Halloween Party in Romania!

31 October 2010

31.10.2010 40 °F

Brasov

Halloween Day in Romania!!! What do you do to celebrate Halloween after you have been visiting Dracula’s castle?

Brasov fountain

Brasov side street

Brasov sign

Hollywood sign in Brasov!
First though our guide walks us around Brasov- he tells us the story of the Black Church, black because of soot from a fire.

black church in Brasov

But the builder had an apprentice who ended up learning very quickly and became better than the teacher. The instructor didn’t like it so once the roof was complete he pushed the boy off to his death. He later confessed and was hung but the people put a statue of the little boy on the top in remembrance.

symbol of Romania

We saw the coat of arms for Brasov which is a crown for royalty and oak roots which mean stability.

Skinniest street in Europe

We also got to walk down the skinniest street in Europe called Rope Street.

Pele's castle

Next on the agenda is a bus ride to Sinaia and Pele’s Castle. This castle was a summer residence for the kings of Romania and a mountain resort.

View from Pele's Castle

Pele's castle vines

Unfortunately every tour group seems to be on the same itinerary so we get stuffed into a group with lots of pushy Italians. We have to put on special booties to walk through the castle. It is very ornate and actually filled with lots of things to look at. There are mirrors in Moreno glass and wood carved furniture. Inside the weapons room we see a German sword that was used to behead people. Supposedly if you were killed with this sword you would go to heaven. The peasants were usually hung.

Bran castle[i

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By this time we are once again way behind schedule so we drive to Bran Castle – the whole purpose of the trip and get hustled through the castle. There isn’t really a place to get a good shot from a distance which is unfortunate.

Bran Castle on the walk up

The knocker to Dracula's castle

Dracula's library

Bran Castle spire

Somehow the same Italian tour group is with us, pushing us through the castle. Our tour guide does a good job of trying to keep our group together. But honestly the other castle was better. This castle is famous because it guards the entrance to the Bran pass, once the main route into Wallachia. It is called Dracula’s castle but has little association with him. It is said that Vlad the Impaler seized it in 1460 on and attack of the land of Bran. Queen Marie of Romania has lived in the castle but not Dracula. As opposed to Pele’s castle there is not a lot of substance. After hustling through the castle we are set loose for 30 minutes to try and find some food below the castle. By now that is what every other tourist is doing so most of the places had no food left. We ended with bread and meat from a shoppette.
Back to the bus for another excrutiating drive for many hours to Sighisoara. This is called the Pearl of Transylvania and the old medieval city is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. We are dropped at the Sighisoara hotel to get ready for the Halloween party.

Curt and 50's girl

I have not had so much fun in a long time. The party was in the basement with costumes, dry ice making smoke and tons of decorations. We first got what everyone was calling grappa in tiny little cups. Then when we sat down had a plate of appetizers like hard boiled eggs, cold cuts and vegetables. Each couple also had a bottle of wine which I’m sure led to the good time everyone had. They had a couple of shows outside – one had hot wine and the other which was Dracula’s wedding had champagne. I got to be part of the wedding

me with Dracula

Everyone was dancing the entire night – at 0300 the party was still going. I think we were finally served the main course at 0100 and at 0200 the dessert. I think it wins as the longest dinner I have ever eaten.
Dracula