The Story of Romania… Povestea României/Scenariul (în limba engleză)…

Publicat de nicolaetomescu, 29 iulie 2016, 18:43

(Povestea României)

The Story of Romania

written by Nicolae Tomescu

Motto:

“For everything that you gain, you lose something.

For everything that you missed, you gain something back.”

Our story beholds true facts as well as imaginary ones…

It just happened to us. First, we acknowledged what could have been done or imagined: to walk through and inside your own country.

On the other hand, Romania has an objective existence, independent of any conscience or will; it exists in any reality whatsoever.

Unquestionably, genuinely, undeniably: this land, on which our steps have passed in order to gather whispers, to which films and photography could never reap it’s beauty, gives us the necessary strength. Romania is the flame that burns through the faith of love. Romania designates a sacred word, whose face has originated in so many others, shaping the whole. Romania is the being that has been rethought in all that covers the absurd and the unreasonable. Romania is a miracle that only discovers spell in people’s leeway, believing in stagnation as in an infinity of unchosen moments, it invites us to chain its images up in order to perambulate…

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Romania does not represent a delusion; perhaps she has been a dissapointment, but only because there is still hope. We know were self-cenzorship and censorship may lead. Cenzorship: the typical product of lack of communication, calls for oblivion. To ask questions, to deny the important breakage (of organization and common sense), to shape money just to adore touristic attractions outside of your own country, here are the dangerouse forms of disinformation (the actual face of lying).

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The concrete matters have been graficaly synthesized and processed (I here refer to the tracks as well as the geographical settlement, infrastructure, acaccommodation, suggestions for those who travel)

Ex: Borşa – DN 17 C (connects Bistriţa, Năsăud and Dej) / it allows access in the surrounding area.

DN 18 connects over Prislop Pass with DN 17 – Suceava-Câmpulung Moldovenesc – Vatra Dornei-Bistriţa.

…

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Our journey seeks to capture and focus your attention. Maintaining the proportions, isn’t this what works of art actually do?  Don’t they reflect the world in which they were created?

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When we reach the incredible resonance of Moldavia, the Monasteries consistently measure for a permanent profile. We feel the throb of the thematic of mural pictures at Voroneţ. Everything speaks, allegorically, of Christ’s sacrifice and symbolizes the Euharistia. Of all the representations of the Apocallypse, the one painted at Voroneţ is, through its vast proportions, through structure, through equilibrium and artistic value, an irrepetable and thoroughfare composition. Note: The persistency of the blue background of St. George Monastery, metaphorically overrated to “Voroneţ Blue” (even though it can be found at other monasteries with painted exterior) has determined the Italian-Belgian researchers Paolo and Laura Mora and Paul Philippot to assume that the azurite pigments must have been applied on the walls of the medieval foundations using a special technique, known only by the painters of those times. The investigations conducted by Romanian restaurateurs Ioan Istudor and Ion Balş, seem to have releaved the secret of this medieval technology. On the upper levels of blue mortar, the restaurateurs detected the presence of animal protein, mixed with lime which fixed the pigments to the azurite. Basically, it is a form of strengthening of the wall-painting by adding milk or casein. Used in moderate doses, to avoid exfoliation when, this casein or milk mixed with lime, constitutes, in the opinion of the romanin restaurateurs, a very resistant lime to the calcium of bad weather. Note The glimmer of hope returns when you catch a glimpse of an old symbol of Christ, a symbol that was forbidden for centuries in the orthodox iconography, but which has suddenly reappered in the paintings of many churches in Moldavia in the first 16^th century (Neamţ, Humor, Moldoviţa).

The old frescos of Neamţ Monastery, /Imagini-foto/ the most representative monument of architecture and monumental painting amongst those that have been preserved from the time of Stephen the Great, contain an wide range of exclusive overtones.

Relatively known, Dobrovăţ Ensemble (Iași County) could be considered the starting point in the art of frescos in the age of Petru Rareş.

An unusual approach in the orthodox iconography is found in the low register of the aisle’s apse in Probota Monastery. The Holly Parents from the first centuries are represented; instead of the usual image of Baby Jesus sitting on the “discos” from the painting “Jesus-Sacrifice”, Probota represents the image of two arms that were cut off…

Denyed of what it deserves, the exterior painting of Hîrlău hasn’t been preserved (being put under the action of a faulty restauration). But the ensamble of exterior paintings remains essential for the history of art, as it represents the first attempt of an integral exterior walls decoration of a moldavian church in the 16^th century.

The Great Church of Humor Monastery is the first monument form the age of Petru Rareş, in which the exterior painting of the walls has been completely preserved. The cult of the saints in the iconographic programme of the exterior frescos has been accentuated by the image of “Prayer to all saints”, situated on the east side of the settlement.

Even though contemporary with those presented at Humor Monastery, the preservation state of mural pictures at Baia is so precarious, that you ca barely identify some paintings as “Siege of Constantinopole” or the images that illustrate the “Litany Hymn”

After the death of Petru Rareş, the mural painting school from Moldavia has reached a downturn. With the reign of Alexandru Lăpuşneanul and the representatives of Movilă dinasty, the art of feudal Moldavia gains an authentic rebirth, during the second half of the 16^th century. The desire of Macarie, Bishop of Roman , has determined Alexandru Lăpuşneanul to agree with the painting of the Episcopal Church (from the actual settelment of Neamţ County). The construction started by Petru Rareş, became remarkable for its mural paintings so vivid in narative structure and beautiful through the represented imagery.

Stamatello Cotronas, the autohor of the frescos that embellish another foundation of Alexander, the bich church of Râşca Monastery, did not consider the planimetric shapes inside the architecture of the city, even though the frescos express a vivid color and well drawn.

If the Churches of Părhăuţi and Coşula are pictured with wall paintings indicating iconographic innovations, St. John the Baptist from Arbore village, being the most famous noble foundation of those times. Of all the exterior pictures of this monumental ensamble, the pictures found on the west side are the best preserved. The south side it can completely presents the iconographic programme. Astonishing are the painters’ attempts of suggesting physical space at Arbore Church (within the limits of a medieval painting), remarkable as well is the execution technique of the wall paintings. Due to a mixt technique, in which the old fresco has been repainted consequently in the “secco” technique, using an excellent bonding material based on calcium casein, the painters took a greater liberty in treating the texture from the surface of the wall painting – a very unusual procedure in those days. This superposition resulted in such a texture of the painted wall that created the impression of an oil painting.

The essential part of the iconographic program at Humor has been preserved also at Moldoviţa. However, some themes of the Christological Cycle have been amplified. Furthermore, the chromatic range of the wall paintings has been transformed with major overtone. The exterior appearance of Moldoviţa Monument tends towards more opulence sumptuousness (characteristic traits of the Rozal Court during Petru Rareş).

The mural paintings of Galata Monastery /Imagini-foto/ have been repainted by 1591, year in which the founder of the monastery, the ruler Petru Şchiopul, had to becalm in Tyrol. Even though partially preserved, these paintings demonstrate the exquisite talent of a complete artist easily recognized by the analysis of the votive painting that represents the ruler along with his lady and daughter, in solemntity, wearing royal crowns and ceremonial clothes. In the paintings of Galata, the volumes are suggested using a new technique that became popular in Moldovaia during the 17^th century. More precisely, the used methos referrs to a local shaping by differentiating the colours’ saturation level, a method which pretypifies the shaping with the help of the chiaroscuro.  The rich chromatic and the sophisticated drawing of the frescos of Galata subscribe this ensemble of mural paintings amongst the top works of art of the 16^th century.

The mural paintings ensemble from Suceviţa Monastery end the long evolution process of the Moldavian Frescos, started even before the reign of Stephen the Great. Founded by the noble family of Movileştilor, Suceviţa was a real swansong of the monumental Moldavian painting from the 16^th century. Remarkably preserved, the frescos, from inside the settlement as well as the exterior ones, develop and enrich the iconographic traditional canons, diversifying and amplifying them into details and into the attestation of a refined telogical and hagiographic erudition. Unlike Voroneţ Monastery, the dominant colour of the exterior frescos background at Suceviţa is not blue, but extinguished “green”; the dominant chromatic of the ensemble makes the other colours (used in shaping the figures, the landscapes and the accessories) shine like expensive jewellery.

In the next decades, Suceviţa ensemble faced a crisis of the working force for mural paintings.  Deceniile ce au urmat realizării ansamblului de la Suceviţa atestă o criză a mâinii de lucru în ceea ce priveşte pictura murală. During the reign of Miron Barnovschi foreign handicraftsman have been invited; we are now considering a royal necropolis. Amongst the authors of the mural paintings of Trei Ierarhi in Iasi, several Russian house painters were involved. The complete ensemble was finished in 1642, but after Tatars and Cossacks set fire to Iasi, in 1650, a renovation of the paintings was necessary and Vasile Lupu had to bring a house painter from Constantinopole. Despite all the reonovations brought by foreign painters, all the changes of plastic language which affected the capital city and the largest urban and monastic centers, external artistic manifestations have not been assumed, instead a moment of synthesis emerged in the local spirit rooted in the traditional art of Moldavia.

The final accomplishment of the 17^th century monumental painting in Moldavia is brought by the mural interior of Cetăţuia Monastery, the foundation of Gheorghe Duca. The complex iconographic programme of Cetăţuia somehow denotes a random distribution of the themes and subjects that were painted; the painters themselves would fail to understand thoroughly the true iconographic meaning and the symbolic interpretations of the imagery.

A walk around churches could mean a search of measurement… Centuries of history have melted until, through an unique occurrence, we return to our primary structure…

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Of course, the decibels of civilization would reflect mirrors of fire. The latter could function just with the light that they receive, could point out a new perspective upon things, as much as they could deform. The main reason for which we bare to use them is that they always bring us closer to extraordinary things.

Câmpulung Moldovenesc-Iacobeni-Ciocăneşti-Cârlibaba-Borşa

From Iași to Iacobeni (approximately 15 kilometers before Vatra Dornei, on the way to Gura Humorului) the road finds European attributes. A portion of about 30 km to Cârlibaba remains on a whim of both abandoned involvement and indolence (towards Borşa). Although the roads of Suceava and Maramureş preserve an honourable trend, the road which connects Cârlibaba with Borşa represents an wild correlation between weather, the quality of the car (on a road that is full of wholes the car must limit its speed to 20-30 km/h), opportunity, pshycological preparation. However, the nature is alive, it eneters your soul and keeps you (inside her) home.

The area around Borşa is mountainous, very hilly, with sleek slopes and high level diffrences. The peeks praise the mountains: Rodnei Mountains, Maramureş Mountains, Ţibău Mountains; the latters surround a depression and are setteled like natural fortress walls. Rodnei Mountains lay on a distance of about 40 km, from East to West, have two main peeks: Puzdrele (2.188 m) and Pietrosu (2.303 m) – the tallest from the Oriental Carpathians. Toroiaga Peek (1.929,9 m), at the base of which Borşa Resort District (belonging to the city), represents the talles peek of Maramureş Mountains/situated the south, the boundary is surrounded by the peeks of Rodnei Mountains: Pietrosu, Negoiescul Mare and Repezii.

The lift lost us in a journey of about 20 minutes. We would have wished not to get anywhere, to nothing as it seemed that we have seen it all. Up, the road would fork: on the right, the road goes down to The Horses Waterfall (Cascada Cailor), the biggest in Romania, also the most spectacular one. The Horses Waterfall measures over 90 meters in hight, all in three steps; the flow varies according to rains and snow melting on the slope of Mean Rock (Piatra Rea) Reserve. Found at a height of 1.300 m, you do not get overwhelmed by the spiritual arrogance of the myth, but, syou rather give into the local occurencies, just as they are understood by our contemporary people; if there is auch a thing, the fabulous story does not involve the origins of the Universe and of natural phenomena, legendary Gods and heroes, but the fatidic association between an omnivorous mammal, of tall height and an herbivore domestic animal, including several incidental points, such as The Horse’s Mountain, The Horse’s Spring, The Horse’s Attic. Local villagers believe that on the meadows of Mean Rock (Piatra Rea) Mountain the studs of their ancestors were fed. From time to time, the hungry bear would chase the frighten prey, straight into the gap, and the horses would roll over in the dark chasm. When the night came along with a strong storm, and heavy rain and lightnings have awaken just to serve the bear, the bells of a bloody ceremony were rang: the entire fortune of the village has perished, in a delirium that not even the unleashed beast could have imagined.

Absorbed by the beauty of the sites, we did not forget that 5 o’clock was our last chance to catch the lift. Even though we gave into our fatigue, we did not passed over a short foray in the wooden culture /see Borşa Church, from the year 1700, with mural paintings from 1775, was as tempting for the joy that other people with cary these thoughts for some sort of understanding of the nature and of mans’ works.

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East from Borşa, the Occidental Carpathians strech; through Tibou River, Borşa is bounded by Bucovina (from Suceava County). On the North side, over the Toroiaga Peek, Borşa encounters a part of Ukraine. Pietrosul Peek (2.303 m) separates Borşa from Bistriţa Năsăud.

Bistriţa Năsăud County is limited by Maramureş (North), Mureş (South-East), Suceava (East), Cluj (West).

The chromatic harmony covers the grotesque scenary; we were disappointed because we had to put up with (aggressive drivers, for instance) what one canot heal. We remembered however that human nature remains the same in time and in space. But we put away the temptations of living as the revolving shutter of the Chinese Imperial Collections; often, as prim and frowning courtiers, insulted in vauge Confucianist words of well-being, we were blind in front of the mixture of gestures and looks that was weaved around other people, especially those found in Romanian villages who would resist the process of breaking-up. We would have judged them normally, so that we would not stop dreaming on how the world should look like and how should we look ourselves?

On our track, forests, Liliputian waterfalls and canyons would appear all of a sudden, forming a true reserve where we could not found a circulation sign that would speak 

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By peering at the landform of Suceava, Maramureş, Bistriţa, we admit that their distinctive features are the art of the Creator and we shall remember the insertion of some notions such as “harmonious”, “stunning contrasts”, “rich diversity” in describing the road Borşa-Dragomireşti-Repedea-Năsăud-Beclean-Salva-Dej-Gherla-Cluj Napoca. In fact, interpenetration means life. Each county devotes its nobleness and “unity”[1]; apperantly, Cluj does not hold that distribution that is both symmetrical and harmonious, that offers the land an undivisble appearance. Life does not portray itself in the same way, but other elements and other colours may be engaged.

What awaits you on a track made by specialists? Perhaps the enthusiasm of leaving the guide’s recommendations is a space of attempts and the punishment of example is just the explanation. We fel the sweet warmth of the first choice, which is still rustling in our memories: Iassy – Vatra Dornei – Borşa – Cluj – Turda – Turda Canyon – Ocna Mureş – Alba Iulia – Orăştie – Deva – Hunedoara – Sebeş – Sibiu – Avrig – Bâlea Lake – Făgăraş – Râşnov – Braşov – Saint Gheorghe – Saint Ana Lake – Tuşnad – Red Lake – Bicaz Canyon – Iassy…

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Sheltered at the base of Western (Apuseni) Mountains, on the main road between Cluj and Alba Iulia, the city of Turda is proud to own a legendary history. We limited ourselves to the salt mine, and we distinguished, deliberately or instinctively, what we enjoyed to fulfill through knowledge: the museum of salt mining. History and legend merge, the ideal form of conserving miner things and equipment that has been used for stairway transportation, the care with which the renovation was started and successfully transformed into a touristic objective, become a glass filled with light that is served to the visitors in semi-obscurity. Except for the delicate smell of frozen air, we were not hit by darkness, we did not feel its cold as a form of revenge, its inert stuborness as a myth; here, people have been visited by ideas, they did not isolate history in an unfaithfull; in Turda Salt Mine you see colours beyond of what day has left you to inherit…

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Later (in January 2012, unlike the first entrances in the Romanian background – september and november 2011), in search of as many opinions of the present, in search of the past of some European Capital Cities (Budapesta, Bratislava, Praga, Berlin, Viena), we got to thinking about the sometimes pathetic infrastructure of our beautiful country. When reinterpreting the road from Iassy to Oradea via Dej, you can go through Sălaj County, via Bobâlna. Winter laid on our foreheads, trembling in the sunny enchantment; the day’s mixt of colours, stroke us under its negligence. We looked around us, gathered a fist of light and realized that the loss of rural civilization is not less important than the loss of language itself.

The kiss of a question (apperantly macabre) – where is The Grave? – brings cure to the broken wings of history. At approximately 3 kilometers away from Turda it is believed that the corpse of Michael the Brave (Mihai Viteazul) has been buried (his head has been taken to Dealu Monastey, near Târgovişte). The weakness of the “New World” has turned apart and gave everlasting colour to the memory. Tall of 1.601 cm, joining three sides (The Romanian Principalities, which one can easily understand by following the Great Seals – The Eagle/Romanian Country, The Black Ox with a Star betwnen its Horns/Moldavia, The Two Wolves/Ardeal) as if they were sacrificed on a marble plane above which there is a sculpted flowered gridle and the face of Michael the Great (Mihai Viteazul) that finishes the monument by looking over the boundaries of its grave towards Vidin, Nicopole, Călugăreni, Guruslău, Şelimbăr, Mirăslău, Sadova, Giurgiu, Câmpia Turzii, the monument makes you escape from the present moment. With a tear, one may erase the slime of habit. Nearby the monument, you encounter a new sign according to which gratitude remains in the hand of man: Mihai Vodă Church, o copy of the church that has been founded by the hospodar in Bucharest…

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We were thinking about getting in the peacefull unrest of the Turda Canyon… Prolonged out of Trascău Mountains, of calcareos origins, embracing the shape of a double funnel, much better defined upstream, one of the most important monuments of nature, included in U.N.E.S.C.O Patrimony, it embraces: 1.000 specied of flowers (rare plants as wild garlic, mountain ash), the maximum height of 250 m, a surface of about 324 ha, sharp peeks, towers build out of rock, deeply digged archways, rocky ravines, Karstis Landforms (fosile caves, sinkwholes, limestone pavement). We continue to breathe the air of a bunch of words and memories. The fact that we saw how the good ones can flourish, discovering the touch of hope, the feeling that we have become estranged from the loneliness of the fall, loving what is alive, even the bean “borş” (sour soupe or broth) that remembered us of our childhood, recommends us, even in the present day, the Turda Canyon, as in a form of guide on the road of everlasting beauty.

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A man would transmit part of his passion to other men. Beyond any functional and informational classifications, always amendable, the photography has taken over the informational plan through its power of impact over the public. The man wants to see things, even before he would be able to accept them. Should we accept what happened at Ocna Mureş? The center of the city has become a salty lake continuously expanding; it contains some petroleum from the previous oil-derriks and pipes that were filled with mother oil. One of the main causes for which the project of transforming Ocna Mureş into a resort it has been abandoned: instead of breathing fresh reviving air, characteristic to salt explotation, tourists would have inhaled toxic compounds…

Once we move forward (or downward, as one may argue…) in Alba County, neighbour of Cluj and Mureş to the North, Sibiu to the East, Hunedoara at South-East, Arad and Bihor at north-west, things are becoming less clear. We come nearer to the tortured life and to secrets as well. Natural beauty (not to miss Arieş Valley, as we still feel the untouched regret, another attraction, situated 3 km away from Sebeş, on the road that connects the semi-urban city of Daia Română Village, on the north side, The Red Valley is a Geological Reserve with a surface of 10 ha, with walss that have heights of about 80 and 100 m, with an abyss that forms itself from every possible direction; for more than 60 million years, the water has sculpted the clay of the hill, giving birth to all sorts of columns, towers, pyramids, all in a red clour; the same rain water forms small bloody rivers which flow down making a creepy sound; when you go down to the bridge, over the waters of Secaşului River, you see small towers digged by the rain, towers that will eventually fall apart and form large scallops)… I was saying that the natural beauty of Alba County fork with the slightly naked mountains and a placid planes. „Detunatele” (1.200 m), found at 20 km from Abrud, with two important Peeks, at just one hour from Bucium (DN 76/74 Oradea-Ştei-Câmpeni-Abrud-Bucium) or DN 75/74 (Cluj-Turda-Câmpeni-Abrud-Bucium). On the narrow railway between Abrud-Vidolm the mountain train called „Mocăniţa” is still travelling with train stations at cu Abrud, Roşia Montană (Gura Roşiei), Câmpeni, Bistra, Lupşa, Baia de Arieş, Brăzeşi, Sălciua, Ocoliş, Vidolm (historical monument). All, including Alba Iulia, inherit, through its people, a traditional content…

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Hunedoara, however, lais on the middle flow of Mureş River, nearby The Western Mountains (N), Orăştie and Şureanu (S-E), Retezat-Godeanu, Vâlcan and Parâng (S), Poiana Ruscă (S-V). The large depressions of Haţeg and Zarandului are found inside the county’s boundaries, but not on the shelves of absence of this journal. We did not miss Deva Fortress (historical monument and of lay architecture, reached with the help of a small cabin-lift, the only oblique elevator in Romania, the only one in Europe in matters of length of the track and level differnce). Past added to the past, The Hunyad Castle, established near the imposing ruins of one of the greatest iron-and-steel factory in Romania, allowed us to watch the dark walls of rock, the covered conical towers, the sharp peeks, the 50 rooms (The Knights’ Room, The Diet Room, The Counsiling Room with a fresco portraying Vasile Lupu, Moldavia’s) the Chapel, the medieval frescos that once decorated the walls could be found on the aisle and at the entrance; in a limited space near the Chapel there is spring that – legend says – was digged by Turkish Slaves to whome freedome was promised, but after 15 years of hard work, when the master broke his promise, they wrote “You have water, but not soul”…

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Sibiu (Cibinium, Villa Hermani, Hermanstadt), one of the cities of the Lutheran Reform, where the great  humanist Nicholas Olahus has lived, only so that he could persist for posterity, the administrative residence of the county with the same name, confirmed us the wisdom of these words: “Experience is what you make haapen for yourself”. As a consequence, we measured from head to toe The Stair’s Tower (built in the 13^th century), The Butcher’s Market, The Old Spring Tower, The University of Transilvanian Saxons, The Franciscan Church, The Carpenters Tower, The Furrier’s Tower. Bruckenthal National Museum shines with its former private collection of Baron Samuel von Brukenthal (The Queen’s counselor and Governor General of Transilvania, at the end of the 18^th century); happy we should be, gratitude to those who rememberd that they had the right to forget, but owe it to themselves to develop, point three in the last will: “Since the library, the paintings, the engravings, the natural, the minerals and the numismatics collection shall be found under the incident of special dispositions (…) a librarian and a caretaker would be paid, the access to the library, the painting collection, the minerals and the numismatics shall be made possible, at particular hours and days, in my house in Sibiu, which shall serve the purpose of preserving all of them”.

But we are merly people… At a few hours distance from entering Sibiu and after we understood the generous dream which von Brukenthal has thrown towards mankind, we dug deep into the pockets of a pleasant didacticism: we cannot ignore the fortunate encounters, the unprepared destinations, the adventure suggested by faith and that would bring faith, from time to tome. It may seem useful, in other words, to go across Romania in an organized manner, but you should not hold back the reshness of free options, dictated by the unpredicted. Constrained, through our own choice, to surpass Avrig city, we did not forget about Gheorghe Lazăr, considered to be the founder of education in the national language of The Romanian Country and of de Samuel von Brukenthal. Despite the late hour, as a knife of reflections that cannot be repressed, we stretched our legs towards Transfăgărăşan (meaning: road across Făgăraş Mountains). The Mountain reacted gently on us, letting us pass beyond the gorge of its laws. On rare occasions could we see a lake and compare it to a founding sea. Bâlea answered our questions of knowledge (glacier lake, found at an altitude of 2.040 m, 360 m long and 11,35 m deep); others made us understand that silence would help the world open its arms…

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The adventure of our imagination maz encourage the thoroughness of expectancies. Bâlea remains in expectance at about 77 km from Sibiu, 68 km froma Făgăraş, and 85 km separets it from Curtea de Argeş. When you are on zour way to Braşov and zou love history, you cannot imagine a route other than Bran Castle. Even more if the opportunity has been overpass in February 2011, when we were welcomed at Peleş Castle, the largest and most properly preserved Royal Residence. We shall develop at a given time, consideration on the Summer Residence of the first King of Romania, Carol the I^st, the one who encouraged the transformation process of Sinaia (Prahova County) in a touristic resort representative for the second part pf the 19^th century; according to the disposition, that would also predict his passing away, Carol the I^st declared that the castle must turn into a museum; his successor, Ferdinand the I^st, moved the Royal Court in the Pelişor Castle (built nearby)

Bran Castle, in Braşov County, guards a narrow valley that leads to the old Valahia, playing, at one point, the role of a guard over the flanking pass, on both sides of Bucegi Mountains, Piatra Craiului and the border point. The Fortress, restructered in anotther crucial moment of the Romanian destiny, in order to become a summer residence, portrays, with its elegant and gracious figure, in which the mixture of gothic, renaissance and romantic elements express the intense testemonials of the past and of some few other destinations, with white walls, raw rock and prime material from the river that curves its way in the valley, with roofs that have recieved, as dowry, rounded derricks and well-defined slopes, as a natural gift from the citezens of Braşov to Queen Marry, wife of Ferdinand the I^st, Founder of Greater Romania. The Castle borrowed the style and taste of the Queen, impregnated with respect for local traditions, for German and Italian Baroque, even in choosing the furniture and the decorations. We do not believe that the spirit of Maria has left Bran Castle, even if her heart, brought in a silver box, remained, for a while, in a small room of the old chapel, nowdays marked by a small inscription. Her Majesty Marry, The Queen of Romania, Princess of Romania, Princess Edinburg and of Saxa Coburg and Gotha, Great princess of Great Britain and Irland, niece of Queen Victoria of Great Britain, mother of Carol the II^nd, with no titles to bear anymore, walks around the Turnul Pulberilor (dominating the interior yard), The Gate Tower, The Guarding Room, The Big Saloon, The Queen’s Bedroom, The Gothic Chamber, The Counselling Room, The Biedermeier Saloon, King’s Ferdinand Bedroom, the south tower, The Music Room, The Prizes Room, the room of little Prince Nicholas (equipped with furniture from the begining of the XX^th century and a small balcony from which could be admired the beautiful view).

Found at a small distance from Bran, other romantic legends have been born in a medieval fortress where the armies of history honour you. It has been assumed that the first fortification from Râşnov was built on Fortress Hill (Dealul Cetăţii), during the reign of the Knights of the Teutonic Order in Burzenland. A century later, with precise reference to the Turkish invasion in the year 1335, the first documentary attestation of Râşnov Fortress is emerged. Carol Robert of Ungaria, with servants that would defend the boundaries, the Szekler Committee, which sent into the fortress a castled man who was both worrier and housekeeper, a calamity for the Turkish people, King Sigismund of Luxembourg, who gave the fortress to its inhabitants, once they grew into their proud status of merchants, the divide into “the upper fortress” and “the lower fortress”, the new face of the fortification, with a circled road, a small market, small alleys, the chapel, the school’s house, the priest’s house, the fountain, the episodes of Gabriel Bathori or the adventure of the courts’ partisans, all of them have either animated or isolated Râşnov, and the bustle of new intentions gives hope in its future brightness.

In 1949, an aquatic explosion occurred on a freshet of the Fortress Valley. We believe that its purpose was to demolish the loneliness of Fundata Cave that exists near Râşnov. This cave has been renovated, at an altitude of about 790 m, using unique techonology in Romania: if you sacrifice the expectations of an easy climbing for the fear of a track with a medium level of difficulty, you may access alleways made of fibre glass; the illumination preserves the same micro-climate, regardless of the season; even more, a private entrepreneeur has invested in the spelaean approximately 300.000 Eur, facilitating the performance of orchestral concerts, as the show of lights makes great use of the stalactites and stalagmites in Fundata Cave.

We eneter some caves just to escape from others… We do not share the belief of those who tie themselves to their chairs, facing the wall – a projection of partial shadows of things that may pass us by, things that are found beyond the wall but which are illuminated with the same fire that makes them shadow…

According to some, the name Braşov was highly widespread in the Romanian space: in a village called Ileni, in another village called Rodj (Timiş County), in the 15^th century; in Neamţ County there is a forest and a water called Braşovana; near Vaslui, there used to be a valley and a village called Braşoveniţa; near Buzău there was Braşov Spring and Braşov Meadow; near Ialomiţa there was Braşoviţa. Nicolae Drăganu would attribute this name to a Slavonic etymology on the grounds of the name Braşa (according to Brasevo, from Serbian-Montenegrin and Braskov, Brastic Czech-Bohemian); Sextil Puşcariu thought that from Bratoslav another form has been inherited, Braşa, which stands for the name of Braşov, just as Nicolae Drăganu has assumed. We consider that, the etymological and historical debate of Braşov between humanist and historians is open to any conclusion whatsoever. This is why we have reserved our pleasure to look upon the work of people. The architectural styles may vary from Preromanitc (Braşovia Fortress), with mistakes that come from a desire of reaching commercial interest, Romantic (Saint Bartolomeu Church), Gothic (The Black Church, where the statue of Virgin Mary is situated on one of the buttress, looking over the House of The Saint, wearing the city’s coats of arms sculptued underneath the basorelief), Renaissance (less observable in our days, due to renovations, characteristic for rounded-arch gates, the interior of The House of the Saint), Baroque (the houses from the 18^th century, especially the exterior of The House of The Saint and the structure of the houses, Saint Peter Roman-Catholic Church), Venetian Rocco, Neo-rennaisance, Neo-baroque (the 19^th century, all the palaces in Braşov have been built according to this style), Art Nouveau, Brâncovenan (The County Library, the houses that belonged to reigning families in the Romanian Country) and Modern (the constructions that have emerged after the year of 1980)…

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If the popularity of Sovata (from Mureş County) is due to its colourfull sodium lakes, the heliothermic phenomena (during summer, the temperatures of the water vary according to the accumulation of solar heat in salted water, the warm water remaining protected by a layer of fresh water that comes from the small rivers, and which does not mix, but is maintained on the surface, acting as a thermic isolator), the popularity of the Saschiz referrs to the name of the fortification. Sighişoara adds the faim of an old European establishment (the documentary attestation enprints the year 1280), of an exquisite tranquility when facing the passing of time and the surrounding changes, keeping its aura of medieval memory wich forbids the entrance of the 21^st centuriy’s reality; one of the latest inhabited fortress in the world,  Sighişoara has been declared, in 1999, protected monument by  UNESCO; The Church from the hill, the Monastey Church, the House with a Stag, The Venetian House, The House of Vlad Dracula, The Covered Stairway, The Shoemaker’s Tower, The Tin’s Tower, The Ironmen’s Tower, The Ropemen’s Tower, The Butcher’s Tower, The Clock Tower, may change the life of those that look upon them, but this requires more than a mere description…

The touristic attractions of Apalina, Băgaciu, Bezid, Cloasterf, Daneş, Iernut, Luduş, Nadeş, Târnăveni, Ungheni, Reghin, Sovata, Târgu Mureş /The Medieval Fortress, Teleki House, the greatest religious edifice – The Cathedral, as well as Bob Palace, Annunciation Church, The Palace of Prefecture… Reproduces as faces of the same experiences, as rebel waves of history, the carry on the grammar of arts; our quick glimpse has reflected some ways in which the circumstances have influenced its manifestations…

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Sfântu Gheorghe, the capital city of Covasna County, is situated in the depression with the same name, on both sides of Olt River. Found at the intersection of a few roads, DN12 remains the most important one because it connects Braşov with Miercurea Ciuc. There is nothing we could wish more besides normality, organization and  non-political activity. Inside this negative balance which has not ended, and shall not be over soon enough, we resent the acute pain provided by the infrastructure. If ever found in Harghita County, one may dramatically suffer from trying to reach the left side of Olt, near Tuşnad *Saint Anna Lake is a vulcanic lake, the only one found on the teritory of Romania. Settled in the depths of an extincted volcano crater, also named Ciomatu (or Ciomadu), from Puciosu Massif, place of the most recent volcanic eruption (a few thousans of years) in the Carpathians and Easteren Europe, the lake was found at an altitude of 946 m. The exquisite “painter’s palette” complets its water only from precipitations, having no springs; the purity is close to the one of distilled water; in the absence of oxygen, the colourful instincts of life have not been awaken (the limited amount of food in the lake’s water is a sign of pit emanation, through the bottom of the lake and through tha walls of the crater. We did not make much use of the weather forecast; we read about the empirical method, a gift that the volcanic activity usually comes with; if the emanations from the cracks pinch your nose, than a storm is about to start but if they do not, then the day is going to be sunny and most appropriate for long walks in the forest; the phenomena is scientifically proven as the post-volcanic activity is very sensitive to any change of the atmospheric pressure – when a decrease is occurred, than the gases, carbon dioxide and sulfur, rise above the surface and invade the cracks, an indicator of the rain that will come.

The night was just as good adviser as Saint Anna Lake. Possibly because we chose to spend it in Tuşnad, inside a small restaurant where time was patient, where with joy, curiosity and the appetite for a culinary journey, we found ourselves embraced by new aromas, surprising combinations and a tasteful paradise, all blessed by royal wines. A certain kind of vice, for some people it is called ambition, but for others it degenarates into passion. Among children, we often encounter the pride and the personal prestige of “knowing something that other don’t”, at larger extent, expressed as a form of bragging and overtopping others, even if no secret is being hold and everything is based on a lie. The so called Székely Land, beyond the experiences some of us may live, can make you feel as in the middle of a dream, if you have no lies to defend or to listen to, if you do not wish to declare yourself the keeper of great secrets, if you wish to guide your innocence through respect, if you praise the boldness of being normal and of finding complete humans.

Tuşnad is situated at 32 km from Miercurea Ciuc (in Magyar/Hungaryan Csíkszereda, a name that has beed established through a letter dating from 1558 – with a reffrence to the weekly bargains that were being held during Wendsdays). From the capital city we move forward via smaller villages and locations (Ciceu, Siculeni, Mădăraş, Cârţa, Tomeşti, Sândominic, Voşlăbeni without any valuable or meaningful contribution) towards Gheorgheni, the town which will hopefully become a valuable, due to its advantageous geographical position – between mountains, very close to the natural dam of Red Lake (25 kilometers away), at approximately 50 kilometrs from Borsec, 60 km from Praid (where one can find the largest Saltmines in the country and in Europe), and there is also the possibility of skiing at Mureş Spring (Izvoru Mureşului) Resort (at 20 kilometers away) or on Bucin Peek (situated on the road connected to Praid).

Red Lake, the largest natural mountain lake in Romania, feeds itself with the trajectory of Red Brook (Pârâul Roşu) traversing levels of scale and iron hydroxide colours. We looked as if a miracle layed in front of us, and we saw no danger in the stumps that were shily emerging from the water. We enetered by boat between the silent flocks of ducks that were passing by, and looked after the signs of its relative recent genesis: a day in July 1837; after storms and pouring rain, a small part of the Killer Mountain detached and blocked three water courses. The purple reflection of Small Suhard Mountain, the presence of red alluvia most of which were brought by the Red River, the red limestones surrounding the water have inspired the sheperds to name the place Red Lake. Around the year 1857, three people in Gheorgheni that were gathered due to common affairs, but mostly by pleasure, in the mirror of the mountain and lake beauty they started talking to everyone about the place of supreme happiness, without telling to anyone if they believed that, after death, the souls of pious ones would be preserved in the Red Lake.  From that moment, attracted as they were by the paradisiac place, by the richness of the flora and fauna (black goat, wolf, wild boar, stag), tourists that may or may not carry God in their thoughts pass by the paths, conferous forests mixed with hazel tree and mountain willow (on the surrounding slopes grow white tree, sycamore maple tree and mountain poplar), think about comfort, wood cracking and grilled meat.

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On the valley of Bicaz River, downstream of Red Lake, there is Bicaz Canyon (8 kilometers long, from Red Lake to “Bicazul Ardelean”), just like an ascensor, with dazzeling zig-zags, that carry you from Tranzilvania to Moldavia. The sinuous road of the Canyon does not stumble in the middle of small improvised shops with local artifacts, but rapidly pass, leaving beyond it the stable gestures of habit. The limestone walls look as if they have been sawed by the quick waters of Bicaz; moreover, they hide many caves, inaccessabile for the human body. We have indulged in the freedome of the wtaerdrops that draw the rivers, the greatness of the rocks which wraped us in the roots of a different world, and the embraces between mountain and man emerged in clear circumsantces…

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We reached a diffrent county, Neamţ, and a diffrent touristic destination – Lake Mountain Spring (Izvorul Muntelui) (35 kilometers long, the lake is situated on a surface of 33 km²), also known as Bicaz Lake, the largest artificial lake established on the interior rivers of Romania, situated on the superiour water course of Bistriţa River. The place was formed due to the construction of the hydronergetic dam, a giant wall of almost 127 meters tall, whose “christening” has been made with the help of hundreds of thousands of m³ of rock.

Usually, above the water nothing flows. Dams can destroy the lifestyle of those who live around it, pushing them, as in a spell, in the house of absence. The new ethics of ecological presrervation must not be compared to the train with no travelers. The water, the air, the soil signify the base, the engine. If we do not succed in traveling with the “life express”, we will not have a second chance. It depends on what happens around us. A lot of beauty is born in water. They say: “water flows just as life”. What do we choose? The beginning or the end of survival?

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The plan of our trajectory, a plan of reality, should describe the circle, the perfect closed curve, the one who will continousely complete itself. It does not symbolize infinity, but it tends to express integrality and unity. At a relative distance of all the periferic points (includinf the geographical origin of those who have written the journal), Romania of true stories cand be a point of equilibrium; the points of our departures look like the expansions that made the imaginary circle. The symbol of return is found, inside our project, in different levels, seasons and days.

In fact, Iaşi – Suceava – Maramureş – Bistriţa Năsăud – Cluj – Alba – Hunedoara – Sibiu – Braşov – Covasna – Harghita – Neamţ – Iaşi would rather leave us under the impression of a plane closed curve, to which the sum of the distances of any to fixed points always seem constant. The almost perfect curve could be represented by the tracks Suceava – Neamţ – Bacău – Vrancea – Buzău – Prahova – Dâmboviţa – Argeş – Vâlcea – Gorj sau/şi Botoşani – Iaşi – Vaslui – Galaţi – Brăila –, the fascinating detour Tulcea – Constanţa –, Ialomiţa – Ilfov – Bucureşti – Călăraşi – Giurgiu – Teleorman – Olt – Dolj – Mehedinţi, and from here, in both invoked directions, “the circle is closed” through Caraş Severin – Timş – Arad – Bihor – Sălaj – Satu Mare – Maramureş – Bistriţa Năsăud…

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Suceava – Neamţ – Bacău – Vrancea – Buzău – Prahova – Dâmboviţa – Argeş – Vâlcea – Gorj

After the experience of september 2011, a new attempt was made two months later in november. Towards Buzău, starting from Iaşi – via, either the ditched Vaslui – Bârlad – Tecuci – Focşani – Râmnicu Sărat, either Roman – Europeean Bacău…; part of the story ressembles the ritualic vanity, called the life of Romanian roads.

However, we have promised a track that was born and maintained by the hunger of devorating round.

Paintings on a wall, ceilling or interior or any other permanent surface of a building or structure, painting which individualises Moldavia, has been dedicated to our first “chaptor”. In Suceava County, beyond any connection th the Churches (Baia/, Bălineşti, Botoşana, Părhăuţi, Pătrăuţi, Putna, Rădăuţi, Siret, Suceava) and Monasteries (Arbore, Crucea, Dragomirna, Gura Humorului/, Probota, Putna, Râşca, Slatina, Suceava, Suceviţa, Vadu Moldovei, Vatra Moldoviţei, Voroneţ), we recall The Royal Fortress of Suceava (one of the most popular until present day, ofently it has been the main resistance element of entire Feudal Moldavia against invaders), Zamca Medieval Complex/poză/ (established in the year 1606 by refugee Armenians in Moldavia), The Jewish Temple in Rădăuţi (open at 18 August 1883, the anniversary of Frany Josef of Austria, the one who ceased the land on which it was built), Saltmine and the Roman Catholic Church in Cacica (built in 1904, by the Polish Community, it has received in the year 2000 the title of Minor Basilica) the memorial houses in Ciocăneşti, Mălini, Solca, Suceava, Vatra Dornei Resort (mineral springs, mud, negatively ionized air), the mountain resorts Câmpulung Moldovenesc and Gura Humorului, the museum in Botoşana, Broşteni, Fălticeni, Gura Humorului, Rădăuţi, Siret, Suceava, Vatra Dornei. Near Câmpulung Moldovenesc, at the end of 2011, we found ourselves at the „Ioan Grămadă” Museum, just as the family albums, in which we would find our ancestors, friends and places that were close to our hearts…

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Architectural monuments (Piatra-Neamţ/Royal Court (Curtea Domnească) and Stephen’s Tower  (Turnul lui Ştefan, Podoleni, Ştefan cel Mare, Tupilaţi), Churches – in Bărgăuani, Crăcăoani, Dochia, Dragomireşti, Girov, Gura Văii, Oşlobeni, Piatra-Neamţ, Podoleni, Războieni, Roman, Roznov, Ştefan cel Mare, Tupilaţi, Văleni, Vânători-Neamţ, monasteries in Agapia, Bisericani, Bistriţa, Crăcăoani, Durău, Girov, Pângăraţi, Poiana Teiului, Războieni, Vânători-Neamţ, Văratec, all of which compose a part of Neamţ County enheritance. As for Neamţ Fortress, one of the most solid fortifications established by the Moldavian medieval state, it still defends Valea Moldovei (Valley of Moldavia) and of Siret, as well as the road that passes through the mountain towards Transilvania, from Târgu Neamţ to Pipirig, over Petru Vodă, via Poiana Largului by Tulgheşului pass…

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Bacău County does not just refer to its climacteric balneary resorts Slănic Moldova and Târgu Ocna. It must be known the fact that the county is filled with archelogical sites (Comăneşti, Dealu Morii, Faraoani, Horgeşti, Negri, Nicolae Bălcescu, Onceş, Pânceşti, Poduri, Răcăciuni, Sascut, Secuieni, Stănişeşti, Ştefan cel Mare, Târgu Ocna, Traian, Vultureni, Târgu Trotuş),  the ruins of the royal court), some Churches and Monasteries /Precista Church; “Ascension Cathedral”; Catholic Cathedral)/, fewer as compared to Suceava and Neamţ Counties, it also has palaces, museums, architectural monuments, memorial houses (Tescanu Rosetti Family Residence, built in 1880, it has become the residence of George Enescu), even the improper denomination of fortresses (Rakoczy, în Ghimeş Făget/poză-flash/) and castles (property of Ştirbei Family, in Dărmăneşti…

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Closely and thoroughly examined, Vrancea County does not bury its touristic roots in some apathetic towns. /poză din Adjud, the former Jewish Street and Popular Athenaeum; Saint John the Baptist Church; „Maior Gheorghe Pastia” Theatre / Found at 850 m altitude, with a length of 4.5 km (the road gets narrower from time to time, passing over the rocks, water, near the almost vertical walls of stone), the natural reserve Tişiţei Canyon) is one of the largest protected areas on the territory of Vrancea. Lepşa Monastery) has a definitive value in the moral conscience, as well as in the short road to Putna Waterfall, the miniature natural reserve, to Greşu or to Soveja. In the Mausoleum of Mărăşeşti, risen for the “country’s national heores”, rest the remains of General Eremia Grigorescu and of Măriuca Zaharia, the child-hero from Haret. ,,The House of Ultimate Modesty and Kindness” from Dumbrăveni (Alexandru Vlahuţă Memorial House) preserves the memory of a clear conscience. If inside the Geological Reserve “Living Fire”, from Ardeiaşu, the natural gas burn in solitude, The Forestier Reserve from Cenaru-Andreiaşu gather gigantic species of 130-200 years old of beech…

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Botoşani – Iaşi – Vaslui – Galaţi – Brăila

Botoşani County imposes, especially due to the fact of being the residence city, which, just as an old wine, would not turn too sour. Some attractions enrich the image of the world: Mihai Eminescu Park, the former public garden Varnav, keeps trees that were contemporary to Mihai Eminescu (in the last part of his life, the genius has carried his steps through the large alleys); The Memorial House Nicolae Iorga gathers the proofs of his life and activity, hundreds of his historical, literal, memorilistical works, cuprinde mărturii ale vieţii şi activităţii, sute din operele istorice, literare, memorialistice semnate Nicolae Iorga; The County Museum (Etnografic section) is a valuable architectural monument from the late 18^th century, representing the house of Manolache Iorga, grandparent of Nicolae Iorga; Mihai Eminescu State Theatre, open in 1914 and then destroyed during the bombs of 1944 and, of course, rebuilt; The State Philharmonic Orchestra,Ventura Mansion, founded at the end of the 19^th century, in neoclassical style; Mihai Eminescu Library, the famous Moscovici House, an architectonic jewell from the same time, combining French and German architectural elemnts; Antipa House, a building inspired by the French, where the great biologist Grigore Antipa and his brother Nicolae Leon were born; The City Hall, built in the late 18^th century in German style it will later become the court at which Mihai Eminescu has worked as a clerck; Casa Silion reunites architectonic styles (eclectic francez, art-nouveau); The Old Center groups together commercial buildings XVII-XVIII; Saint Gheorghe Church, founded by Lady Elena Rareş, established in 1551 and is emprinted by the influences of Ştefan Voievod from Popăuţi (1496, with valuable interior paintings and an original character); Uspenia Church, founded by the same wife of Petru Rareş, preserves values of authenical thesaurus (painting, sculpture, old book); Armenian-Gregorian Church Holy Trinity, living from the 16^th century, impresses with its architectural values, sculpture and religious old book; cultural and religious center, The Lipovenian Church, constructed on the place of an old wooden chapel, it has Russian icons, old books and rooms that have been arranged artistically. Placed on the Bahlui “Canyon” (dug vertically by erosion in limestone and and gritstone), very close to Tudora city, there is the Yew Tree Reserve, proof of the former climacteric age from three centuries ago, a tree that is specific to the Siberian desert, with a rough essence. The region in which the reserve lays has a pronounced touristic value because it includes places of worship such as Vorona Monastery, Reduseness of Vorona, Balş Hermitage…

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We are from a place (Iaşi) which knows the age of his own museums and memorial houses: “Moldova” National Museum Ensemble; Union Museum; Moldavian Etnografic Museum; History Museum; Politehnic Museum; „Petru Poni”Local Chemistry Museun; Romanian Literature Museum; Theatre Museum; Printing Museum; Natural History Museum; „Ion Creangă” Memorial Houses, „Mihai Codreanu”, „George Topârceanu”, „Otilia Cazimir”, „Vasile Pogor”, „Mihail Kogălniceanu”, „Mihail Sadoveanu” etc. He also knows how to clarify – even better than any random authority – that the Royal Saint Nicholas Church /poză/ has been founded by Stephen the Great, where, from the 15^th century until the year of 1859, all the hospodars of Moldavia have been declared. He thinks of the settlement that reminds us of Miron Baconschi, two steps away from “St. John Chrysostom”- Zlataust (constructed on the place of an old wooden church, with a rocky foundation, built under the reign of Tomşa al II-lea, in the first years of the 17^th century, the one that has received the tomb of Barbu Lăutarul), found at a short distance of Nicoriţă, the church from Tătăraşi. He cryes because from the original painting of Trei Ierarhi only 20 original fragments have been preserved due to the restauration of the monument between the years 1884-1885, by the French architect Lecomte de Nouy; the majority represent angelic or saint figures framed by decorated halos with vegetable motifs realized in a soft relief, found, as well, in some embroideries from those times, in wooden sculpture, in miniature or the icons of those days.  / continuare film sau poză interior Trei Ierarhi / He is glad, because very close to the “Trei Ierarhi” Church there is diversity: Roman Catholic Cathedral, dedicated to the “Assumption”, also known as the “Franciscan Church”; a bit further away and, finally, renovated, there is the Armenian-Georgian Church, dedicated to cu hramul “Holy Mother”. It opens the path to Golia Monastery, established at the beginning of the 15^th century, an important architectonic monument that combines Moldavian tradition with some elements of the Renaissance. He protects the church Cetăţuia Monastery, dedicated to Saints Paul and Peter, founded by Gheorghe Duca, and surrounded by a very strong defensive wall and the guarding tower, as well as the Frumoasa Monastery, dedicated to “Saints Mihail and Gavriil”, built during the years of 1583-1586, under the supervision of Melentie Balica. Among so many faces that he has not forgotten, the Metropolitan Cathedral is everyday’s greatest feast (not only for the successful plans of the Romanian architect with Austriac ancestors, Gustav Freiwald, but mainly because here are the relics of Saint Cuvioasa Parascheva, brought from “Sfântul Gheorghe” Church/ Fanar-Istanbul neighborhood/initially exposed at Trei Ierarhi Church). The border lines open as well towards the Church of “Saints Peter and Paul”, in which one can found the tomb of Alecu Russo. Otherwise, the artistic sculpture, designed to perpetuate the memory of an event or a remarkable personality, finds its representation in the monuments of the writers Vasile Alecsandri, Mihail Kogălniceanu, Mihai Eminescu, Ion Creangă, Costache Negri, Gheorghe Asachi, Miron Costin, the statue of Stephen the Great, the statues of Vasile Lupu, Alexandru Ioan Cuza, Dosoftei, Petru Rareş / foto, grupul statuar din apropierea Casei Studenţilor/, in the obelisk founded in the memory of those who died as victims of the holocaust from the 28^th to the 30^th  of January 1941…

On top of Repedea Hill, near the television antenna, at an altitude of 353 meters, there is deep concavity (ressembling an amphitheatre), with abrupt and holey walls. The Geological and Paentological Reserve “Repedea Hill” represents a main interest point for those who are fond of geology. In general, the population of Iassy thinks of this territory as a touristic attraction point, but often as mere object, locals spending their spare time at a picnic; here on the set, right near the forest, they set up fire grills, leaving black marks of burned earth; there are also a lot of waste products (plastic bottles, papers); evenmore, the locals have started to steal rocks from the walls of the reserve, using them for the construction of their own houses, even if the rock is rubbly and not indicated for such a purpose…

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Even if it does not have the wonders of Prahova Valley, north of Moldavia or the sea shore, Vaslui County has some unconventional touristic attractions – old wooden churches and monasteries, picturesque villages (when they do not scandalize with their poorness), where old habits have been preserved. In the effort of reaching a proper acknowledgment, we will explain a phenomena, at least surprising if not extraordinary, attributed to the divine force and to the people as well:  “Stephen the Great” Fortress (from the 15^th century), Saint John Church, The Royal Court (started by Alexandre the Good and later developed by Stephen the Great), The Ghica House (constructed in a neoclasiccal style, the oldest monumental construction in Vaslui city), near Mavrocordat House, where a few historical and cultural vestiges have been preserved. The memories posterity has kept for the illustrious or the important events are represented by: Emil Racoviţă Memorial House, Elena Cuza Memorial House from Soleşti, Vasile Pârvan Museum in Bârlad, as well as an author’s museum, preserving the creation of the sculpture Marcel Guguianu, obtained through his donation to Bârlad. The most important cities, Vaslui and Bârlad, have been established in the 14^th, repectively, 15^th century and Huşi, the third one in size from the county, has become famous due to its wineyard and quality of the wines, and for its Episcopal shelter.

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Outside of The Danube, the natural and scientifical reserves in Galaţi County, the natural parks, public and botanical gardens, the lakes (Brateş, for instance, is called the “Romanian Balaton), The Episcopal Cathedral in Galaţi city (built in a neobyzantine style, with influences from the Moldavian culture; has an exterior length of over 37 meters and a height of 42.5 meters), Greek Church in Galaţi – shines due to its glass interior, The Visual Art Museum, the only one in Romania (collections of paintings, sculptures, decorative art) pours upon the world a permanent invitation…

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Almost 20 kilometers away from Galaţi, on the left shore of the Danube, Brăila is one of those Romanian cities that kept for more than a century and a half the denomination of its streets unchanged; there are many buildings from the 19^th century, making Brăila a true architectural revelation./fotografii/. We swing between the “technical calling” of the buildings and the Reserve that ressembles the Danube Delta, a rare natural show that does not meet modernity…

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It looks that everything you cannot heal, you have to endure.

In Buzău County, however, the expression reaches the level of a true delirium which could knead one’s metaphysical condition, as well as the personal autovehicle. To be hones, we forced the road towards The Mud Volcanos. Relatively close to the capital city, to Ploieşti, Braşov, South of Moldavia, Dobrogea, East of Bărăgan, accesed via DN 10 (Buzău – Braşov), then DJ 102 F and DC 108, in the area of “Pâclele Mici” and “Pâclele Mari”, located in Scorţoasa and Berca, two unique sets, with a serene appearance, lay over a duzin hectares, sedimenting earthly shades of grey, rounder or sharper, from which the cold mud springs or pours; in fact, the methan gas from the deep makes its way up to the surface, crawling the mud along with it and escaping from the earth levels through which it travels.

The Salt Mountain (steeps that ressemble to the colour of milked-coffem which have white crows because of the released salt on the surface) (56 kilometers away from Râmnicu Sărat, where we photographed the Brâncoveanu Ensemble and The Jewish Synagogue),

„The Living Fire” (located on a hill in Terca, on Slănic Valley, at 3 kilometers away from Lopătari village, a flame, of about 1 m height, is the projection of the natural phenomena provoked by earth gases,  The “White Rock” at Mânzăleşti (formed by the durity of the marls that allowed it to defeat the eroding assault of water), Cândeşti Manstion (at this family that is related to the hospodars of the Romanian Country, would often arrive Vlahuţă, Caragiale, Barbu Ştefănescu-Delavrancea), the set of Cetăţuia Hill (with signs of neolitical inhabitants, the iron age and the bronze age), the ruins from Gruiul Dării (the only old fortress of Dacia/ the Carpathian curbes, with rocky walls), Istriţa-Pietroasele Hill (reminds us of the famous Pietroasele Treasure “Cloşca cu puii de aur”, attribued to vizigoţilor lui Atanarik), the blocks of limestone from (geological and paleontological reserve from Buzău Valley), The Giant’s Wall (Zidul Uriaşilor – on Sălciei Valley, there are big parts of smooth rock, but paradoxically, very rare in that area), “Eagles’ Lake” (Lacul Vulturilor) or The Bottomless Lake (“Lacul fără fund”) (in Siriu Mountains, at an altitude of 1.420 m) makes you wonder if you should really continue your journey through Berca – Pârscov – Vipereşti – Cislău – Vălenii de Munte.

The detour will convince you of the fact that roads do turn into paths at some point (mostly hidden than revealed), takes you to a place that has been blessed where the mysthic irradiation is impossible to settle in the ordinary life. Buzău Mountains preserve many spiritual cells and places of worship (aproximately 30 hermitages and settelments). The pune found at Aluniş-Colţi also has the Church of Beheading of St. John the Baptist „Tăierea capului Sfântului Ioan Botezătorul”, dug in rock bz two sheperds with the help of the villagers; after 1274, the year in which it has been founded, the monks have disturbed the mountains only with their surrounding cells.

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The mountain area in the North-East part of Buzău is a burning metaphor in a material world. A very well constructed and preserved norm for hundreds of years is not, at least for the moment, a space invaded bu civilization. As opposed to this Journal, isn’t so? We enjoy comfort, but, on the other hand, we wish for the mythical substance to remain a threshold and to overwhealm time itself.

From Vălenii de Munte (because it has nothing much to offer, except for Nicolae Iorga Memorial House) we returned to Ploieşti, and then continued to Câmpina– Breaza – Comarnic – Sinaia – Buşteni… Prahova, one of the most urbanized teritorial-administrative units, the most populated county in Romania (except for Bucharest) even it is only the 33^rd largest town, it does not shine only through its wooden valley and mountain crown.

Risen on a terrace coverd with vegetation and surrounded by a British styled park, with artistic gardens, white, green and ochre ceramic towers (in the middle of which rises the clock’s tower), typical for the German neo-renaissance, characterized by the abundance of inlay and decorative elements (asymethric profile and light structure) that adorn the front part, with one of the most important painting collections in Europe, Peleş Castle can not be kneed at the basis of a battle that is worn just to thorn apart the domination of the centuries. Sustained by imagination, the sight relights the unstable fire of the restlessness that provides all of the ideas. We felt the enthusiasm of the old world belonging to the 170 rooms, streched in a labyrinth of stairs and corridors, decorated by European artists, bringing diffrent elements into perfect reunion (the Turkish palaces are no difrrent from the Italian and German Neo-rennaisance). The Hall of Honor, with walls wearing wooden boards decoreted with bas-relief representing the 40 castels of The Hohenzollern Family, with incredible upholstery and ceilling that has been titled by the mythological stained-glass and the armorial motifs, open the space of attempts. The weapon room preserves a collection of wapones from the 14^th to the 18^th century, the anteroom that offers access in the private office of King Carol the 1^st as well as the neighbouring library, emphasise the German neo-renaissance style just as The Meeting Room and The Literature Room betray the preferences of Queen Elisabeta (Carmen Sylva of poetry). The Florentine Room (with many reproductions, as well as two original paintings by Veronese), The Venetian Room, The Columns’ Room, The Living-Room (the ceilling is paneled with stained glass representing scenes from the life of the knights), The Maura Room and The Turkish Hall (decorated with upholstery and weapon collections), the passages that lead towards the theatre of the castle, the Honor Scare (to the first floor), The Concert Hall (here, in 1914, The Crown Council decided the neutrality of Romania during the First World War), the guest room (with rococo style furniture form Vienna), the dining room with rustic furniture, the sumptuous imperial apartament (that has been restructured during one visit of Franz Josef), all of it gave in to the sweet warmth of untainted history.

The more recent Pelişor Castle is not as imposing and formal as the former Peleş Castle. If the exterior preserves, with no esitations, the German renaissance style, the interior of the 70 room remain the pledge of Queen Mary’s travelling through life, also named “The Artist Queen”. The main room (The Golden Room) has walls decorated with golden stucco (ressembling the leafs of wild thistle, a plant adoptded by Queen Mary, as it was a symbol of Scotland, her country of origin, and of Nancy city, the capital of the Art deco style). The representation room shaped the ideea of simplicity, as one may see from the office Ferdinand, as well. The chapel and the bedroom emphasis the preferate style of the queen, and the furniture collections, the dishes, the lams, the manuscripts have the necessary strength to reap one moment from the visitors’ usual life.

Above Sinaia town rises, in his full monumentally, Bucegi Mountains… Omu Peek (adjudged to Dâmboviţa Couny) is very close to the sky with its altitude of just 2.505 m, Babele (The Old Ladies) and The Sphinx (Sfinxul) are not just names given to some rocky systems. Regarding as useless any choice that does not proove to be, in the same time, free knowledge, we chose one of the offroad vehicles, that were layng like tigers right next to the domestical lifting cabin. “The trainer”, a former geodez engineer, with an interest in cars, photography, technology, politics and so on, proposed us an adventure that smell of adrenaline, sun, rocks, offroad, climbing slopes of such inclinaton that would defy gravity, passing through water, cuting the road through the wood, practically organizing, our chaos turmoil, destined to those who wish to know the nature with its flora and the fauna, those who wish to get thoroughly into history, those who wish to energically visit the places and their legends. We continued our trip to Târgovişte, just so that we would turn right after only 10 kilometers distant from a chalet and 2 kilometers more from the construction itself, on a forest road, continuing our adventure on almost 19 kilometers of rocky areas and deep holes, where complete traction is vital. Above all, we learned how to mentain and cultivate respect for the entire environment, not just for The Old Ladies (Babele) – nature’s monuments, aeolian monuments that sculpted the rocks in the shape of mushrooms, for the Sphinx (Sfinx) – a monuments of which it may be told that it is wither a natural phenomena, or an enharitance from the Dacians, for The Bear’s Cave (Peştera Ursului) – situated on the left slope of the Turkish’s Valley (an affluent of Ialomiţa River), the tallest paleolitic resort in Romania, the places where remains of the Ursus Spelaeus have been found, for the Ialomicioara Cave (Peştera Ialomicioarei –  found at 1.600 meters altitude, on a surface of over 220 of hectares, it has many larger rooms inside, all decorated with stalactites şi stalagmites…

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We have to describe, with the enthusiam of the youth (but not of childhood), a space that we like or that must be described in a clear and precise manner, what kind of life do the people lead? In all of the places we met people that were able to work anything their material condition would ohave to offer, and anything their moral condition would ask of them, on their attemp of understanting. Living proof are those who remaind peaseants, who produce and live in ultimate intimacy, who are not fond of the passing trends, who do not believe in things or idea that are no loger sustainable because they lack spiritual significance, but in things that are fed from within their spirit and the spirit of their ancestors. Many deeds have been recorded by the video camera, the photographing camera or the audio recorder. Our Journal, even though circular, and somehow atypical, speaks only about some passages from the entire journey.

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In the urban locations, the past cannot always save the present. The concrete buildings from Târgovişte, for instance, keeps you from respecting the former royal residence, the center of the political, cultural and artistical life of Feudal Valahia. Reaching the Royal Court, one may remember Mircea the Old (Mircea cel Bătrân) or Paul de Alep, but the conglomeration of ruins may surprise you, as seeing the Royal Church, (founded by the same Petru Cercel), the great voivodal church of Assumption, („Adormirii”) (Vasile Lupu tied his name to this clasic example of Byzantine architecture), Chindia Tower (Turnul Chindiei), isolated, founded during the reign of Vlad Ţepeş, is open for those with a sshort memory or with the clishe fantesy of „Dracula”. There are other kinds of guardians who announce the closing of the gates towards sunset, but untill then, thez let you admire the view of the park surrounding the ruins.

The connections with the most important urban centers – Câmpulung (25 km) and Târgovişte (45 km), assured by D.N. 72 A – recommend a contrasting painting: Cetăţeni village. Setteled on the upper flow of Dâmboviţa, in a Subcarpathian area dominated by the karst microrelief subscribed to the area of protected natural monuments, with slopes on both sides of the river, dotted about with beautiful households, neat gardens, and cluster of forests harmonious combined offering the image of “a divine touristic area” or so the offical guide would imply. Cetăţeni also indicates the unreal unfolding of the Romanian dream, the sequence of some unconscious attempts of defining an isolated and convenient perspective; as if someone would show you the same painting, only with different and retouched characters…

However, the film story cannot fully renounce on sequences and new attempts of saying the same thing. Between Coman’s Valley (Valea lui Coman), Cell’s Valley (Valea Chiliilor) and Dâmboviţa River, between the villages of Coteneşti-Stoeneşti (road/accessabile only by foot/ towards east, 2,5 km in about half an hour), Negru-Vodă Cetăţuia Monastery speaks of love confused by the world which will never admit its sickness. “Romania’s Meteora”, remembered as an hermitage, ever since the reign of Mihai the Brave (Mihai Viteazul – its name appearing in the charters of many people from Muntenia), look upon you from a rocky peek, at 881 meters above the sea level. The church has two patrons: “Assumption” (Adormirea Maicii Domnului) and “Healing Spring” (Izvorul Tămăduirii). We insist on the following significances: recoming to the normal state (after the sickness); becoming healthy, getting better, or finding the cure.

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If you do not take the road that goes through Piteşti and would rather pass through Câmpulung Muscel, coming from the first Royal Residence of Wallachia, near the locality of Dâmboviţa Bridge (Podu Dâmboviţei), to the left of Rucăr – Bran Pass (on DN73, following the sign that says „Dâmbovicioara 5 kilometers”, to the left), you are wlcomed by Dâmbovicioara Canyon (Cheile Dâmbovicioarei). Going on for 2 kilometers more, in the limestone habitat of Piatra Craiului Mountains. „Dâmbovicioara” (tributary to Dâmboviţa River) has dug a true canyon of 8 kilometers long in the formations of sedimentary rocks, limestone, sandstone and conglomerate; in some areas, the vallez has vertical walls that are over 200 meters in height. The River’s Water created strange towers, sharp peeksm karstic holes, so that the area now counts over 50 caves. Dâmbovicioara Cave (Peştera Dâmbovicioara) is situated in the south part of Piatra Craiului Mountain, on the left slope of Dâmbovicioara Valley, at 1 kilometer distance from the village with the same name (in Argeş County). It has been formed due to the action of the Dâmbovicioara River (they sliced the chalk from the Jurasic Age of the Piatra Craiului Mountain).

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We open the window to so many places of which some only get to speak of, without ever seeing them… At Curtea de Argeş Cathedral (Mănăstirea Curtea de Argeş) everything becomes a dialogue of light, that barely touches the ground, with The First Book flicking in the air. Founded by Neagoe Basarab, on the foundations of an old chapel, destroyed in the year 1611 by the armies of Gabriel Bathory and restored by Matei Basarab, regarded by Paul de Alep (în 1654) „one of the world’s greatest treasure”, becomes, for a short period of time, the center of Argeş Episcopy, renovated in the actual form by the French Architect Andre Lecomte du Nouy.

Even today, we are prisoners to The Legend of Master Manole: we emprison everything that is close to our heart, between exterior walls, to be sure that we would succeed to finish our job; once the work is complete, we are abandoned on the roof, so that the others would have the certainty that we will not commit our deeds ever again; desperate, we make ourselves a pair of wings (out of shingle?…); in our attempt to fly, we throw ourselves right next to our creation, and die; perhaps that a river of clear water would spring from that place on…

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Râmnicu Vâlcea is the compulsory destination for: Horezu – on the belt line, following the sign from Tîrgu Jiu, reaching the main road that passes through an historic monachal area, many activities relate to the specific Romanian handicraft, like pottery, manually executed fabrics, religious paintings; Hurez, founded by Constantin Brâncoveanu, a great training center for the clerks, and grammar specialists, has given birth to a new trend and a new artistic community from which the Brîncoveanu Style has emerged.

The legend reminds us of the Valley of the Thiefs („valea lotrilor”), the outlaw gangs found shelter in the middle of the woods, after a „rip-off”, somewhere near the Olt Pass or beyond it, over the peek of the mountain; we had no interest in knowing if they sank for the division of the pray and to hide it inside caves or grote. Vidra Dam is situated on the Lotru River, in Vidra Canyon, at 30 kilometers upstream of Voineasa Resort. Between Lotru and Călimăneşti, at Cozia, The Old Defile separates the mountain with the same name of the surrounding peeks; the edge of Cozia Mountain is so fragmented, that the steep slopes fall directly intro the waters of Turnu  and the railway has to pierce through a series of tunnels in the steep peeks of Cozia. Transalpina, the highest road in Romania, reaches the maximum altitude at Urdele Pass (2.145 m); the road passes through Parâng Mountains, from North to South, and is parallel with The Olt Valley as well as The Jiu Valley.

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Tismana (wearing the symbols of traditional handicraft art from inside the Monastery, as well as part of The Domogled-Cerna Valley National Park, neighbouring, to the North, Retezat National Park), Polovragi (not just the Church but “Pahomie’s Cave” /Peştera lui Pahomie), about 9.000 meters long, the biggest, longest and most attractive from a geomorfological and scenical point of vie, „an old underground meander” dug in the left slope of the Canyon), The Womens’ Cave (or The Woman’s Cave), the first electrified cave in Romania, Târgu Jiu, protector of the Sculptural Ensemble of Constantin Brâncuşi compounded of The Endless Column / Coloana Infinitului (designed in the style of funeral columns found in the South regions of Romania) / The Monument of the Unity of the Nation / Poarta Sărutului (a resurrected symbol, resembling the Arc of Triumph… of life over death) and The Apostles‘ Table / Masa Tăcerii (before the confrontation at which the adversaries are aboute to participate) conceived and executated by Brîncuşi, in the memory of the soldiers that have died fighting on the banks of Jiu River, during The First World War… All have chained in front of us, and the delightful monolith layed over The Gorj County…

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We recall the almost perfect curve, the road from Suceava – Neamţ – Bacău – Vrancea – Buzău – Prahova – Dâmboviţa – Argeş – Vâlcea – Gorj or/and Botoşani – Iaşi – Vaslui – Galaţi – Brăila –, the fascinating “detour” Tulcea – Constanţa –, Ialomiţa – Bucureşti – Călăraşi – Giurgiu – Teleorman – Olt – Dolj – Mehedinţi, and from here, in both situations, “the circle closes” with Caraş Severin – Timiş – Arad – Bihor – Sălaj – Satu Mare – Maramureş – Bistriţa Năsăud…

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Could Tulcea County be considered a sort of spirit of nature that potentiates as well entities that make the Earth move like land, water, fire, air?

The Danube Delta represents the teritory found inside the first bifurcated part of the river (Ceatalul Chiliei), limited to the East by the shore of The Black Sea, to the North by the Chilia Branch, to the South by The Sinoe Lake / Razim Sinoie. Over 1.830 species of trees and plans, more than 2.440 species of insects, 91 species of molluscs, 11 species of reptiles, 10 species of amphibians, 320 species of birds, 44 species of mammals, the majority of which being declared unique species and monuments of nature, 133 species of fish… From a geographical point of view, the most humid area in Europe, the lowesr and the newst form of plain, where the dominance belongs to the surfaces that height less than the 0 level of the Black Sea…

The Lighthouse of the European Commission of the Danube, preserves the traditions of handicrafts involved in its construction and the surveillanting lighthouse looks as if would want to continue filming for The “All Sails Up!” Movie. Between Chilia and Sulina Arms there is the Letea Forest, a monument of nature, the oldest natural reserve of Romania (declared in the year of 1938), species of rare plants, as wild vine, the liana (reaches the northern limit of distribution in Europe), Meditarenean originated plants, that give the forest a tropical aspect. By contrast, Măcinului Mountains designate the tallest area of the Dobrogea Plateau, very close to the western limits of  The Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve. Enisala is representative for the fossil shore view of The Black Sea, before the closing of the lagoons, and it constitutes an unique point of perspective in our country, from where one can see almost all the types of landscapes in Dobrogea.

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In August 2011, we had the opportunity to watch closely the largest American Navy ship that has ever operated on The Black Sea, the amphibian ship USS Whidbey Island was found on the Romanian waters to participate in an American-Romanian. It was the perfect excuse for us to visit Constanţa County…

The Casino remains the most representative construction, the only element of the “art nouveau” style in Romania, a true symbol, by no means the stereotypical and ordinary expression that is so frequently used. The Aquarium was the first form of this kind of “museum” in the South-East of Romania. The Genoese Lighthouse, found on the shore, never forget those who have so often visited The Black Sea port during the 13^th century. Carol I Mosque, renamed as Mahmud II Mosque preserves the initiative of Carol I, as an homage for the Moslem community in Constanţa.

The most spectacular feature, for any subject whatsoever, is the sunrise light, even when the clouds wish to upset the view…

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The Monasteries  of Căldăruşani (founded by Neagoe Basarab), Snagov (assumed to be built on the demand of Vlad Ţepeş), Cernica (impresses the museum, filled with works of art and of worship), Mogoşoaia Palace (the residence of Constantin Brâncoveanu),  Mogoşoaia Lake, Pantelimon (with a surface of 260 ha), Căldăruşani (an old harbour estuary), Cernica, Snagov, the forests from the last three settlements, to which one may add Băneasa (with a forgotten corner of… zoology) are the juxtapositions of Ilfov County, the only one which could provoke a traveler to visit them…

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In Ialomiţa, the fluvial harbour formed by blocking the waterflow with alluvium, supplied only by rivers and limited precipitations (because of the hot climate – a feature of the region) must not be mistaken with The Amara Lake from Buzău; the natural salty lake, is situated on the road from Slobozia to Buzău, near the city of Amara. Slobozia, as county is situated in the central part of Wallachian Plain, at almost 130 km East from Bucharest and 150 km West from Constanţa, is passed by Ialomiţa River, one of the most important rivers in Romania.

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In what concerns the Capital City, Theatres /Teatrul Evreiesc de Stat /, Ateneul Român, statues and monuments /Arcul de Triumf şi statuia ecvestră a lui Mihai Viteazul /, palaces/ Palatul Cantacuzino /, Houses (as in the People’s House / Palace of Parliament), and memorial houses / Casa memorială George şi Agatha Bacovia /,  Manuc Inn, museums / Muzeul Țăranului Român/, parks / Herăstrău /, places where hearts are still beating / strada Lipscani /, monasteries  / Mihai Vodă / and churches / Biserica Domnească /, Cathedral of St. Joseph… flowers who live through the metaphor and have learned the language of truth, the courage to confess the virtues of history, the mythology and the present moment of the willingness to be… in a world that is more and more crowded, more anxious, more ruthless of the mutant town, capable of intoxicating – through iron, steel, wall made of cheap bricks, asphalted strests with freshly made holes, the daily blockage of traffic, the nonsensical restorations, the apperantly titanic malls – the poetry of walking on the elegant streets of The Old Center in Bucharest, between the tall windows…

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The Southern Extremity of Muntenia (Călăraşi, Giurgiu/imagini, în drum spre Bulgaria/, Teleorman) has an insane trend towards tourism, at least by comparison with the mountain areas; the large fields of land do not impress us with a wide range of colours or a variety of shapes; on the other hand, neither do some people make an impression by being original. The ferry boat that goes across the Danube from Călăraşi to Silistra makes a humble reverence towards the tourists; from this point, the Danube turns to the North and separates Muntenia of the most Eastern region, Dobrogea. Even though they do not describe a Paradise, the cities nearby the Danube /imagini, în drum spre Bulgaria/ make good use of some tricks that trigger our attention.

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We are going towards a part of Oltenia, on the road that connects Slatina (37 Km from the Memorial House Nicolae Titulescu) and Craiova (DN65/E574), to the left, towards Caracal (DN64), where we visit Romanaţiului Museum (architectural monument from the second half of the 19^th century, ownd at some point by the grandson of Iancu Jianu), and then to the left again, on the communal road HoDC80. For sure, there would be no point in using  the map of Constantin Cantacuzino  presented Wallachia from the 17^th century, and Brâncoveni Village (judeţul Olt), also mentioned as market place and as capital city for the former County of Romanaţi, was aimed at the noblemen from Brâncoveanu Family, those who have built, in the 15^th  century, as a hiding place, the architectural ensemble.

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Craiova (capital city of Dolj County) believs in the immortality of the churches / Biserica Mântuleasa /, in the splendor or the musical collections / Muzeul de Artă /, in the decent show performed by the memorial houses, Casa Memorială Elena Farago/. To the South, on national road DN 56, we do not wish to be overwhealmed by the notoriety of Segarcea Vineyard or by the size of Bistreţ Lake; we reach, going to the west, Amza Pellea Memorial House, from Băileşti, and further on, in Calafat, one of the fluvial harbours found on the Danube, an important border crossing point towards Bulgaria. We do not dare to reprimand for seeing the project of building a bridge in the area Calafat-Vidin; what really shocked us was that the project was started in the zear of 1925…

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Mehedinţi cannot stop us from our duty of judging things:

The beautiful view formed by the Danube and its gorge /Imagini-foto/, the diversity of landforms from the mountain area, the existence of floral and animal elements, many of which are registered in the Reserves of Valea Oglănicului, Cracul Crucii, Gura Văii–Vârciorova, Faţa Virului, Dealul Dohomnei, The Paleontologic Reserve Bahna, The Paleontologic Reserve Sviniţa, The complex Reserve Danube Canyon, to which one may add impressive evidence of architecture, of art and of the past…

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Iron Gates National Park, of 115.655 ha, occupies long areas that belong to Caraş-Severin and to Mehedinţi as well. It emphasizes the following: the largest Hydroelectric Power Station in Romania; the presence of some humid areas that constitute important habitats for some bird species protected at a global level; the biological diversity (1.668 of species of superior plants, over 5.200 of animal species); a true geological museum in the open air; The Danube Gorge is the longest in Europe (134 km). The geographical region situated along the northern shore of the Danube, to the South of Banat, limited by the Nera River to the north-west and the Danube Canyon to the east is called Clisura Dunării.

Oraviţa – Anina, a track called “The Banatian Semering”, due to the resemblance of an Austrian Railway, designates the first, as well as the most beautiful mountain railway from Romania.

Between Şopotul Nou and Sasca Romană, on a land of approximately 20 kilometers, Nera croses a canyon like gorge, narrow and wild, forming the longest canyon in Romania /Cheile Nerei/. The walls are about 200 meters tall; Nera River and its tributaries have dug and formed in the limestone rock, canyons and caves, The Devil’s Lake / Lacul Dracului (the largest carstic lake in the country, deep of at least 9.3 meters, formed by collapsing the ceiling of a cave). The acces to Nera Canyon (upward, from Şopotul Nou, on the road that connects Anina and Timişoara – Orşova; downward, from Sasca Romană, with sideways, through the tunnels dug in rock and Potoc village on the road of Timişoara – Oraviţa – Potoc – Cantonul Damian, for auto access)…

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How should we have done better? Do you feel as tired as we did? Would you prefer “the magical formula of nothingness”, the thick make-up that covers the rugged face of some soulless productions, the wonders that show you everything that you wouldn’t have wished to see on an opulent background, informations about a holiday that many Romanians could never afford it?

We will not hesitate, for Timiş County, to recommend the Orthodox Cathedral from Timişoara (or the Metropolitan Cathedral), a true symbol of the enthusiastic city, Union Square / Piaţa Unirii, in a baroque style (hosting the most impotant touristic attractions like St. George’s Cathedral), Hunyadi Castle (the oldest building in Timişoara, built between 1443-1447 at the demand of John Hunyadi, on the ruins of an old castle from the 15^th century).

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We did not know if any refference for Arad County would have awarded some buildings from Arad the right to be placed the first and most important, valuable and dignified, to some buildings in Arad; they pledge for personalities and historical events that have marked the life of the fortress: Înalta Preparandie, the first school of teachers that were taught in Romanian from Transylvania, Casa cu ghiulele/Imagini/, Ardealul Hotel, where Franz Liszt (1846), Johann Strauss the son (1847) and Johannes Brahms (1879) have performed, where George Coşbuc, Octavian Goga, Ion Luca Caragiale, George Enescu, Arany Janos, Moricz Zsigmond have halted; The Old Theatre /Teatrul Vechi, the oldest theatre in Romania (1817); The Cultural Palace; The orthodox Cathedral, The Catholic-Roman Church, The Red Church (Evangelical Lutheran), The Reformed Church…

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Diversity seems like the right word for Bihor County as well … The varied landform, being disposed in steps that fall from the East to the West, from the peeks of Apuseni Mountains towards The Western Field. To the East, we encounter the tall peeks of Bihor Mountains and the Codru-Moma, Pădurea Craiului, Plopiş Mountains, a low level placed inside the tall silhouette of Bihor.

Testifing, through communication, some deeds, thoughts or intimate feelings, we reach a sort of confidence, religion, worship… The City Hall of Oradea /found on the place of the old building of the Roman Catholic Diocese designates the bigest baroque edifice on the Romanian territory and one of the most beautiful basilica in Europe. With the restitution phenomen, Ţara Crişurilor Museum is placed inside the baroque Roman Catholic Episcopal Palace. The Basilic and The Palace, as well as Şirul canonicilor / Canonical Row (ten buildings in a row, constructed in different stages, over a period of time of 100 years). Our confession is complete with the so called catholic roman ensemble Cathedral of the Assumption or The Moon Church/ Biserica cu Lună (even tough it has been designed in a baroque style, it belongs to the orthodox community from Oradea, and inside the tower there is a mechanism that makes a sphere move just like the Moon). In the Jewish Synagogue some elemnts of Moor Art can be found. We look towards other points of attraction: The Fortress of Oradea, one of the rarest functional fortresses of the present moment, gaining its celebrity for its warm water chain that surrounds it. The Theatre, one of the most complete examples of  eclecticism in Oradea, Black Eagle Passage / Pasajul Vulturul Negru, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Union Square (a name board for Mihai Viteazul Statue, where the statue of Ferdinand I used to be)…

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Sălaj County is overposes over the largest parts of the connection area between The oriental Carpathians and Apuseni Mountains. We met a wide range of landscapes (Apuseni Mountains, Almaşului and Guruslăului Depressions, The Someş Plateau /the field, mostly plain, is situated at different heights). On the peek of the hill neighbouring Jibou (well known for its botanical garden) 26 km away from Zalău County), we reached the famous Porolissum (Moigrad). After an hour of walking on the road that goes to Hida, caught inside of Gîlgăul Almaşului, on a communal road, we became silent prisoners of the Dragons’ Garden / from where the open view of the Almaşului Valley has shadowed any possible word. You can prolonge on tracks from which we would recommend you not to miss: The National Reserve “Wild Daffodils’ Glade” from Răcaş (surrounded by a forest that hosts endemic species), Strâmba Monastery (founded, after some sources, in the 20^th century), Churches in the city of residence (Catholic-Roman, Catholic-Greek, Reformed, Episcopal Cathedral, Orthodox Cathedral of the Assumption), The County Museum and the Art Gallery from Zalău),  Bathory Castle from Şimleul Silvaniei (only the carriage gate has passed the test of the cruel passing of time), the circular fountain, remains of the former fortress Cehu Silvaniei)…

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Situated on the North-Western side of Romania, Satu Mare County is one of the main gates of Romania, conserving borders with Hungary and Ukraine. These are some touristic points that deserve to be visited, that is why you should not give in the temptation of denyal…

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We reached Maramureş (in Septembrer 2011) on a climate that would easily confuse itself with art. In a country that is loved for itself, you may be surprised to know that there is glory which does not rely on ambition and power, but on the poetry of nature; “the wooden country” has inhabitants respected for their knowledge and talent in the art of carving, their works of art being the wooden churches, with tall and sharp belfries and ceilings made of shingle. In such a landscape, four valleys of the historical Maramureş preserve the rural inheritance (habits, pure costms, traditional songs). The Old Center of Sighet is developped in concentric circles around The Liberty Square and Mihaly of Apşa Street, one way street, limited by Austro Hungarian buildings; people should visit The Maramureş Museum, The Memorial of the Victims of Communism and of the Resistance. The Administrativ Center of Baia Mare concentrates remains of the past in museums, in The Liberty Square (the oldest construction, Elisabeth House, originated in the year of 1440); John Hunyadi, Elisabeth’s Husband, has ordered the construction of Stephan’s Tower and Saint Stephan Cathedral (Turnul lui Ştefan şi al catedralei Sfântul Ştefan). Even the noblemen would be glad to see the peseants ritmically mowing the grass, as in the Middle Age, and The Merry Cemetery from Săpânţa became famous through its vivid coloured croses, naive paintings representing life scenes and lyrics that tend to synthesize the life of the deceased.

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Death seems like a spell that dominates just as well as life does… We felt that our project was “closing”, living its las moments, as we convinced ourselves that the road that goes through Prislop Pass is connected to our Moldavia. Bistriţa Năsăud / a county that we have visited in three stages, less from the access road (European Road E576) that connects Russia with (Rostov) and Austria (Vienne), passing through Romania on the direction Halmeu-Baia Mare-Bistriţa-Suceava-Botoşani-Iaşi/ is a double way gate: from Moldavia to Transilvanya, and from Transilvanya to Moldavia.

Collapsed, degraded, ruined and crushed by tume and by people, the Fortresses of Ciceu and Rodna would have wished to preserve its historical fortune, the happy role of Bistriţa; the latter have started their destiny due to Matei Corvin: in 1465, the fortress had 18 towers and bastions defended by the handicrafts men of the city, Bistriţa being one of the most important cities in Transylvania, next to Braşov, Sighişoara, Sibiului. Coopers Tower / Turnul Dogarilor, one of the defence towers of the city, The Evanghelical Church (first designed in the gothic style of the 16^th century), The House of Ion Zidaru (through the armonic proportions, through sobriety, one of the most representative late gothic architectonic monuments of Transylvania), The 13 buildings Ensemble (from the 15^th-16^th century), the most typical renaissance buildings from Transylvania. The great personalities (Liviu Rebreanu, George Coşbuc, Andrei Mureşanu, Constantin Moisil), from their eternal understanding, towards the karst area Rodnei Mountains (“Izvorul Tăuşoarelor” Cave the deepest one in Romania), Colibila area with an artificial lake and the dam situated on Bistriţa River,  Arcalina Dentrologic Park…

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In fact, Romania has gathered all of that characters that live inside of us. It has given as the preciseness of an exepert, the nervosity of a reporter, the sound of a poet. With sagacity, we see it all. We look nature in the eye, we go across old monographies, gathering folklore and… stories, we are interested in the individual destinies as well as in the faith of the communities.

To build the future means to leave a mark of your passing by, knowing that any wasted moment becomes rootless past. Creating a wish for today reflects on life as a version of the present and of permanence, founding numerouse connections which (only) words could never embrace…

[1] According to some interwar personalities of The Ethnographical and Sociological Romanian School, Ernest Bernea, ”It could be objected that the affirmations (…) could hold a possible connection with Ardeal and the Carpathian settelments, that these units of life are characteristic for the mountain. The objection stays true, to a point; on the hilly and plainy sides of the country, the natural boundaries between these units are less precise and harder to define. Even though things are diffrent, it is also true that a unity of Romanian life, which is neither the village nor the county (…) exists on the entire land of our country, wherever we chose to set foot on. After: Romanian Village Civilization (Civilizaţia Românească Sătească), Vremea Publishing, Bucharest, 2006, pp. 20-23.