The Land of Saxon Fortified Churches
Trip Start
Sep 01, 2006
1
6
14
Trip End
Sep 11, 2006
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Sighisoara,
Romania
Monday, September 4, 2006
The Land of Saxon Fortified Churches
11:00pm Sighisoara Time
Dear Readers:
Another night passes where I find it difficult to fall asleep. Perhaps tonight my body will be so tired it will shut down sooner once my head hits the pillow. My alarm goes off at 8:00am, and I think I'd rather kill myself than struggle out of bed; but struggle out I do, and make the best of it.
Breakfast is good and plentiful, and I am glad I have waited until 9:00am to appear so that all the other tourist groups in the hotel have already stampeded through and gone their way
01 Sibiu City Defenses
. A few of my guys are still there, and I am able to be cordial once the strong coffee hits my system.At 10:00am we commence our walking tour of the old city of Sibiu. There are three levels of fortifications one walks through to enter the heart of the city, including a large ditch that was dug and intended for flooding in case of attack. The main square is buzzing with workers, as the city is in frantic sprucing mode to prepare for its position as the European Capital of Culture for 2007. It is easy to understand why this city was chosen. Its curving streets lined with classic buildings would make a perfect location for a movie set in the medieval period. I've seen gypsies before during the tour, but this is the first time I have an opportunity to capture them with my camera.
After our invigorating morning walk through history, we return to the hotel and load our luggage on the mini-bus. I chug an espresso and we hit the road into the land of fortified Saxon churches between Sibiu and Sighisoara. The drive takes us through one beautiful village after another, each clustered around an ancient fortification.
We stop in the village of Biertan which has a still-functioning 15th century church
02 Sibiu Central Square
. It was the location of the Lutheran bishop from 1573 to 1867, and today is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The place is a treasure-trove of local lore, but one of the more interesting stories is the small building which served a special purpose. Couples wanting a divorce were supposedly locked in here together for a period of weeks as a last ditch effort at resolving their differences. There was only one bed and one set of cutlery. The method was so successful that only one couple in 400 years actually went through with the divorce after such confinement! Any chance it would still work today?We eat our lunch in a medieval restaurant at the foot of the fortress. The tables and chairs are absolutely massive, and just six around each table. The seating arrangement gives me the opportunity to sit apart from the group with the guide and driver, and discuss options for later in the tour. I learn that our guide has led Romanian tour groups in about 15 countries around the world, including China and Morocco. We compare notes about China, and I am more and more convinced that fortune smiled upon us when he was assigned to our group.
We soon arrive in Sighisoara, where our hotel is located within the walls of the citadel. To drive to our hotel we must pass a guard post, and the guard denies us permission to enter the citadel
03 Rooftops and Steeples
. It seems that busses above a certain size are not permitted to enter so as to protect the walls and the air quality. My guide is stubborn, and says we will sit there, holding up traffic, until he lets us in. The guard says we cannot pass, and waves other small vehicles around us. The guide calls to the hotel and asks for the porter to come and escort us to the hotel. The porter eventually arrives, and gives the guard a proper tongue-lashing. It seems that Romanians are just as expressive with their arms as Italians when they get angry. Finally, after a few calls on a cell phone and more angry words, we are allowed to continue up the steep road to the entrance of the citadel.
All our rooms are on the 3rd floor of a walk-up, and the ceilings are very high. Since floor one is one level above the lobby, we actually have to climb four long flights of stairs, but the glorious views over the walled city make the climb worth the effort.
After an hour to settle in we commence a walking tour. Each city we see supplants the previous one as my favorite on the tour. I didn't think anything could top Sibiu, but Sighisoara is simply enchanting
04 Gypsy Sighting
. It is one of the few medieval citadels left in the world where people are actually living and working inside. There is a functioning clock tower with figures that move as the bell tolls and as the weeks pass. There are beautiful views over the walls to the surrounding town and hillsides. Sheer heaven!The walk concludes at our hotel, and I invite the clients to finally enjoy our long-postponed "welcome cocktail." We make belated introductions, with each giving a brief sketch of their life history, and we also hear more from the guide and the driver. Then we are off to the home where Vlad Tepes (Dracula) was born for a dinner of sesame encrusted pork and potatoes. Yes, weight is being added on this tour!
My evening ends with a frustrating attempt to connect my laptop to the internet so that I can post this blog. The café I visited has no wireless service available, and for some reason the direct link will not work in my computer. I check my emails on another computer, and retire to my room to write this entry and get ready for a slightly earlier departure tomorrow. I couldn't be happier with how this tour is going!
Hugs,
Dan
