We left this past Thursday morning in three rickety vans on our first group excursion across the border into the beautiful valleys and countryside’s of Romania. Accompanied by two jolly and extremely knowledgeable tour guides from a Hungarian community redevelopment foundation, we got a great look at the complex landscape, culture, history, social structures and religions of Transylvania. We stopped at about 10 different churches (no lie), a seminary, as well as some old castles and estates. We drove on some ridiculously bumpy roads (think Michigan in January times 10) past winding mountains, gypsy villages, endless hay stacks, donkey’s pulling carts, herds of goats, and identical old hunched over Romanian women in colorful layers of tights and skirts and sweaters.
We spent one night with Hungarian host families where we were stuffed full of bread and soup and cabbage rolls and pork and pastries till we stumbled into bed sore from laughing at our miscommunications with way too much food in our bellies. The other two nights were spent at different hostels tucked away in tiny villages. Basically it was unlike any other trip I have gone on or place I have been to. I kept finding myself amazed at the humble places I was standing in whether it be the bell tower of a tiny 13th century church, an abandoned estate of a former noble family, Dracula's house, or a Romanian folk market. Definitely a much different trip from Vienna, but equally enjoyable.
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