The ugliest places in Romania

As I can't and I don't want to deny the evidences, I must accept the true : there some places in Romania which are not attractive, neither for the tourists, and not even for the locals. Maybe it is not the best publicity possible, but is the most sincerely. And before all I intend to inform you correctly, from inside, and not doing publicity at any price.

There is in fact another important mention to be made: it is a matter of taste. De gustibus non disputandum, would have say the Latins ("The taste is not a matter to be discussed"). E.g.: The most notorious issue about is the second large building worldwide, lieing in Bucharest. Ceausescu planned and build it in the peak of his power, and no one dared to say anything against, despite the huge destruction caused to the Downtown! After the fall and dissolution of Ceausescu's communist regime the building, known as Parliament's building, or People' house could have been completely demolished, as it reminds the old times. It turned to be the most controversial building in the all world, and I sincerely would like to know your opinion about it.

Allow me to introduce one of Europe's biggest  steel factories, in Galati

Another matter of fact: during the almost 50 years long ruling of the Communist Party has been followed a policy of forced industrialization, which brought waves of migrants in the growing cities, which have been lodged in uniform grey blocks of flats. Really living silos, these blocks constitute compact quarters in every Romanian city, no one escaped the phenomena! Bucharest and other major cities recommended as city breaks are completely different inside their Downtown or new towns. The communists quarters of blocks lack totally charm, personality and urban life.

Many of the Romanian cities lack on personality and urban life; Bacau is one of the worst  hit by this plague

Unfortunately, some industrial cities don't have at all a downtown. You can barely make the difference between those cities, and you must search a lot finding something specific belonging exclusively to one of it. You don't have necessary to avoid all these cities, sometimes is simply impossible because they are located on the main ways. And after this long introduction, let's see the places!

Focsani might not been very spectacular, lacking on a proper downtown,  but  hosts a wine festival, and epic wine tastings.

1. Copsa Mica, near Medias, is a little town having hosting for decades a chemical factory, which production process was not at all environmental friendly. The houses are all covered with a thin coating of black matter. You can imagine, the rate of lung cancer among the locals was very high. Today the factory is not working anymore, but the houses are still black!

2.Bacau is a typical industrial city, no downtown, suffering after the dissolution of the industrial production. Digging deeper, you can find a few museums. Be very careful, don't take it for Galati!

3.Galati has been hosting one of the Europe's biggest steel factory. The steel factory is still working, while some other have been closed, and you can't miss its huge proportions, no matter from what direction you are approaching. Ask about Domneasca/Royal  street, and find there the most interesting part of the city.

4.Focsani was 20 years ago an important industrial city, which turned nowadays to a small town, due to to the depopulation caused by the closing of the most industrial cities. There is practically no downtown, but the town is an important Capital of Romanian wines, and you can take part here to the wine festival in October, or to epic wine tastings.

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The fortresses from the heart of Transilvania

Transilvania is an important consisting part of Romania, a little bigger than the third of the country.Very nice, very civilised and western oriented, a proud of all Romanians.

The Carnival in Sighisoara is probably the best place for starting the discovery of Medieval  Transilvania

It has a trembled history, and in Middle Age has been ruled by Hungarians, who brought German Saxons for help in organizing and defending the country. The German Saxons (Franken actually) build every settlement on the same blueprint: a central citadell consisting of a fortified church, where all the people should withdraw and fight against the invaders during long sieges.

Eating in Dracula house is nowadays a peaceful event, who doesn't scare anyone. But all the meals are garlic based, in order to keep the bad spirits away.

In the middle of the Romanian Transilvania there are 700 very well preserved medieval sites, forming an amazing UNESCO inheritage . With a group of Norwegian tourists lead by Kjell and F1 driver Oivind from PR Norge and on behalf of Karpaten Turism  we drove four days long to discover the forgotten Paradise from Middle Age.

The man in this photo is Serge Gunnar ( a sultan with Asian and African ancestor.  A fine friendly man, whose friendship I am honored to have became)

Sighisoara is doubtless the peak of all Medieval fortresses from Transilvania. Because the town only counts 20000 inhabitants, the life even today is organized around the citadell. There are many Medieval Festivals to the delight of  the tourists and locals. It is normally in Sighisoara walking on the streets in the complicated evening gowns from Middle Age. In the Dracula house there is today an excellent restaurant, making sensational dinners with lots of garlic, specially for avoiding the bad spirits. From the town very many hotels and restaurants we made the best possible choice: Binder Bubi *****, which was an excellent host and we regretted very much when we had to leave.

Norwegian tourists in the citadell of Sighisoara; you can see the  clock tower

But only with the consolation to stay three days long in Binder Bubi Medias ****! Still try to understand this difference of one star, and did not succeed, as this hotel has the same high quality standards from Sighisoara, and even a swimming-pool, which is not available in Sighisoara. Medias is twice so big than Sighisoara, but has not such a tourist circulation. Or, maybe, being so big, the touristic circulation is not so obvious! Every little streed from Medias was in reparation, the town very dusty and dirty, but worths a long stay! From Medias we visited also Sibiu, gone to a winetasting in Ganesti/Seuca. It is to mention in Binder Bubi, both Medias and Sighisoara, the house wine, which is very good and only costs 18 RON ( no matter if the Red Cabernet or the White Sauvignon! With your permission Serge Gunar, and of all ladies around you)

A good friend and a good driver was always Oivind; here working in the yard of Binder Bubi Sighisoara.

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Romanian Wine Cocktails

You must know and be aware of the wine based cocktails, as you may know as professional or simply skilled wine fan. I am also very fond of cocktails, and other mates of me here in Romania also do! We make them mainly, but not exclusively, during hot summer days, when it is not allowed to drink the wine dried or at room temperature, as the sommelier recommend!

We use here in Romania as cocktail bases natural sweet wines or sweet liqueur wines, and you must know some great wines as Porto, Madera, Marsala, Jerez, as also some other grand vins or grand cru. It is also possible to use Champagne for the cocktails, I am sure you already know this trick.  I adapted the receipes you know to the Romanian particular conditions, getting some amazing results, which I would like to share with you.

During the summer hot days it is not advisable to drink wine dried.

1. Cocktail Busuioaca
Use the following ingredients:
-ice cubes, the half of the shaker
-60 ml fresh orange juice
-30 ml fresh lemon juice
-100 ml Busuioaca de Bohotin
-1 teaspoonful of white rhum

Mix only by hand, well agitating the shaker, until you get an homogenuos drink, and add last the rhum, for a guaranteed success. The result is a long drink, tasting sweety and fruity.

Red wine based cocktail, the wine is Feteasca (girl wine). Indicated for ladies, if drunked by the men!

2.Cocktail Cotnari
Ingredients:
-ice cubes, 1/4 of the shaker
-20 ml exquisite cognac
-20 ml Curacao orange
-60 ml Blanc Cotnari (made by VINARTE SA)
-2 traits Angostura bitter
In order to get a refreshing long drink, you only may to mix 5-6 seconds long

White wine and orange cocktail, with a lot of ice, of course

3. Cocktail Dealu Mare cooler
-ice cubes, 1/4 of the shaker
-20 ml lemon juice
-20 ml exquisite cognac
-100 ml Feteasca Neagra from Dealu Mare (dark red wine)
-complete with soda or sparkling mineral water, or even with ginger ale or lemonlike drinks ( taste matter).
Stir for 10-12 seconds long and get a long soft drink, and decorate with a lemon spiral.

Which is your poisson?

Tell me please your opinions and other receipes or secret tricks you may have.

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The genuine Romania and its unexpected sights

The last untouched European forests are in Romania, as this country had had for years a coherent policy in that field. Extending and generalizing, the last villages from Europe are also in Romania to be founded. You will notice in some remote settlement from Bucovina or Transilvania, with strong traditions, a strange feeling: the society seems to be entirely in order.

In Romania the meals taste and smell very different comparing with your usual meals

If you wanna know Romania in its deepest corner, don't avoid a stay in a remote pension, or even in the house of a local. Everything is different, comparing with what you usually, and even comparing to a hotel. All the meals taste and smell totally different comparing with what you eat at your place. The day starts with a strong breakfast based of fresh product from the neighboring farmers, maybe even a brandy or a glass of wine  for warming up!

In many places in Romania you may have the feeling that this society is still o.k. and still in order

Then you can walk or take the horse wagon, and you will got another dimension of life. Only thus you can discover a lot of details of the life to the countryside: the market, the bar, the land works, the animation around the fountains, cheese production (or other important local activity, like wine making), the acurate handicraft, the church, the football matches, the take off of the children to the school and their way back. You might be very upset about the proximity of the domestic animals, but you will accept the idea soon: the cows on the street  and the geese also free, the goats and the sheeps emitting unheared noises, and the bees visiting the flowers. You will be very pleased by the rural architecture, the nice peaceful houses, the sunny gardens, the monasteries. The smell of hay slightly excite your nose. You will find for sure during your walk in an unexpected tree a small, wizened, but very flavored tasty apple.

Wine tasting is a part of your Romanian trip, as this country is mainly a wine country

In the evening, a rich dinner, with wine of course. You will not succeed eating everything on the table, I can bet. As your vacation gets longer, you will find some differences from this idyllic image, as our grandparents described. The life at the countryside is not easy, even on the contrary, very tough. The old people living there alone see often the stranger only as a source of income, which is not so terribly wrong, as long the quality and the sincerity of hosting are still o.k.!

The local craftsmen keep the Romanian rural society stil in order

A total different way of life can you experiment visiting on the Romanian Black Sea coast. This coast is not very long, and were during the communist time a must do for every people in vacation. Forget the illusion to find lonely beaches. Mamaia and other resorts are overcrowded day and nights and lives passionately, you must do the same. Whether peaceful, or frenetic, don't let the best Romanian wine to stay out of your vacation!

Mamaia on the Romanian Black Sea coast means  a huge difference comparing  to the  peaceful  villages.

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Best time for a Romanian vacation

Which is the best time for visiting Romania? Which is best time for a wine tasting? There are a lot of opened questions about the unknown Romania, about its wine and its people. I am going to try to give you some answers to these questions, as you must be aware and get more from your Romania trip.

Wine tasting is in my opinion a part of any  Romania trip

When it comes to wine and wine tasting, any season is advisable, as I already discussed. But, broadly speaking, what about Romania and the best time for visiting it?

First of all, depends on you and on your vacation schedules. There is no way to quit a job for a trip to Romania (don't do like me, I quitted a job for visiting Rome!). Bear in mind that Romania has huge differences between seasons, due to its continental-temperate climate (very important: the 45 degrees of northern latitude crosses through Romania. Why should this latitude be so important? It marks the half of the distance between Equator and the North Pole, the most extreme climates of the world). In spring and autumn there are strong winds; on the other hand winter ans summer are getting longer due to global heating. In summer of the last years have been registered temperature of 40 degrees Celsius; also very unusual, the Black Sea froze. But the width of Romania, the diversity of its forms of relief and the diversity of its folkloric festivals are almost a guarantee of a high quality vacation in any season.

The winter is tough in hills and mountains and a paradise for the skiers. The snowy villages are superb under a blue clear sky, while the houses and the animals smoke. The hot soups, boiling wine or brandy will warm you up. Unfortunately, the closed roads will not allow to discover the remote villages, which are by far  the most interesting. On Christmas and New Year you have the unique opportunity to see some very interesting and picturesque customs, coming from the ancestors. Also a good occasion for the families to stay together, and have traditional meals, sprinkled with wine. A wine tasting in winter is unforgettable, and sometimes even necessary to warm you up.

The winter as you like in the pictures!

The summer is the best time for discovering mountains, while the life in Bucharest is almost unbearable. It is maybe the peak season, if you allow me a cliche! The seaside is full of people, while other groups are simply invading the cities of Transilvania, Bucovina, Danube Delta and Maramures. But you must be very careful and book in advance for a hotel room.

The Summer in the romanian Carpathians

The spring means Valentines, field flowers invading gardens, and orchard in hills and mountains. The singing birds start their concert and the people clean their homes. It is maybe the best time for discovering the cities, as the blocks disappear behind the trees in blossom. Billions of birds from the all world come back in Danube Delta. Also important for Eastern, the biggest orthodox celebration.

The Spring in Romania means a total resurection 

The autumn is very cute and picturesque, mainly in the mountains, when the forest is literally on fire due to falling leaves, which take very different colors. Harvesting time, inclusive for the grapes, which will do an excellent opportunity for wine tasting.

For a skilled photograph, the autumn is by far the most beautiful season

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