21.11.10

Trance-ill-vein-yuh

Well, I got just about all I could expect out of a solo trip to the middle of Romania for the day.  It started by me nearly causing a riot in the Debrecen train station and ended with me nearly getting thrown off of a train in the middle of vampire infested Transylvania... both are long stories and slightly connected, but I don't feel like getting into either.

So, for the good stuff.  I got off the train bright and early Saturday morning in Brasov, Romania and was greeted by an angel named Nicolas (or maybe Nicolas was greeted by an angel named Ben).  Either way Nicolas was a tour guide/driver who wanted to take me to a couple destinations outside of the city (destinations that just so happened to be reasons for me visiting this particular Romanian city).  I was hesitant, but this guy seemed cool and he was willing to drive me around and let me do my thing for 4-5 hours for $20 so we saddled up in his rickety ride.

We went to Bran Castle, also known as "Dracula's Castle."  The story of Dracula written by Bram Stoker was based on Vlad the Impaler who used to stay here.



This castle is now a museum, but I was the first (and for a while, only) person in the place and it as quite creepy.

It was a pretty cloudy and misty morning, but views of the mountains are supposedly pretty spectacular around here.

 Next, we went to the citadel in Rasnov.

Built ca. 13th century.

Rolling hills of Transylvania.

Then, after returning to Hollywood... I mean Brasov.... I was left to fend for myself.

Clock strikes noon at Black Church

 A little hike up Tampa Hill to see the city, BRA.

The city.

 A chess lesson in the park.

State park.

The beautiful St. Nicholas Cathedral built in the 15th century.


Sunset stroll through the graveyard.

Full moon in Vampireville.

I got home Sunday morning and realized that the clothes which I put on before work Friday morning hadn't been removed from my dirty body.  My weekend sleep consisted of a hundred or so brief 1-10 minute 'naps' interrupted by a whole slew of events.  It feels good to be home in D-town, safe and sound from Dracula, vampires, and train station junkies.

BA-out

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