Translyvania, Romania

Velcome to my home. Well.. my home for the past week. We spent the entire week in the country trying to find that special medieval world that is gone from Western Europe. Also I was secretly looking for Dracula.


Translyvania, Carpathian mountains, Romania.. It all sounds so romantic and old world.



Not the greatest image - but look closely. It is spring time here and the crops need to be planted. So time to break out the horse and plow. I saw people in vast fields with a single hoe. I also saw people picking potatoes one by one. I later saw a guy taking a shit next to the river, but that's a different story.



Vlad Dracul (the order of the dragon), fathered Vlad Tepes (the impaler) who for many years held back the Ottoman Turks. While greatly outnumbered by the Turks, he would use fear tactics like impaling people (who took days to die). At one point he had the entire Turkish army on the run using these gorilla warfare techniques. It earned him a place in history as well infamy. Later to become the famed "Dracula". Who, by the way, the locals hate because Bram Stoker basically took their hero and turned him into a Hollywood legend.



Vlad Dracul and his family (including little Dracula) lived in the citadel in Sighisoara. His house is still there (550 years old!) and is now a restaurant. This citadel is the real deal and we loved walking around it's walls. This is a shot from the crypt beneath the church (from 1488). This is where Tara scared the living daylights out of me by jumping out at me from around the corner.



Bran Castle - a real proper castle used to repel the marauding Ottomans. Built in the mid 1300s, it has a commanding presence in the narrow valley. It is considered "Dracula's castle" but there is no proof he even ever visited here. But that doesn't stop the t-shirts salesmen.



There was of course a princess in Bran castle. And check out the name at the bottom. Ileana, you need to ask Bill why he hasn't built you a castle yet.



The locals heading out for a night on the town. We saw more horse carts than you'd believe.



Rasnov Citadel. High atop the hills above town, this citadel protected the townsfolk below. I loved this place! Towering snow capped mountains in the distance. All the key holes and crannies to shoot down into the approaching armies. There is a well that two prisoners dug to get their freedom. Took 17 years!



This about sums up train travel. It is very cheap in Eastern Europe. Most legs only cost about $15 US. Next stop. Bulgaria.