Feeling a little nervous climbing up to 'Dracula's Castle', (Bran, near Brasov)

On the road to Istanbul

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March 30th 2007
Wrestling the rusty door open, we shuffled inside and dropped our packs onto the three wire-mesh beds that filled the small hotel room. Ancient scrawls of graffiti crawled feverishly across the time-stained walls, screaming hoarsely for attention. "Get out of this flea-infested pit while you still can!..." "Welcome to hell, hope you enjoy your stay more than we did." And so on... It was true that ... read more

Europe » Romania » Muntenia » Bucharest

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The principalities of Wallachia and Moldavia - for centuries under the suzerainty of the Turkish Ottoman Empire - secured their autonomy in 1856; they united in 1859 and a few years later adopted the new name of Romania. The country gained recognitio... ... read more