompanied us on our walk- bees, beetles, little flies and the odd butterfly. We had already happily noticed on previous walks how many insects are about in Romania. 

Resting on the hike up a hill, Sighisoara, Romania

Bears about! Sighisoara, Romania

Spring flowers, Sighisoara, Romania

Green oak and beech forest, Sighisoara, Romania

We slept badly at the hostel, especially when a group of Hungarian teenagers descended on the place for two nights, and weren't sad to leave early one morning. We were so excited upon our arrival in Sighisoara, we barely noticed the train station. At 6am on our departure day, however, it was a hovel, full of down and outs, some sleeping, some drunk, and the whole place reeked like sweat. No signs showed departing trains, the only thing that seemed to work in the building was the ear splitting speakers whenever an announcement blasted out. Worst of all it must be the only train station in Romania with no coffee machine! We were NOT happy! Luckily our train was on time and we jumped on when it arrived. Although the trip to Sibiu was only two hours, because of our lack of proper sleep for several days, it was spent in an uncomfortable, un-caffeinated daze, and our bodies ached when we alighted. What we remember of the scenery was misty farmland.

Sal trying not to be grumpy, early morning train Sighisoara to Sibiu, Romania

We were delighted to find our studio in a historic building in the Upper Town of Sibiu to be welcoming, clean, quiet and well equipped for cooking. Accommodation in Romania is a fair bit more expensive than what we would usually pay on our travels, and we hoped cooking our own meals would save a bit of dosh, and also allow us to eat some meals we had been missing. 

Lovely studio, Sibiu, Romania

Sibiu contrasted Sighisoara in it's grander size and it's more "lived in" feeling. The old city was separated in Lower Town and Upper town. Various picturesque lanes, bridges, passage ways and stairs connected the two, and part of a splendid wall with towers surrounded the entire medieval part. The Upper town historically was lived in by the upper class, and was dominated by market squares of various sizes, these days full of ritzy cafes and surrounded by museums. Lower town was primarily inhabited by tradesmen back in the day. Sibiu has the highest German population of all the towns in Transylvania, and has been a centre for the Saxons since it's founding in medieval times. 

Tranquil small streets of Sibiu, Romania

Decorated church archway, Sibiu, Romania

A man and his bike, Sibiu, Romania

Many staircases in Sibiu, Romania

The weather started warming up into a proper European late spring during our stay, and we were able to enjoy wandering, sitting in the parks and partaking in outdoor coffees and ice creams. One special evening was spent in a Baroque hall listening to a young pianist's rendition of Romanian composer George Enescu's sonata, in between Beethoven and Liszt works. Sibiu has always been famous for it's cultural activities- many famous composers of the 19th century played here, and nowadays it has it's own Philharmonic Orchestra.

Bar in a historic tunnel, Sibiu, Romania

Outdoor cafes, Sibiu, Romania

Two churches stood out for us, for different reasons. The Byzantine-style Orthodox Cathedral had an opulent interior, all gleaming with gold mosaics glowing with sunlight entering via the stained glass windows, and deep blue based paintings depicting uniquely Romanian biblical scenes on every surface. We sat happily in this place for some time soaking up the wonderful space and ambience.

Byzantine features, Orthodox Cathedral, Sibiu, Romania

Heavenly light shining in, Orthodox Cathedral, Sibiu, Romania

Freaky painting, Orthodox Cathedral, Sibiu, Romania

Love the carpet in this ceiling scene, Orthodox Cathedral, Sibiu, Romania

Conversely, the Gothic stylings of St Mary's Evangelical Lutheran church were downright weird. The colourful tiles on the exterior of the spire were appealing, but inside was another story. We've come across strange cherubs in churches before, most notably in Portugal's Baroque churches. But the baby carvings in Sibiu's Lutheran church were creepy and ugly, and combined with the skeletons, an evil-looking organ and a disquieting atmosphere in the building, we were happy to leave after only a brief look around. 

Interesting church decorations, St Mary's Evangelical church, Sibiu, Romania

Ugly little characters, St Mary's Evangelical church, Sibiu, Romania

At least the exterior was pretty, St Mary's Evangelical church, Sibiu, Romania

Repulsive little babies, St Mary's Evangelical church, Sibiu, Romania

Our last day in Sibiu saw us becoming carried away at the local flea market, a much worthier affair than we were expecting. An overwhelming place with piles of old junk, clothes, food, tools, and many other items, we happily spend hours wandering and sticky-beaking into what everyone was doing, selling, buying and eating. The best thing was the local Romas dressed to the nines for a Sunday out, with gold, sparkling and colourful clothes and scarves for the women, and a cowboy look for the men with black hats and leather waistcoats. A weirdly huge amount of second hand work clothes, hi-viz vests etc took up a large portion of the items for sale, and we were interested to note, there was only a couple of stalls selling communist-era paraphernalia. Most other post-Communist/USSR countries we have visited have piles of old medals, military uniforms, badges and reading matter from the old times for sale in their flea markets, but Romania doesn't seem so keen on remembering that past. Food was on offer- the choice of BBQ meat, bread and beer. 

Cool dude selling junk, Flea Market, Sibiu, Romania

Pork in different forms for sale, Flea Market, Sibiu, Romania

All sorts for sale, Flea Market, Sibiu, Romania

Roma men looking dapper, Flea Market, Sibiu, Romania

Splendid Roma women's outfits, Flea Market, Sibiu, Romania

We realized the reason we like flea markets so much in foreign countries is the glimpse into the past and the tacky present, the reflection of what locals consider precious and worth keeping and buying. Culturally, it can speak volumes about a place.

Romanian men, in particular, love a hat. Most men favour either a trilby or fedora style, or the cowboy-like black Gypsy style with a broad brim to keep the sun off. 

Romanians love a hat!

We felt like we had only begun to scratch the surface in Transylvania, but from Sibiu we were to travel further north to the Maramures region, and hopefully experience some more wonderful, contrasting areas of Romania.

Loving the Romanian trains!

........next up- our favourite place yet- the little village of Breb in Maramures.......

STUMBLING INTO SPRING - Bucharest and Brasov, Romania

.....a world away, our last blog post from Dahab in the Sinai Desert of Egypt........

After six months in Egypt, we were well and truly ready for a change. We missed temperate climates and green expanses. We longed for some freshness in the air, and some peaceful environments. Our travel choices had broadened in the last month, with many countries dropping their Covidian restrictions and opening their borders freely. We actually had a few different alternatives for travel locations, and the option we chose was Romania. A direct flight from Cairo was on offer, as was the chance to discover a country we hadn't visited before. A quick glance at the highlights of Romania showed promise of old traditions, forests and trains galore, and we looked forward to a trip to satisfy our present travel desires.

Grounds of Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania

To be frank, Bucharest completely astonished us, and it could NOT have been more different from Cairo where we had just arrived from!! We prefer not to research a place too much before turning up, so apart from a general overview, we really didn't have much of an idea about what to expect in Romania. We certainly didn't anticipate the extremely European and sophisticated city into which we had landed. The blue sky and Spring sun shined on the Orthodox Easter Monday holiday on which we had unknowingly arrived, happy people were out in force and street side bars and cafes were full to the brim with mostly glamorous locals chattering and enjoying life. We immediately felt a buzz, and joined in for an afternoon tipple of some local white wine, loving the atmosphere. The people watching was fascinating, especially the glittering fashions and scooter culture- all sorts of little motorised vehicles wizzed by in the specially designated lanes. 

Bucharest folk enjoying a sunny spring afternoon at a street bar

Our own enjoyment, Orthodox Easter weekend, Bucharest, Romania

Although we had booked a dinky wee studio smack bang in the middle of the city, the silence of the  world outside our window was unexpected, but most welcome. After the constant shouting, horn honking and loud music of Cairo, the lack of almost any noise was incredible, and we slept deeply. Although Bucharest was busy, somehow it also seemed calm- a good combination!!

Our apartment block, Bucharest, Romania

Typical small coffee shop, everywhere, Bucharest, Romania

Not having long to explore the city, we simply walked and discovered hole in the wall cafes, and a mish mash of European architectural styles we hoped to become more knowledgeable about as we spent time in Romania. Vine covered buildings with peeling plaster and little turrets abounded. The "Old Town" was disappointing, though, to say the least. A quick walk through the tacky bar and nightclub street was enough, although the superb book shop which lay on the periphery was a delight. The colossal Palace of the Parliament built in 1984 by long time president Nicolae Ceausescu is purportedly the heaviest building in the world, and while not the most inspiring structure, was a must see sight. Apart from this "socialism realism" styled building, there wasn't a lot of Communist inspired architecture in the areas of Bucharest in which we explored. 

Partial view of the massive Palace of the Parliament, Bucharest, Romania

Extravagant bookshop, Bucharest, Romania

Bucharest street scene

Glimpse down a lane, Bucharest, Romania

60's architecture in the Metro, Bucharest, Romania

Grand theatre and spring flowers, Bucharest, Romania

Falling asleep in a church, Bucharest, Romania

The glorious parks with horse chestnuts, plane, ash and lime trees with their bright green new growth and the leafy boulevards were the highlight of the city for us.

Sal's new favourite colour, new green!

Park statue, Bucharest, Romania

Leaving Bucharest after only a few days, we felt we would be back at some point. The main train station was a humungous bulk, and extremely organized and easy to navigate. After a cappuccino from one of the many coffee machines that dot the city, we boarded a comfortable and clean train with big windows to take us north into the green hills. 

The train to Brasov (pronounced Brashov) became misty and mountainous the further into the Carpathian Mountains we preceded. It was a generally dreek day, which unfortunately became a huge downpour as we pulled into Brasov station. Luckily, our host advised us about a bus, and we arrived at our lovely Air B and B fairly dry. 

We were slightly apprehensive that the weather may have been a little chilly for us during our first few weeks in Romania, as the country is mountainous and takes longer to warm up than other parts of Europe. In fact it was beautifully fresh, and perfect for walking in the day and snuggling at night. The small amount of rain we saw were actually welcome, after seeing none for more than six months.

Probably the most touristy part of the country, Brasov apparently cashes in on the Count Dracula legend, although to be fair we didn't see too much evidence of tacky marketing in the town itself. That seems to be saved for Bran Castle, the hyped up supposed home of the vampire himself. Bram Stoker, an Irishman, took inspiration for the setting of his novel Dracula from Slaine's Castle in Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire (which we visited a few years ago). Vlad the Impaler, or Vlad Tepes as he's more commonly known here, was a ruler of the Wallachia region of Romania in the 1400s, and is commonly thought to be the inspiration for the blood thirsty nobleman Count Dracula. Vlad's reputed cruelty and brutal punishments gave thought that he was the figure on which Stoker based his Dracula character, but this probably exaggerated, and was never in fact stated by the author. Stoker was, however, greatly influenced and engrossed by the romantic setting and folktales of Transylvania, forever solidifying the association between Dracula and Transylvania. 

The classic Vlad portrait

With a plethora of sights to immerse ourselves in, we decided to forgo the more touristy Bran castle, and visit the sumptuous Peles Castle, a one hour train ride from Brasov. We knew we had to alight the train at Sinaia station, but were not expecting the absolutely stunning and grand town which greeted us.

Fountain, main square, Sinaia, Romania

Grand hotel, Sinaia, Romania

Beautiful views, Sinaia, Romania

Old house windows, Sinaia, Romania

Monastery named after Mount Sinai, Sinaia, Romania

Bizarre peg attraction, Sinaia, Romania

Sinaia is named after the 17th century founding monastery, which in turn is named after Mount Sinai. It expanded into a popular resort town after the completion of Prince Carol's palatial summer home, the neo-classical Peles Castle in the late 1800s. Splendid large villas overlooked grand parks, many now converted into hotels, and winter sports were obviously popular in the season with ski lifts criss-crossing the surrounding imposing snowy peaks. The refreshing climate high in the Carpathian Mountains was welcome as we climbed the hill and into the grounds of the castle. Although the actual interior was closed to the public, we were able to gape at the grounds and wander paths around the property leading to several other grandiose auxiliary buildings. There were several signs warning that we were in bear territory- apparently Romania has more than half of all the brown bears in Europe. Resting on the terrace of the castle was a wonderful opportunity to admire the many magnificent features of the building from a closer perspective. A small courtyard was open where exterior paintings and other whimsical decorations could be seen. There were also a lot of fruit bowl carvings going on. We had a long and fantastic day. We felt happy to be in a beautiful country so accessible by train!

Stunning Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania

Outbuildings around Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania

One of many stone fruit bowls, Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania

Castle and gorgeous gardens, Sinaia, Romania

Wooden carving on exterior of Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania

Eccentric paintings on outside wall, Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania

Prince Carol I statue in the grounds of Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania

The grandeur, Peles Castle, Sinaia, Romania

Interior of Brasov train station, Romania

Brasov's old town centre was charming, without hoards of tourists. The focal point was the market square surrounded by pastel coloured narrow terraced houses and the cobblestone centre dominated by the massive Gothic Black Church. We loved the twee market with entirely home-made/homegrown produce for sale. Everything from wine, bread and preserves to traditional clothing, pottery and leather. It was marvellous to see old traditions being continued and encouraged, especially with Romania now being part of the soul sucking EU. 

Bustling streets, Brasov old town, Romania

Cherry liquor shop, Brasov old town, Romania

A more quiet area, Brasov old town, Romania

Market square with Black Church, Brasov old town, Romania

Statue outside Black Church, Brasov old town, Romania

Also appealing, 60s building in Brasov, Romania

The other attraction was the dubiously dubbed narrowest lane in the world. We're not sure about that claim, as there seems to be several streets around the world vying for that title, but it certainly brings tourists to the area for the obligatory selfie. The high point of the day walking around Brasov, was strolling along a small stream and climbing a leafy hill to two towers where the views over the medieval old town were sublime.

A bit underwhelmed by the narrowest street, Brasov, Romania

More quirky architecture, Brasov, Romania

Breathtaking view from a tower, Brasov, Romania

Close up detail of tiled rooftops, Brasov, Romania

Saxons Germans came to Transylvania in the 12th century, moved there by the then King of Hungary specifically to protect the area from raids by the Ottomans and Tartars. They built fortifications around hundreds of towns, and the region is still home to dozens of preserved fortress churches. There's a special seven of these remaining that are in particularly good nick. Most of them are difficult to reach with public transport, but luckily for us, Prejmer fortified church was an easy and scenic 20 minute train ride from Brasov. After some confusion with the conductor and fellow passengers over which station we wanted to get off at, and then nearly missing the stop as the door stuck and we couldn't get out, we finally fell out of the train and onto the little path filled with flowers that lead to the main attraction. 

Path to Prejmer Fortified Church, Romania

Old houses in Prejmer village

Thick walls surrounding the Prejmer Fortified Church, Romania

Colourful spoons for sale, Prejmer Fortified Church, Romania

After more than 50 invasions mostly from the Ottomans, the Saxons built fortifications for the Prejmer church during the 15th and 16th centuries. Very thick and tall walls, combined with towers, battlements, and a barbican, kept residents safe. We were surprised at the 270 little rooms surrounding the central church, running all around the inner courtyard on several levels connected by wooden stairs. These offered shelter to villagers in case of an attack. The best part by far, and accidentally stumbled into by Rich, was the secret dark and dusty interior section of the fort walls. There were no signs or indications to this intriguing area, but it was a fascinating insight to the inner construction of the fort.

The church in the middle of the fortifications, Prejmer, Romania

Inside the fascinating innards of Prejmer Fortified Church, Romania

Little rooms surrounding the central church, Prejmer Fortified Church, Romania

Levels of rooms and stairs, Prejmer Fortified Church, Romania

Another morning was spent at Solomon Rocks, a picnic area/nature reserve on the southern outskirts of Brasov. Apart from a few locals collecting spring water in plastic bottles, we were pretty much alone as we enjoyed the beech forest with it's tall, straight trees, sunlight streaming in and birds twittering around the stream we followed. On our descent from the walk, the picnic area had filled with families BBQ-ing meat and the smells wafting around were delicious.

A rest near a little river, Solomon Rocks, Brasov, Romania

Beech forest in Spring, Solomon Rocks, Brasov, Romania

We were truly happy to be in this part of the world, and appreciated the fresh clean air, cooler climate, blossoms on trees, green forests and the clear blue skies- all things we had been craving whilst in Egypt. It was literally everything we hoped it would be, and we felt happy in the choice we had made to travel to Romania. We looked forward to exploring more of this beautiful country. 

Green parks, Bucharest, Romania

Old town of Brasov, Romania

Folk out and about in Brasov, Romania

Entrance fees (1 GBP= 5.8 RON):

Prejmer Fortified church 15 RON

Peles Castle 50 RON

........keep up with us on the next post, further into Transylvania, Sighisoara and Sibiu......