I lean back in my chair in the cafe As I take another pull off my beer. The sun is departing us for the day, But I am glad that its warmth is still near. People come and go on the cobblestones, Checking off errands and meeting their friends. I try to distinguish their foreign drones To see their desires meet the same ends. I will find the time to order again Because there is no place I need to be, For it would surely be a mortal sin Without another drink in front of me. It may be Wednesday in the business land, But I got more important things on hand.
The sun will eventually come today Though it’s hidden behind the morning fog. Somehow those rays of light will find a way To tear it to tiny bits like a dog. It will take away the cold autumn chill To give us remembrance of summer. When the daytime breeze gives us a small thrill, It is now nothing more than a bummer Portending for us the call of winter. We can just pretend that it is the spring Where we’re to the sun, only a renter Of the fall’s warmth it is willing to bring. We will soon have to batten down our doors, So we should take what the autumn implores.
Sometimes, it’s about the destination Because the journey is such a headache; You just want an end to the frustration, For, in life, you are in need of a break. You can’t enjoy leaving at witching hour On a plane limited with open space. They will take away all of your power, So your wallet can save a little face. Even when your plane eventually lands, It does not mean you’ve finally arrived. It just checks off one of many errands, And you still wonder if you will survive. It is not until the following day Where we can go out and enjoy the play.
No one will visit us in the country As they have to drive up a windy road Made of dirt, guarded by a horde of trees, Not offering much room for a wide load. We can nestle in our tiny chateau, Listening to the low of the neighbor’s cows. The wild grasses are allowed to grow; As wind blows, they join in uniform bows. The winter snows will eventually come, Locking us in the valley until Spring. The weather will continually drum As we enjoy the freedom that it brings. I’ll revel in the mountain solitude, Not believing my escape to be rude.
On the hill, we built the fortification To discourage the invading forces From thinking they can take this great nation. They may bring their catapults and horses To show off their might at our castle walls, But we are ready for their advances. They expect our sovereignty to fall Because of their military dance, But we will not be intimidated By their shiny medals and puffy hats. We will not be so easily bated For they are nothing more than spoiled brats. There is a reason we built it so high, Just so out heritage will never die.
I did have a couple of expectations when I traveled to Romania during the month of October. The idea of a creepy landscape with rolling fog and old world charm had to be around every corner, and it would be like walking into some gothic horror story. My expectations might have been a little too big, but what I encountered instead was even more exciting and exceeded the expectations that I did have.
Transylvania does have an old world charm to it, but not in the creepy gothic vibe that I was expecting. It is more of the walking through the country side on a crisp autumn day that allows you to feel the nostalgia of days past, and an excitement for the days to come. I was able to feel the joy of the season again which does not come with the places I have lived recently such as Jordan or Thailand. It used to be my favorite season, and I enjoyed being able to experience it again.
Transylvania is also a mountainous part of Romania that give spectacular views of the fall colors. There are many beautiful drives between the bigger cities in the mountains that take you through these mountains. At many times it is like driving through a tunnel made of large deciduous trees shedding their leaves on the road. There were also many spots along the roads that made for great pictures of the faraway landscape. A perfect picture was always around the corner.
There are two major cities that people visit in Transylvania and each of them offer their own specific type of charm. Brasov is a mountain community that feels like an older European city with a long and expansive walking part of the town. It has more of a medieval feel to it because of the old wall that protects this part of the city, and the old towers and churches that you can explore there. The restaurants and shops definitely cater to a tourist crowd, but it feels as if that crowd would come from a different part of Romania, and you do not see as many out of country tourists hanging out there.
Sibiu is the other major city in Transylvania, and it has a completely different vibe. There is still a huge walking part of the city that most of the tourists spend time in, but the platas, or squares are much bigger, and attract the usual crowds that can be seen in most Western European cities. There are numerous restaurants with tables spilling out into the square, and behind them hold various shops that tourists can be seen entering and leaving. Overall, it feels more like a typical European city rather than the mountainous Brasov, but both are great places to stay and enjoy the chilly atmosphere that this spot of the world offers in autumn.
Each place is a great place to settle down and then from there take day trips to the various places that are worth visiting in the region. There are historic churches and castles waiting to be explored, and beyond that there are so many paths through the woods that take you to the most unexpected places. Some of them are more populated than others, and you never know when you will run into a pop up shopping area.
There are many other things out there to explore that just add to the beauty of the region. Even the quiet solitude of a graveyard seems like it should belong on the typical tourist itinerary. It may feel a little gothic to even consider doing it, but somehow it belongs on this trip. It just adds to part of the atmosphere of the experience, and it is also interesting to read the history that some of these places hold in its grip.
I am glad that I have gotten to experience Romania in the fall, more specifically Transylvania. I was a little surprised to see that there were not more people out there enjoying the same experience that we were because it seemed like the perfect time to be out there. The fall colors were amazing, and I don’t believe that we hit the height of those colors. I could only imagine what it would have been like if we were out there then. The weather was perfect for most of the trip, and it just heightened the atmosphere of what the location is best known for. Maybe because of the smaller crowds, it made for a more memorable trip, but I could not imagine another time to come out to this beautiful part of the world. I hope that someday you can find the time to understand the joy that I found by coming out to Romain and seeing what it has to offer in the fall.
Uneven cobblestones make up the lane As I try to find some better footing, But the were leaves won’t allow any gain. The path is gathering them by looting The fall tress of their greatest finery. They can no longer offer protection Against the strong wind that blows so chilly From its mountainous fortification. I dig my hands deeper in my pockets As I peek out from underneath my hood. I start to remember things life forgets Like how moments like this used to be good. Nostalgia returns in the autumn As each step sings with the crunches that come.
The fog puts its dirty paws on the hills, So it can creep to the valley below. The vibe of summertime is what it kills As it weaves through the forest really slow. It brings with it, its chilly friend, the mist, To cover the ground with a film of dew, Taking the season in its mighty fist To a routine that we forgot we knew. It just means an extra layer today Before I venture outside of my door. I know that this monster is here to stay Until it returns to the land of yore. I guess I should enjoy these autumn days When the clouds descend upon us to graze.
It takes the coaxing of one bird in flight To convince all the others to follow. They could turn left, but they will all go right Because their conviction is so hollow That they can only do what they are told. So they will swoop around an empty field, A congregation worthy to behold, And never allowing themselves to yield. They will circle around the dying crops, Thinking that what they see is still alive. Life’s been taken away to distant shops Which does not help to explain the flock’s drive. Around and around they will always go, No substance to their revolving air show.
Transylvania is known for one creature that stalks our nightmares, Count Dracula, and it is the main reason that people come to visit. The good people of Romania play this up, and it is hard to find a place where the inspiration for this legend, Vlad the Impaler, does not show up somewhere. It makes for a great place to visit during Halloween, and many people who come out to Transylvania make sure that they tour the place where Vlad ruled from, Bran Castle, but is that the best castle to check out?
There is another place that brings many people to visit as well, Peles Castle. It is a more modern take on the medieval masterpieces with this one being built in the late 1800’s, and early 1900’s. It still has the feel of a fortress that could hold back the invading hordes, but it comes with modern conveniences such as running water and toilets. Both of the places housed the royalty of Romania, but are both worth the visit? If you came out to Transylvania and you only had time to go and see one of them, which one should you go? Well, that is the question I will be answering for you today.
There is a stark contrast between the two places. Peles Castle still has the feel of a large sprawling building with many twists and turns with secrets and ghosts hiding around each corner. However, the castle has a lot of the modern conveniences that would make living there very easy. The only problem is that there is so much money that has been put into the place that there is no possible way that only but a select handful of people could ever think about living in a place like this.
Each room showcases the amount of money that King Carol I had when he had the place built. The walls are covered in expensive paintings, specially designed leather wallpaper, and intricately carved wood. I would have spent more time looking at the walls if it wasn’t for all the furniture that was also supplied in the place, each one handcrafted to fit into the room where it now resides.
The pieces don’t only come from Romania either. King Carol I lived during a time where international travel was starting to become more of a thing for people in power, and he took full advantage of that fact. He not only traveled all over Europe, but spent a lot of time in the far eastern part of Asia. There are many art pieces that come from India, China, and Japan that help to decorate this place, and though they come from all over the world, they never feel out of place in this palace.
If the interior of Peles Castle is not enough to enjoy, taking a stroll out on its massive grounds is also worth the visit. Right next to the castle there are manicured gardens that have spots where you can sit down and enjoy the day. Beyond this are forest paths that can take you to the town down below. It is a beautiful walk on a fall day, and there are stalls set up along it where merchants sell their own handcrafted art, or the typical souvenir. It is an impressive place to visit though there can be crowds that will cause some delay to get in to see what the place has to offer.
Bran Castle also has large crowds that go and see it every day. However, it is dramatically different. The most obvious is the connection that the place has to the famous horror character, Count Dracula. He did not live in this castle, but the inspiration for the character, Vlad the Impaler did, and they play that up at any opportunity they can. It is a little bit campy, but when you are out here during the month of October, a little bit of camp can be fun.
It is an older castle, built in the 14th century, and it does not hold the modern conveniences that Peles Castle does. The rooms are also simple compared to the other castle, but it still offers a feeling like people could have actually lived in a place like this, as opposed to Peles Castle where everything is so extravagant that it is hard to believe that anyone ever lived like that.
The furniture is also not nearly as elegant, but then again, it comes from a time when even royalty looked more to practicality rather than showiness. It would still have been greater than anything that could have been found in a house from the locals living off of the land, and its durability highlights how something like this could have lasted throughout the centuries.
Its grounds are not as immense, but it is situated in a hilly part of Transylvania where the views from the windows are spectacular. If would offer a simpler kind of lifestyle, but it would still be elaborate enough to know that you are in the house of royalty.
All in all, both places are great to visit. Peles Castle is a little more memorable because of how extravagant everything is there, but that does not mean that Bran Castle does not have a lot to offer. It basically comes down to whether you are really into the vampire legends or not. If this is your thing than you will really enjoy the camp of Bran Castle over Peles. My biggest suggestion would be to plan for a long enough trip where you could visit both of them because they are both worth it.
Until next time, go out there and see as much of the world as possible.
John Collings 