Hotel Kolping Brasov

... hostel and<br>when we came out the next morning, they had found someone else to<br>befriend. But for the rest our Derek and my travels together, whenever<br>we saw a dog that looked like one of the two dogs in Bucharest, they<br>immediately became either Rufus or Jessy. There are now a plethora of dogs<br>from Bucharest to Istanbul that unknowingly bare the name of Rufus or<br>Jessy. <br><br>Next post is Bulgaria, but you're gonna have to wait till tomorrow for that one.<br>

... Fortress (Rosenau).. this XIVth century citadel still guards the city from the enemies.. it's the place of many legends about battles and prisoners with Tatars, Turks and Hungarians .. Finally we get to the Bran area, where the local invite us to buy their handicrafts and dracula souvenirs..

... Americans who I found out were on a church trip visiting local orphanages. I ended up going out to lunch with them and their caretaker, who I couldn't help but feel was acting as a baby sitter. They seemed to be very sheltered and needed the caretaker to do everything for them including order their food. I split up with them after lunch, glad that I was leading my own trip. Took a maxi-taxi, a mini-van that acts as a local bus, to Brasov--another ...

... couple of hours here and then it's back on the train to Brasov. Bran Castle has a very tenuous connection to Dracula. Allegedly he attacked it at some point. There is no mention of Dracula on any of the literature you see during your self-guided tour, nor anywhere else in Bran. But there are loads and loads of tacky Dracula paraphernalia at more than a couple of dozen stalls at the market below the castle and ...

... a guy from this area called vlad tepes (tepes meaning impaler). vlad the impaler was also named vlad drac, meanin son of the dragon, after the group his dad was part of called order of the dragon. so, vlad was a powerful leader that got his name from impalin wooded stakes up his enemies ***** until it reached their neck. he did it though as to not damage the spinal columb or summat inorder that they would stay alive for 48 hours after. apparently he only made a visit ...

... so we went up there. There are a couple of other girls here who speak French so she spent the night talking with them. This morning over breakfast we pulled out the french/english dictionary. As i left home i thought, at least i can learn a bit of French out of all this and as always, it will end up ok. :-) I've been getting along well with the family. One night last week i sat with them in the kitchen for a while. I told them that i live in america now and they told me ...

... me into the city way later than planned, there was no telling if I could even find the blasted thing. Other than returning to Miercurea Ciuc, that left only one option: hitchhiking. Which is precisely what I did. But, before getting to that, Târgu Secuiesc was well worth the effort needed to visit. Brief as my time there was, it worked out fairly well since the town itself is pretty small. Unlike shabby Miercurea Ciuc though, Târgu Secuiesc has a fully intact old center, with ...

... are vegetarian or allergic to cigarette smoke you might have a few challenges here! Many people in both Bulgaria and Romania understand some basic English phrases and words. You will not have serious communication difficulties if you are patient and perseverant. Both of these nations were great fun, logistically easy, and very rich travel experiences. We agreed that we saw a very small part of both and could easily spend at least a few weeks more in either country if our schedule allowed.

... the top of the mountain were very impressive by the time we reached the base of the mountain again almost two hours later we were all-but me in particular being the retard that I am- drenched from falling so many times in the knee-deep snow and extremely sore from having landed on tree roots, rocks and I want to know what else. I managed to cause and also partake in several miny avalanches which was an "experience" if nothing else and I think have now proved ...

... but refrained from asking the girls if they were named after Ceaucescu's wife! Corruption and rampant social discontent, such is the general theme of the downfall of Communism. Brasov was a bit of a shock after the slow pace of Sighisoara. Elvis Villa have the market in Romania, running three hostels along the main tourist route - Sighi, Brasov and Bucharest. Brasov is famous for its bears that come into the town to eat from the garbage bins (bear hunting is ...