In A Beautiful Place Out In The Country

Carta 1400 Hotel
in the cable car
begging at the train station
the wildlife at 'hanul dracula
obligatory dracula tourist crap


So after only a couple of hours rest from the festivities at the Web Club it was time to drag ourselves to the train station for a weekend in the Romanian countryside. I can't believe i've been living here for a year now and apart from visiting other cities have hardly set foot in Romania's rural retreats. First stop Sinaia, and after a quick stop off for steak and chips it was into the cable car for a 1400m climb up to the hotel. The room did the job, with a balcony overlooking the Prahova Valley with Sinaia snaking its way between the mountains. A couple of hours sleep was needed to recharge before heading off to the terrace for some more food which comprised of mici, mustard and chips. For those of you who have never heard of mici they are a meaty Romanian delicacy resembling a sausage without skin. I understand they are made from mici mice which are tiny rodent like creatures that guard the entrance to mystical fairy lairs deep in the forest. Unfortunately I didn't see any on this occasion but I was lucky enough to run into a huge brown bear who was rummaging through the rubbish bins by the side of the hotel. It's the first time i've seen a bear outside a zoo and believe me they're big, hairy and scary.

The next day and it was back on the train for a 3 hour journey to Sighisoara, followed by a taxi ride down a dirt track for 2.5km until we stumbled upon the guest house known as 'Hanul Dracula'. This was a great little hideaway with a terrace, a pond with an island in the middle and a small wildlife park stuck on the side. Deer, ostrich, falcons and farm animals accompanied us around the grounds as we drank red wine and watched the sun set behind the forest.








Sighisoara is located in the centre of Transylvania, Romania. It is one of the best examples of a small fortified medieval city, it's landmark being the 64 metre high clock tower which was built in 1556. Of course there is the usual fare of tacky tourist stalls and suchlike, but generally it really transports you back into the past. We walked up the clock tower, visited the torture chambers and ate some food (which tasted 500 years old). Sighisoara is a must see destination if you ever visit Romania, and rounded off one my best weekends in this country.