Visit Dracula, Brasov and Rasnov

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On arriving in Brasov we went to town to have a look. We soon came to the town square with beautiful buildings. No traffic here. We discovered an old hotel restaurant that started in 1914 with old photos about early years. Very nice. The price for dinner is as two hamburgers at home. The reason coming here was Bran castle or Dracula castle. We went in the late morning to Bran, thinking that the buses would be to lunch. Ha. It took forty-five minutes to get a ticket. Bran castle was up and running by 1382. Huge additions were build by 1531. The association between Vlad Tepes Dracula, Prince of Walachia 1448-1476 who spent this early years in Transylvania gave Bran Stoker, the idea of Count Dracula the Vampire. Tepes which means the Impaler, was a cruel man, who impaled the accused. His second inherited name Dracula, meaning the Devil's son was from his Father Dracul. The troops of Vlad Tepes faught for ever against the Turks, and was seen by the locals as Ned Kelly. The castle is imposing and furnished with a collection of treasures. On the way to Bran we had seen this Citadel on the hill at Rasnov. So the next day we went to investigate. Free car park and a tractor train to bring people up the mountain. We decided to walk through a lovely forest. But oh those cobble stones. The Citadel called Rasnov, was first established 1211-1225. The fortress with held the enemy in 1335 and saved the lives of the locals. Again invasion destroyed and later rebuild again. But it was never totally destroyed. In 2001 a board was found containing 419 silver coins. How lucky was that. Again the photos will tell. Tomorrow we are of to Sibiu for two days. That was founded in the late 1100.

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