Sinaia, Sighisoara and Sibiu - 06/08/04

Hi all,

It's been a long time since the last time I mailed you guys. Was running around a lot trying to catch all the sights and trains at the same time and did not manage to have a chance to get to an internet cafe till now.

It has been very interesting thus far for the past 4 days. Went to Bran castle from Brasov the other day, the castle which served as the backdrop for Bram Stoker's novel: Dracula. Apparently, Dracula was based on this Romanian Wallachian prince called Vlad Tepes who was supposed to be a bloodsucker. Was expecting to see something interesting with all the hype about it but really, it was just a very simple fortress and nothing really grand save for its function as a military garrison against the turks. And of course, the Dracula bit was just a work of fiction and a good means for Romanians to capitalise to earn tourist dollars.

After Brasov, went to another town called Sinaia (so named after a Romanian nobleman went to Mount Sinai in Israel on a pilgrimage). This place is really pretty, with the famed Peles Castle sitting atop the hill, serving as a summer residence for Romania's first king. The decor is really fantastic, with the design of each room made according to a certain theme, whether it be Turkisk, Renaissance, etc. The materials used were the very best and imported from various parts of Europe as well as the far east like handwoven rugs from Iraq, Turkish carpets, incense burner from China, porcelain vase from Japan and he like. The collection of firearms, weapons and armor from medieval times is also amazing, with intricate Turkish curved swords, German muskets and pistols being one of the few remaining pieces in the world. I would say that this is comparable to the grand magnificent palaces found in Vienna except for the fact that this is on a much smaller scale and hence, gives one a more cosy, homely feeling.

Other than the castle, I made my own little 'pilgrimage' to the top of Mount Sinaia, 2000m high. The feeling there is simply great, with a superb view of the mountains on one side and vast rolling plains on the other. It was also great seeing how the Jewish shepherd tended to the sheep up there. And being alone at a quiet deserted end of the mountain top, with the cold winds driving the clouds to fog up the surrounding areas, it seemed like nothing in this world matters and it was just me and God up there.

Left Sinaia and went along about a 100km away to Sighisoara. This is a pretty little town with many nice medieval Saxon churches which were fortified against Turkish attacks. Overall, it has been a great experience travelling alone, contrary to perceptions otherwise. Along the way, I have managed to speak to so many Romanian people, whether it be on the train or when I bought some wares which they were peddling to tourists like us. Life is really tough here with the average income of a shop assistant about S$190. Most of them can barely support themselves, much less travel around within the country and can only dream of getting out of Romania to see the rest of the world. Another teenage gal has got to come from another far away town to sell handmade tablecloths, painstakingly made by her grandma, mum and her so as to supplement the family income. This has really made me see the human side of this country beyond its attractions and the realisation that we are indeed very fortunate. Also, my daily interactions with fellow backpackers from various countries from Slovenia, England, Holland, etc as I move from one town to the next has also added much spice to my travel. Imagine enjoying good wine over dinner, exchanging experiences about life back home as well as in Romania, travelling together to catch certain sights. This is really great! For the inhibited bunch out there, I will certainly encourage you all to join me in this journey.

Anyway, that's all for now, folks. Till my next travel update. Ciaos!

Jerry