Brasov, Romania

What have we been doing in Romania since Bucharest? Well I thought I would take a few minutes to catch everyone up on our time here in Brasov....

(Above: Brasov town square: Below: Hiking on Mt. Tampa in Brasov)

So, for the past 2 weeks we have been in Brasov- a medieval town in northern Transylvania in the foothills of the Carpathian and Bucegi Mountains. We did not really know what we were getting into coming here, but the pictures and reviews seemed promising, so we decided this would be home base for our month in Eastern Europe. We rented an apartment in the north of town for the month, and the weather has been great, so we walk to the city center nearly everyday (about 25 minutes away.)

                                                           (Above: View on the town from a hill nearby)

When we first arrived we were almost disappointed, for Brasov seems a lot more "normal" when compared to the crazy capital city Bucharest. But over time, we realized that Brasov might not be as shocking, but it's beauty and charm make up for it. This small city is definitely more calm and clean- it is a popular tourist destination with a lot of activities. (Not to mention, we realized that being anywhere staying busy on a small budget, without plans or obligations for 3.5 weeks, would be the challenge. We have been going non-stop for about 8 months now, so a month to relax is still kind of throwing me for a loop.)

(Above: Beautiful St. Nicholas Church in the Old City; Below: Gardens at Parcul Centrul- the park in the center)

The city center is really gorgeous and the hiking views of the mountains are stunning. So far, we have explored both the old town and the nearby Romanian village, hiked the mountain on the south side of the town several times, day tripped to Bran Castle (which is said to of inspired the Dracula novel), read, watched movies and even kicked a soccer ball around in the park. Tomorrow we are headed to hike deeper into the mountains, explore the local ski resort (Poiana Brasov) and village of Zurnesti. We also plan to make it out to the local pool a few times and make a day trip to Sibiu- another town nearby.

                                               (Romanian grave yards in the Schei District with a view of the hills)

 The worst part of Romania is my favorite part of most other places: the food. I hate to be offensive here, but it is pretty terrible. The grocery store is far stranger than the German store, and the produce selection is dreadful. The only things you can buy are tiny onions, old eyed crusty potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, old peppers, apples, pears and some frozen options- same selection at every store. (I am really bewildered why they do not grow more leafy things here.... seems like the climate would be suitable?) Anyway, I would kill for some kale, brussel sprouts, a spinach salad or an avocado! I know it could be a lot worse, but it has been hard for me to be creative with the same ingredients. The cheeses we have tried have been pretty gross (Nate bought a goat cheese that was sour) and the cured meats are incredibly expensive. The eggs and the chicken seem fresh and local, but we have not seen or eaten beef. When it comes to eating out, the food is also pretty mediocre but very inexpensive. (We ate out at a "Mexican" restaurant that was strongly recommended called Bella Musica  to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. I ordered an enchilada- which came out as 3 fried chicken tacos with a sweet pepper sauce- it was basic and pretty funny. We both had 2 beers each, chips and (weird) guacamole and 2 entrees for under 20 USD total!) All in all, besides the occasional meal out, we are surviving on Nutella on wheat bread, and basic pasta dishes.

(Above left: My "enchilada" plate at Bella Musica; Above right: Nathan at the Tampa trailhead; Above center: Bran Castle from below; Below: View from Bran)

More pictures and stories of Brasov, mountain views, Romanian night life and our trip to Vama Veche to come!! Stay tuned (and enjoy your vegetables).....