Seeing my country through their eyes made me feel a bit guilty of my daily complaints about Romania. Because what they saw, well that was pure magic. If they were here only for a few days I would have been tempted to say it’s the tourist mirage but this trip was two weeks long so that wasn’t the case.
That was a wake-up call for me because I learned I was so immersed in my historical context, so adjusted with everything that surrounded me that I stopped seeing what was right in front of my eyes. And being blind is one of my biggest fears.
I needed to recalibrate myself- to see my country as it is and stop focusing so much on the problems. And being stuck on a bus with 40+ travel bloggers was exactly what I needed. Weird, I know!
I needed to recalibrate myself- to see my country as it is and stop focusing so much on the problems. And being stuck on a bus with 40+ travel bloggers was exactly what I needed. Weird, I know!
You see, all ll I really had to do is look at the ravishing landscapes.
Starting with a vast seashore, lakes, rivers, the Danube Delta and continuing with the wildflower meadows spreading on enormous hills, and last, but not least, the breathtaking views from heights reaching almost 3,000 meters – Romania has it all.
Believe it or not, Romania is a romantic destination. Because the Romanian countryside is deeply soaked with history, populated with charming castles, and packed with picturesque churches.
And no, I haven’t seen a vampire yet but I am not a quitter. Hopefully, they look like Daniel Gillies or Alexander Skarsgård. If you don’t find any vampires at the castles, try your luck at some of the best-preserved Medieval towns. After all, Vlad, the Impaler was born in the Transylvanian Saxon town of Sighisoara. Who knows?
Beside Sighisoara, you can also try Brasov, Sibiu, Cluj or Alba-Iulia.
But my favorite part of the country? Rural areas. Unspoiled places where you feel like you’ve done a time warp and been transported back a few decades. No paved roads, no traffic, no noise. It’s so quiet you can hear your heartbeat.
Life is blissfully simple here. I am convinced that there’s a certain luxury in simplicity these days. Farmers still use horses, kids still play outside. You can still spot a lot of green fields and haystacks, traditional houses and people dressed in traditional clothes. Waking up to the sound of a rooster. Talking with old people that will share with you their life story.
It wasn’t hard to fall in love with Romania again. Beauty is perfect in its imperfections, so you just have to go and accept the imperfections. I guess it’s just a matter of practice. And this year, I promise you one thing – you will find out more about my country because, yes, I do love Romania!
XOXO Stories of a Brunette
9 comments
It’s funny how we need the eyes of foreigners to see what’s right in front of us. But I am in the same boat as you. It took 100 bloggers 3 years ago to show me how beautiful Bucharest can be, and another 40 this year to show me how beautiful Romania can be. I am just happy that I moved past the ‘hater’ stage and into ‘I really love my country’ stage. And I am shocked how many more haters are all around. I never noticed them before from my little bubble od ignorance. I keep saying ‘guys open your eyes! We have a hell of a beautiful country!’
I know, right? truth to be told- I feel that I was blind without even knowing it. We have an amazing country and we’re lucky from this perspective. Haters gonna hate no matter what. Happy I am not part of them anymore 🙂
That seems like such a fun trip! And it really makes me want to visit myself! Im doing a 2 month long Europe trip, so I’ll have to add on Romania! How was it traveling with such a large group?
Oh, you adding Romania to the list would make my day!
Traveling with such a large group was like a throwback to highschool but nicer. It was awesome to be able to talk with so many travelers in such a short time.
I’ve honestly never thought about traveling to Romania, but this little letter has convinced me there is a magic there I need to discover!
Would love to have you Ari! Come visit my country 🙂
So beautifully put! Makes me want to visit Romania next
I would absolutely love to visit Romania…it’s one of the top places on my list. Please share more about it!
Lovely! Your pictures make it look so serene and peaceful.