Romania 2011

Council Square, Braşov Romania

  

With its vampire and gothic horror associations deeply rooted in popular culture, Transylvania has always fascinated me. As I was more or less in the area I set off for a look around. To get there I took a train back through Hungary, which was absolutely exhausting. Initially this was because I shared a carriage with a group of primary school children heading out on an excursion (their teachers and classmates occupied several other carriages). They where yapping excitedly, hungrily swapping sweaty handfuls of sweets and crisps, and relentlessly trying to communicate information about their destination to me as well as enquiring about my own using their nascent broken English. Later, when the kids had disembarked, and shortly after crossing the border into Romania, I attracted the attention of a disreputable looking group of youths whose questions about my itinerary were much less welcome. With my brand name clothing and backpack, I stood out like a sore thumb because it was a rural area where the locals were clearly quite poor. All I wanted to do was sleep, but I was sure that if I did, I'd wake up missing at least some, and possibly all of my possessions. So tired and wary is how I finally arrived in Braşov. It's a pretty little city with many attractions, and sports a Hollwoodesque sign ensuring visitors and locals alike never forget where they are. The first day there I went on a 'free' walking tour and visited the famous Strada Sforii, the Black Church, and the city's medieval Fortifications amongst other things. The tour finished at a restaurant of the guide's choosing, where at the end of the meal the group split the bill to pay his share (I'm sure he earned a commission too, but it was still cheap as chips). The following day I went to see Bran castle, the inspiration behind descriptions of  Count Dracula's home in the Bram Stoker classic. It was hilarious to hear first hand the extent to which the whole vampire mythology is played up to boost tourism to the area, and even the castle's connection with Vlad the Impaler is tenuous. It was still a great day out though, and later I visited Bran town itself, which also has the big white Hollywood-like sign. Before leaving Romania I was invited to join a group driving to Seven Ladders Canyon, a great outdoor location and the perfect end to my trip.

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