Rosia Montana

I’ve been there few years back, but I still feel like it was yesterday. The famous and infamous Rosia Montana, is the most wanted site in Romania, our gold mine and ecological catasrophe. There were so many disputes on this land and you would see it as a war zone, but when you get there, it’s so peaceful and quiet and the scenery is so great.

I liked it a lot! The village is very small and most of it is in ruine, but you can go to the big lake at the end of the village and visit the Roman gold galleries. 2000 years ago Romans were exploiting our gold and the mines are still standing nowadays. There is a huge history behind this activity and people’s only work for centuries. Now the mines are closed but the guide explained: most of the easy gold was taken and now even if we do have a considerable amount in the mountain, it is disipated and in order to extract it, it would destroy the mountain. So is it worth it?

If you go to Apuseni mountains you will find the obvious answer…

SARMALE

You’ve already seen polenta in one of my earlier posts alongside some fried fish, but now I present you the most famous Romanian combination: sarmale , polenta and hot chilli!

It is not a summer dish at all but when I saw this photo I said this should be my next post and probably my next meal:))))

Enjoy

Bucharest Dreamy Surroundings

I have been living in Bucharest for about 10 years now, but just this spring I have heard of and visited the Stirbey Palace in Buftea.

It was build by Barbu Stirbey, ruler of Muntenia region between 1853 and 1863 but became famous under his grandson, Prince Barbu Alexandru Stirbey.

Schooled in Paris, the Prince was one of the most important figures of Romanian high society in the early 1900.  He was the administrator of the Crown domains and member of Boarding Council for most important companies of the country: factories, plants, insurance companies and so on. But his personal fortune made from huge inherited domains, forests, factories, vineyards, cotton & rice plantations, a  dairy factory, a mill, cotton bandage factory made him the richest man of Romania at his time.

Even Queen Maria of Romania stayed here during the first world war and other personalities used to visit. Famous writers like Mihail Sadoveanu, Vasile Alecsandri, Ioan Slavici, musicians like George Enescu, other politicians and not only : Lascar Catargiu, Petre Carp, Teodor Rosetti, Mihai Sutu, Titu Maiorescu, gen Ion Argetoianu, Carol Davilla, Gheorghe Gheorghiu Dej, Hrusciov, Jean Marais, Belmondo  stayed at the palace.

Now, the domain is under private adminsitration, an investment fund or something has it and  they organize mostly weddings and private events.

In regular days, when we went, we just ate at the restaurant’s outside terrace. The ambiance is great, quiet, noble, but I am sorry and feel like the palace is kind of in degradation.

The surrounding park next to the lake is gorgeous with his secular trees but still more can be done. I will surely visit again at least to drink a lemonade at the palace. By the way, it was really good:)))

   

And the crown jewel, the most exceptional building here is the little church

Breakfast in May

As I have previously told you, we live in Bucharest and of course we eat a lot of  imported fruit&vegetables, pretty much all year long let’s say except summer months and September when really Romanian gardens are full with great produce.

But no matter how good you will find a certain strawberry in Bucharest, think  of one 100 times better and you will understand the taste of  Romanian countryside products. It’s because of the pollution? it’s in the soil, in the air, in the people’s know how? Really I don’t know, but when I go to the countryside I like to enjoy the simple things like this breakfast: garden strawberries and May cherries.

Oh, and I forgot to mention the prices: 10 times cheaper than Bucharest!

Enjoy!

Escape to Sibiu

I’ve been wanting to write this article since FOREVER and of course I remained under the impression that I had already written it…but surprise..I haven’t!!!!!!!!

But it’s not too late to share with you the most beautiful city that I have visited in Romania so far. Really, and I mean it. It has an unique flavor of old funky, colorful place, perfect for spending couple of days of your holiday trip to Transylvania in.

I remember that few years ago when I first saw it I was astonished and couldn’t believe it was in Romania!

As I agree with the saying that a picture speaks better than a 1000 words, I’ll just let you stroll in Sibiu with me…

Romania’s countryside

I keep telling myself to post more often on this blog but the time is so short….

Finally, as the sun is shining again and spring is here, I feel like sharing with the world all the beautiful places from Romania.

Today I ran into some old photos from my parents house, my husbands grandparents, roadside from Tulcea area, Rm Valcea area, Apuseni, Prahova, etc. It doesn’t really matter the place, it’s just the feeling you will experience once you get yourself  a car and start driving throughout my country.

It’s just…picturesque! and smells like holiday too:)

How wonderful it is to be in Romania on March 1st!

and to be a woman of course! March is here and all the markets are full with flowers and “martisoare” (little charms with red& white cords).

If in other years people use to buy charms with chimney sweepers, horseshoes, hearts and clover, nowadays, the handmade little jewelries are trending. Items like kabalah, shamballa bracelets, cute animals, and Murano glass charms, seems to be selling like crazy.

 

Tomorrow, 1 st of March as in Romanian tradition, it is the day when women receive from men or sometimes other women  1 “martisor” and why not flowers.

What I especially love is that we will see and smell everywhere fresh spring flowers like tulips, daffodils, snowdrops, freesia, primroses, hyacinths and many more.

Photo sources:

http://www.shopmania.ro/martisoare/p-martisor-gargarita-floare-verde-albastru-deschis-5lcjtest-33-46518470

http://atelierul-ioanei.blogspot.ro/2012/01/ma-pregatesc-de-martisoare.html

https://aleynadart.wordpress.com/tag/decoupage-martisoare/

http://www.magazineledeflori.ro/cosuri-plante/primavara/cosuri-plante-primavara-10

http://www.emeraldgarden.ro/buchete-flori/cosulet-flori-primavara-lalele-rosii-narcise-galbene-si-zambile.html

 

 

Bucharest through the eyes of a stranger

 

I read this article and I liked it so much. I now realize how my country can be seen through the eyes of a foreign person.

It’s simply incredible! Thank you, Nicole!

Check this out here:

Bucharest is Europe’s Best Kept Secret

Christmas in Romania

Check out my Christmas tree for this year and let me tell you few things about Christmas traditions in Romania…

To begin to, you must understand that this holiday is related to Santa Claus, singing carols, and eating of course:)

Like in any other country, we are decorating the Christmas tree, and in the night between 24 and 25th, Santa Claus is coming with gifts. On the other hand, another momentof joy for the kids is the carol singing (they can earn some money for sweets, toys, etc). So everything starts on the evening of 23rd of December when kids are singing a song called “‘Neatalus” (there is no such word in Romania) it’s an old laic song with the same meaning as “‘Buna dimineata la Mos ajun”(Good Morning, Old Cristmas Eve) whish is sang in the morning of 24th.

On the evening of 24 th, the kids go out singing carols, and after the Christmas they go and sing another song, called “‘Steaua'” (The Star”‘). They actually have an object like that and go from home to home to spread the news that Jesus was born. Other songs and traditions: before the new year, boys and men go with “”Plugusorul”‘ and ”Plugul” (the plow), with “‘Capra” (the goat) and with with masks.

The scene is quite scary for the kids, and quite interesting to watch for adults because the masked people come with: whips, firecrackers and bells. Here’s some pictures:

http://www.traditieialomita.ro/obiceiuri/cu-data-fixa/colinde-si-obiceiuri-de-iarna/

http://intreadevarsiiluzie.blogspot.ro/2010/12/am-plecat-sa-colindam.html

It’s important to say that Romanian people have kept a lot of secular traditions which now are integrated alongside with the christian traditions, that’s why the meanings are much deeper and not even us know all the stories. We have a saying that everybody needs an old men to tell all the stories.

ROMANIAN NATIONAL DAY

Today, December 1st, in Romania we celebrate our national day. Below, there are few pictures from the traditional parade here in Bucharest.

Happy birthday to all Romanians everywhere!