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.
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.
It has been a long while since I have had a true autumn experience. I have not been able to travel to the places in the world that explode in the fall foliage as it spreads its blanket across the earth. It used to be one of my favorite times of the year, where I would wear jeans and long sleeved shirts as I ventured out to experience the change of seasons. Since I have moved overseas, I have lived in places where autumn is not a season. It is either a continuation of the hot weather that I have lived with all year long, or it is a short two week jaunt into a colder, unbearable weather. So when I had the opportunity to go on a long fall break, I looked around the area I was living to find that perfect location where I could go and enjoy fall. Some place with the leaves, the crisp weather, and if at all possible, a little of the creepy feel that comes with Halloween being right around the corner. There was one place that fit the bill, Transylvania. It is perfect. It has the hilly mountains filled with deciduous trees. The cool, crisp weather comes with low hanging clouds that will blanket the land in a fog that adds to the creepy atmosphere. There is also the legend of Dracula that looms over the whole region that makes it feel like I have walked into a scary movie. It has every thing that I would look for in a vacation of this type.
So I am off for a week full of the autumn experience. I can’t wait to experience that cool, crisp air, and walk through the lanes full of fallen leaves. I hope you can join me in the experience as I write about all things Romanian as I travel off to Transylvania for the fall.
It feels as if summer has just begun, And I am already hearing whispers Of shorter days and a cold fading sun When the air nibbles a little crisper. I do not wish to stay outside as long, At least not without a fluffy sweater, For the north wind blows a little too strong, And next to a wood stove would feel better. There’s something about the change in the air That makes me feel a wee bit nostalgic For a time when I did not have a care, And joy was based upon youthful logic. I do not know which days I long for more Because both are a shutting of a door.
John Collings 