Belvedere 4* Cluj-Napoca

It is Sunday at everything except the churches are closed. CLuj has several large churches, one of which is broadcasting its sermon into the plaza. 20 people are standing outside, listening to the service while facing the church. Not sure why they don't go in.

I hike to the top of a hill for a great view. Two of the museums ...

Located out of town, but close to the economic area of the city, BLACK TULIP, a four stars hotel, represents the perfect destination for those wishing to rest. I have appreciated the room atmosphere, the quality of the services...and the high degree of refinement of the cuisine.

... and is Dracula themed. Once settled we went out to see the sights including some Roman ruins and the usual churches. Due to the lack of local restaurants or fast food outlets we decided on using the complimentary room service and ordered our meal from the hotel’s restaurant. At least this way we save on the drinks and the meal ended up being quite reasonable at about $A20 ... gotta watch the budget!

The train from Sighisoara to Cluj Napoca was another sauna experience. I had opened the window, but the elderly woman in our berth asked me to close it (though she herself was sweating).

The only good thing about Cluj was a brilliant candy store in which we spent a fair amount of money (for Romania).

Sighisoara to Cluj: one 2nd class ticket (3 hours) – 36.70 lei

... ja alempaa tieverkkoa. 80-luvulla päivänsä päättäneen hirmuhallitsijan kädenjälki on yhä surullisesti nähtävissä Romanian tieverkolla. Suuret infra-ajatukset eivät oikein ottaneet huomioon liikenteen kasvua, ympäristöasioita tai ei itse asiassa varmaan mitään muutakaan. Osoittaakseni jälleen, että en ole nukkunut kokousten aikana, voin kertoa täysin Romaniaan liittymättä Intiassa olevan 3,2 miljoonaa kilometriä maanteitä.

... in mana. Ne-o arata bucuros si spune:
- Asta e discriminare clara, o sa ii dau in judecata. Cititi si voi.


Hartia in cauza era un document numit “Refuz” purtand semnatura lui Boc, a arhitectului sef al Clujului, cu timbru sec, cu tot ce trebuie si care spunea ca Marius Leontiuc nu primeste autorizatie de constructie datorita apartenentei sale la cultul luteran.
Si ...

... and a wood stove in lieu of heating. The people were incredibly welcoming and I'll never forget it. In addition to the small village we stayed at though we also traveled all over Transylvania, visiting the city of Cluj-Napoca and checking out other villages to meet traditional artisans and see such impressive sites as fortified Hungarian Protestant churches and traditional wooden Romanian Orthodox churches.

It was absolutely fascinating, though to be honest I ...

... It was really awesome to see the cattle stop at their gate and either wait or let themselves in. The pension we stayed at was awesome. We were in a tiny little picturesque village. Our room and water was heated by a woodstove, which I loved playing with. On Sunday morning we visited the Hungarian Unitarian Church in the village we were staying in before heading back to Hungary. We stopped in a craftmen's village and at an open grill Romanian restaurant.

... continuum from Austria to Hungary to Romania has been described to us. Along with the friendly to strangers continuum...Romanians, although often very poor are known to be quite generous to visitors. I'll report on all that after some experience. We're supposed to pull into Cluj-Napoca at about ten-thirty PM but the way this driver is going I think it'll be way sooner. ....it's a pretty big town, supposed to be pretty cool and we'll tackle Romania from there

I did a really stupid thing in Cluj. I got off at the wrong place, just a little over-anxious I guess, but that's what happens when you don’t speak the language well. I wouldn’t speak it at all if it didn’t have significant similarities to the other Romance languages ...