-
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…
-
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…
-
What I learned, and changed, about kid’s entertainment
We came to Romania with only the essentials in toys – Lego and Duplo, a few Barbies, favorite dress-up clothes and a favorite stuffed animal. I wondered how the children would entertain themselves in their new environment. Here’s what we’ve learned so far. 1. The girls, ages 6 and 4, spend inordinate amounts of time…
-
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…
-
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…
-
Peleș Castle, Sinaia, Romania
Western Europe does not hold a monopoly on enchanting castles. Romania holds its own when it comes to the influence of monarchs and their illustrious abodes. In May of 1866, at a time of great tension in western Europe wherein Austria and Prussia were on the brink of war, the German Karl von Hohenzollern crossed…
-
What I Learned in September
1. Traditions don’t have to be traditions for life. They can be traditions for a season. Friday night has always been family pizza night. Usually I make it at home. In the United States it’s much cheaper to make at home and tastes much better (certainly less salty than any restaurant or frozen variety!). Not…
-
Who is on the front line of the refugee crisis?
Men, women and children serge toward the fence under the watchful eye of border police. Babies nap in weary strollers caked with mud. Lines of people move in a slow shuffle, all that remains of their worldly possessions slung over their shoulder in backpacks that used to carry their university study books. Young professionals, now…
-
Memorializing the Night – Elie Wiesel’s boyhood home in Sighetu, Romania
In a remote corner of northern Romania, a mile from the border of Ukraine, sits a modest blue home at the intersection of two city streets. A small plaque memorializes this abode, the house whence Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel and his family were deported during World War II. The home, which is now a museum, supposedly…
-
The Darkest Corners on Earth
Last week, as I picked up my children from the play area at a mall in southern Romania, a couple walked out of the large play place with their adult daughter. It was apparent the daughter had thoroughly enjoyed herself. I almost cried for joy as my girls noticed her awkward gait. “She is SO…
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
will travel with kids 