Romancing Romania
TRAVEL
7/2/20262 min read
The brooding landscape of Romania, with its centuries old wooden chapels, rolling hills, quaint castles and diverse cultural heritage beckoned. I arrived on a balmy afternoon in September and was almost immediately assailed by a sense of Deja-Vu! It was interesting to learn that although in the Balkans and influenced by Slavic culture, Romanians are mostly descended from native Dacians - early ancestors to Italians. Their language is considered romantic, like French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.
Being an Indian by race, my fascination was for the nomadic gypsy tribes, Banjaras originating from Rajasthan and Punjab in India, their language and faith stemming from Sanskrit and Hinduism respectively. I got to pass by Romani villages, with their colourful costumes, rich folklore, soulful music distinctive traditions, and skills passed down through generations. Many a Romanian I met wished me luck trying to find lacto-vegetarian food, but alas I could not sample the famous creamy scrumptious “Papanasi”-aka Romanian doughnut!
Upon arrival in Bucharest I ventured to the old quarters which much to my utter delight, was replete with narrow cobblestoned paths, old structures with so much character and soul, bowers of pretty flowers, a plethora of sidewalk cafes, so quintessentially European. I experienced this again in the charming town of Sighisoara and my favourite old quarters at Brasov. I joined 35 fellow travellers, headed by our guide Radu Cruceru who navigated our group with such endearing alacrity. Before long we felt like a big family, exploring, enjoying, experiencing together!!
Romanians are mainly Orthodox Christians, which explained the myriad charming wooden churches and monasteries everywhere. Some places I visited in regions of Wallachia, Moldavia, and Transylvania: The Parliament Palace was a sombre reminder of Romania’s troubled, iron curtained past. The Transfigarasan Mountain Road was breathtaking, not to mention the thrill of seeing big black grizzly bears up close!
We even passed by the imposing Bicaz Gorge, stopping to get souvenirs and taste traditional pastries. The medieval painted monastery of Voronet in Bucovina, and an ancient library filled with dusty tomes, was a highlight. And of course, how can one do a delectable Romanian travel bite without mentioning the illicit pleasure of entering the rickety, mysterious, foreboding Bran Castle, where Vlad the Impaler devised the cruelest ways to torture his unfortunate enemies? So infamous was he, and so gory his tales, it inspired the Irish writer Bram Stoker to create the rakish Count Dracula! Alas, we were 20-odd disappointed, “bite-free” women post the visit here!