NOTA: As we prepare to cross the Hungarian-Romanian border, this may be a good time to mention the main impetus for this entire Central and Eastern European ramble. (The area is called CEE by those in the know, as we just found out.)
We have a couple of CEE Architect friends, Steve (or István) from Hungary and Ion from Romania, and we just wanted to go see where these two interesting guys came from. Hey, that seemed like a good enough reason to us!
And after the current Intrepid Travel that we’ve booking onto for this section, we’ll be adding on a bit of Balkan Circle to our wanderings, so please stay with us as we continue our experiences in Hungary and Romania, and then add a few extra countries that may never appear on your radar or Bucket List.
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Maramureș
As we prepare to leave the Great Plains of Hungary, we’re off to Nyiregyháza (where do they get these names!?) which is at the border with Romania. It’s not too far from Berettyòùjfalu and Hajdùszoboszlò, in case you were wondering. But soon we’ll be dealing with a latin-based language and we dearly hope it will be more palatable to our Spanish-adapted tongues.
We’re in a nice Mercedes van on our way to the province of Maramures, a large region of beautiful hills and traditional villages that hugs the Ukrainian border in Northern Romania. And that alone should enhance the overall exotic nature of this Intrepid Tour we’ve booked onto.
We’ve been fortunate to have Sando, our well-educated and multilingual Bulgarian guide, to make the proper arrangements – and to come up with a quick fix whenever the vagaries of Central and Eastern Europe dictate a change of plans. And that’s the sort of thing that can make an Intrepid Travel tour even more interesting!
But first there’s a long delay at the border as the Hungarians need to double-check everything when we leave. Someone says it’s to stay in the good graces of the EU after Orbán’s recent assaults on democracy in the country. Or maybe there’s just no record of me and Carolyn even entering Hungary from Slovenia since we came in at an almost deserted crossing in the south. And that’s something we had completely forgotten about. So we hang around and wait. And hope they don’t request our presence inside the office. (We check the latest Schengen Area map later and find that Slovenia is now part of that borderless group.)
But finally we all get our passports back, and we’re off to the closest exchange house where Carolyn emerges with a fistful of Romanian Lei that she got for the even larger pile of Hungarian Forints we had left over. US dollars and Euros are not accepted in most of the countries we’ll be traveling through, so we’ll be getting plenty of mental exercise in dealing with the latest new exchange rates whenever we buy anything.
($1US = about 120 HUF, or 5RML)
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We pass near a sizable city called Satu Mare, and that seems odd since ‘mare’ is the latin term for ’sea’ and we’re nowhere near any of those. Or even a big lake. I soon find out that ‘mare’ in Romanian means larger, like ‘mayor’ in Spanish. So I guess the language thing will not be as simple as we’d hoped.
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The beautiful green rolling hills, quaint villages, and lush orchards of Maramures pass by our windows.
At one point we can see the small white homes of a village in Ukraine, just across the forested Iza River valley.
We’re close enough to the river at one point that my iPhone buzzes with a message from T-Mobile reading, “Welcome to Ukraine!”
It’s hard to imagine the difficulties the Ukrainian farm families living in those modest homes are facing now with the Russians invading their country and brutalizing the populace. But in recent more peaceful times it has apparently been easy to cross this border to visit nearby friends and family members. I’m not sure of the status right now..
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We pass a few large stork nests on utility poles, although the residents appear to have migrated south. And soon we arrive in tiny Vadu Izei for our next stay, at the gorgeous Pensiunea Ardelean, with charming cozy rooms and a fabulous balcony view into the sunset.
After a short rest we’re summoned downstairs by the sounds and smells of a hearty Maramures family-style dinner being set by Ramona, our host, upon a nicely-dressed communal table. A delicious soup and very good local wine is followed by heaping platters of beef and vegetables. And after that we’ll enjoy piles of irresistible chocolate-topped cakes with more wine and shots of Palinca de Maramures, the favorite brandy of Romania. The sun, and the guests, soon settle into a rosy glow as “the evening spreads across the sky, like a patient etherized upon a table” – to lift a phrase from TS Eliot.
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Vadu Izei is named for a “ford, or crossing, over the Iza River.” It’s like “vado” in Spanish. So we’re starting to believe that maybe we might figure out a few things for ourselves. And maybe even be understood by some of the locals. But then we try out a few phrases and pass several signs correcting that false assumption, and we resign ourselves to talking to the locals in English.
We’ll spend two good nights in Ramona’s wonderful place, along with a fascinating day exploring the ancient customs of the area. Victor, our knowledgeable local guide, is a big guy, outgoing, friendly, and engaging. I think the wonderful term “avuncular” might be best used in his case. Among the more obvious and interesting sights are the odd conical haystacks in the fields, each with a tall supporting pole in the center. It’s a system that works well, and gives the impression of a gothic fairyland among the rolling hills. And the occasional well-used horse-drawn cart or wagon adds another level of charm to the scene.
In the morning our day begins at the large all-wooden Manastirea Bârsana on a hill that overlooks the villages below. It’s a popular pilgrimage site that contains Orthodox icons dating as far back as the 16th century. The peaceful setting and the elaborate local handcrafts displayed within encourage us to linger. And to consider the time and skill invested in these works over the many long days of winter.
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And then we’re off again through the pastoral fields of Maramures to an old water-powered mill that’s still being used to soften rough woven fabrics into a felt that they make into warm winter garments. The mechanism stamps down the fabric, and the cogs and paddles turn it for the next stamping. Somebody figured this out long ago and it still works very well today.
We gather in an adjacent room to admire a wide array of fabrics, then Victor pulls out his violin for a game of “stump the fiddler.”
He asks where you’re from and then he plays a piece of music from your country. Our group had a variety of countries he had to deal with and he handled all of them quite well – and he didn’t even hesitate when we mentioned Mexico. He ripped right into “Allá en el Rancho Grande.”
(If you’ve ever wondered where that famous song came from, here’s the history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allá_en_el_Rancho_Grande)
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Our next stop is a somber visit to the notorious Sighet prison in Sighetu, right along the Ukrainian border. It’s where the intellectuals and elites, the most dangerous opponents of the post WWII dictatorship, were sent during that brutal regime. It was later continued by Ceaușescu until its closure in 1974. And today it’s a Memorial Museum to the victims.
The interior of the place looks much like the old brutalist prison that’s still standing on Alcatraz Island at San Francisco. As I pass the walls posted with photos of the victims I’m reminded of similar displays of victims of corrupt regimes that we’ve seen in Perú and Argentina, and of the recently-murdered students in Mexico. As I look into the faces of these people I see my friends and people I respect, brave people who spoke out against corruption and brutality, and paid for it dearly.
And as I write this there’s a news story about a recently-discovered Stone Age mass grave at Vráble, Slovakia, containing the headless remains of about three dozen people. Was it some sort of ritual burial site, or just another killing ground of so many throughout the sordid history of mankind?
Slavs vs Scythians; Victor Vasnetsov 1881
Throughout European history there’s been plenty of conflict with various marauding tribes of Scythians, Dacians, Romans, Magyars, Turks – the list is endless. And present-day Europe is the result.
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Our last stop for the day is the famous Merry Cemetery in Sapanta, a more nicely joyful recognition of the passing of life. A man named Ioan Stan Pătraș began carving gorgeous memorial crosses here in 1935 to mark the passing of his neighbors, and each tells a witty story of the life and occupation of the deceased. They now remain here forever as members of the village. And can you imagine a finer way to be remembered?
It brings to mind the poignant and joyously sad lines of the Wordsworth poem, “We Are Seven."
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So it’s been a long and intense day and we’ve gotten an inside look at the life and history in some of the oldest villages of Maramureș, in Northern Romania. It’s an area that’s well off the normal tourist route, and it’s a deeper experience that may allow us to refer to ourselves more as travelers than mere tourists.
And at the end of the day, it’s time to gather for yet another hearty meal and wonderful conversation together around the well-provisioned dinner table in the cosy Pensiunea Ardelean.
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In the morning we bid a very fond farewell to Ramona, our wonderful host, thanking her for an excellent stay and for her fine hospitality, before departing on the next leg of our journey.
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We climb aboard our Mercedes van for our next encounter with rural Romanian culture, and we’re soon heading deeper into the beautiful green mountains. We stop for a break at a hilltop restaurant, just beside a traditional large wooden gateway which demarcates the boundary between two counties. It’s where even the scruffiest of local dogs get their share of affection. And the occasional horse-drawn wagon rolls by.
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Transylvania
We’re heading next into the Commune of Romuli – in Transylvania, the famous home of Dracula and probably the most well-known region of Romania. A sign greets us with “Bine ati venit!” and we hope it means something nice, like “Have a good stay.” Charming quiet villages of modest homes pass by our windows, with plenty of gardens and grape vines to tide them over for the coming winter. The tall plants, we’re told, are hops to be used for home-brew to enjoy in the cold weather. And there are woodpiles ready, in case the obsessive current Russian dictator tries to strangle their supply of heating fuel.
It’s good to see the many well-kept small towns, and a field of solar panels harvesting some of the abundant solar energy locally available on this planet – where all of us are completely dependent on the warm rays of the sun, and need to use this resource more intelligently.
And a billboard reading “Let’s make Bistrița-Năsăud a cleaner county!” We also pass a horse-drawn “Gypsy van” plodding its way slowly along the highway.
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Today we're going to the Fortified Saxon Villages, to Viscri, where traditional life is still the rule of the day. The industrious Saxons were invited in 1123 by Hungarian King Géza II to make the trek from Germany and settle this fertile land. And in the 15th and 16th centuries they fortified their villages as a bulwark against the invading Turks. Many of the Saxons left after WWII, but other groups have since assumed the local rural village life.
The newly crowned King Charles III of the UK (formerly known as “Prince”) has long had an especial affection for the area; he owns a home in Viscri and another nearby. He has also supported several local restoration and handicraft projects and funded a study of the local flora, which is displayed in an excellent book filled with highly crafted illustrations that he commissioned. It was a pleasure to see this fine work in the museum, along with a very good photo display of local people in their homes and fields.
A nice young lady takes us through the gardens outside and shows us the extensive exhibits of local rural life over the centuries, then takes us through King Charles' quarters. There's an efficient blue and beige tile stove in one corner to keep things warm and cosy in the winter.
There’s a heavy downpour falling outside as we stop for a coffee break and wait for it to let up. The water is almost hypnotizing as it streams from the roof and spatters on the rocks And it never really lets up completely.
It’s going to be a typical rainy Fall day, so our Intrepid band proceeds onward to partake of the full rural experience – muddy roads and all. Lonely Planet describes the road through Viscri as in “dire condition,” which well yes, we can say that’s true – but it’s still “charming,” in its own way.
A visit to the village blacksmith is in order, especially when he’s as entertaining as this guy. He has a perpetual smile as he makes the whole process look easy. In fact it looks more like fun than work. He is such a comic, along with his patient assistant, that I wonder if they’re related to the Marx Brothers.
The most important business of the day is to make a tiny horseshoe for one of the ladies in our group. And it’s an intricate process involving a small and intense fire, and a sledge hammer. He chops up bits of wood with the sledge hammer and drops them into the fire. Then gusts of air forced from the billows fan it into a high heat. He feeds a small rod of steel into the flaming coals and it quickly turns a brilliant red. Then he pounds it out with the sledge and makes a few adjustments with a chisel and a punch pin – and all the while he’s joking with us and his worthy assistant. We have no idea what he’s saying, but it’s hilarious nonetheless.
The tiny horseshoe is a big hit and so a few more get made. And all in great humor, like the first one. Then they’re all checked for proper fit, of course!
At the end of the process I can’t tell who had the most fun, him or us!
And some cosy hand-made evening slippers get bought from a nice lady in the same family.
I can’t visit such an engaging blacksmith and his family in remote Viscri without recalling Longfellow’s famous poem, “The Village Blacksmith.”
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Our next stop in town is the Fortified Church, just up the hill. We trek that way as the rain lets up and we pass a patient horse whose cart contains some of the everyday tools of the village, including a well-used scythe and a hay fork. They’re the same tools my grandfather used when he was young. (Except maybe the plastic Coke bottle!) And perhaps yours did too. We also pass a few chickens in the rain (old wet hens?) and a well-used tractor.
We enter the heavy stone walls of the church compound, built to withstand attacks by the Turks and so many other foes, and the interior looks as if it were frozen in a different era. It’s still an active church, and a young woman patiently tolerates our intrusion into her world as we make our way to the tower stairway.
The dark spiraling stairway has more than a few quirks which might be considered dangerous by more sensible folk than we, and they may ward off the less adventurous – or less foolish – of visitors. But the views through portholes on the way up are magnificent, of course. The view down into the courtyard is vertiginous – a good handhold is recommended before peeking over the edge. And the old lichen-encrusted roof tiles would surely have many wild tales to tell.
But now it’s time to walk back down to the village for one of the big daily events. It’s almost 4:00 p.m. when the goats return each day, and when the cattle wander home to complain loudly at the gate to each of their homes to be let in, and to be milked!
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It’s been a long, full day in Viscri, learning about the rural lifestyle of these hardy people, as we retired to another fine rural dinner. I was so hungry I forgot to take pictures of the hearty main course, and I barely got one of the excellent apple dessert bars before they were all gone.
Or maybe I can blame it on the fine robust red wine we enjoyed together, which we referred to fondly as “Fiasco Negro” Our Romanian buddy Ion responded by email that if you follow that up with ample Palinca, you will definitely have a Fiasco Negro!
We head back to our comfortable and cosy rooms to sleep off the day with plenty to remember and to fuel our Saxon dreams.
In the morning we’ll enjoy a good breakfast, and give the local very-shaggy dog one last scratch behind the ears, before we leave once again for our next destination. It’s a bit further to the south, and another interesting stop, on our way to Bucharest.
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NOTA: As we traveled close enough to the Ukrainian border to look across at the modest homes just over there, it made me recall the Ukrainian exhibit we saw at the Venice Biennale. It was on a side street by a canal, like several other national exhibits scattered through the city and it was worth a stop, to absorb a film of everyday life in the villages mostly inhabited by men tending their flocks in the rain, milking their cattle and their goats, and making their cheese using the oldest of methods.
Their hard lives are probably almost exactly like the ones we experienced in Viscri, and it’s difficult to imagine the added stress that an aggressive neighboring country, at the whim of its comfortable elites, is causing for them.
—PRW
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And now a bit (well, quite a bit) about packing for this kind of travel...
We left home in Kino on July 10, nearly three months ago, and we have still another month to travel before returning. Before leaving, I did a lot of thinking about how to reduce the weight and number of items I would be managing on trains and buses, and while getting from drop-offs to lodging. I don’t necessarily like to admit that it gets more difficult with the years, but…well…it does!
So I set a limit of one carry-on size bag and one all-purpose handbag, opting to carry less with the caveat that I could always buy something along the way — a warmer jacket, another pair of shoes, etc. The other rule would be that if I wanted to buy something along the way, I would need to get rid of something I started with!
Several people have asked how it’s worked, so here’s my report. Perry has his methods, too, but I can’t adequately speak for him, so this deals just with mine.
1. THE BAG
An REI Tourwinder 22” carry-on, with 2 big heavy-duty wheels. I don’t recommend those bags with four wheels for anyplace but airports! They usually have tiny wheels that will get mud clogged or beat up on cobblestones and gravel and have a habit of rolling off by themselves when you’re not looking!
2. WHAT’S IN THE BAG
• SHOES
One pair of Aetrex walking sandals, black. Actually, they are on my feet most of the time! Made for people with high arches, they are fabulous for walking miles and miles with happy feet. And they’e cute, making them good for getting a bit spiffed up for dinner in addition to daily trekking. (On many days, we walk five to seven miles.) The tough Velcro straps make it easy to use with a pair of socks if the toes get cold. They also do fine when wet; and rain does happen. They get sweaty or dirty: I can scrub them, they dry quickly, and they look like new! (No, I don’t get endorsement fees!)
• PANTS/DRESSES/SKIRTS
2 capris, one white/grey stripe, one light blue, stretch fabric
1 cropped palazzo, black, rayon
1 stretch pant, black, cotton & spandex
1 palazzo, black, polyester knit (dress-up)
1 Desigual below-knee dress, colorful, rayon
• TOPS
2 Chico’s sleeveless shells, white & deep turquoise, stretch
1 white sleeveless shell, cotton
1 white linen top with blue & gold embroidery
1 black sleeveless shell, cotton & nylon knit
2 Sketchers long-sleeve, high-neck pullovers, black & burgundy
1 sleeveless patterned shell, colorful, rayon (dress-up)
1 Desigual long-sleeved, sheer, colorful, (dress-up)
• SWEATERS/JACKETS
1 long-sleeved black cardigan, nylon
1 long-sleeved, hip-length cardigan sweater, burgundy, cashmere
1 rain jacket/hood, turquoise, hip-length
• SOCKS & UNDIES
2 bras, one black, one white
7 underpants
2 pair black cotton socks
• MISC
Bathing suit, black Capezio dance leotard
Large colorful Desigual cotton & polyester shawl/scarf (amazingly warm)
•EXTRAS (bought along the way)
1 white cotton gauzy palazzo pant
1 long skirt & shirt, white & black print, cotton (for dress-up)*
• COSMETICS/HYGIENE in small cosmetics bag
Bar shampoo (fabulous stuff!)
Small hand soap
Toothbrush, small toothpaste, small mouthwash
Tube face moisturizer
Small bottle of foundation
Lipstick
Eyebrow pencil
Eyeshadow
Tweezer
Nail clipper
Mirror with magnifier
2 combs
Small hairspray
Basic health stuff: small amounts of Aspirin, ibuprofen, Tylenol, Benadryl, triple antibiotic, selection of bandaids, Q-tips, sterile cotton pads, toothpicks
Collapsible backscratcher!!
Small washcloth
Scissor
Hair trimming razor
• MISCELLANEOUS
iPad w/keyboard
iPhone and iPad charging cords
Multi-country electrical outlet adaptors
Moleskin journal, tube of colored pencils, pens, small sharpener
Folder/pockets for important trip-related documents
Collapsible hiking stick
Umbrella
Scrunchable sun hat
Tru Earth laundry detergent sheets (https://www.tru.earth)
7-day vitamin/supplement container
Small velvet jewelry bag with few pieces of jewelry for dress up. (I wear the same hoop earrings, favorite necklace, and finger rings day after day.
NOTE: I use three nylon mesh eBags to keep things organized in my carry-on: small one for socks/underwear/bathing suit; medium size for tops and sweaters, large sized for pants, dresses, jackets. They can be taken out and put in drawers or on shelves for easy access when staying a few days in one place.
3. THE HANDBAG
A Travelon cross-body bag, water resistant, with slash proof shoulder strap, theft-proof zippers and fasteners
4. WHAT’S IN THE HANDBAG
RFID blocking Passport case with all important personal documents, ID, credit/debit cards TIED INTO THE BAG!
Small drawstring with little toothbrush, toothpaste, clippers, file, comb, triple antibiotic, a few aspirin, ibuprofen
Small notepad, pens, pencils
Stuffable nylon shopping bag
Facemasks
Facial tissues
Washable leftover food bag with
Small bamboo spoon/fork combo
Electrolyte tablets
Few zip-lock plastic bags
Pint water bottle (fits in the side pocket)
Sunglasses
iPhone with lanyard attached to bag
Pair of reading glasses attached to iPhone and lanyard**
NOTES ABOUT THE BAG:
1. I used to travel with a small Travelon theft-proof backpack, and I loved it, but…whenever I needed to get at my documents or cash, I had to take it off and turn it around — a real pain at the airport, for example. So I switched to this cross-body bag that easily swings from back, to side, to front while staying securely attached to my body.
2. The Travelon cross-body carries a lot and is great in the airport or on the bus; but it’s a bit heavy for short day-treks, so I bought a small fanny pack to carry iPhone, glasses, and some cash.
* Perry made me do it!
** I learned the hard way (had an iPad stolen in Lyon, France years ago) to tie/anchor everything to my person! The slash proof straps on the cross-body bag — which also, by the way, has a special clipping device for anchoring the bag to a chair or table leg) — the lanyards on phones and iPad, the passport and documents case securely tied inside the bag, everything zipped up…. Unless someone is willing to go to extremes, they won’t get anything from me!
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Well, I look over that list, and it seems like a lot! But it all fits, I can manage my own luggage, and it’s working.
A LITTLE MORE ABOUT HOW I SELECTED AND HOW I USE CLOTHING:
I tried to buy light-weight things that would launder easily and dry quickly. They are stuffable and do not wrinkle, except for the linen and cotton that is meant to wrinkle naturally. Careful folding keeps things neat. And I chose a fairly basic color palette so that everything would mix and match: black, white, and gray, with touches of burgundy, turquoise. Even the black bathing suit (a Capezio dance leotard) can be worn as a dressy top with evening pants or skirt.
Next time I might skip the white and stick with grays, because doing laundry is not always predictable, and everything gets thrown in at the same time. My white Chico’s shell has thus been transformed into a light gray Chico’s shell!
It’s not uncommon to wear basically the same outfit often! One can’t be too concerned with being a fashion plate. I like to look nice, but who is going to pay attention to the fact that I’m wearing the same pair of pants today that I wore yesterday or the day before? (Certainly not Perry!) I also can pick up a colorful scarf or or piece of costume jewelry along the way if I want to spice things up. An opportunity to support the local economy, as Perry puts it.
Layering is important as temperatures change, and in the coolest circumstances, I often am wearing a sleeveless shell as an undershirt, a long-sleeved pullover, the nylon cardigan, AND the cashmere cardigan, under my rain jacket, which is quite cute, by the way! And the Desigual scarf double wrapped is a great neck warmer.
Actually, the simplicity of having limited choices is rather freeing! I look at how little I have in my cosmetic kit and wonder what all that stuff is clogging the bathroom drawers at home! The trick while traveling is to purchase expendables in small containers. It’s possible to replenish most anything you need along the way. And Google Translate can even help you ask for it!
Once in a while I think about a choice piece of clothing hanging in my closet back home, but…it will be waiting for me!
ONE FINAL COMMENT:
What about shopping? you might ask. True, there’s no room in my bag for accumulating. But there are postal services the world over! And we’ve tried several — Italy, Hungary, Romania… I always do a little internet search about how reliable they are before sending anything valuable, and we’ve had good results. And if things don’t need to arrive quickly, it’s not especially expensive. The major cost is the time spent at the post office negotiating in another language. Part of the fun! SO if we absolutely must have something, it can be sent home via post. More importantly, we especially like buying little things for the grandkids along the way; and this way they get packages from afar with strange addresses and stamps, hopefully stimulating their curiosity and a future desire to travel, themselves!
I hope this might help some of you think about how to downsize your travel load and get out there! The world is a wonderful place, and you can't let heavy bags keep you from exploring it!
—Carolyn