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Published: September 16th 2008
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Ditrau Roman-Catholic church
Built between 1908-1913, neo-gothic style - such a towering building for this small village in Harghita county. Ever since I know Monica she was telling us stories about her summer vacantions spent in Borsec and promising us that someday she ll take us there just to have a taste of her paradise.
First thing that comes in my mind when you say Borsec is the bottled mineral water winner of a gold medal for carbonated waters. I also knew that Borsec was a great tourist destination 20 years ago because of the natural mineral water springs and I might have been with my parents when I was 3-4 years old.... little have I known!
Last week was her birthday and instead of partying in a club or dinner in a restaurant, we packed our bags and Friday morning we were on our way to Borsec.
Borsec is located in North-Eastern part of Romania in the Carpathian mountains, Harghita county so when I looked on the map I knew we ll have a long way ahead of us but also a hard one because of the public infrastucure work.
From our calculation it is a 7-8 hours drive with a few stops in gas stations but we had no idea that on our way to Borsec we
will discover so many wonderful places where unfortunatelly we didnt have enough time to stop and enjoy them. As you leave Brasov behind and drive towards Sf. Gheorghe the landscape is spectacular and you feel the fresh air. Getting close to Borsec you also have to drive on the endless serpentines and for those who arent used to them might seem a never ending journey.
As we arrived in Borsec I was just mesmerized: the landscape (everywhere you look you're surounded by pine trees) the old houses each which its own design (from what Monica told me she definetly had memories in most of them) is like you are in a different universe. Of course after a while you realise that the station is just a shadow of what once was, most of the old houses are left in ruine and is hard to understand why things are like this. Then you remind yourself: hey you're in Romania, a land blessed with many resources but where is easier for some to destroy than to conservate or exploit in a good way what nature offers us.
We checked in at Vila Riki, one of the few new pensions around there
and we realised that from our huge balcony we had the greatest view we could have dream of. After we dropped our luggages we were dying to drink the famous water exactly from the sping so on the way to the spring Monica was our guide into the station history.
In Borsec there are over 15 springs of natural mineral water (containing minerals, calcium, magnesium, iron) famous for the curative properties (treating anaemia, diseases of endocrine glands, renal diseases, diabetes). Also this is the place where you'll find the most purely air in Romania so the microclimat is the healthiest you can find. As Monica remembered, 20 years ago here was the greatest curative spa, each summer she and her familly were spending more than 2 weeks in this corner of heaven taking advantage of the free natural resources.
Tasting the water from a few springs we noticed that was different, meaning that you could feel the concentration of natural CO2 & minerals lower or higher depending on the spring. As we were walking around we saw many people coming from many counties and even Hungaria with trunck full of empty bottles filling them.
At dinner we were pleasantly surprised
Welcome to Borsec
Around this region hungarian is most spoken language by the prices, we ordered main course, dessert and drinks => all this costs a little more over 10 Euros and I was thinking: definetly you wont have a decent meal in Sinaia or Brasov at this price. Everything was delicious, fresh, natural and home made.
As we were about to find out next day on our way to Faget peak it wasnt so hard to have home made jam when the forest was full of raspberries, blackberries, wild strawberies and bilberries. The journey through the pine trees was magical, the temperature was over 30 C degrees, the air was so cool and fresh, we stopped to pick daisies, eat raspberries and drink water from a sping on the mountain. The ascent was difficult and arriving on top of the mountain we met a few locals that were building a beautiful wooden house. They told us that around this area were many sheep folds but since Romania joined European Union all that is gone and they seemed very pessimist regarding Borsec's chance to return at what once was: a great spa resort and a relaxing place. While we were talking to them I wondered how it would be to walk
Spring no 10
The water at this spring was good for people who lost their apetite for food - not my case definetly that road every day, to bring material at such altitude... I must say that all the locals we met looked so healthy and calm, had a great fig. After we had a small lunch picnic on top of Faget we climbed down on a different path where the locals said we should pay attention to the bears that are around. Fortunatelly they werent around when we barged into their raspberries field but we managed to nettle ourself and get sting by spiders.
After we arrived back for dinner we wanted to visit the surrounding by car but in the end we found ourself driving to Bicaz lake. The lake is beautiful but by the time we got there it was dark and my camera couldnt capture its charm. I agree you need at least one week to visit Borsec and the surrounding.
Sunday morning we woke up early, had a quick breakfast on the teracce, went to take some magical water from the springs, took some final pics feeling sorry that we dont have more time to enjoy this secret paradise that once was so famous.
Leaving Borsec behind we planned to visit Praid salt mine and if we
have enough time maybe St Ana lake.
Praid is located 60 km away from Borsec, and its very famous for the salt mine and also the salt baths. Inside the salt mine at the "50 Horizon", 120 m depth from the surface people come for treatment. The air in the mine is very benefic for treating respiratory diseases (asthma, allergies) and is recommended to spend 18 days doing exercise prescribed by the doctors inside the mine.
As it was Sunday the salt mine was opened only till 3 PM so we only spent 2 hours inside. The single entrance ticket costs about 6 Euro but is cheaper for those who come for treatment for a few days in a row. The busses take you deep inside the mine and as soon as it enters the tunnel you feel the strong air. Because you have to spend at least 3-4 hours inside for treatment there is a huge playground, you can have lunch there, it is even a church. After we bought a few souvenirs we drove back through the serpentines and had one more stop in the middle of the mountain where near a spring in a trailer a couple
was making and selling some really tasty donnuts called langos (I had one with real chocolate). As it was already late we decided that we will visit St Ana lake next time (thats why there must be a next time).
As we distanced away from Harghita county we got a bit nostalgic thinking that everything about this weekend was so dreamlike... but I had my bottle of water in my hand, I was feeling all that salt on my skin and all those pictures in my mind. Of course as we got closer to Bucharest we woke up and realised that it was a lot of traffic on the national road and we spent almost 2 hours on the P loiesti ring road.
Yes, once again I am convinced: there are places on this earth that are as closer as they can be to paradise, on a different universe. I only can imagine how it was 20 years ago when thousands of people were spending summer vacantion in Borsec... I wonder how it was for Monica to see her special place after all these years. Anyways she promised us we will Borsec in snow also.. Looking forward!
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