Category: Romania
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Gunshots, and other surprising signs of spring
Pop. . . pop, pop. I lifted my head and listened closely. Gunfire? Was someone prepping their BB gun to deter crows and pests from their vegetable patch? Unlikely, but it sure sounded like it. Slowly lifting my eyes over the fence I saw a man with a very long rod beating his vast area…
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Romania’s gold
I thought they were jars of oil. Gold and amber, glistening in the sun on roadside stands, I didn’t cross my mind that those stacks of jars were honey. Then we were gifted several jars shortly after our arrival. I also started noticing boxes of hives in backyards, in fields, on trailers – everywhere. When we…
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Hercule’s Bath – Baile Herculane, Romania
According to the most reputable legends, Hercules stopped in the Cerna Valley in southwest Romania to bathe in the hot springs and take a much-needed vacation from his exploits. During the Roman period in Dacia, Baile Herculane was a leisure spa town renowned throughout the Empire. Today, vestiges of its 19th century glory days…
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The Christmas Pig
One of the most traditional events around Christmastime in Romania is the slaughtering of the pig. Ask nearly any Romanian what Christmas means to them and the killing of the pig, a family affair, is almost always mentioned. Santa Claus and presents are high at the top of the list, the birth of Jesus might be…
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Making Țuică in Romania
Țuică (zoo-EEK-u) is a Romanian spirit made from plums. If you visit a household in rural Romania, you will inevitably be offered țuică in a small glass. It will most likely have been made by your host, a relative or a neighbor. You will be pressed and pressed to try a sip until you acquiesce…
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Monastical Seclusion – Horezu, Romania
One foggy afternoon in October we turned off the main road that skirts the southern Carpathians and headed straight into the foothills. Signs directed us to the UNESCO World Heritage Horezu Monastery. Several kilometers of road dead-ended at a large gate and medieval stone walls. The monastery and surrounding buildings on the hillside were…
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The Saturday livestock market, a timeless affair – Caracal, Romania
Every Saturday, as pink tints the clouds and the sun climbs above the horizon, horse-drawn carts carrying livestock make their way to an open field on the edge of town. Elderly couples bundle up for the walk which they make every week to reacquaint themselves with family and friends who are also expected to be…
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Romania’s Fractured Families
Nearly every weekday morning when I drop my children off at school in our small, southern Romanian town, a dozen or so adults mill about the corner across the street. Each one carries a backpack and one duffel bag. They are waiting for the large green tour bus that never fails to appear. A typed…
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The Wooden Churches of Maramureș, Romania
Along Romania’s northern border, rolling hills and thick forests clothe the landscape that flows into Ukraine. This is the region made famous in William Blackers Along the Enchanted Way, recalling a medieval way of live that still exists but is quickly evaporating into the morning fog. One notable architectural feature of this region is the wooden church…
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Prejmer Fortified Church, Romania – survivor of the marauding centuries
Memories of my childhood include horrendously glorious adventures walking up castle stairs with no guardrail or peeking over the ledge of an inadequate barrier to a cavernous moat many feet below. I don’t remember my parents hollering “Stand back!” or “Don’t get so close!” Being the responsible parents they are, I’m sure they did. We…
will travel with kids 