Remarkable Romania!
Aug 14th, 2024, 07:05 AM
#21
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There are quite a few hotels in Brasov on that main drag you were on. I was in a different one, but also without its own parking. There are no public parking lots, just three streets where anyone can park. All other street parking is limited to residents only.
I also went first to the street with the hospital (obgyn clinic I think), but the street parking all had signs saying 'reserved for clinic employees'. The problem for me is that this street then led up a mountain or into a very tight neighborhood where it was difficult to turn around. But the next street parking area did have some availability, by chance. After we moved the car to have dinner up the mountain, upon our return we had to wait for someone to pull out
You can pay for parking the next morning remotely ("there's an app for that") using TPark. Good in 55 Romanian cities. If people want to get an idea about travel costs, think about this: it's about $2.50 to park for the whole day. Try that in a major American city.
In this part of the world (Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania) few city hotels truly have their own parking. Some claim to have parking, but that's on-street parking they hope non-guests won't use, and that's limited to five or so cars.
I also went first to the street with the hospital (obgyn clinic I think), but the street parking all had signs saying 'reserved for clinic employees'. The problem for me is that this street then led up a mountain or into a very tight neighborhood where it was difficult to turn around. But the next street parking area did have some availability, by chance. After we moved the car to have dinner up the mountain, upon our return we had to wait for someone to pull out
You can pay for parking the next morning remotely ("there's an app for that") using TPark. Good in 55 Romanian cities. If people want to get an idea about travel costs, think about this: it's about $2.50 to park for the whole day. Try that in a major American city.
In this part of the world (Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania) few city hotels truly have their own parking. Some claim to have parking, but that's on-street parking they hope non-guests won't use, and that's limited to five or so cars.
Last edited by shelemm; Aug 14th, 2024 at 07:12 AM.
Aug 14th, 2024, 09:23 AM
#22
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@ shelemm: Parking in Brasov was a bear! But there is public parking lot -- or at least there was, a bit north of the hotel, to the west of the roundabout. And yes, there is an app -- which I got, but was unable to use. I don't remember why.
What I liked best – continued
I’ve already mentioned some architectural gems that I felt fortunate to see. They were not, by any means, the only awesome examples of Romanian architecture that I enjoyed!
Iași’s Monastery of the Three Hierarchs is covered in almost lace-like carved stone – utterly astonishing, IMO!
A great fan of Secessionist architecture, I was delighted to immerse myself in that style of building, particularly in parts of Oradea, Târgu Mureș, and Timișoara. Glorious! Here’s Oradea’s Palatul Vulturul Negru.
Of course, the Secessionist style often included stunning interior design, too. Here’s a picture of the interior of the Palatul Cultural in Târgu Mureș:
More to come….
What I liked best – continued
I’ve already mentioned some architectural gems that I felt fortunate to see. They were not, by any means, the only awesome examples of Romanian architecture that I enjoyed!
Iași’s Monastery of the Three Hierarchs is covered in almost lace-like carved stone – utterly astonishing, IMO!
A great fan of Secessionist architecture, I was delighted to immerse myself in that style of building, particularly in parts of Oradea, Târgu Mureș, and Timișoara. Glorious! Here’s Oradea’s Palatul Vulturul Negru.
Of course, the Secessionist style often included stunning interior design, too. Here’s a picture of the interior of the Palatul Cultural in Târgu Mureș:
More to come….
Aug 14th, 2024, 03:29 PM
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The OP has a unique approach to travel and her trip reports are invaluable to many here.
I must say, I envy those who are willing and able to drive in foreign lands.
Last edited by danon; Aug 14th, 2024 at 03:59 PM.
Aug 14th, 2024, 10:25 PM
#27
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@ shelemm: Sounds like you’re going to have to plan a return to Romania! Perhaps to include Iași, a small, laid-back city with some delightful sights.
@ KarenWoo: Isn’t the Mănăstirea Trei Ierarhi – the monastery in Iași that I showed above -- stunning? A perfect little bijou.
@ zebec: Thank you for your kind words! I found a surprisingly full palette of colors in Romania, from pastels to jewel tones, man-made and natural. I hope you are not done following along!
@ danon:
I so appreciate your compliments! I’m not sure if my approach to travel is unique, but it is an approach tailored to my own interests and preferences. And because it is so firmly rooted in my personal travel objectives, it pleases me greatly to think that my words might be of value to others. Thank you!
As for driving: I never drive abroad without thinking of my father, who loved to drive and who taught me to do so. I think he’d be proud of the ways I’ve used the freedom he afforded me! And oh, he would have found the idea of a GPS absolutely wondrous! That said, I think there are many advantages to using public transportation, including the ability to see, and sometimes interact with, people from the area. In many countries, public transportation systems are excellent and widely used by “locals.” Japan and Switzerland are obvious examples, but there are others.
More to come....
@ KarenWoo: Isn’t the Mănăstirea Trei Ierarhi – the monastery in Iași that I showed above -- stunning? A perfect little bijou.
@ zebec: Thank you for your kind words! I found a surprisingly full palette of colors in Romania, from pastels to jewel tones, man-made and natural. I hope you are not done following along!
@ danon:
I so appreciate your compliments! I’m not sure if my approach to travel is unique, but it is an approach tailored to my own interests and preferences. And because it is so firmly rooted in my personal travel objectives, it pleases me greatly to think that my words might be of value to others. Thank you!
As for driving: I never drive abroad without thinking of my father, who loved to drive and who taught me to do so. I think he’d be proud of the ways I’ve used the freedom he afforded me! And oh, he would have found the idea of a GPS absolutely wondrous! That said, I think there are many advantages to using public transportation, including the ability to see, and sometimes interact with, people from the area. In many countries, public transportation systems are excellent and widely used by “locals.” Japan and Switzerland are obvious examples, but there are others.
More to come....
Aug 15th, 2024, 06:43 AM
#28
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The “emerging nations “ is a destination some of us will probably not reach.. Even if one travels to the capitals, visiting small towns and villages by public transit could prove to be challenging..
The OP has a unique approach to travel and her trip reports are invaluable to many here.
I must say, I envy those who are willing and able to drive in foreign lands.
The OP has a unique approach to travel and her trip reports are invaluable to many here.
I must say, I envy those who are willing and able to drive in foreign lands.
However, if you are able to self-drive and do it in the US, then maybe it's not as daunting a prospect as it might appear.
Last edited by shelemm; Aug 15th, 2024 at 07:02 AM.
Aug 15th, 2024, 07:41 AM
#29
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I am sure you already travel to many lovely destinations and you have no need to change your trajectory. But if you are interested in getting off the beaten path, I am sure there are folks on this forum who could answer specific questions about how to do that without self-driving. A lot of folks do this. IIUC, the OP has often traveled without self-driving.
However, if you are able to self-drive and do it in the US, then maybe it's not as daunting a prospect as it might appear.
However, if you are able to self-drive and do it in the US, then maybe it's not as daunting a prospect as it might appear.
I remember how enjoyable ( and convenient) it was when we drove through Switzerland, France ,
Italy.,..etc
Or , how little it bothered me to spend hours on local buses in former Yugoslavia.
I envy those who can do it.
Aug 15th, 2024, 08:55 AM
#30
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What I liked best -- continued
As mentioned upthread (post # 19), I encountered some wonderful people during my time in Romania. And that brings me to some of the things I most treasured about “everyday” life (as I experienced it) in Romania:
The people! I can’t overstate the incredible kindness of any number of Romanians with whom I interacted – so many welcoming and helpful and generous people! (As an aside about people: I also appreciated reminders of Stu Tower, who some of you may remember as a delightfully helpful Fodorite and/or as the author of The Wayfarers.) This picture (with faces blurred) shows my first encounter with some welcoming people by the monastery at Pătrăuți.
Delicious foods (as mentioned upthread in post # 10) and some lovely Romanian wines. Here’s my dinner at the trout farm in Mara shown in post # 20:
The vibrancy of Romania’s café culture and its public squares. Here’s a picture of Timișoara’s Piața Unirii:
The freshness of the air – and not just in the countryside! I remember a moment in the chaos of traffic in Bucharest when I was aware of the scent of roses. Roses? Nearly a half block later, there they were! In most cities, I can’t smell a rose unless I put my nose right next to it. (As I understand it, Bucharest has a surprisingly large proportion of EVs.)
More to come….
As mentioned upthread (post # 19), I encountered some wonderful people during my time in Romania. And that brings me to some of the things I most treasured about “everyday” life (as I experienced it) in Romania:
The people! I can’t overstate the incredible kindness of any number of Romanians with whom I interacted – so many welcoming and helpful and generous people! (As an aside about people: I also appreciated reminders of Stu Tower, who some of you may remember as a delightfully helpful Fodorite and/or as the author of The Wayfarers.) This picture (with faces blurred) shows my first encounter with some welcoming people by the monastery at Pătrăuți.
Delicious foods (as mentioned upthread in post # 10) and some lovely Romanian wines. Here’s my dinner at the trout farm in Mara shown in post # 20:
The vibrancy of Romania’s café culture and its public squares. Here’s a picture of Timișoara’s Piața Unirii:
The freshness of the air – and not just in the countryside! I remember a moment in the chaos of traffic in Bucharest when I was aware of the scent of roses. Roses? Nearly a half block later, there they were! In most cities, I can’t smell a rose unless I put my nose right next to it. (As I understand it, Bucharest has a surprisingly large proportion of EVs.)
More to come….
Aug 15th, 2024, 03:30 PM
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Yes, I do remember Stu Tower. He was a very helpful Fodorite and very knowledgeable. I don't think I knew he was an author. Or perhaps I thought he wrote academic books. Hopefully, I can get a copy of The Wayfarers.
The public square in Timisoara is just gorgeous!!!
I bet that trout dish was delicious!
And the people in the wagon is so evocative of what I think of Romania. Our daughter described similar scenes.
Did you use Rough Guides to plan your trip?
The public square in Timisoara is just gorgeous!!!
I bet that trout dish was delicious!
And the people in the wagon is so evocative of what I think of Romania. Our daughter described similar scenes.
Did you use Rough Guides to plan your trip?
Aug 15th, 2024, 05:11 PM
#32
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I had a chance to do a day trip to Timisoara from Belgrade 5 years ago and I was overruled. Turned out to be a good thing in the end, actually. But man, that photo is stunning!
How did you find the language barrier, kja?
How did you find the language barrier, kja?
Aug 15th, 2024, 11:31 PM
#33
I’ve really got to stop reading trip reports….sigh….
….I want to return to places, I want to explore places on my very long ‘yet to be visited’ list, and I want to see these interesting less visited places…
….I want to return to places, I want to explore places on my very long ‘yet to be visited’ list, and I want to see these interesting less visited places…
Aug 15th, 2024, 11:41 PM
#34
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@ KarenWoo: Many thanks for your continued expressions of interest in this TR! I hope you are finding value in my answers to your questions.
I thought Timișoara’s Piața Unirii gorgeous – and its other three sides were equally enchanting, IMO. Moreover, Timișoara has another major plaza – Piața Victoriei – and some smaller ones, too, and all of them were vibrant. As were the public squares and pedestrian areas in Iasi and Oradea and Sibiu and Cluj and Brasov and Bucharest and….
The trout WAS delicious – so fresh!!!
IME, horse-drawn carts were not unusual in northern Romania, and more generally, in rural areas.
As is my wont, I used about a half dozen guidebooks to plan my trip – in this case, Insight Guides, Lonely Planet, National Geographic, the Rough Guide, and D. B. Smith’s guide. And as is almost always my experience, I found some helpful and non-redundant information in each, but the Rough Guide was, by far, the most useful for my purposes, largely because it was the most comprehensive.
Stu Tower was a mensch epitomized. We were lucky to know him. If you can find The Wayfarers (I see options on amazon), I think you might enjoy it. I did!
@ Travel_Nerd:
I’m glad you liked that photo of Timișoara and hope you get there one day! As I just noted, that delightful little city has quite a few wonderfully vibrant squares.
Most of the people with whom I interacted spoke English quite well -- certainly much better than the little bit of Romanian I learned before going! (As is my habit, I used Pimsleur’s before going to learn basic civilities, directions, how to order wine / coffee / beer -- and how get to the WC, which can be a useful question after ordering wine, coffee, or beer.
)
Here’s a story about one of the few times when I worked with someone who did NOT speak English: At many of the wooden churches I visited in Maramures and a few of the fortified churches of Transylvania, I found a sign on the door saying who to call if you want to enter – a sign in English as well as other languages. If you call during the posted hours (I never tried calling outside those hours), someone answers immediately IME and shows up within 15 minutes or so to let you in. In just one case -- Valea Viilor, IIRC – the person did not speak English. She smiled, whipped out her phone, selected an app, and was soon engaging me in conversation in which we each spoke our native tongues, with the translation appearing on the screen. Cool! As I said, the Romanian people with whom I worked were very welcoming and accommodating!
Because both of you commented on Timișoara’s Piața Unirii, here’s a shot of another vibrant city plaza: Brașov’s Piața Sfatului.
More to come….
I thought Timișoara’s Piața Unirii gorgeous – and its other three sides were equally enchanting, IMO. Moreover, Timișoara has another major plaza – Piața Victoriei – and some smaller ones, too, and all of them were vibrant. As were the public squares and pedestrian areas in Iasi and Oradea and Sibiu and Cluj and Brasov and Bucharest and….
The trout WAS delicious – so fresh!!!
IME, horse-drawn carts were not unusual in northern Romania, and more generally, in rural areas.
As is my wont, I used about a half dozen guidebooks to plan my trip – in this case, Insight Guides, Lonely Planet, National Geographic, the Rough Guide, and D. B. Smith’s guide. And as is almost always my experience, I found some helpful and non-redundant information in each, but the Rough Guide was, by far, the most useful for my purposes, largely because it was the most comprehensive.
Stu Tower was a mensch epitomized. We were lucky to know him. If you can find The Wayfarers (I see options on amazon), I think you might enjoy it. I did!
@ Travel_Nerd:
I’m glad you liked that photo of Timișoara and hope you get there one day! As I just noted, that delightful little city has quite a few wonderfully vibrant squares.
Most of the people with whom I interacted spoke English quite well -- certainly much better than the little bit of Romanian I learned before going! (As is my habit, I used Pimsleur’s before going to learn basic civilities, directions, how to order wine / coffee / beer -- and how get to the WC, which can be a useful question after ordering wine, coffee, or beer.
)Here’s a story about one of the few times when I worked with someone who did NOT speak English: At many of the wooden churches I visited in Maramures and a few of the fortified churches of Transylvania, I found a sign on the door saying who to call if you want to enter – a sign in English as well as other languages. If you call during the posted hours (I never tried calling outside those hours), someone answers immediately IME and shows up within 15 minutes or so to let you in. In just one case -- Valea Viilor, IIRC – the person did not speak English. She smiled, whipped out her phone, selected an app, and was soon engaging me in conversation in which we each spoke our native tongues, with the translation appearing on the screen. Cool! As I said, the Romanian people with whom I worked were very welcoming and accommodating!
Because both of you commented on Timișoara’s Piața Unirii, here’s a shot of another vibrant city plaza: Brașov’s Piața Sfatului.
More to come….
Last edited by kja; Aug 15th, 2024 at 11:54 PM.
Aug 15th, 2024, 11:51 PM
#35
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I believe the operative description of your dilemma might be: "The world is full of insurmountable opportunities."
It truly is difficult to decide how to use one's travel time, isn't it? But OMG, aren't we fortunate to travel!?!?! I agonize over every choice and then celebrate every experience. My wish, which I think will be granted, is that I never run out of places to visit, even if the choices remain difficult.
(P.S. I'm glad you're still reading.)
Wishing you many, many more fulfilling travels!
Aug 16th, 2024, 11:18 AM
#36
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What I liked best -- continued
Romanian craftsmanship
I already mentioned (post # 12) the amazing carpentry found in Maramures; I was very impressed with other crafts and artifacts and with the ways in which Romanians honor their traditions.
I was fortunate to see many traces of Romania’s long history of superior craftsmanship, including pottery from the ancient Cucuteni culture (circa 5500 to 2750 BC) as well as much later Dacian and Roman artifacts. Here’s a photo showing Cucuteni pottery:
Romanians have found many ways to preserve and honor their cultural traditions, including ethnography museums and outdoor museums and even – in some areas and on some occasions – continued use of traditional attire. (I saw people in traditional clothes going about their business in Sibiu, Sibiel, and Biertan and traditionally attired Roma in Sibiu and SIghosoara. Not the heavily embroidered sheepskin-lined stuff, but still, clearly traditional rather than western.) This example of an exhibition of traditional dress is from the ethnology museum in Cluj:
And here’s a photo of different windmills preserved in Muzeul ASTRA, a lovely outdoor museum near Sibiu.
More to come….
Romanian craftsmanship
I already mentioned (post # 12) the amazing carpentry found in Maramures; I was very impressed with other crafts and artifacts and with the ways in which Romanians honor their traditions.
I was fortunate to see many traces of Romania’s long history of superior craftsmanship, including pottery from the ancient Cucuteni culture (circa 5500 to 2750 BC) as well as much later Dacian and Roman artifacts. Here’s a photo showing Cucuteni pottery:
Romanians have found many ways to preserve and honor their cultural traditions, including ethnography museums and outdoor museums and even – in some areas and on some occasions – continued use of traditional attire. (I saw people in traditional clothes going about their business in Sibiu, Sibiel, and Biertan and traditionally attired Roma in Sibiu and SIghosoara. Not the heavily embroidered sheepskin-lined stuff, but still, clearly traditional rather than western.) This example of an exhibition of traditional dress is from the ethnology museum in Cluj:
And here’s a photo of different windmills preserved in Muzeul ASTRA, a lovely outdoor museum near Sibiu.
More to come….
Aug 17th, 2024, 06:38 AM
#37
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I love ethnography museums! We visited one in Split, and it was so interesting, and included folk costumes, too.
Love the outdoor museum, too. The windmills are so interesting, and the setting is so pretty and bucolic.
Love the outdoor museum, too. The windmills are so interesting, and the setting is so pretty and bucolic.
Aug 17th, 2024, 10:19 AM
#38
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@ KarenWoo, my fellow lover of ethnography museums: The ASTRA Museum is in a lovely setting! There are forested areas and fields and a pond, some parts are hilly and some flat, there are distant views of snowcapped Carpathians and a working farm, etc. And a great gift shop! There's a similar outdoor museum in Bucharest.
- - - - - - - -
What I liked best -- continued
Honoring the past, history and people
As noted above, Romania has many ethnography museums which, along with various history museums, display artifacts associated with its history. In addition, Romania has honored the past by preserved a variety of structures of historic significance. Some persist because they now serve different purposes. For example, some caravansaries in Brasov are now hotels and one in Bucharest is a restaurant (Hanu' lui Manuc).
Some other examples:
A number of Transylvanian villages with fortified churches have been preserved and retain their medieval features; they are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Here’s a glimpse of the one in Prejmer:
The medieval core of Sighisoara was packed with tourists when I was there, but its UNESCO World Heritage Status ensures that it retains its historic character.
An infamous prison in Sighet is now a profoundly moving museum memorializing those who were tortured under communism. The museum also includes a cemetery just outside of Sighet – the Paupers’ Cemetery. I found it disconcerting that these monuments to peace are only a disconcertingly few kilometers to the border with Ukraine. Here’s a photo of the Paupers’ Cemetery.
More generally, I was impressed by the obvious signs of attention to cemeteries. I visited quite a few of them (many churches and monasteries have one) and all held freshly cut flowers or blooming plants. (You can see a bit of one in the photo of Poienile Izei in post # 12.) And then there’s the impressively individualized cemetery in Săpânța, the Cimitirul Vesel shown here:
More to come….
- - - - - - - -
What I liked best -- continued
Honoring the past, history and people
As noted above, Romania has many ethnography museums which, along with various history museums, display artifacts associated with its history. In addition, Romania has honored the past by preserved a variety of structures of historic significance. Some persist because they now serve different purposes. For example, some caravansaries in Brasov are now hotels and one in Bucharest is a restaurant (Hanu' lui Manuc).
Some other examples:
A number of Transylvanian villages with fortified churches have been preserved and retain their medieval features; they are now UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Here’s a glimpse of the one in Prejmer:
The medieval core of Sighisoara was packed with tourists when I was there, but its UNESCO World Heritage Status ensures that it retains its historic character.
An infamous prison in Sighet is now a profoundly moving museum memorializing those who were tortured under communism. The museum also includes a cemetery just outside of Sighet – the Paupers’ Cemetery. I found it disconcerting that these monuments to peace are only a disconcertingly few kilometers to the border with Ukraine. Here’s a photo of the Paupers’ Cemetery.
More generally, I was impressed by the obvious signs of attention to cemeteries. I visited quite a few of them (many churches and monasteries have one) and all held freshly cut flowers or blooming plants. (You can see a bit of one in the photo of Poienile Izei in post # 12.) And then there’s the impressively individualized cemetery in Săpânța, the Cimitirul Vesel shown here:
More to come….
