“A funny aspect when exploring the world is gaining insights of a culture through tourist items and knick-knacks. Though often odd, they’re a genuine representation how a country wants to be viewed by visitors.” – Old Sean
Mountain Camping
After a month living in Romania in various apartment locations, it’s time for me to begin wandering back to the United States.
My last couple of days in Romania were spent camping. I joined my friend Edin heading out to Cheile Tătarului, Munții Gutâi located to the East of Baia Mare. There are rolling mountains out there, interspaced with surprisingly lush forests, shallow, rapid streams and large plains of browning grass.
My small group went out with Edin’s uncle and two aunts, wandering along several hiking trails in the region. The family didn’t speak much English, so my interactions were largely limited to Edin herself. As we hiked, there was a steady drizzling of rain and someone in our group would whistle sharply every three minutes or so to deter roaming bears. We picked up wild cranberries on our hikes and small flowers used in a fragrant tea. Our feet grew slick from rain-soaked grasses as we continued to hike along that lonely countryside.
We did spot several people on an immense, somewhat unstable stone mound. Apparently, Baia Mare is building an enormous dam, which is concreate walls on one side and stacked, loose limestone on the other. It’s hoped that the valley will someday be flooded when the project is completed, so Baia Mare can have a water source which they have sole ownership of.
There’s something odd about hiking cliffs and trails that are slated to be underwater in the future.
Back at our campsite, my tiny group foraged for thin cords of wood. We turned green branches into skewers and jabbed slabs of pork fat onto them, cutting the fat in a grid pattern. These we roasted over fires until they begin to bubble and drip, at which point we hovered them over sourdough bread to give the dough flavor. When the tips of the pork grew crispy, we trimmed them off, covered them in roasted onions and peppers, threw on some cranberry juice and ate sunset sandwiches.
A Return to Cluj-Napoca
This was essentially my last time spent in Baia Mare. We drove back into the city so I could catch a Blablacar the following morning. My friend Edin had me practice driving stick shift on a gravel lot while we waited. I was headed back to Cluj-Napoca, where my flight would leave two days later on the 17th
Really, the only practical way to get around Romania is Blablacar. Trains and busses generally have an unwholesome number of stops, stretching out journeys to exercises in patience.
Since I had one whole day left in Cluj-Napoca and I had essentially done all I wanted during my last visit, I made plans to head to the UNESCO site of Sighișoara to the East.
Seeing Sighișoara
Sighișoara is an old Medieval walled-town located in the center of Romania. It’s historically an important economic center, Saxon-Romanian settlement, ancient guild site and, currently, a major tourist destination.
Getting to Sighișoara is a bit of a pain. Romania doesn’t really have a highway system, so transit is pretty slow from area to area. Drivers must weave through numerous villages while pushing the upper limits of speed and the lower limits of safety. I wasn’t able to find a decent bus or Blablacar, so I took a morning train to the city.
That might have been a mistake. The trains in Romania are likewise slow with many rail detours and city stops. It turned out to be a three-and-a-half-hour journey one direction.
However, I wasn’t spoiled for choice. So I hopped on a locomotive for 72 Lei, and eventaully arrived in Sighișoara.
The sizeable city doesn’t make a good impression on arrival. The lower districts, which are largely modern additions, are generally just apartment blocks, rugged roads and lots of dusty construction. However, the old, historic portions of Sighișoara are brilliant.
Located on a staggered, rising hill, Sighișoara has patterned-shingled roofs, brightly painted buildings, tiny, old windows and heaps of climbing trees. At the top of the hill exists the old town itself, which is filled with round-stone cobbled roads weaving drunkenly between gorgeous old houses. There are historical markers every ten steps, pointing out old guild sites, historic pubs and restaurants, culture points, statues of old leaders, decently-sized churches and, most importantly, a series of towers maintained for city defenses by the old reigning craftsman guilds of Sighișoara.
A Brief History of Sighișoara
The history of the town is layered and complex. It was a holdout position against the Ottoman Empire, a confluence area for numerous Saxon craftsmen and settlers, a Hungarian stronghold against the frontier, a capital of architecture and skilled-goods for the Holy Roman Empire and the once-home of Vlad Dracul, father of Vlad the Impaler (known in popular fiction as the quintessential vampire, Vlad Dracula. The town, historically managed by the various economic guilds has a series of tower defenses, each funded and maintained by a different guild branch (the Sighișoara main Clock Tower, the Tinsmiths’ Tower, the Butchers’ Tower, the Bootmakers’ Tower, the Tailors’ Tower, the Furriers’ Tower, the Ironsmiths’ Tower, the Ropemakers’ Tower, the Tanners’ Tower and the Face Tower, which is en-route when leaving the citadel area).
The town is also defined by its various churches. The lower levels of the city around the base are largely undefended areas. The upper levels which make up most of the residential homes, tourist shops, defended zones and public churches are a sort of central zone. The famous Church on a Hill is the top level of the town, a huge basilica known as Baserica din Deal overlooks all the lower lands and a pristine, very well-manicured graveyard.
As impressive as Sighișoara is, it is also incredibly touristy. There is hardly a single corner of the entire town which doesn’t scream for purchases of trinkets, promote selfies or sells overpriced snacks. Food trucks absolutely clog the streets around the Central Plaza.
Traditional Trinkets
All of the historical museums explaining the various guilds and towers are eager to sell traditional handcrafted goods. MY favorite shop was actually a traditional spoon show, which sold elaborate wooden spoons with meaningful birds on the handles. Apparently, in Romanian culture, a stork upon a house means there will be safety of the home. The chicken or rooster represents hope. A carving of birds with symmetry-bent necks is the lover’s symbol. And an owl motif predictably promotes wisdom.
There are also shops selling traditional vases and bowls etched with Romanian artwork. Most impressive are the Bucovina Painted Eggs, which are a strange Easter tradition. Supposedly, these eggs were once painted bright red in Orthodox traditions during Easter, to signify the Blood of Christ. However, enterprising religious folks took the art to a higher level. Using a syringe to drain the yolk, the eggs were painted with elaborate colored-wax motifs of patterned colors.
The eggs have the following depictions in the art process:
- A vertical line means life
- The horizontal line signifies death
- The double line implies eternity
- A rectangle symbol with double lines means knowledge
- A curved line means flow or water
- A spiral signifies eternity
- And the double spiral is the life-and-death bond.
The traditional eggs are fragile, drained chicken shells. But tourists can also buy more durable wooden eggs which have the same patterns. This tradition primarily extends from the Bucovina Region, but the eggs are popular in tourist spots throughout Romania.
While I would have liked to buy one, they’re very expensive here.
A Legacy Vlad Țepeș
I made a point of visiting Vlad Dracul’s House, which has… questionable ratings. The house is actually a converted restaurant next to the Clock Tower. Atop the door is a silver dragon statue, symbolizing the order which Vlad Dracul was part of (Dracul = Dragon). The interior is an almost-hilarious tourist attraction. It costs 10 Lei to enter, going up the stairs where a couple of Halloween decorations eagerly jump out. The upper areas include a creepy, red-lit room playing haunting music and a vampire laying in a coffin. The vampire is an actual actor, happy enough to help people pose for selfies.
It’s… not terribly informative or authentic. The restaurant downstairs is pricey to an almost rediculous degree, but I enjoyed myself nonetheless.
At this point, it was clear Sighișoara was a blatant tourist town. There are red-bean-bag chairs scattered on Church lawns, giant ice-cream cones, tiny photo stations, street performers and sky-high prices. If Vegas had been built on an actual historical Mediaeval site, I imagine it would look like this.
I sort of just… took that realization in stride and attempted to maximize the rest of my enjoyment. I wandered up and down the covered stairwell and visited a low-budget Dracula historical light-display called MYstical Transylvania, which was surprisingly enlightening.
The life of Vlad the Impaler, infamous defender of European liberties, ruthless Impaler of enemies served as inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula for good reason. He is a wildly interesting person to hear about, from his various forays to gain power, his lost birthright and time spent amongst the Ottoman’s, his horrifying plague, terror and blade military strategies to his complex familial legacies.
A Romanian Break
It was at this point, I was essentially out of time. Sighișoara doesn’t require a lot of time to visit. People can enjoy the entirety of the town in five hours or so, even while stopping to read the plaques and facts near all the towers. When it was finally time to go, I wandered back to the lower town area, passed the somewhat pleasant Umbrella Street and boarded the long, long train ride home.
The next day was my last, but I opted against going out and doing much. Romania has been thoughouly explored, especially considering how much time it takes to get from region to region. In the future, there are other places I would like to see. Bran Castle and Corvins’ Castle were high on my list, but would have taken considerable time to reach. Peleș Castle would have also been an excellent side trip. I’ve already visited Bucharest in 2018, but it would have been nice to walk there once more. The various fortified churches found in the countryside would have been also interesting to drive past, since the Carpathian Mountains are dotted with them. I visited Timișoara long ago and I’ve gotten to visit numerous monasteries in the countryside.
There is still much to see in Romania and I’d like to visit again in the future. As for when, that remains to be seen.
A Layover in Norway
Tomorrow morning, I board a flight going to Norway. I have one day to wander Oslo before flying all the way back to the United States, where I will attend my cousin’s wedding. Afterwards, I have three months of working and putting my life back together in Washington DC.
But beyond that, there are no plans. No future adventures, no sights on a horizon, no next plunges into a far-flung corner of the world.
But life has not been dull for me. Nearly eight years ago, I left my home country and I’ve spent more time abroad than at home for nearly a decade. I’m disinclined to believe that will change, despite the shifting troubles of an evolving world.
So until that next journey, or at least until the next segment of this current one,
Best regards and excellent trails,
Old Sean
Written August 16th 2022
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