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Romania and Moldova
  • Dave Hippler
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  • Dave Hippler

Romania and Moldova

5 weeks in a far corner of Europe Read more
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    🇷🇴 Bucharest, Romania
    Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    The Clock Tower
    The Clock TowerSighishoara's clock tower is the cover of our guide book.Pork knuckles are $5 at Lidl.The supposed birth house of Vlad DraculCity Hall at nightThe city cost of armsMoney bagsThe clockworksView from the towerCity HallThe shoemakers guild tower. Each defensive tower was manned by a different guild.The Covered Stairway16th century glockenspiel figuresThe guild museum1920's washing machineDinner at a rooftop restaurant

    Sighishoara

    Sep 8–10 in Romania ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    It took 2 hours and 45 minutes to go 57 miles on a regional train. But we knew that going in. Bus and train options are limited in this region, and most tourists are day trippers on tour buses from Brasov.

    Sighishoara (SEEGEE show AH ra) is worth a night or two to take in the sights. It's a Saxon hill town and the smallest of the three we've visited. The highlight is the clock tower with its history museum inside. It has a glockenspiel-type mechanical works, but the wooden figures only come out at midnight.

    The streets are cobblestone, the ankle-breaker type. Wandering the narrow streets is a joy, especially after the tours are gone. It's incredibly photogenic, and only after we arrived did we notice that our Rough Guide has a picture of the clocktower on the cover.

    We'll take a 7 hour train ride to Bucharest tomorrow and explore the sights there. People say it's an ugly city, but if you can peel back a layer or two, it has some nice surprises.

    More photos and videos are here.
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/N2KEENgPbRK15HAX7    Read more

  • Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    They're always watching you.
    They're always watching you.Piata Mare, the great plazaA pottery fair on Piata MareCity HallThe art museum. Closed on the days we were in town. It opened 3 years before the LouvreThe Gypsy market in Piata Mica, the small plazaGypsy marketGypsy market“Saint Mary” Evangelical Cathedral In the backgroundPiata Mare at night. The pottery fair wenu until 9 pmLike all Romanians, just having another smokePop up disco on a side street“Saint Mary” Evangelical Cathedral"Holy Trinity" Orthodox Cathedral Catedrala Ortodoxă "Sfânta Treime"Chess in the parkAstra County Library - Palace of the AssociationFirst day of school on the pedestrianized street, Nicolae BalcescuHermanstadt is the Saxon name for SibiuAt ASTRA, the culture park outside of townAt ASTRA, the culture park outside of townAt ASTRA, the culture park outside of townAt ASTRA, the culture park outside of townThe old city wallPiata Mare“Saint Mary” Evangelical Cathedral

    Sibiu

    Sep 6–8 in Romania ⋅ 🌬 77 °F

    Known as "The City With Eyes," Sibiu is another former Saxon town in Transylvania. The nickname comes from the old houses that have roof vents that look like eyes. They were for drying grains that were stored in the attic.

    School started the day we arrived. On the first day of school, everyone dresses up nice and buys flowers for the teacher. By 10 am, they're done for the day and they roam around the city and drink coffee and smoke. On the 2nd day, it's back to T shirts and jeans. They also seem to be done for the day by 10 and do the same thing. You don't want to rush into things.

    Smoking by all ages is prevalent here. It won't take long for someone to ruin a meal by lightning up. We could eat inside where it's officially banned, but the weather and piatas are just too nice.

    Other than that, Romania has been wonderful and Sibiu (see BYEW) is delightful. Deanne was here 26 years ago doing volunteer eye care at orphanages and didn't recognize the place, it's been fixed up so much.

    Ceasescu's communist-era policy was for women to have as many babies as possible. Over 10,000 women died having illegal abortions. Many parents gave unwanted children to orphanages, especially if they had crossed eyes or other birth defects. These orphanages were horrible places devoid of love and a whole generation of unloved children became a case study in what happens when a child is raised without parents, touching, or love, confirming Harry Harlow's work with Rhesus monkeys.

    In a sad coincidence, I saw an elderly man collapse near the Black Church steps. Another man and I rushed to help him. His face was badly bruised, but those were not recent wounds. He was clearly drunk and had been drunk for years, it seemed. Deanne noticed his crossed eye. I can't help but think that he might have been raised in one of those orphanages. The other man called an ambulance for him.

    Our visit on Monday and Tuesday meant that the museums were closed, but we were here for a pottery festival and got to see the Gypsy market. We like it more than Brasov, which seems like a one-trick pony with their old town. Here, there are less tourists and more people living in the old town. Behind every wall and through every tunnel, there's something interesting to see.

    More photos and videos are here.
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZmAhDruDPprr91129    Read more

  • Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    Peles Castle
    Peles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastleAn early Gustav Klimt at Peles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePeles CastlePelesor CastlePelesor CastlePelesor CastlePelesor CastlePelesor Castle - a Tiffany lamp from ChicagoPelesor CastlePelesor Castle- The Gold RoomPelesor CastlePelesor CastlePelesor CastlePelesor CastlePelesor CastlePelesor CastlePelesor CastlePelesor CastlePelesor CastlePelesor Castle

    Peles and Pelesor Castles , Sinaia Romania

    September 4 in Romania ⋅ ⛅ 64 °F

    Once upon a time in a land far, far away, the people found themselves without a king. The ruling elite had just performed a coup to depose the ruling prince who was just too liberal for them. Freeing the serfs was a step too far.

    So they invited a German guy to come and be a prince and then later voted him into becoming their King. That's the back story of how King Carol I became king of Romania in 1866.

    He and his wife Elisabeth built Peles Castle in Sinaia, about an hour south of Brasov by train. They had one daughter who died at age 4, so the crown later passed to his nephew Ferdinand.

    The castle was completed in the late 1800s and they brought in expert woodworkers from Hamburg to adorn the castle. It's absolutely stunning. I've seen a lot of castles and palaces throughout Europe and this is one of the best. That's probably because it's one of the most recently built and most livable. It was not damaged in war or fire and a lot of the original furniture is intact.

    Just up the hill is the smaller castle and home called Pelesor. Carol and Elisabeth built it for Ferdinand, who became the next king. It was completed in 1903 and the furnishings are from the first couple decades of that century.

    Ferdinand married Maria, a granddaughter of England's Queen Victoria and Russia's Tsar Alexander II. No less than seven of Queen Victoria's grandchildren became monarchs throughout Europe.

    These are some of the most popular sites in Romania. The entries are timed and even with that, it took over half an hour just to enter. But it was well worth it!

    While Pelesor is not a castle and it's debatable whether Peles is, they are at least grand mansions. Queen Marie was into the current fashions and had Pelesor decorated with modern art and furnishings, including some Secessionist (Art Nouveau) pieces from Austria and Hungary. There's even a very early painting by Gustav Klimt. It's a portrait and looks nothing like his spectacular later work.

    The tour of Pelesor was fairly quick but very interesting to see the original furnishings.

    More photos and videos are here.

    Peles Castle
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/twk4oCNYQp4asntA7

    Pelesor Castle
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/DA3fNVzBLvMHgeZ77    Read more

  • Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    Brasov's Saxon architectureCatherine Gate Poarta EcaterinaDining on Strada RepubliciiThe cable car to Mt. TampaView from our apartmentOur luxury apartment at $60/ night. Lodging can be cheaper than meals.The Black ChurchKing Mathias was here. He ate 6 eggs.1Deanne's placeMedieval guild chestsTurkish armorThe pedestrianized old town1That's quite the frappeWe happened upon a cultural festivalThe city sigil. It refers to an old myth where a Saxon king placed his crown in a tree and left it.Saxon fashionBulz with sausage

    Brasov, Romania

    Sep 2–6 in Romania ⋅ ☀️ 75 °F

    Brasov (BRAWSH off) is a gateway to Transylvania. Forget the Dracula stuff. That's embarrassing to Romanians, or at best a good living from some tourists. Transylvania means "across the forest." Maybe it was named by Saxon groups from Germany that settled here in the middle ages at the bequest of a Hungarian king.

    Brasov is one of seven main towns settled by those Saxons. The Old Town looks exactly like a German medieval city. That's why we're all here. It's beautiful and it lies at the base of a tall mountain called Mount Tampa.

    This is far and away the most touristy city I've seen on the trip. We rented a wonderfully modern apartment in the middle of the Old Town, just steps from the action. And by action, I mean restaurant and cafe after restaurant and cafe. It was a wonderful city to relax in.

    We hit the history museum which had an excellent display about the myth of Dracula and the actual man behind the myth called Vlad Tepes, or Vlad the Impaler. Did he really impale thousands of enemies on sticks after battle? Or was that propaganda used to depose him by the neighboring barons who didn't like him?

    One of the most fascinating tidbits I picked up was what happened after Nixon visited Romania in 1969. An American travel agency worked with a Romanian agency to bring Americans here. The Americans really wanted to emphasize Dracula because of the popularity in movies. The Romanians were embarrassed and didn't want to be associated with medieval myths that nobody here believed anymore.

    But they needed the money (real bad) and made a compromise. Eventually they chose Bran Castle to be "Dracula's Castle " even though he never lived there. That's the most popular tourist site in Romania today. We skipped it.

    We lucked out because there was a cultural festival on the main square when we were here. Groups from all over Romania represented their counties. There was lots of singing and dancing in the traditional costumes.

    The city is much larger than it's old core, but we didn't venture out except to see the neighboring castles in Sinaia. Next up is Sibiu, another former Saxon village in Transylvania.

    More photos and videos are here.
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/f5a1zWxBB3AB9QvG7    Read more

  • Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    1Technical University Library Biblioteca Universității Tehnice Gheorghe Asachi Iaşi
    1Technical University Library Biblioteca Universității Tehnice Gheorghe Asachi IaşiOur comfy apartmentThe Technicial University LibraryView from our roomThe Opera HouseMetropolitan Cathedral1Metropolitan CathedralThe Opera HouseThe Three Holy Hierarchs Monastery Mănăstirea Sfinții Trei IerarhiThe Three Holy Hierarchs Monastery Mănăstirea Sfinții Trei IerarhiThe Three Holy Hierarchs Monastery Mănăstirea Sfinții Trei IerarhiTechnical University Library Biblioteca Universității Tehnice Gheorghe Asachi IaşiTechnical University Library Biblioteca Universității Tehnice Gheorghe Asachi IaşiTechnical University Library Biblioteca Universității Tehnice Gheorghe Asachi IaşiStudent art exhibit at the Technical UniversityExhibition Park Parcul ExpozițieiI didn't get a cake for Deanne's 66th, so I took her to an Orthodox church on a holy dayThe clock tower of the palace of cultureAt the Opera House2Eminescu's Linden Tree. He is Romania's national poetThe Pogrom museumBehind the Palace of Culture there are about a dozen nice restaurants in a beautiful parkDeanne's 66th birthday at the Opera House in Iasi

    Gosh, Iasi

    Aug 31–Sep 2 in Romania ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F

    Pronounced "Yawsh", Iasi is Romania's third city. We weren't expecting much, but gosh it was sure nice. It was the former capital of the principality of Moldavia. That included much of what is now the country of Moldova. Confusing, yes.

    It's the seat of Romanian literature. Many famous writers and poets are from here and there are no less than 17 literature museums!

    It didn't seem to get many tourists and that's okay with us. People were super friendly and there's a fair amount of interesting buildings, especially the exquisite Monastery of the Three Holy Hierarchs.

    Like every apartment we've rented on the trip so far, the exterior and entrance to the apartments are pretty scary looking. But once inside, the apartments are newly refurbished and ours was no exception. We are paying 50 to 70 dollars a night for really nice apartments. Hotels are usually about twice as much and not conveniently located. This one included full breakfasts at the cafe on the street down below. If we had to pay for the breakfast separately, that would equal about half of the apartment cost.

    The real highlight in town, the Palace of Culture, which sits at the end of the pedestrian street, was closed on the days we were there. So while we missed out on the four museums inside the beautiful building, that gave us time to explore other parts of town.

    We did step inside a small museum with a Jewish Pogrom exhibit. Romanian fascists sided with the Nazis in World War Two. They killed many Jews from this area by putting them on cramped trains and drove them around in the summer heat until 95% of them died.

    One of the highlights of our short stay was a visit to the technical University library. It was very Harry Potteresque. The self tour of the Opera House was so fun also. It was designed by the Austrian architects Fellner and Helmer who built dozens of opera houses around Europe. Most of the visit we were the only ones in there! And it cost $2 each. I think we paid $40 each in Buenos Aires last year.

    Iasi is definitely off the tourist path, but it was well worth the stay since we were in the area. Next up we're headed to Transylvania where most of the tourist sites in Romania lie.

    More photos and videos are here.
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/WD5dPdqrsvUJUkATA    Read more

  • Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    A fine selection of Branesti Cellars wines
    A fine selection of Branesti Cellars winesBranesti Cellars1My favorite of the bunchBranesti CellarsMusty cellarsBranesti CellarsSparkling wine straight from the tapEpoca de Piatra, the restaurant in a former limestone wine caveEpoca de Piatra, the restaurant in a former limestone wine caveEpoca de Piatra, the restaurant in a former limestone wine caveOld OrheiThe Cave Monastery at Old OrheiThe Cave Monastery at Old OrheiThe Cave Monastery at Old OrheiAt Old OrheiOld Orhei traditional houseOld OrheiOld OrheiAt Chateau VartelyChateau VartelyChateau VartelyChateau Vartely

    Wine Country, Moldovan Style

    Aug 29–31 in Moldova ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    Moldova is famous for its wines. Maybe not in the US, but Eastern Europe knows. I booked 2 nights at a chateau in Orhei, about an hour north of Chisinau.

    We tried to do a tour at either of the two largest wineries in the country: Cricova or Milestii Mici. They fill up fast and we didn't get reservations in time for a weekend visit. So Deanne googled for wine tours while I finished booking a car at the Sixt office.

    It was fate. We ended up taking one of the best wine tours I've ever been on, and by this point I've been on a lot. I'm kind of done with them because many of them are snooty and expensive. But at Branesti Cellars, it was anything but.

    The tour would be in Russian but we didn't care. We just wanted to be in some authentic limestone caves that this region is noted for. It was us with three Russians. The guide was an older woman who would change to Romanian, French and Italian to help us understand and we got the gist.

    When we started the tour with her tapping a sparkling wine vat, we knew we were going to have a good time. The pours were heavy, as in Wisconsin heavy. We ended up trying over 10 wines of all types, including a 36-year-old vintage and a 46 year old vintage! Unbelievable for a $21 tour. Too bad I had to pour a lot of it out, as I was driving. Those Cabernets were some of the best I've had and we both agreed it was the most fun we've had on a tour.

    The chateau we stayed at was hosting two weddings when we were there. The room was really nice but they didn't seem to want us at the restaurant, which they really hyped up on their website. Service was really bad but the food was good. Because of that we skipped the wine tour there and any future meals. Good thing because it turns out their wine tour is led by 20 year old with no English who shows you a warehouse.

    We also ended up getting an amazing restaurant meal in a former wine cave, Epoca de Piatra . The food and ambience were fantastic. Tomorrow, we're heading back to Romania, where we'll spend a couple more weeks before heading home.

    More photos and videos are here.
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/Cx3DRbYaSgbzvNEi8    Read more

  • Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    Howdy, pardner.
    Howdy, pardner.That's Vlad to you.A movie theatre concession stand.A Lada 1200 CombiPeople donate gold to this particular painting. It's somehow holier than the othersI think the truck was used to sell fish.CCCP canteenCommunist era memorabiliaOn September 2nd they will celebrate their Independence from Moldova in the 90-92 Transnistrian WarFun fact: Transnistria's flag is the only one left with a hammer and sickle.TiraspolAt the Back to the USSR restaurant in BenderAt the Back to the USSR restaurant in BenderWalking to the Green Market.At the Green MarketTrying Kvas, which is like a liquid bread. It's non-alcoholic and tastes like molasses water.1You fucking assholeAt Back in the USSR restaurant with a Gaz 21 Volga.Gaz 21 VolgaLada 1200At the Bck in the USSR restaurantYuri Gagarin, the first man in spaceAnother Lenin statueThe Christmas/Nativity Cathedral Catedrala Naşterea DomnuluiThe Green MarketA coffee and tea machine. Yes, I bought an espresso.LeninFlags of three breakaway regions not recognized by the UN: Ossetia, Transnistria, and AbkhaziaAt Bender fortress on the DnisterBender Fortress, and Ottoman fortress on the Dnister River

    Transnistria - There's a new Sheriff in Town

    August 28 in Moldova ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    Well that was fascinating. We just got back from a tour of the breakaway region of Transnistria. Our first stop was at a huge grocery/department store called Sheriff. The logo is a sheriff's star which I thought was odd. We changed about $30 worth of Moldovan Lei into Transnistrian Rubles, just enough for a meal for two with wine and maybe a couple coffees.

    Our guide said this chain was owned by a Russian oligarch named Viktor Gushan. He's a former KGB officer who pretty much runs Transnistria. The stores are everywhere along with Sheriff gas stations. There doesn't seem to be any competition. As Tennessee Ernie Ford once sang "I owe my soul to the company store."

    He owns the professional football team at Sheriff stadium. Real Madrid played against them here and lost. I think you get the picture. It's like golfing against Trump. He runs 60 to 70% of the entire economy. And that's not possible unless you're in cahoots with Putin.
    Viktor Gushan - Wikipedia https://share.google/0DDiIN22BLh9e12Nt

    We visited the cities of Bender and Tiraspol. Both are cleaner and slightly more modern than I expected. Gushan has actually poured back some of that money into the city and did a huge reinvestment about 6 years ago. Tourism is definitely picking up and Western Europeans are coming here more and more every year, along with the occasional Americans.

    Our guide was great and I'm glad we did the day tour instead of spending the night like I had originally planned. We saw and learned so much more than if we did it on our own. We went to a kitcschy restaurant called Back To The USSR. It was really busy with tour groups. The owner stopped by to talk and mentioned that he has been to Chicago and loved it.

    While we obviously only saw what they wanted us to see, it really didn't seem too bad. The border crossing was quick and efficient and we didn't have to pay for a visa. The vegetables at the market were super fresh and organic. I don't think I've ever seen such huge watermelons. The streets and houses were clean and well maintained, at least in the two cities we were in.

    It just makes me wonder how different it is having my country run by oligarchs versus their country being run by oligarchs. Happy trails, pardner.

    More photos and videos are here.

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/ZXAoKxtckTHDixov8    Read more

  • Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    Zelenskyy speaking at the Independence Day celebration.
    Zelenskyy speaking at the Independence Day celebration.On my wayMetropolitan Cathedral of Christ's Nativity Catedrala Mitropolitană Nașterea DomnuluiPork and polenta, a common dishOn the main pedestrian streetAt the craft marketAt the craft marketCathedral squareSetting up for the parade and concertsAt a wooden church for the Dormition of the Mother of God holy dayThe Presidential PalaceCasa HerțaThe 35th Independence Day Military ParadeWarming upZalenskyy was in townCentral MarketRiding to the airport for about 40 cents.Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ's Nativity Catedrala Mitropolitană Nașterea DomnuluiTaifas RestaurantCrafts for sale on Cathedral SquareThe Natural History MuseumNatural History MuseumI'm looking for some American foxes!Kids, no smoking on the teeter totterTransfiguration of the Savior Orthodox ChurchGulag exhibit in the Museum of Natural HistoryGetting ready for the military parade

    Chisinau, Moldova

    Aug 26–30 in Moldova ⋅ 🌧 64 °F

    I had a dreary, rainy introduction to Chisinau (KEE she now), the capital of the former Soviet Republic of Moldova. Everything was so bleak!

    The next day the sun was shining and Deanne arrived. What a difference a day makes. Our apartment was near the Cathedral Square, the main plaza in town. We walked several miles and saw all the main sites including some communist-era brutalist architecture.

    As a huge coincidence, we happened to be here on the 35th Independence Day celebration. In 1991, Moldova declared independence from the USSR. Most of the other former Soviet republics have their independence day within a week or two of this day.

    I looked online for events and I saw that there was a huge concert scheduled that night and to my surprise, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine was set to speak at 9:00 with the presidents of Romania and Moldova. Wow.

    In 1995 I saw president Alberto Fujimori of Peru getting out of his limo at his presidential palace in Lima. In 2014 I was in Berlin for the 25th anniversary of the Wall coming down. I saw Lech Walesa, Angela Merkel, and Mikhail Gorbachev on stage in the Tiergarten. I think that makes 7 foreign presidential sightings.

    There was a huge military parade beforehand. They only hold these every 5 or 10 years. Moldova is positioned between Ukraine and Romania. There's a breakaway region to the east called Transnistria. About 5,000 Russian troops are stationed there. So you can say Moldova's situation is precarious. They are not in NATO. Russia has interfered heavily in the past two elections but Maia Sandu, a Harvard educated and Western leaning politician has won both elections. Barely.

    The concerts were great, even though it was raining half the time. Zelensky's speech was brief but powerful. He spoke in Ukrainian, English, and gave an introduction in Romanian, the language of Moldova. Slava Ukraini.

    Moldova is probably the poorest country in Europe. But people seem happy and hard-working. A lot of young people have left to work in Western Europe and send remittances back home.

    There was enough to do for a couple of days of sightseeing but not much more. Tomorrow we're taking a tour to Transnistria. There was a brief war in 91 to 92 and there has been uneasy peace ever since.

    After that, we're exploring wine country. I hear it's some of the best in the world.

    More photos and videos are here.
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/51sbk165XnNTHJPn7

    The 3 minute video of the night concert with Zeleskyy's speech is here. https://photos.app.goo.gl/qdXLTUXdy1ZZnLCz9

    The Moldovan Military Parade photos are here. This was part of the 35th Independence Day.
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/whmKMgfJKjp2GZRQ9    Read more

  • Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    Too MUCH leg room? I always experience new things when I travel.Like a good Hobbit, this is my second breakfast.The breakfast menuHeading towards IST over the Black Sea.Turkish teaComforting (this is an ad from over 75 years ago)

    Istanbul Airport

    August 25 in Turkey ⋅ ☀️ 82 °F

    This one's not too exciting, but I managed to score a first class flight on Turkish air using free points I got from a credit card. I have a 7 hour layover in Istanbul.

    The Turkish Air business class lounge at IST is one of the best. Why not stay awhile and enjoy it? I could have booked a more direct flight through Bucharest to Moldova for $300. But two first class flights with a world class lounge in the middle, for free? I'll take it. It wasn't that long ago that I was taking the chicken buses to save money.

    My 10:00 a.m. flight from Cluj included a delicious breakfast on board. I had more legroom than I've ever seen on any plane. Service was impeccable. Oh man, I could get used to this. I previously booked a free business class flight on my trip to Munich. And I booked a free business class flight for Deanne on her trip to Moldova using points from her credit card offer. The points game is something I took up in retirement and it's paying off.    Read more

  • Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    Inside my apartmentView from and of my apartmentkürtőskalács, or chimney cakesThe commercialization of Che Guevara is now complete.They're building a new cathedralThe pharmacy museumThe pharmacy museumSarmales (stuffed cabbage leaves) and smoked porkAt the Steam Punk MuseumAt the Steam Punk MuseumA Mutoscope at the at the Steam Punk MuseumFranciscan Temple Biserica FranciscanăSaint Michael’s Church Biserica Romano-Catolică Sfântul MihailPolenta, cheese, and pork cracklins'Alexandru Borza Botanical Garden Grădina Botanică Alexandru BorzaAlexandru Borza Botanical Garden Grădina Botanică Alexandru BorzaAlexandru Borza Botanical Garden Grădina Botanică Alexandru Borza

    Cluj

    Aug 22–25 in Romania ⋅ ⛅ 88 °F

    Cluj is Romania's second largest city and home to a couple universities. It's about the same size as Madison, Wisconsin. I dropped the car off at the airport and took buses into town to an apartment near the edge of the Old Town. The outside of it looks like an ugly communist block building. But my 7th floor apartment is newly remodeled and it looks great on the inside. The elevator however, is a death trap. I'll post a video of it here.

    I have 3 days with no agenda. There are several museums and several pedestrian plazas. I was in luck because there was a large festival set up in the Piata Unirii, the main square. It was only a half mile away from my apartment.

    Saturday night there were probably over 5,000 people there to watch a concert and mill around the food stalls.. On Sunday night there was a Broadway-quality play being performed. Heavy stuff though. When I walked by, the scene was Nazis rounding up Jews and executing them. It was quite a contrast to last night's rock concert.

    On a brighter note, the weather was perfect and the two museums I went to were fun. For some reason pharmacy museums are big in Europe. I've been to a few but I find them fascinating. The one here was a good collection of medical equipment in the basement in addition to explanations of pharmacy throughout the ages.

    But the highlight of my stay was the Steam Punk Museum. https://photos.app.goo.gl/dgmZ7k2zwetFdny67

    There's only two of them in the world they say. I couldn't pass it up. I'll let the photos and videos do the talking but it was super fun and the staff at the museum were wacky comedians. I told a few of them that it reminded me of Meow Wolf in the United States. When I left, the guy taking my tickets had looked up Meow Wolf and told me how he wanted to go there now. (Santa Fe, Denver, and other locations in the US).

    I had a very interesting conversation with one of the museum guides. He visited Chicago for a comic-con convention and just loved the city. We talked about technology, art, and architecture. He mentioned that a lot of the antiques in the museum were from the late 1800s and early 1900s and from the United States. The owner is a really creative artist who blends his art with these steam and early electrical powered devices.

    I had several amazing meals and stumbled on a nearby botanical garden which had four huge greenhouses and lots of plants from throughout the world.

    The traffic here is atrocious and the two major pedestrian zones are godsends. While I had a decent time here, I probably spent one day too much. I would not recommend it as a Must See in Romania. But if I'd never been to Europe before and landed here I would say this is an amazing city. I think I was spoiled by visiting Oradea and Timișoara first.

    I can't wait to see Deanne. We are both flying to Chisinau, Moldova tomorrow where we will hook up and explore that country and then come back to Romania.

    More photos and videos are here.
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/QXWfryG34W8b7G1YA

    Steampunk Museum
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/PfFbsydZe2i9zEsq8    Read more

  • Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    Pensiunea Marioara, where I stayed for 3 nightsThe poartă maramureșeană of Pensiunea MarioaraThe poartă maramureșeană of Pensiunea MarioaraMaramures is famous for its wooden churchesThat chain is made of woodFirst time eating the underbelly, top belly, inside, and outside of a pig. Not a bad way to start.Make hay while the sun shinesGoing somewhere?Making friends with palinkaI'm still waiting.The polinka up here is served in bottles with the wooden gates in them, like ships in a bottle.The original house at my pensiune.The unbelievable craftsmanship of Breb.Wooden Church Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel Biserica de lemn Sfinții Arhangheli Mihail și GavrB-24s from the 15th Air Force bomb Ploiești oil fields.

    Breb, Romania

    Aug 19–22 in Romania ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    The village of Breb, Maramures is a popular tourist destination for a reason. A lot of the old houses here have been preserved and converted to pensiunea (bed and breakfasts). Many of them have elaborate oaken gates and fences on the front. They're called poartă maramureșeană, which would translate to Maramures gates. I've seen dozens of them now and they're mind boggling. Some of them have large chains hanging from the front, but the chain links are all made of wood.

    At my pensiune, there is the original older house in the back garden and a modern new building in the front. I booked at the last minute so I'm on the top floor of the new building. No complaints here as the old building is reported to be very creaky. The couple that runs the place are super nice and work all day. Breakfast is included and a huge group dinner is available for a small fee. They leave polinka out in the afternoon and evening for free and then provide wine at dinner also. I think it's $62 US/day for everything.

    I'm the only English speaker here which makes things a little difficult but I'm getting by. Romanians come here for a weekend getaway and of course there's the requisite German and French tourists. I ate breakfast yesterday with a retired French couple and the man was from Toulon, one of my favorite French cities.

    Dinner last night was a little more awkward as I was one of about 17 people and the only solo traveler and only English speaker. The two nice Romanian couples I sat with from Ploiesti did their best to communicate with me.

    In a very strange coincidence, just hours after that, my uncle Bob sent me a few articles about an American Air Force B-24 gunner who was shot down and crashed in Ploesti on the property of a Romanian princess towards the end of World War 2. I'd never heard of the city! My father and uncles are from Geneseo, Illinois and Donald Gene Wright, the gunner, was also from there. Earlier in the day I had mentioned to my family that I'm in northern Romania. Ploiesti is in the south.

    Donald Wright credits a Romanian princess named Catherine Caradja, the "Angel of Ploiesti " for saving his life and the lives of his fellow airmen. She insisted that they be treated well in the Nazi camp. She was apparently anti-nazi even though the Romanians had sided with the Nazis. Not long after that, Romania switched sides because they saw the writing on the wall. Wright was released, spent a two week leave in Geneseo, and then was sent back to war. He lived to tell the tale.

    There's a famous steam-powered train line (Mocăniță) over an hour from here. It goes up into the mountains into a logging region. I tried to buy tickets online but their website was crap and I couldn't do it. On a whim, I drove all the way there to see if I could catch a train but they were sold out. So I went to the Borsana monastery on the way back. That made the long drive worth it.

    Up here, the Romanian farmers still stack their hay in the centuries old fashion. They're very picturesque. The other villages along the road are not much to look at but the countryside is beautiful. Even though the roads are in perfect shape, they are very narrow and I'm averaging about 35 miles an hour along the highways. There's just no room for parking and there's no shoulder. So people park on the road or just stop to chat, deliver goods, or pick flowers.

    Today I'm actually going to take a vacation day and just chill out and walk around the village: no buses, no trains, no driving.

    The old wooden church in town is supposed to have the oldest church spire in Romania. A lot of men work in the lumber industry here. Life moves pretty slowly. Even though a lot of people have converted their houses to the pensiunae, a lot more haven't. They might have chickens, cows, horses, or sheep in their yard. This is exactly what I was hoping for, because tomorrow I head to Cluj, the second largest city in Romania. Sometimes it's nice to step back in time.

    More photos and videos are here.
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/c7TngDMunC1kLpfv9

    For more on the angel of Ploiesti, see
    Catherine Caradja - Wikipedia https://share.google/mcoaARslZQSKuLXIx    Read more

  • Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    2

    The Merry Cemetery of Sapanta

    August 19 in Romania ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    This little cemetery in the small town of Sapanta is famous because a local wood carver started making tombstones for everyone in the village who died. They are intricately carved and colorfully painted. And to top it off, he wrote a little poem for each person.

    What's really cool is that the tombstone carving reflects the person's personality or career. I was expecting I might be one of a couple people there but given all the cars and buses, this is a major tourist draw.

    The region of Maramures is especially known for its oak forests and wood carvers. As you can see in my other posts, the craftsmanship is amazing.

    More photos and videos are here.

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/BoZdPNVMrHzJL3EZ9    Read more

  • Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    This one will make you look younger.
    This one will make you look younger.Ciorba Burta (Tripe Soup) and mici sausagesSighet City HallMuzeul Etnografic al MaramureșuluiMuzeul Etnografic al MaramureșuluiMuzeul Etnografic al MaramureșuluiMuzeul Etnografic al MaramureșuluiThe Communist PrisonMemorial to the Victims of Communism and to the Resistance Memorialul Victimelor Comunismului și alTraditional clothing for saleI see these a lot. Stork's nests?Nobel winner Elie Wiesel is from here. This is his childhood home museumNobel winner Elie Wiesel is from here. This is his childhood home museumNobel winner Elie Wiesel is from here. This is his childhood home museum.

    Sighet

    August 19 in Romania ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    Sighet is right near the Ukrainian border, which is across the Tisa river a mile north of town. It's the hometown of Nobel laureate and holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. It's also the home of a notorious prison during the Communist era where the government imprisoned priests, liberals, radicals, and the usual suspects. Most of them didn't survive.

    They were a lot more women wearing head scarves up here. Life moves a bit slower even though I got caught in a traffic jam. In these villages and cities in Maramures there is usually just one main road through town. Given that Romanians are prone to just stopping in the middle of the road to pick flowers or talk to neighbors, this can be problematic.

    After my hike to the Cock's Comb, I found a cheap local place for lunch. I wasn't too hungry so I ordered soup and three mici sausages. I thought they were small sausages like Cevapi from Serbia. There were a dollar each so I ordered three. Boy was I surprised. Each one was as big as a bratwurst! I was able to finish two at least.

    I wandered around town and went to an ethnic culture museum and saw many interesting traditional costumes there. And then I went to the Communist prison. These are always depressing but I feel it's important to see them. It was a word-heavy museum and it was all in Romanian but I got a booklet with translations in English. I kind of skipped through a lot of it but I got the gist alright.

    One thing I learned is that the prisoners were forced to dig a canal that was to connect the Black Sea with the Danube. Countless thousands died on this project. The purpose was so the Russian Navy could sail up the Danube to invade Yugoslavia if needed. Tito kind of said "fuck you" to Stalin and that pissed him off to no end. But they gave up before finishing.

    Then I made a brief visit to the childhood home of Elie Wiesel. These museums are all within a few blocks of each other in the very walkable city center. My next stop was a very freaky cemetery just up the road.

    More photos of videos are here.
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/iUP4p41e8r8H4NYq9    Read more

  • Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    Free dinner!
    Free dinner!A nice, modern roomIf I had more time...There's a nice bike and pedestrian path along the riverSmash Vladimir Putin?The Orthodox church in townOn the Cock's Comb trail (Creasta Cocoșului) of the Gutâi MountainsOn the Cock's Comb trail (Creasta Cocoșului) of the Gutâi MountainsOn the Cock's Comb trail (Creasta Cocoșului) of the Gutâi MountainsOn the Cock's Comb trail (Creasta Cocoșului) of the Gutâi MountainsOn the Cock's Comb trail (Creasta Cocoșului) of the Gutâi MountainsOn the Cock's Comb trail (Creasta Cocoșului) of the Gutâi MountainsOn the Cock's Comb trail (Creasta Cocoșului) of the Gutâi MountainsOn the Cock's Comb trail (Creasta Cocoșului) of the Gutâi MountainsThe Cock's Comb

    Baia Mare, Romania

    Aug 18–19 in Romania ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    It was a long travel day from Timisoara. After a 6 1/2 hour bus ride, I picked up a car in Cluj and headed north out of Transylvania and into Maramures. It's probably the most remote region of Romania and sits below the Ukrainian border.

    I chose this town because it was a larger city in the area. I just needed a place to bed down before moving on to a smaller village the next day.

    I booked a pensiune, which is a family run hotel in a rural region. It's like a pension in Latin America.

    I was checked in by the 18-year-old son who spoke English. I was the first American he had met, so he had no end of questions. His father did a shot of palinca with me upon check-in. Nice. That's the local pear brandy. I've seen that tradition throughout the Balkans with Raki or Rakia. Same stuff, more or less and same tradition. One for you, one for me. For every guest!

    Don't think for a moment this is in the backwoods with no electricity and I'm dealing with peasants. These are modern, educated Europeans in every way and the pensiun was a new building with all mod cons. When I pulled in, I thought I was in the wrong place. A large neon tooth sign lit up the front. Apparently they rent out the front of the building to a dentist.

    Breakfast is included with these type of places and when I mentioned that I can't eat bread, Daniel told me he was a celiac. I high-fived him and his father gave me another shot. Then I told them that I hadn't had lunch and I asked for any restaurant recommendations. Daniel ran back to the kitchen and brought me some homemade gluten-free bread and various slices of vegetables and sausages.

    He sat me down to quiz me on what I thought of Trump and Obama etc etc. He plied me with a couple more shots of palinca to loosen the lips. It worked and I gave him an earful.

    I decided to walk around the central part of the city since I'd been cooped up in vehicles all day. It's a nice little town with some bars and cafes and not a whole lot else to do.

    After a delicious breakfast the next morning I said my goodbyes and drove up to a mountain pass in the Gutâi Mountains, part of the Carpathians. Daniel had mentioned a great hike to the Cock's Comb. I didn't quite make it to the top but I went about 80% of the way and the hike was beautiful. Bonus: no bears or boars. They're both a problem in Romania.

    More photos and videos are here.

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/X7igvTJLwZrnDAj76    Read more

  • Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler

    The Gypsy Mansions of Huedin

    August 18 in Romania ⋅ ⛅ 68 °F

    I passed hrough this town on a bus on the way to Cluj. I thought "What the hell are all these cool looking houses doing here?" At first they looked really nice, like mansions. But I saw several that were being built and they were really poor quality. We call that lipstick on a pig.

    A lot of them were falling apart during the construction phase. I've seen that before. It looked like some of the owners ran out of money during construction.

    People on the bus were pointing and laughing. The intricate metal work on the roofs looked really cool but then I noticed a lot of them were twisted and falling apart, even though they were not that old. They actually look like they're made out of aluminum foil. I definitely had to look that up.

    I found a blog by a Romanian woman who gave a little background. Between her blog and Wikipedia I found that they are called Gypsy Mansions. The BBC did a documentary years ago tying a gypsy pickpocket ring in England to this village. About 1,000 people in about 100 families were involved. Those numbers sound a little too rounded but you get the picture. And of course some of the money must have came from legitimate work abroad. Right?

    The mansions are a sign of status, wealth, and pride to the local gypsies. And a lot of them are left unfinished on purpose for tax purposes. Apparently you don't have to pay property taxes if the house is unfinished!    Read more

  • Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    Some secessionist buildings on Piata Unirii
    Some secessionist buildings on Piata UniriiPiata Unirii1Who knew Tarzan was from here?Miksa Steiner BuildingMiksa Steiner buildingBanat Village MuseumBanat Village MuseumBanat Village Museum communism exhibitOne of dozens of secessionist buildings in TimișoaraTigale Picanta - pork neck, chicken, hot pepper, paprika, polentaLiberty Square Piața LibertățiiRomanian rapper keeping it real.Piano Libertati - yes they keep a piano out here all summerPiati UniriiPiati UniriiPan-fried mutton pastrami seasoned with butter, garlic, and wild thyme, Polenta with burduf cheeseRevolution Memorial MuseumRevolution Memorial MuseumRevolution Memorial MuseumRevolution Memorial MuseumTour boats on the River

    Timișoara

    Aug 16–18 in Romania ⋅ ☀️ 88 °F

    I don't think I've ever seen so many people addicted to ice cream before. And I'm from Wisconsin. Oradea had an ungodly amount of ice cream shops and were doing good business. But Timișoara (TEE me show AH ra) is over the top. Granted its 33 today which is about 93 degrees Fahrenheit and it's Sunday.

    I just spent a couple hours walking around town. People were eating ice cream in the afternoon. People were eating ice cream before dinner. And people were eating ice cream after dinner - over a thousand of them walking around the piatas with their partner, their children, their parents, whomever. The main takeaway here is that they were all eating ice cream at some point during the day.

    It was beautiful. It wasn't a festival or anything special. it was just a summer Sunday. And while I'm sure there were many tourists here, the vast majority were locals.

    Timișoara is as big as Madison, Wisconsin where I'm from - 300,000ish people. But because everyone is strolling in the central piatas (plazas) it seems so much larger. The Old Town is car free and it's about a half mile by half mile circle. It makes sight seeing so enjoyable.

    This is where the Romanian revolution began in 1989. My hotel is near the piata where it all started. The room is a modern, luxurious room for $60. It comes with air conditioning. In Europe you always have to look for that because it's not necessarily standard.

    I checked in and had lunch at one of the sidewalk cafes. I ordered Goulash and a local red wine. I'm right near the Serbian and Hungarian border so those cuisines are found in many restaurants. For $3 a glass, the wine was a steal. The menu translation said it was a "black girl" wine. I definitely had to look that one up! The
    Fetească Neagră is a local grape translated as black girl, as in a very dark grape that is considered precious or delicate.

    I took a bus to the north side of town and went to one of those traditional rural village museums. About 50 years ago some people started collecting old houses from the countryside, took them down, shipped them here, and rebuilt them. At the oldest of them, I couldn't stand up in either room. People were short! And as I went on and the houses were newer you could tell that the nutrition got better over the centuries because the ceilings and beams got higher.

    The next day I went to the Revolution Memorial museum. In December 1989 people gathered to protest the removal of an agitator priest. A couple days later it turned into a real revolution. Troops showed up and opened fire and even killed children on the steps of the cathedral. Within 2 weeks, Caucescu was dead and it was over. They're very proud to have been the flash point.

    Architecture here? There are many beautiful Secessionist buildings here, just like in Oradea. Timișoara is a larger city and the buildings are spread out a little bit and they're not quite as grand. Some still need a lot of work, even though Timișoara was declared a Cultural Capital of Europe in 2023. But there are some real gems here and in the Old Town most of them have been gussied up.

    So far I'm absolutely impressed with what Romania has become in the 37 years since that revolution. This is only my second city but I'm looking forward to seeing the rest of the country. Color me impressed.

    More photos and videos are here

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/zK8bsznZw9bmmJoE9    Read more

  • Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    A macrame tree outside of my apartmentMy apartment"Moskovits" PalaceCiorba BurtaGrand Hotel AstoriaThe State TheaterPiata UniriiThe Crișul Repede riverCity HallGrand Hotel Astoria at nightThey'll drain your account.Night and day difference of the Black Eagle PalaceCasa Darvas La RocheCasa Darvas La RocheCasa Darvas La RocheThe fortress museum13th century swordsCosplayWorld War I era portable army kitchen1960s communist era apartment exhibitOh dear lord they have the first computer I worked on in the museumInside the Black Eagle Palace atrium

    Oradea, Romania

    Aug 14–16 in Romania ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F

    My Lufthansa flight from Munich only took 1.5 hours across Austria and Hungary. I checked into a small apartment near the center of the Old Town right away. What a great introduction to Romania! It's an absolutely beautiful city in the center.

    The Hapsberg's built a lot of the buildings in the late 1800s and early 1900s in the Secessionist style, which is known usually as Art Nouveau. And to quote the movie "In Bruges", it's like a fucking fairy tale.

    The plazas are newly repaved, the buildings have fresh paint jobs, and the lighting on them at night is astounding. As a bonus, there's really not too many tourists here. I'm noticing lots and lots of local Romanian families out and about. I heard some young Hungarian tourists today. The Hungarian border is a short drive away. I see the occasional tour group, but those are seemingly Romanians.

    It's just such a nice treat to not be in a city with hordes of toursists, yet it's everything a European city should be.
    I came here for the architecture and it's mind blowing. The city hall here looks as nice as Paris' Hotel Deville.

    I spent my day and a half walking all over and taking lots of photos. I went to a couple museums, including the fortress museum on the edge of the center. It was falling apart and ready to be torn down in the 70s but it's been totally rebuilt. The museum had a little bit about every period of Romanian history.

    There was even a room with a collection of old calculators and adding machines and computing technology all the way through modern computers. I'm so old that the first computer I ever used, the Mac SE, was prominently displayed.

    The highlight was the Darvas-La Roche House, a Secessionist house full of period piece furniture. Wow. Just wow.

    I'm trying Romanian food for the first time. My introductory meal was Sarmale (stuffed cabbage rolls). Delicious. Another meal was a chicken dish with a mushroom cream sauce. And I just had to try the tripe soup. Amazing stuff.

    More photos and videos are here.

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/NDgWJtxcmjjvNAav8

    And if you're into Art Nouveau, here's photos from the Darvas La Roche house.

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/UYayLS68YiwxSGbs8    Read more

  • Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    The glockenspiel at the Rathaus
    The glockenspiel at the RathausMy Albanian uber driver to the airport was so happy that I'd been to Albania he gave me these.In CharlotteAsam KircheMunich's Hauptbanhof- it's undergoing a major renovationKarlsplatzCelebrating the Reinheitsgebot , a 550-year-old German beer purity lawBeer garden at the Viktual marktAt the ResidenzA saint's bone? Hmmmm. Hard to tell.1Creepy Michael Jackson tributeAt Augustiner restaurant and beer hallThe Nazi document museumLet it be LowenbrauNurembergers!Augustiner KellarA condiment stand or Dave's new career?A helles beer and a fried pork knuckle. I'm with my people!

    Munich

    Aug 12–14 in Germany ⋅ ☀️ 86 °F

    I'm headed to Romania but I got a cheap flight to Munich and decided to spend a couple nights here first. It's my third time in Munich so I'm going to try to hit some spots that I haven't seen before.

    One thing I noticed immediately is that there is a LOT major construction going on. The biggest project is the redevelopment of the main train station. It's looking pretty sad right now but soon it will be as nice Berlin's, which is a massive and modern complex built within and underneath the train station. It looks like that's what they're going to do here.

    Munich has a few great pedestrian shopping streets so I did a fair amount of walking around and gawking at the sites. I went to the Residenz, a sprawling and grand palace of the Bavarian Kingdom. The treasury was worth the price of admission alone.

    And I had to visit the NS-Dokumentationszentrum München. It's a document museum and library which details the rise of the Nazi party. What a fascinating museum. The Nazis started in Munich and spread out from there.

    And what would a visit to Munich be without going to the Augustiner restaurants/ beer gardens in town. Fortunately my hotel near the train station is also near two of them and I hit them both on the same day. I had a fried pork knuckle (Haxe) at lunch at one and then I went to the sprawling beer garden at Augustiner Kellar for dinner. It holds 5,000 outdoor seats and is one of the largest in Munich.

    I was seated at a table with another gentleman and we made fast friends over Nuremberger sausages and a liter of helles. He was quite the interesting guy - Palestinian born but emigrated to Germany in his youth. He got a PhD in physics and then a medical degree. He works for a company that developed the lasers for Lasik surgery. We talked about travel and politics and he insisted on buying my beer.

    It was only a short stay, but it was well worth it for the stopover. Tomorrow I fly to Oradea, Romania. It's near the Hungarian border and it's known for it's Art Nouveau architecture called "Secessionist. " These buildings were built in the late 1800's and up to the start of World War 1 when it was part of the Austro- Hungarian empire.

    More photos and videos are here.

    https://photos.app.goo.gl/SmhNLKknxnyK9s1QA    Read more

    Trip start
    August 10, 2026