Month: September 2018

Thursday, September 13

Novak Djokovic has consistently been one of the top tennis players in the world and has had long stints ranked number one.  2018 was a good year for Djokovic.  He won two grand slams and has been playing at the top of his game.  He’s from Belgrade and is a major celebrity here.  He has even been honored with his picture on a Serbian postage stamp.  He owns a restaurant in the New Belgrade district and that’s where we planned to have lunch.

We walked the two miles to his restaurant.  It gave us an opportunity to see the riverfront and take in the view from one of the bridges crossing the Sava River.  Built after World War II, New Belgrade is primarily a business district.  There’s not much there in the way of tourist spots in that part of town but we didn’t care.  We wanted to see his restaurant.

The place is billed as a cafe/restaurant and based on the reviews we read we expected it to be somewhat casual so we were surprised when we got there and it looked more like an upscale eatery.  There is sports memorabilia covering all of the walls and quite a few of Novak’s trophys are on display.

(Winning Wimbledon)

We sat in the covered garden area in the rear.  It has a nice fountain but no view to speak of.  For lunch we had a bowl of tagliatelle with chicken and zucchini in a parmesan sauce and a veal schnitzel with french fries and tartar sauce.  The food was very good and the portions were huge.  We really should have just shared one dish but in our zeal we ate everything on our plates.  We even made a good dent in the bread basket.  The menu included a nice selection of vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options (in Serbia, a very meat oriented society, vegetarian options often include chicken and fish).

(Veal Schnitzel)

One of our options for dessert was a “Novak” cake, a chocolate layer cake, but we opted for “The Maestro” which was a cake layered with cream, mouse and nuts.  The desserts are all made by a speciality company and they are really first rate.  The bill came to $36.56 making it one of the most expensive meals we’ve had in quite some time.

After lunch we waddled back over one of the other river crossings and climbed the hill back to our apartment.  We were a little tired from our busy schedule and decided to take the rest of the day off from sightseeing.

Distance walked: 7.1 miles

Friday, September 14

In keeping with our Djokovic theme we walked over to the Danube in search of Novak’s tennis club.  Along the way we passed through Kalemedgan Fortress and visited Saint Petka and Ruzica Churches.  These churches have been destroyed and rebuilt many times over the centuries.  The present versions both date from the 20th century.  Both are small but have charming interiors.  The chandeliers in Saint Petka Church are all crafted from swords.  We suspected that there was a story behind that but couldn’t find any information about it.

We entered Ruzica Church just as the service was ending.  The priest came over to talk with us and when he found out we were Americans wanted to talk about Donald Trump.  He didn’t speak English and we don’t speak Serbian but we somehow met in the middle and conversed in German.  He seemed to think Trump has some odd ideas.

(Ruzica Church)

We also walked through the lower town area.  It too was surrounded with walls but it was not as heavily fortified as the upper town.  Several of the old gates from the 1400/1500s are still present but most of the walls and buildings are in ruins.  Very little has been excavated.

We finally made it to Djokovic’s tennis facility.  It abuts the waterfront, is fairly new and beautifully designed.  There are at least a dozen well manicured red clay courts, a little cabana where you can get refreshments and a club house with a pro shop, restaurant and changing rooms.  Most of the people playing were speaking American English.  It’s probably a popular place for tourists but we noted that they also have development programs for players of all ages.  We took one of their cards and intend to go hit there before we leave town.

For lunch we went back to our new favorite coffee shop: Kafeterija.  We ordered eggs benedict and and croque madame which came topped with a fried egg.  Both were served with naked side salads.  The food was unbelievably good but the salads would have been better with some sort of dressing.  We washed it all down with iced coffees.  For once the iced coffees actually had ice in them which is very unusual in our experience in Europe.

Fully sated we headed over to the post office to buy our traditional souvenir stamps.  We tried to get a Djokovic stamp but they have long since been sold out.  We did find a beautiful commemorative stamp featuring Nicola Telsa and we also bought a set of old Yugoslavian stamps featuring portraits of Tito.

Our next stop was to the Tesla Museum.  Nicola Tesla was actually born in a Serbo-Crotaian town that was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at that time.  He was a bonafide genius of the likes of Newton and Einstein.  Soon after he emigrated to America he worked for Edison at his facility in New Jersey and set about improving many of Edison’s creations.  Many people don’t realize that so many of the inventions credited to Edison were actually created by Tesla.

Edison was unsupportive of Tesla’s advocacy of alternating current technology and that lead to their split.  Eventually Tesla sold his technology to George Westinghouse and together they won the rights to create the first hydro-electric plant in Niagara Falls.

Tesla had a wide range of interests and developed many electrical based inventions.  He cared little for wealth and fame and was mostly interested in getting financing for his laboratory experiments.  He rarely bothered to get patents on his inventions.  Few people know that it was Tesla who invented the radio.  Marconi usually gets the credit but that is only because he was the first to patent the technology.

The museum is dedicated to Tesla’s life and his inventions.  You can only visit it on the hour when they have guided tours.  The tour begins with a 15 minute film.  Afterwards a guide explains many of the devices on display which leads to demonstrations of a Tesla Coil and a remote controlled boat.

We’ve seen many Tesla Coils (you’ve seen them in every Frankenstein movie ever made) but we never thought that they had a real purpose.  In fact, they are a demonstration of one of Tesla’s lifelong dreams: the ability to transmit electrical current through the air.  The guide handed out several florescent bulbs and each time the coil discharged the bulbs all lit up.  It was amusing and fascinating to watch.

(A Tesla Coil)

There was also a demonstration of a radio controlled boat that Tesla created.  It was said that at the time the viewers assumed that he was controlling the boat by unseen wires or magic.  He was very far ahead of his time.

Sadly Tesla died penniless in a New York hotel.  His ashes are displayed in an urn in the museum.

The museum is rather small and the personal artifacts on display were of little interest to us but it was definitely time well spent.  Cost of admission: $3.00 per person.

After the museum we stopped at the famous Moscow Hotel for some coffee and cake.  The location originally belonged to the Obrenovic family, one of Serbia’s royal families, but after several changes of ownership because a hotel famous for its live piano music and its special cake: The Moskva Schnit.

Our experience has been that these famous pastries are usually a big disappointment but in spite of that we felt compelled to order a piece.  The Schnit is made of layers of cake and cream where each layer has either cherry, apricot, pineapple or almond in it.  It sounds a little weird but it was oh so delicious.  One slice cost $4.80 but it was enough for the two of us to share.  To wash it down we ordered an iced coffee; as usual there was no ice in it.

(The Famous Moskva Schnit)

Distance walked: 9.1 miles

Wednesday, September 12

Perhaps the most charming part of Belgrade is Kalemegdan Park.  It is a lovely wooded park with shaded walking trails, museums, sculptures, playgrounds and all sorts of things to see and do.  The complex also includes the medieval fortress and the zoo.  We planned to spend the entire day exploring this area.

The park is just one block from our apartment.  From our balcony on the third floor we can see the famous clock tower and the surrounding hilltop areas.  Each time we have walked through the park we have taken a different route and discovered new and interesting things.  It’s a large park and we’re hoping to discover all of the secrets that it holds.

Fun fact: Americans count the ground floor as level one.  Europeans consider it to be level zero so our third floor apartment would be considered a fourth floor apartment in the United States.  It’s ok, for once we have an elevator!

We actually started the day off in one of the coffee shops that had been recommended to us.  In most of the former Yugoslavian countries these coffee shops are referred to as Kafanas.  The term originated in Ottoman times as a place for men to socialize.  These places are usually a combination of restaurant and club and normally have live music.  The place we went to, Kafeterija Magazin, is a modern reinterpretation of the concept.  They sell artisan coffees and teas, baked goods, sandwiches and salads and smokeless cigarettes.  On other levels they have a sneaker shop, a game room and a barber shop.  We ordered two cappuccinos and a small lemon tart.  The coffees were very good and cost about $2.50 each.  The lemon tart was very tasty and only cost $1.50.  As a matter of fact all of the food items were quite a bargain.  We intend to come back and eat a meal there.

(Lemon Tart)

After coffee we made our way through the park and entered the fortress through the King’s Gate.  It’s on the East side of the hill and commands a panoramic view of the Sava River and the New Belgrade district.  In ancient times the entire city’s population resided on the hilltop where the fortress now sits.  The first historical mentions of the city occurred in the third century BC when the Celts conquered the Dacians and the Thracians.  At that time the city was known by the name Singidunum.

(Fortress Tower / Now an Observatory)

The Romans conquered Singidunum in 75 BC and stationed a legion there.  This was one of the frontiers that separated the Roman Empire from the lands of the barbarian tribes.  During this time the fortress was enlarged and improved with stronger and higher walls.  In subsequent years the fortress was destroyed and rebuilt when the city was repeatedly attacked by the Huns and the Goths.  Legend said that the grave of Attila the Hun lies beneath the fortress.

(Belgrade Fortress)

When the Bulgarians came in the 9th century they named the city Beograd, meaning White City, because of the white stones used in the construction of the citadel.  The fortress was subsequently conquered by the Ottoman and the Austro-Hungarian Empires.  Today the fortress is the most popular tourist attraction in Belgrade with over two million visitors each year.  Admission is free.  The Serbian government has petitioned UNESCO to include the site in its list of World Heritage Sites.

Here are some of the highlights from our visit and a wonderful, interactive map…

1. The Victory Monument.  A large bronze sculpture commemorating Serbia’s victory over the Ottoman Empire.
2. The Roman Well.  Legends about this well abound.  It was one of Alfred Hitchcock’s favorite places.  There is a small entrance fee.
3. The Military Museum.
4. The Observatory.  It’s open during the day and at night.  It’s free of charge.
5. The remains of the Mehmed Pasha Sokolovic Fountain.
6. The Roman Ruins.
7. The Clock Tower.
8. Saint Petka Church.
9. Ruzika Church.
10. The many towers, gates and bastions.

The Belgrade Zoo is located in the park, adjacent to the Fortress.  It was our next destination.  The Zoo was opened in 1936 and is the largest zoo in Serbia. During World War II many of the animals escaped when the zoo was bombed.  Quite a few of the animals had to be killed to protect the population.  Today the zoo is known for its collection of White Lions and White Tigers.  The zoo is also quite proud of Muja, it’s oldest resident.  He’s an American alligator from Mississippi who first came to the zoo in 1936.  He’s the oldest alligator living in captivity (and quite probably the oldest alligator in the world).  He is estimated to be at least 90 years old.

(A Pile of Raccoons)

We noticed that quite a few of the animals were kept in small, concrete and wire enclosures but the zoo is in the process of doing major renovations.  The newer habitats are  in the modern, naturalist style.  Conditions will be much better once all of the animals are moved to their new pens.

(Cheetah Posing for the Camera)

They had a nice collection of animals which included an elephant, four white lions, one white tiger, many sets of arctic wolves, a jaguar, some cheetahs, a leopard, some camels, hippos, primates and more.  It was sad to see that some of the animals, in particular some of the very social animals like the elephant, were alone.  The zoo was much larger than we expected and we spent the entire afternoon there.  We had a lovely time.  The entry fee was just $5.00 per person.

White Lion Impatient for Dinner

Distance walked: 6.3 miles

Tuesday, September 11

We got a late start today so our first order of business was lunch.  We headed over to a small, cobblestoned lane in the bohemian section of town called Skadarska Street.  The street is lined with restaurants whose menus are packed full of classic Serbian dishes.  Our guide told us that all these restaurants were good and that they all had similar prices.  We picked one where we saw a few people eating and there was room on the outdoor terrace. We wanted to have a good view of the comings and goings while we ate.

We had already planned what we were going to order: Pljeskavica.  This is as common in Serbia as hamburgers are in the United States.  It’s a patty made of beef, pork and onions and is usually served with a sauce.  Ours had no sauce but it did come with roasted potatoes.  There were a generous amount of onions in the patty and it was juicy, flavorful and delicious.  One order was enough for the two of us to share.  We’ll definitely try it in some other restaurants for comparison.  Lunch for two, with a large bottle of sparkling water, was $10.49.

(Pljeskavica for Lunch)

After lunch we re-visted three churches that we’d seen on our tour.  The first was The Church of Saint Mark.  It’s a large Orthodox Church with five domes.  that was built between 1930 and 1940.  The interior walls are uncharacteristically painted white.  Our guide said that because of World War II and all the events following the inside frescos were never painted.  It is likely that the interior will finally be completed sometime in the next few years.

(Saint Mark’s Church)

There are several notable burials inside including the tomb of Tzar Dushan the Powerful who ruled Serbia from 1331 until his death in 1355.  Under his rule Serbia conquered a large part of the Balkans making Serbia one of the most powerful countries.  He was also the creator of a revolutionary constitution knowns as Dushan’s Code.

(Saint Mark’s Church)

On our way to our next destination, the Temple of Saint Sava, we walked through a lovely park with beautiful fountains, flowers and sculptures.  The park is full of buckeye trees, which seem to be everywhere in Belgrade.

Saint Sava, 1134-1236, was known as “The Enlightener” and is considered one of the most important people in Serbian history.  He was a member of the royal family, devoted himself to the Eastern Orthodox church and is credited as the founder of Serbian medieval literature.  He is the patron saint of Serbia, Serbs, and Serbian education.

The Temple of Saint Sava is a huge church modeled after the Hagia Sofia in Istanbul.  The interior of the church is undergoing a major renovation so we were not able to see inside.  We were, however, able to visit the crypt.  It’s normal to think of crypts as small, dark places with narrow passages but this one is a huge, bright, open space that’s beautifully decorated with mosaics and frescos.  An iconostasis has been installed at the Eastern end where services will be conducted until the reconstruction has been completed.

(Not Your Typical Crypt)

Our final church of the day was Saint Michael’s Cathedral.  This church is home to the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church who lives across the street (in the Eastern Orthodox religion each country has its own Patriarch who functions are their equivalent of a pope).  The interior is vastly different from any Eastern Orthodox church we’ve ever visited.  Instead of the typical Byzantine style frescos the interior is painted in the Italian Renaissance style.  It was a striking sight.  Unfortunately no photography was permitted.

Distance walked: 6.8 miles

Sunday, September 9

We took an airport bus service from Brasov to Bucharest Airport and caught a 3:40 pm flight to Belgrade.  It’s the first time in a long time that we’ve been on a turbo-prop plane.  We flew on Air Serbia and probably paid too much because we were entitled to free peanuts and soda.  We still don’t know how that happened.

One of our co-hosts picked us up at the airport.  The drive took almost an hour because many of the streets were blocked off due to a city-wide marathon.  Our apartment is just on the edge of Kalemegdan Park where the old citadel can be found.  Belgrade, which loosely means, White City, was named so because the original fortress was made out of white stones.

By the time we got to our apartment it was after 6:00 pm local time and we were rather tired (we’re back to “Rome” time now).  We headed over to the Shopping Mall at the end of the block and got some dinner and groceries.  The restaurant had an interesting concept.  It’s a self-service eatery.  When you enter they give you a credit card and each time you order food they add the cost to your account.  When you leave you present your card and it tells you host much to pay.  The food was mostly Italian and was very mediocre.

Distance walked: 3.2 miles

Monday, September 10

Since we only have two weeks in Belgrade we decided to take two free tours today.  The first one was at 10:00 am and explored the history and heritage of the city.  Our guide was an art historian and had many interesting things to say. The tour ended at the Temple of Saint Sava and we hurried back to the main square for lunch so as to be ready for the 2:00 pm City Center tour.

As usual details to follow as we go back and re-visit these (and more) sights.

Distance walked: 9.5 miles

Thursday, September 6

Our host told us about a place just a few miles outside of Town called Poiana.  She said that people went there on the weekends to picnic.  We looked into it and found that Poiana, usually referred to as Poiana-Brasov, is part of Brasov county.  It is very popular in the winter months as a ski resort.  We found a map with a few walking trails and decided to head on over and see what it was all about.  Since it was only three miles from our apartment we decided to walk.

While passing through the Old Town we noticed a coffee shop named Cafeteca.  We had been to one near our apartment where we enjoyed a good cup of coffee and a nice piece of caramel pie.  The shop had been recommended on a web site that we’d read.  It turns out that it’s a franchise.  We stopped in for a jolt to help us along on our journey.

Cafeteca’s speciality is making coffee and chocolate drinks topped with marshmallows.  Last time we’d just had a couple of cappuccinos but this time we tried something more adventurous.  One of us (I won’t tell you who) ordered a drink made from dark chocolate and milk topped with marshmallows.  It was very tasty.

The way to Poiana took us through the Old Town and then the Romanian quarter before we found ourselves on a lonely country road winding up the mountain.  Along the way we encountered the remains of some old mill buildings along a mountain stream that were owned by Serbian families in the 19th century.  Soon after entering the park we saw a large grassy area with benches and outdoor grills where several families were about to enjoy lunch.  We continued up the mountain in the expectation of finding a ski lodge or resort but we never found anything.  After a while we headed back down and walked back to Brasov.

(Hiking in the Mountains)

By the time we hit the Romanian quarter it was well past lunch time so we decided to eat at a restaurant that had been recommended by our tour guide. Casa Românească is a large restaurant in the Union Square.  From the outside it looked very Bavarian but the menu was composed of traditional Transylvanian specialties.

(Pork with Brown Sauce)

Deborah ordered chicken with onions and mushrooms in a white sauce.  It came with a huge portion of polenta while I ordered pork in brown sauce.  It came with another pile of polenta and was topped with a fried egg (this is very common in Transylvanian dishes).  Both were quite delicious.  In spite of having eaten everything on our plates we couldn’t resist the opportunity to order papanasi for dessert.  We’d seen someone else’s order come out of the kitchen and all our willpower went the way of the dodo.  It was easy to share because each order has two donuts.  It was worth every calorie.

(Papanasi – We Got Two of These)

Distance walked: 10.3 miles

Friday, September 7

After climbing a mountain and walking for miles we decided to take the day off.  I (Deborah) had been invited to dinner and cards with our host and some of her friends that evening.  It was just a girls’ night.  One of her guests met me at the apartment and we walked over to our host’s apartment.  There were a total of five of us for dinner but one guest was tired so she left before the games.

The evening was very pleasant with a great dinner and lots of traditional drinks.  Our host served homemade visinata.  This a strong liqueur that is served in little shot-sized glasses that look like ceramic pitchers.  It can be made with any fruit and has a sweet taste.  She had both a sour cherry visinata and a blueberry visinata.  Since I couldn’t decide which one I liked best I had two servings of both.  After that everything was wonderful!

For dinner she made stuffed vegetables (red peppers, tomatoes, squash and leaves – she said they were found in the forest).  They were stuffed with beef and rice with lots of onions and dill and were baked in a pan with a tomato sauce.  A homemade wine that one of the ladies brought was served with dinner.  Everything was delicious!

(Vegetables Stuffed with Rice and Meat)

Our host served a homemade plum pie for dessert.  It had more of the consistency of cake and was very sweet and flavorful.  The plums were in large chunks and were also sweet.  I had several pieces.  I couldn’t be rude.😉

After dinner we played several different games including rummy and a game called Phase 10.  I had not played most of the games before but the ladies were all very patient and helpful.  They usually get together once a month for this activity.  They have been doing it for some time and really seem to enjoy it.

We finished around 11:00 pm and one of the ladies walked me back to our apartment.  I had a very nice time chatting with them and learning about their lives in Brasov.  Most of the women were born in Brasov but one woman was from Dallas, TX and has lived in Brasov for about 20 years.  They all spoke English very, very well so it was easy for me to talk with them.

I really enjoyed meeting them and getting to hear about life in Brasov.  We always like to chat with locals when we visit and this was a great opportunity for me.  Marc was sad that he didn’t get to go but they sent a lot of food back to him so he was able to enjoy it, too.

Distance walked: 2.8 miles

Saturday, September 8

This was to be our last day in Romania.  We went out about 4:00 pm.  The International Tennis Federation was sponsoring a Futures tour event and we thought that we might catch a few matches before deciding what to do about dinner; we’d seen a few matches on a previous day (the Futures tour is the equivalent of the AA leagues in baseball).  When we got there the courts were empty.  The tournament had ended the day before so we just walked around the perimeter of the town before heading into the Town Square.

To our surprise we found that all preparations for the Golden Stag Festival had been cleared but a new, smaller, stage had been setup on the North end of the square for a free concert celebrating the 65th Anniversary of the Brasov Opera.  We watched the sound check rehearsal for a while.  The technicians were busy adjusting the microphones and mixer levels while the orchestra played and  each of the singers took their turn.  We decided to have dinner at an Italian restaurant in the square and positioned ourselves so that we would have a good view of the stage for the performances.

For dinner we shared a pizza with prosciutto.  I found an interesting beer on the menu but the waiter wasn’t able to tell me whether it was a pilsner, lager or ale (his English was not very good and I’m not sure he even understood the question) so I just had what Deborah had: an Aperol Spritz.  For once we ate slowly and enjoyed the food and the concert at the same time.  For dessert we had coffee and a pastry made with layers of meringue and sweetened cream topped with chocolate.

About a dozen performers took the stage during the evening.  Some sang famous arias from popular operas while others sang popular songs or even show tunes.  They were all in very good voice and the orchestra did a fine job.  By the time  the show had ended the sun had set over the mountains.  We waked home in the crisp mountain air to pack and get ready for the next phase of our trip.

(Sound Check)

Distance walked: 3.7 miles

Tuesday, September 4

Today was Deborah’s birthday.  Our everyday life is such that it’s hard to imagine doing something “special” for her birthday but we’ll come up with something.  You think you have problems?!

Today we went to the town of Sighisoara (sig-he-SHWOR-a).  It’s about 75 miles to the Northwest of Brasov and, by car, should take about 1.5 hours.  We took the bus.  It took about two hours.  The cost: 26 Lei / $7.50 per person.

Sighisoara is one of the so-called 7 Fortified Towns – the towns in Transylvania that the Saxons built strong defensive walls around.  Along the way we passed through a number of smaller towns and saw quite a few signs indicating the way to fortified churches.  There are a number in the region and many have been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.  The Old Town section of Sighisoara is included in that list.

One of the towns we passed through was Rupea.  From the bus we were able to spot a citadel high on a nearby hill.  Original settlements on the hill date from as early as 5500 BC but the fortress was built in the early 1300s and was part of a set of defensive fortresses throughout the region.  We probably won’t have time to visit it but it was a magnificent site.  It’s a popular place to go so if you’re in the area…

Our bus driver had been instructed to wait for a few passengers so we left Brasov about 20 minutes late.  The drive was through steep, narrow and winding mountain passages.  Our driver seemed intent on making up for lost time and determined to pass every vehicle that was in front of him while talking on his cell phone and eating his lunch.  It made for some interesting experiences.  Final result: we lived (and miraculously arrived at the scheduled time).

When we got off the bus it was easy to see where the old town was – it was the part of the city perched on the hill across the river.  We had researched the town beforehand and came armed with a list of things to do.  Our first destination was the Basilica of Saint Nicholas also known simply as The Church on the Hill.  To get there we walked up The Scholars’ Stairs, a rather unique set of 175 stairs built in 1642 that were covered by a long wooden structure that resembles the covered bridges you often see in the New England states.

(The Scholars’ Stairs)

Entry to the church cost 8 Lei / $2.00 per person and gave us access to the church and the crypt and permitted us to take pictures.  The bell tower was not open to visitors.  The Basilica was originally constructed in the 13th century in the Romanesque style but was later converted to the Gothic style in the 14th and 15th centuries.  The original designation was Catholic but like so many of the churches in German areas it became Lutheran during The Reformation.  Some of the original frescos have survived and, although not fully intact, made for colorful displays.  On display we saw about a dozen old wooden chests that dated from the 15th century made by Transylvanian craftsman.  The altar piece, from 1520, was particularly beautiful and had intricately carved wings.  We visited the crypt but now it’s just a small, empty basement.

(The Basilica of Saint Nicholas)

The hilltop was also hosts a large Saxon cemetery with many graves spread over several sections.  We explored it a bit before finding another path back down the hill.  On our way we ran into the Tanners’ and Tinsmiths’ Towers.  These towers were built in the 13th and 14th centuries.  The Tinsmiths’ Tower is an impressive looking building set on the edge of a cliff and can be seen from quite a distance.  It appears to be on private property and could only be viewed from afar.

(The Tinsmiths’ Tower)

Next we visited the Church of the Dominican Monastery.  The church was probably built sometime in the 13th century and included a Dominican monastery which was demolished in 1888 to make room for the present day Town Hall.  in 1556 it converted to the Lutheran faith and was the Saxons’ main place of worship.  It’s a fairly small church and, typically for Lutheran churches, was somewhat austere.  It did have a nice collection of antique Oriental carpets and an organ from 1680.

Next we headed over to the Clock Tower.  Originally this tower was the main gate into the old city.  Today is houses a museum, an antique mechanical clock and a viewing platform where you are treated to a 360 degree panoramic view of the city.

At every floor there was a display of medieval artifacts.  One had works from the various guilds, another had information about the Town’s history and our favorite was where we saw the clock mechanism.  It’s a large, complex mechanical device from the 14th century that controls the clock and several animated displays.  It was a blast to watch it in action.  We saw it tick off the seconds and watched the flywheels control the displays.  When we finally got to the top we took quite a few pictures.  There were brass signs embedded in the railings indicating the distance and direction to cities all over the world.

 

(The Clock Tower)

One of the things that Sighisoara is most famous for is that it was the childhood home of Vlad III, aka Vlad Tepes, aka Vlad the Impaler, aka Vlad Dracul.  He was born in a house very near the clock tower in 1431 and lived there with his father until 1435.  The house where he was born has been turned into a restaurant.  For a fee of 5 Lei / $1.25 per person you can visit the rooms in which he lived.  Of course we expected it to be hokey (and it was) but how could we resist seeing where Dracula was born?

(Is Someone Watching Us?)

We also ate at the restaurant.  We expected it to be crowded, overpriced and mediocre.  It wasn’t overpriced 😉.  We ordered Schnitzel.  Deborah had the chicken version and I had the pork.  We also ordered a side of polenta that had been cooked with chicken fat.  At least it was good.  Total cost, including a large bottle of sparkling water and the tip was about $19.00.  They said their credit card machine was down so we had to pay cash (sounded like a scam to us).

We’ve been burning through a lot of cash here in Romania.  We prefer to use credit cards for our purchases and have been able to use them in most places except Romania.  Even some of the most touristy places here only accept cash.  We’ve never been to the cash machine so many times in our lives.  We try to take small amounts so we aren’t left with any currency by the time we leave.  Exchanging currency at the exchange counters is a huge ripoff; we’ve only had to do it once and it was only to convert a few Hungarian HUF to Czech Crowns (about $10 total).  Most of the time the $400 we leave in our checking account is more than enough cash for the month’s expenses.  We’re down to $100 now.  We’re going to have to transfer some funds.

Fun Fact: Bills in Romanian money are made of plastic that are referred to as Polymer Banknotes.  They were first developed in Australia and are now used by a handful of countries in the world.  Their use is meant to combat forgeries.

After lunch we tried to visit the Catholic Church and an Eastern Orthodox Church named The Church of the Holy Cross but they were both closed.  We did, however find several more of the old city’s towers along with a sculpture of Vlad III.

We walked back to the bus stop and waited for our ride back home.  The bus was 30 minutes late but arrived in Brasov at the scheduled time (don’t ask).  The cost for the return trip was only 25 Lei and it was the same bus company (and the same driver).  It’s not clear we’ll ever understand transportation in this region – oh, and the bus fares all had to be paid in cash, too.

Upon arriving in Brasov we walked back to the old town to get some dinner and decided to celebrate Deborah’s birthday with another installment of Drink Your Dinner.  It was 10 Lei pizza night at Deane’s Irish Pub so that’s where we went.  For $2.50 we got a pizza large enough for two people covered in bacon, ham, sausage, salami and mushrooms.  We asked if we could get it without the mushrooms but were brutally rebuffed.  Deborah ordered her new favorite drink: An Aperol Spritz.  She had two while I started with a Johnnie Walker Sour and then switched to Guinness.  I had intended to try a Stella Artois but when I found out it was a Pilsner I opted for the Guinness.  The Guinness had only crossed paths with a small skunk and was very drinkable.  We left very happy but then tragedy struck.  We tried to get a “chocolate blob” for dessert and were crestfallen to learn that they’re on vacation until next week.  We’ll be gone by then so we’ve already had all we’re going to get.  We never even got to say, “goodbye”.😢

Distance walked: 10.3 miles

Saturday, September 1

Yet another hill to climb.  This time it was to see the fortress on the hill overlooking the nearby town of Rasnov (Rash-nov).  There is evidence to suggest that people have been living on this hilltop since pre-historic times.  The fortification was part of a defensive system supporting villages in Transylvania against invasion.

The medieval portions of the fortress were built in the early 1200s by Teutonic Knights.  The fortress successfully defended against the Tatar invasion of 1335 and the Ottoman Army in 1421.  It was conquered only once in 1612 due to lack of water because the enemy army had discovered the path to the secret spring.

We took a bus for the 25 minute trip to Rasnov.  It left us off in the middle of Town.  There is a funicular near the town center that will take you to the top of the hill but we decided to walk up the adjacent walking path.  The way up was by a series of stairs and was the equivalent of 38 flights.  When we finally reached the top we were disheartened to see that there was no obvious entry into the fortress.  We had to walk all the way around to the other side to get to the main gate.  As the fortress was at the top of the mountain we had a great view of the city below and the fields and mountains in the distance all the way around.

(Rasnov Fortress)

The fee for entry was 12 Lei or $3.00 per person.  Nearby there was a small archery setup where you could, for a small fee, shoot arrows into hay bails with primitive bows.

Upon crossing the threshold there is a magnificent sight of the fortress at the top of the hill with a winding path leading up to the barbican.  Next to the gate is a tower that you can climb.  There’s nothing to see in the tower but there are great panoramic views from the platform.

(Rasnov Fortress)

During medieval times the fortress enclosed a small town.  There were shops, a school, houses and workshops.  Remnants on these buildings are visible.  In one area the buildings have been restored and now serve as souvenir shops and specialty stores.  Between two of the shops there was a small space where you could test your mettle by throwing small medieval style axes into targets.

(Restored Buildings Form a Small Village Center)

We climbed to the highest portion of the hill and took quite a few pictures including a couple of selfies.  Given the warm sun, the stiff breeze and the magnificent view it was a pleasure just to be there.

We’d noticed a bunch of people getting to the citadel by small shuttles in the shape of a train.  We decided to walk down the mountain in that direction and see where they came from.  Along the way we found an amusement park called Dino Park.  The signs outside advertised a dinosaur themed park featuring animatronic animals that was clearly geared towards children.  Finally, at the bottom of the hill, we encountered a medieval festival where people were selling trinkets and all sorts of food.  We indulged in a chimney cake before hiking about a mile back into Town.

We caught a bus back to Brasov with little difficulty.  For once the fee for coming and going was the same.  It was a different bus company.

For lunch we went back to Restaurant Transylvania.  I had the Cotlet Dracula, which was a thick piece of pork in a spicy pepper and chili sauce covered in mozzarella.  Deborah ordered a marinated chicken breast with mozzarella.  They always give you so much food that we’ve yet to try their desserts.  The next time we go maybe we’ll just have coffee and cake.

Distance walked: 9.7 miles

Sunday, September 2

Tonight we had tickets to see the Golden Stag Festival which was being held in Brasov’s Town Square.  The four day festival owes its beginnings to dictator Nicoale Ceausescu during the communist occupation.

Ceausescu wanted to show the world that Romania was a free society and so ordered the festival to be a copy of the San Remo Festival.  The entertainers were mostly local amateurs who performed traditional music and dance.  The first festival was held in 1968.  Ceausescu cancelled the festival after four years as he feared that the people should not get used to too much freedom.  The festival was revived in 1992 and, year after year, has been become more popular than ever.

The organizers setup stadium seating in the square and placed a large stage at the North end.  There were monitors throughout the audience but it didn’t matter much as everyone had good sight lines.  Everything about the production was first rate with mobile cameras zipping along wires, spots lights and computer generated light shows.  The event was broadcast live on Romanian TV.

The show started with several large groups of performers in traditional costumes doing traditional dances.  The groups had either a lead singer or a group of singers.  The entire production was accompanied by a live orchestra.  Over the first hour and 20 minutes we saw about a dozen different groups.  They were all very good and the music was generally lively.  Many people in the audience danced in the aisles and sang along.  As expected the music was over amplified to the point where it was distorted but that seems to be the norm these days.  The songs, which leaned heavily on the higher ranges, were piercing and at times painful.  This was emphasized by the constant use of amplified pan flutes, piccolo recorders and the highest possible notes on the e-string of the violins.

(At the Golden Stag Festival)

The costumes and the dances had a very Bavarian feel.  This is not surprising since large parts of Transylvania were settled by Saxons and the region was ruled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire for so many years.  The songs, however, has a very Eastern sound showing the influence of the nearby Ottoman Empire.

After the traditional performances were over there was a short break before two rocks banks took the stage.  Both bands attempted to build on the themes from the traditional music.  The first band seemed more like a bunch of people simultaneously improvising without any regard to what the others were doing. Their performance was mercifully short.

The second band did a better job of incorporating the traditional themes.  The band cycled through several different styles including heavy metal and rap.  At the mid-point of the performance the conductor of the orchestra appeared on stage with his violin.  He produced some of the most horrid, ear piercing and shrill sounds we’ve ever heard.  At one point we had to cover our ears because it was physically uncomfortable.  During this portion of the performance the audience was subjected to very bright white strobe lights.  It was so bad  that Deborah couldn’t even look at the stage.

There was a short break before the next band started and, since it was already after 11:00 pm, we took the opportunity to leave.  All week long we’d heard the bands doing sound checks on the stage and thought that it was going to be a very pleasant experience.  We had a rude shock.

Distance walked: 3.5 miles

Friday, August 31

We had an ambitious day planned.  We intended to travel to the towns of Harman and Prejmer to see their fortified churches.  In medieval times many smaller cities were not surrounded by high, protective walls so, as a compromise, they built walls around their main church to provide refuge in case of attack.

Before leaving Brasov we had researched the best way to get to these places using pubic transportation.  In spite of the fact that we were still a little uneasy about our options we decided to give it a whirl.  Busses seemed to be our best option so we started the day by walking 1.5 miles over to bus station #1 and took a 20 minute ride over to Harman.

The bus left us off near the center of town and from there we could see that, aside from the fortified church, there was not much to see and do.  Harman seemed more like a suburb of Brasov than a separate town.  Access to the complex was through a long, narrow corridor surrounded by a barbican.  Once inside we entered the ticket office where a very enthusiastic man gave us booklets and maps of the grounds and told us that, ‘You must see everything’.  We always do!

The Evangelical Fortified Church of Harman is one of the 25 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Romania (we’ve visited several other UNESCO sites in Romania  but have neglected to mention that fact).  The construction of the church began in 1240 by the newly arrived Saxon population.  Soon after the church was completed high walls, towers and bulwarks were added.  Along the interior of the walls we saw two floors of rooms that provided homes, storage and workshops for the few people who lived there but there was also room to accommodate the townspeople in the event of attack.

We started our self-guided tour by climbing the stairs to the first floor and saw what the accommodations were like in the 15th century.  The small rooms were framed in wood with white plaster walls.  We were amused to see a music room complete with vintage instruments, an organ and hand-written music.

(Inside the Fortifications)

We continued to climb inside the fortifications and were able to circumnavigate the complex inside the walls.  There were small, keyhole shaped windows for firing arrows and chutes to drop rocks, hot pitch and oil on the approaching enemies.  To the inside there were large rooms with pitched roofs for storing food and supplies.  We had a great time walking between the battlements and the towers.

Back down on earth we visited the chapel tower.  This original chapel was built in the Gothic style.  Sometime in the late 13th century it became part of the outside, protective wall and in the 15th century it was expanded and became one of the towers.  Many of the colorful frescos from the 15th century have survived and are one of their most precious relics.

We also visited the main church named the Church of Saint Nicholas.  It was built in the late 13th century is also in the Gothic style.  The church proudly displayed its collection of Oriental Knotted Carpets along the walls and in front of the pews.  Carpets and other precious gifts were frequently donated by traveling tradesmen to protect them on their journeys.

(Church of Saint Nicholas)

We also availed ourselves of the opportunity to climb the bell tower.  We were warned, however, that the bells ring every 15 minutes and that we might not want to be in the tower when that happened.  We took our chances.

The way up the tower was rather challenging.  At each level the stairs were built out of different materials and had different designs.  We started out on a circular, stone staircase which lead to a staircase made out of wood followed by a ladder made out of split logs with more variations to follow.  The only thing that was consistent about them was that they were steep and narrow often with low headroom approaching each floor.

Once at the top we had a great view of the entire town and the surrounding countryside.  Unfortunately, the pictures were marred by the chicken wire covering the windows to prevent the birds from entering.  It was actually one of the cleanest bell towers we’ve ever seen.  This church had the characteristic four towers surrounding the main tower indicating that crimes could be punished using the death penalty.

(Fortifications at Harman)

Fun Fact: Romania, like all members of the EU, has no death penalty.  It was abolished in 1989 after the fall of Communism.  The last people to be executed were Nicolae Ceaușescu and his wife, Elena.

We really loved visiting this place.  It’s just a short trip from Brasov and should be considered a ‘must do’.  With so many passages to explore and towers to climb even ten year olds would love this place.  Fifty-seven year olds certainly did.  Cost of entry: 10 Lei ($2.50) per person with no extra charges to visit the bell tower.

Our next challenge was to get to the town of Prejmer.  We thought that there was a bus from Harman to Prejmer but we were wrong.  Our next thought was to take the bus back to Brasov and then take the bus (or train) to Prejmer.  While waiting for the bus we hit on the happy idea of taking a car service.  We figured that neither of these places were too far outside of Brasov and that we could probably get something.

Our phones are equipped with Uber, Taxify, Clever Taxi and Black Cab apps – all popular taxi services in Europe.  Taxify and Clever Taxi aren’t available in Transylvania and Black Cab was ridiculously expensive so that just left Uber (there were no taxis in Harman that we could see).  Each of the first four requests we made were accepted and then cancelled by the drivers.  Our fifth request was accepted and the driver actually showed up and took us to Prejmer.  The ride took about 15 minutes.  We gave him a good tip.

We’ve seen this pattern of behavior whenever we’ve used Uber anywhere in the world – including the U.S..  We average about three accepts/cancels for every trip we take.  While Uber is often the most available option we only use it as a last resort.

The town of Prejmer is a little larger than Harman.  Our car stopped a few blocks from the fortified church where we spied a few small restaurants.  It was time for lunch and we opted for a pizzeria where we had a completely unremarkable meal.

The Fortified Church of Prejmer is similar to the one in Harman but on a much larger scale.  The enclosure was designed to house the town’s people for extended periods of time and had over a hundred rooms around the inside of the perimeter wall.  Similarly to Harman we were able to tour the passages inside the main wall on our own.

The entry passage through the barbican is protected by a heavy wooden and metal gate.  This gate and passage reminded Deborah of scenes of ‘The Wall’ from Game of Thrones.  She was thrilled and had many pictures taken.

(Deborah at ‘The Wall’)

The main church, The Church of the Holy Cross, dates from 1218 and was built by the Order of the Teutonic Knights.  The contemporary look of the church and the fortifications date from the early 1400s when the Saxons built defenses against the invading Turks.  The church is in the Gothic style and also displays a lovely collection of Oriental carpets.  On the main alter you will find the oldest Triptych in Romania.  It was created in Transylvania between 1450 and 1460.  Unfortunately, the bell tower is not open to visitors.

(Main Altar with Triptych)

While this church, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is larger than Harman it seemed less well preserved and not nearly as interesting.  If you only have time to visit one of these sites we would recommend going to Harman.  Cost of entry was also 10 Lei per person.

For the trip back to Brasov we caught a bus near the pizzeria. It took about 25 minutes.  In general bus service in Transylvania seems to be more accessible and more convenient than the train service, however, the buses come in a variety of vintages and are frequently not air conditioned.

Distance walked: 8.6 miles

Thursday, August 30

Finally the day arrived when it was time to tackle the Brasov Citadel.  The fortress is located high on a hill overlooking the old town and was part of the Town’s fortifications in medieval times.  You can get there by following the road but we took the walking path which consists of many sets of steep, stone and cement stairs.

The origins of the Fortress date from the early 16th century when it was made of wood.  It has since been rebuilt and reinforced many times. Over the years it’s served many purposes including a place of quarantine during one of the plagues.  The complex was abandoned in the 17th century because cannon were able to penetrate its walls.  It was rebuilt for the last time in the 1940s.

(The Brasov Citadel)

It is possible to walk around the citadel and enjoy 360 degree views of the city but the interior is closed to visitors.  There is a restaurant within the walls but it is currently closed.  It’s not clear whether it’s been closed for two years or it is undergoing a two year renovation (the gentleman we spoke to only spoke Romanian).  At any rate we weren’t able to see inside.

We wouldn’t characterize this as a must do activity but if you have the time it’s a pleasant walk and affords a really nice view of the city.

On our way down the hill we stopped by The Church of the Annunciation.  It’s a beautiful Eastern Orthodox Church with gleaming white towers and three silver covered domes.  We’d noticed the church from the top of Tampa Mountain and now took our opportunity to visit it.

(The Church of the Annunciation)

The construction of the church dates from 1934.  In 1751 Russian Emperor Elisabeth Petrovna gifted an iconostasis to the Church of Saint John the Baptist.  This same iconostasis was donated to The Church of the Annunciation in 1952.  Inside the church is covered in colorful frescos depicting scenes from the Old and the New Testaments and images of the saints.

(Frescos Above the Main Altar)

For lunch we went back to Dei Fratti.  This time I had the pasta with seafood with a side of sautéed spinach and garlic.  Deborah had a salad with chicken, bacon and cream cheese (everywhere in Europe they refer to cream cheese simply as “Philadelphia”).  It was another very good meal.

After lunch we walked around for a bit before venturing into a new pastry shop called Deliciile Kronstadt.  We’d popped our heads in before and noticed that they had some remarkably beautiful cakes.  We ordered a raspberry meringue cake and a torte layered with walnuts and caramel creme.  The shop sells their cakes by the kilogram and provided us with enormous portions.  After the lunch we’d eaten it was a little over the top but we persevered and ate every drop.  They were good but we still hold the chocolate blob in the highest esteem.

(Cake and Torte for Dessert)

Distance walked: 4.7 miles