BUCHAREST, BRASOV, MOECIU AND SIGHISOARA

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The flight to Bucharest would have been a ralaxing one apart from the annoying Egyptian shooting team full of young boys. Unfortunately they all seated around us and before take off one of them stole a life vest whcich got him in trouble with the steward, he wasnt amused and wanted to eject them, he was talking to their coach, this asshole of a kid talked his buddies on telling a lie to back him up saying it fell from the top compartment above his head, i was just behind him and saw he took it , amid chuckling from his buddies. Anyway we arrived in Bucharest thank god they were behind me on the queue it seems Egyptians take longer to be processed, don't know why, they have visa and all..

Took the bus as per the hostel directions, found the place with ease, we are staying at Midland Youth Hostel 2. Beds not ready yet so we walked around town and discovered there is a Formula 3 race around the Palace, so we had lunch and then bought tickets for it. it was very hot and we are exposed to the elements, was jet lagged as well so I went under the bleachers and lie down and fell asleep while Craig watched it with more interest. On the way back to the hostel we decided to see Faithless that night performing at the same venue, we have to buy Formula 3 tickets for the next day and the concert comes free, so we did. Our budget is blown away already and it's only day 1. Bucharest is interesting, a big change from Africa of course, it's not a bad city nice facade buildings. we cooked dinner at the hostel, very crowded lots of people from everywhere. Chatted with some dude from UK, telling us his experience in Bulgaria etc. quite funny, anyway we left soon for the concert, it was good, I never heard of them before but i think the girl's set was better.

We decided to head to Brasov after few days in Bucharest, walked there, took 45 minutes to get to the bus station with my heavy pack I was very tired, i just want to throw it out in the street! Arrived in Brasov just past noon, took the bus as per hostel instructions, we got confused and got off a stop early so we have to walk until the right stop, an older lady saw us and in her gesture she was saying to us we got off at the wrong stop, we know!!! Rolling Stone hostel run by Diana, very talkative at times annoying, her place is just too crowded and not enough toilets for the amount of people she have, and the kitchen is not working, no gas! Walked around town and went up the cable car to the top of the hill to the Brasov sign, nice town but nothing really special, lots or roads being repaired or under construction. back to the hostel tired, a quick nap then dinner at Casa Romanesca recommended by Diana, good food but Craig still has the runs and spent a lot of time in the toilet, he said the food though good just went straight out of him, that's it he's taking cipro tonight! There was this lovely girl dancing in the restaurant, an event, maybe a wedding perhaps was going on at that time, she looks like our Christina! We signed up for bear watching so we went, just in a suburb in Brasov on a hilly spot, where bears go down to rummage and scavenge through trash bins. We kept moving about trying to track them we saw a few, they are huge, they get food from the bins then run away to the hill, they are quite big and one time we had the doors open to see them better then one suddenly turned up, we panicked and shut the van door in a hurry! About good hour and a half later we are back, glad to see them but really not happy to see them in that situation, quite dangerous for both humans and bears. Diana was telling us a story a week back an irish tourist got killed/eaten by a bear beacuse he wandered in the forest drunk at night, he was found naked, clothes tossed on the side, strange??

We had enough of Brasov so we took a bus to a mountain town called Moeciu, took 2 buses to get there, the last about 45 mins.ride past Bran, the town of Dracula's castle. We arrived there and called the owner to pick us up, while waiting we shopped for food for the next few days. The owner is very friendly and the place is gorgeous, small hostel/pension in the Carpathians view excellent, quite, fresh air.. We took a walk to the village then back, came back and met a group of guys and Linsey from Aberdeen! of all places, Craig was thrilled but you cant see in his face! They are very friendly and fun to hang out with, Our room is in the attic, Tom sharing it with us, very nice and comfy. He is staying with us coz his cousins didbnt like him talking in his sleep, which he does actually but not too bad. poor lad. Tom, Linsey, Matt and Steve, 4 Aberdeenians all sounding like Craig. After dinner we hang out with theem , smoked cigars left overs from the boys and listened to some music including Steve and Matt's band, quite good really.

Off to hike the mountains today with the whole Aberdeenian group, we got instructions to get to Bran by hiking, we thought we got it right but immediately got lost, ther isnt a trail until the top of the ridge, so we just winged it and walked up as best as we could, going through people's farm, gdogs relentlessly barking at us, I picked up a stick in case they attack, they never did. Finally at the top picked up the trail and saw signs to Bran but as soon as we left the clearing and into the forest the trail became confusing, we got lost a number of times, we just picked one that we felt will get us down to town and eventually we did, as we walked down the forest full of dead leaves I saw a small snake next to me slipping down like us, got freaked out of course. Made it to the road, kept walking, every now and then asking the locals where Bran is to be sure, finally made it after 3 hours. Craig and I walked down to the Vampire campground where we reserved for the next night to cancel it we dedided to stay longer in the mountains, we walked 2 kms there and back to town! whoaa really tiring, then we met with the Aberdeenians and checked out Bran's castle, what a freaking let down, nothing really referring to him and it was a museum for some rich woman or something. Tourist trap of the worst kind!! Walking trying to find the bus to Moeciu we shopped for food and also to salvage the dissapointing Bran trip we went to the house of horror thingo, quite corny and not scary.. Linsey bailed out soon as she entered the door, got her money back..

Took the bus to Moeciu as we are too tired to walk then we walked up back to the hostel, about 2 hours walk, 3 kms i think, uphill!! we were lucky enough that some folks are being picked up from town so we hitched a ride back and superb. While preparng dinner, the Aberdeen guys were arguing and trying to decide whether they want to stay another night there or move on to Sibiu which they have reservations already, lots of debating arguing and while having a drink with us later they decided to stay then changed it again towards the end!

Sad to see them go, sad goodbyes then me and Craig went on a hike of our own trying to go to the National Park. The trails here are not well marked unfortunately, so we struggle to find them and got lost in the process, we took a long walk from one point to another, the views are all good though so not really a waste of time totally. Tired and annoyed we cant find the way to the gorge we slowly made our way back then I saw a very faint trail cutting through a field, so we tried it and finally made it to the road, a gravel road where there is the blue mark trail weve been looking for! Had a quick lunch then started walking and we found the gorge eventually, quite nice there deep crevices and we hiked up a waterfall, I got worried that a bear might be lurking around we were alone so we headed back. took ages to get back on the trail, long walks, panting and exhausted we got back to the pension house took us a good7-8 hours walking and my right knee is sore, over excersion. While having dinner we chatted with the Germans that arrived yesterday, very friendly and gave them tips how to get to the gorge. We were supposed to play cards with them but we fell asleep due to exhaustion. What I remember most about this hike is the fruits on the side of the road, plums, nectarines, i always pick some when i find them to munch on, Craig is not a fruit person so he just stand there and wait for me to have my fill, he may be annoyed but did not tell him, bless him.

Maria made us breakfast on our last day, we got driven down to the bus station then off we go back to Brasov where we took the train to Sighisoara. We missed the train as the stupid ticket lady told us the wrong platform, and have to take the next one 2 hours later. We hopped on the Bucharest bound train, good thing I asked a lady where is it going otherwise we'll be in trouble, quickly got off and found the right platform. 2 1/2 hour train ride, parts of the way it was raining so glad to arrive in Sighisoara dry, no rain, found the Ghia hostel Linsey recommended but it was full and we were brought to a homestay hostel on top of the hill, free taxi but still have to walk up hill to get there, the older ladies of the house were picking small plums on the ground, really sweet and delicious, I love these fruits!
Checked in and walked around town, quite nice and quaint. had dinner at a pizza place and had a few beers then back to hostel.

Raining the next day and we headed to the train station to buy tickets out of the city. The city has a medieval citadel with a 14th century wall. When you enter the citadel you pass under the Turnul cu Ceas(Clock Tower) we got stuck there in the rain sheltering ourselves and so we headed to the Torture museum tp pass the time by, then to the History museum and up the Clock Tower, nice view of the city but it was cold and rainy. An annoying jester guy dressed in costume had been asking tourist around where you from and I was asked I said from the Philippines and he said some words in Filipino. Nice way to make a living pretending to know all the languages tourists speak, did not give him a tip though. To the Basilica Manasterii and casa Vlad Dracul, his birthplace is here, the house he was born is now a restaurant, and has a plaque outside which i took photos of, better than the Castle!!
There is a place called Aristocrat Club that plays movies and is not a proper movie house because it looks as if you're in someone's living room, a huge one, quit cozy but the sound system is crap, we saw "Wanted" to pass the time by.

Next day i tried to post some of my things hme but the post office is closed! Chilled out in town then off to the train station to catch the train to Brasov. We are taking a bus to Chisinau, Moldova. We me here Jarom and Tuuka, two very nice Finnish guys and we will meet up with them every now and then until Odessa in the Ukraine. The bus was quick even if we got delayed for 2 hours when we got pulled over by a car and cops came, the driver went to the police station and we have to wait, dont exactly know if we hit a car or what, anyway we were only an hour late arriving in Moldova, not bad. Border crossing was smooth, the officials went up the bus and collected passports on both ends, we did not have to get ff, oh only to change money for taxi when we arrive in Chisinau to get to the homestay.

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Photos

MOECIU
WITH THE ABERDEENIAN KIDS

BUCHAREST
MIDLAND YOUTH HOSTEL 2