When a long weekend presents itself, my classmates scatter across the continent. Many hang out in Italy, others hop a train to Paris or rent a car to head to Zurich, while some go further afield to Brussels.
My roommate and I head east.
Our respective summers created an obsession with Eastern Europe that is supported by continually cheap flights to these overlooked locales. Canadian Thanksgiving weekend offered a 30 euro flight to Cluj-Napoca in Transylvania, so we headed off to find vampires of our very own.
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| Our flight through Cuneo afforded us a relaxing stop in Fossano, Italy |
While many had warned us that Romanian drivers are psychotic, the country is run-down and shabby and tourists are more likely to get robbed there than anywhere else, nothing could be further from the case in Cluj (or as I dubbed it, Club No-Polka). The people were among the friendliest and most helpful I've met, the architecture and scenery gorgeous and our taxi driver to the airport one of the most sedate individuals I've encountered. The weather cooperated - brilliantly sunny and warm days with cool autumn nights.
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| Bank of Transylvania in blue lights... getting off the airport bus downtown |
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| English language movies - with Romanian subtitles. |
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Our "splurge" traditional dinner that still came to less than
13 euros each including tip and wine... |
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| Traditional lettuce soup |
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| Local charcuterie |
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| Cheese filled dumpling |
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| Chicken smothered in mushroom cream sauce |
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| The view from our skylight at Pensiune Siago - highly recommended!!! |
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| Our little Romanian hideaway |
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| You know you're in Transylvania when wooden stakes are decorative art |
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| Cafe culture |
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| The other side of Cluj |
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| The National Theatre |
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| A breakfast to make the Oswalds proud |
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| National Art Gallery courtyard |
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| Walking to the Ethnographic museum |
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| Gardening takes on a whole new meaning... |
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| The gates to the open air ethnographic museum |
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| Traditional fencing |
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| Gateways |
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| Treats: cinnamon and sugar dusted hot rolls, peeled like an orange |
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| The Hungarian cemetary |
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| Talk about macabre humour! |
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| Sweet treats at the daily market |
While we returned to Bra sans vampires, I have great hopes for my next visit - Romania is one country I'm dying to explore further.
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