Romania Trip

Carmen and I had a great time on our 10 yr anniversary trip to Romania. The kids stayed home with friends so we actually got to travel with two suitcases and we were both able to fit into one taxi! We spent the majority of our time up in the Carpathian mountains. We stayed at a Pensione in Brasov where we took the gondola up to the top of the mountain for amazing views and we visited the Black Church. There was also a great park where the local old men sat around and played Rummicub and Backgammon. We took a day trip to Sighisoara and ate at the restaurant now located in the house where Vlad the Impaler (Dracula) was born. There was a great museum as you climbed to the top of the famous clock tower. The next day we took a bus to Bran, where "Dracula's Castle" is located. Vlad is rumoured to have passed by the castle once and possibly held for a few days in the dungeon, but never actually stayed or lived there. Supposedly Bram Stoker used the castle as inspiration for Dracula's castle in his book. It was the home of Queen Marie and the royal residence until the commies took it over. The next day we traveled to Sinaia to visit Peles Castle, which was amazing. It was built at the turn of last century by King Carol of Romania as well as King Ferdinand and Queen Elisabeth of Romania. I'll have to post some of Carmen's pictures of the interior. The woodwork was incredible. We continued our journey to Bucharest. It was a big, dirty, former communist city. There were some neat buildings, but it could not compare to the beauty of the mountains.