In fall of 2023 I spent 10 days with my mom in and around Brașov, Romania
Transylvanian Saxony was a great experience, and I highly recommend it to anyone. In between old places, historical centers, and mountains there's lots to see and experience.
You can see people try and preserve as much as they can, even if there might not be enough money to make everything perfect. There are thousands upon thousands of people from all over Romania visiting, and you always see busses full of school kids going to landmarks, historical places, bear sanctuaries and ostrich farms.
On our final day we had some time to kill in Bucharest before we headed back home.
The Palace of the Parliament, or The People's House, formerly House of the Republic. The second largest administrative building in the world. Ordered by Nicolae Ceaușescu, it still sits mostly empty despite housing two chambers of Parliament, three museums, and a conference center.
The historical center is small, mostly devoid of character:
Valea Zimbrilor(The Valley of Bison) is a small private zoo/animal reservation in Vama Buzăului. It's small, and the animals might not be too keen to come close and show themselves, but it's your problem, not the animals' :)
We still liked it, and if you're ever in the vicinity, do visit.
Gradina cu struți Argeș
A small ostrich farm with lots of ostriches in Bălilești. Great owners and ostriches trying to eat everything in sight.
Being at the crossroads of nations and civilisations, this region was always under threat. Solution? Fortified churches that are small citadels were people could hide during wars, raids, skirmishes, attacks, and other vagaries of the age.
There are 150 fortified churches preserved in Transylvalnia. Seven of them are UNESCO Heritage Sites. Prejmer is one of them.
The church in Prejmer also contains Transylvania's oldest triptych altarpiece, dating back to 1450.
Well, it's sort of howling. And it only looks big in the pictures.
It's quite easy to reach even though the first 1/3 of the way can be quite steep. When you reach it, it's a small unassuming waterfall that doesn't deserve its name. But if you visit in autumn, the walk through the mountains is worth it alone.
When you just take a picture of the waterfall:
When you take a picture of the waterfall to put up on your travel blog:
We didn't take the ride because it was insanely costly for whatever promise of views it had:
Sibiu's historical center is great, and there's a lot of it. Looking back at the photos I realise that I don't have many good ones because it was enough to just walk around and enjoy it. Definitely worth a visit, more than once.
Brașov narrowest street, "Strada Sforii", The Rope Street. The tourist legend tells of a girl whose father wouldn't let her marry anyone without a useful skill, so her over wove a rope as long as the street. For some reason, the girl is still standing there, waiting :)
Prăpăstiile Zărneștiului (Zărnești Gorges) are one of the many, many places in the Carpathian mountains where you can just walk on forever, lost in the forest, the rocks, the crags, the air.
Beware the bears! It's not a joke: there are wild bears in the mountains, and in some places people advise you to wait until the weekend to visit some places, because there will be more people there.
This castle has nothing to do with Dracula, and everything to do with Marie of Romania, the last queen of Romania. This doesn't stop the advertising and marketing, and hordes of tourists.
It's a sham, avoid at all costs
In the park below the castle:
The castle itself is rather small and cozy. When you manage to remove 100 tourists per square feet.
It was Halloween time
Plenty of austere rooms re-built and refurbished during the time of Marie (early 20th century).
What prevents men from dressing like this? Though even the clothes on display in the castle are based on movie props.
