Carpe diem, as you must live the present day

Carpe diem means, if you don't know, live the day. we can also understand to live hic et nunc/ here and now. It is not so easy as one can think. You must quit your bad thoughts, your bad habits focusing on what you can collect with all your senses. Forget anything else, as it can harm you a lot.

You simply can't think to anything else while visiting Danube Delta

This approach might have something in common with yoga, zen or tao, but we don't need to interfere all the details of these disciplines. Please remember, all you must do is to concentrate deeply on the moment and on the day, and I really think that a trip will help you in achieving this important goal. By the way, you need a vacation, and I propose you to visit Romania. This country is special, different and breathtaking beautiful. We the Romanians love this country, work gladly for it and also enjoy showing it to the foreigners.

Please stay tune to the essential (here is the unique Peles castle)

The first option for travelling to Romania is by plane, and you arrive hereby in Bucharest (other cities also have international airports, but Bucharest is normally the first choice). Once landed in Bucharest might be a problem if it is lately night and you must reach the city. The taxi must be your last option, and you must notice all these basic rules: one kilometer costs 1,5 Lei (or RON, this is the national coin), and consequently a trip in city center may not exceed 30 Lei (under 10 Euros). Be sure that the taximeter works. If you are there in day light, use the line buses, but you must prior get your tickets. It is totally not recommended to hire a car for Bucharest, it is an overcrowded big city with 2 Millions of inhabitants, many visitors and tourists. A happy exception and a nice surprise is Bucharest during the scholar vacations, or on weekends. The traffic runs smoothly and you can therefore  feel the charm and personality of this wonderful city. My recommandation as hotel in Bucharest is Ramada Parc, which is not far from the center in a nice peaceful neighborhood and offers a good report between price and services.

Visit an orthodox church in Romania, and feel the amazing energy!

But I assume you are not in Romania only for the week end during  a Bucharest city-break! You must live in Romania a few more days, and I hope you can allow it ( not a matter of budget, Romania is still a normal country with reasonable prices. It could be rather a matter of your tine). If you are not in the mood to select your attractions in Romania, one suggestion is to let the professional work for you. I mean hereby a good established company, which is Karpaten. They will be able for sure to tailor a trip according to your wishes.

The ancient court of Vlad Tepes Dracula

I think further that a good idea is to leave Bucharest by train  for Iasi/ Jassy. The travel lasts 5 or 6 hours, is not very expensive, but very comfy and relaxing. And the city of Iasi has many things to show, as is an arrogant former Capital city of Moldavia, one of the historic Romanian countries. You will see first unending planes with a very fruitful land, and then some hills. A wonderful landscape for sure, but remember: Carpe diem, you must stay concentrate.

Voronet is one of the outside painted churches, really a masterpiece

Let me think further about your next program and schedule,please!

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Romania off the beaten path: the salt mines

I am not a geologist, but I can tell you for sure: a few ten thousands of years ago on the today territory proudly called Romania nowadays it was nothing but water. Endless sea, and very salty. I can prove this affirmation through the huge salt reserves of Romania.

Nearer to our days, these  salt reserves have been exploited for thousand of years, starting with the antique times and even before. In the antique time the salt was a favorite changing item with the Greeks which came and build the colony of Tomis (today Constanta). The Dacians,  forefathers of the today Romanians, used also to export grains and wines, taking in change from the Greeks olives and olives oil. The salt as also the gold and  other richness of Dacia draw unfortunately the attention of the almighty neighboring Roman Empire.

The amazing salt church from the Cacica mine

After the Roman conquer and colonization, as documented on the Traian's Column from center of Rome, the salt kept and even increased its important role in the local economy. On those times, and during all the Medium Age, the salt mines and their  administrating settlements received lots of privileges and other advantages. The salt in that period of mankind was simply vital, as it could be used for conserving the food, and Romania as former sea bottom had unending reserves.

Winning the salt kept its importance up today, but a few of the former renowned salt mines have been closed due to unsatisfactory economic results. But the huge galleries showing the hard labour and toil are still there. In many of these mines the salt has been collected by the convicted prisoners and the Romanian language is full of references on those times, the hard labour and the prisoners.

The former salt mine from Turda is today the most important attraction of the town

Nowadays you can visit a few of these mines, which have been prepared for tourist like you. Don't fear anymore please the hard labour, but in some areas you must be very careful if you are claustrophobic. Broadly and generally speaking the air from a salt mine is perfect for curing any lungs diseases. You can visit the salt mines from Turda, Cacica, Praid , Slanic Prahova, Slanic Moldova and  a few more (these are the most important).

Spending an excellent time in a former salt mine (here Slanic Prahova)http://romania-tours.blogspot.ro/2014/01/romania-off-beaten-path.htmlhttp://romania-tours.blogspot.ro/2014/01/romania-off-beaten-path.html

There are a few reasons for doing that. Some of the visitors might be simply curious; other can try to cure their lungs diseases through week long treatments. In Cacica and Slanic Moldova you can find amazing salt churches. In all these former salt mines you have good entertainment possibilities, and you can stay for hours brething the purest air possible while playing ping pong, tennis etc. In Praid is possible to organize unique and totally exotic wine tastings, while in Turda you can find maybe the most romantic thing in a former salt mine: hire a boat on the dark lake, is simply breathtaking! Maybe the most romantic way to make a declaration or even a proposal.

In all these former salt mines you must pay to enter, and in some of then the interesting places are very remote to the entrance, the ticket contains even this kilometer long journey by bus (at the moment 20 RON, equivalent to almost 5 Euros).

I am sure you won't be disappointed in none of these former salt mines open for visits today. You will get some knowledge about the technology of salt winning and exploitation, or buy something, but you are going to spend anyway a wonderful time there. There is no chance to get boring in these salt mines, they are interesting and exciting in the same time.

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Romania off the beaten path

If you already visited Romania through a travel agency  on the beaten path, you might have become curious about this complicated, but fantastic country, wishing to discover it off the beaten path. If you haven't discovered Romania up to know, make your first travel here with established companies like Lidl or Karpaten, and ask second time to the same companies something off the beaten path.

But what should mean the beaten path in Romania? Well, how can I explain it, if not through notorious examples. I would say that Sibiu, Sighisoara, Medias are for sure on the beaten path. They are really seducing and very well known worldwide. But Bazna, only 10 km away from Medias is totally off the beaten path, try to visit this nice village when being in Medias.

Satu Mare is for sure an interesting city, but only in daylight

Also interesting are a few cities, town and regions lieing near the border of Romania. One of them is Satu Mare, near the northern border. Some people say Satu Mare would be one of the ugliest Romanian cities. For myself the first was a deep disappointment, it was dark, late at night, and not very much illumination. Rather a strange somber atmosphere, reminding the years of communist regime with Ceausescu as ruler. On the contrary, in day light seems to be a very nice city, with an interesting synagogue in restoration and the country's most beautiful and representatives Secession style building, which is almost 100 years old. Very close to these above mentioned building and the charming Piata Libertatii (The Place of Liberty) Hotel Aurora is a good welcoming host. 

Civic Center of Drobeta Turnu Severin, with the unique kinetic fountain

Totally opposed to Satu Mare on the map you can find the charming Drobeta Turnu Severin. Being there, don't miss to visit the central market with the impressive kinetic fountain. Go deeper in the downtown, admiring the nice houses, while walking to the history museum where you can see before everything else  one foot of the Appolodor bridge build here by the Romans 2 000 years ago. You can also watch the spectacular Danube dam with its huge lake and the curious marine life. Drobeta Turnu Severin is a fine, clean, wonderful city with 100 000 inhabitants and a rich history, and you can visit it lodging to the Continental Hotel from the city, because has a very friendly staff. 

This only one of the many churches of Iasi, but is one of the most important: The Cathedral

Also off the beaten path is the legendary historic city of Iasi, or Jassy. This is really an unfortunated event, both for the city as for the potential visitors. Iasi is very beloved among the Romanian, and is a former Middle Age capital of Moldavia. Culturally speaking, Iasi is even nowadays a sort of Romanian capital, with a few ruling universities, intellectual sophisticated elites and many events. Visit in Iasi the old churches and buildings, or the big park of Copou, where even Eminescu, our national myth poet, used to find its  inspiration to write immortal verses full of senses. Also interesting in Iasi are its museums. Very practically for every visitor you find four interesting museum under the same roof, in Palatul Culturii, one of the best known city landmarks.

As Romania is not a little, but a medium size country, I still have some suggestions to discover Romania unconventionally, off the beaten path. Keep in touch and follow me, I will give you so much more tips and tricks for visiting Romania.

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