Romania

Peles Castle in Sinaia, Romania
pathway up to Peles Castle

view of Bran Castle from interior courtyard

armor display at Peles Castle

I've seen the Carpathian Mountains before. Summer of 1998, while I served as a missionary in Chernivtsi, Ukraine. I have an amazingly funny picture of Elder Lubeck and Elder Colton asleep in the back of the van on the way home. I remember having to drink fresh, as in still warm, milk and gagging and sneaking my cup to Elder Colton to finish so I wouldn't offend the very sweet country family that invited us to visit. Somehow, the only picture I have of my first companion in Ukraine is on this trip and it is of her back and the beautiful and mysterious foothills she is walking toward. Even in summer these mountains were covered in thick mist. I did not think to ever see them again. We went to Romania to visit Peles Caslte in Sinaia and Bran Castle in Bran, both cities a bit south of Brasov (if you want to know). Both were amazing and worth the 26 hour round trip drive (yikes!), but what really moved me were those mountains. The leaves were changing, but not the showy and bright colors we've known in the states. They were burgundy and mustard yellow and deep deep green half concealed by fog. I don't think man was meant to live in concrete. I don't think we can ever truly be peaceful when we are so far away from the earth created to sustain and restore us. I think we were meant to breath the fresh air and hear the crunch of leaves as we walk and live by the sun and the seasons.

Peles Castle had an amazing little museum of armor. Swords, shields, body armor. A chain mail shirt from the 16th century. I took too many pictures to post here, but you can see our picasa web album by clicking on the album below. You'll see Alex with his pretend bow and arrow and Ellie as the princess warrior as well as all our photos of both castles. Visiting Bran Castle was fantastic. Originally we thought to visit Bran because it's Dracula's Castle (halloween and all that), but Bran Castle wasn't built by or for Vlad Tepes (the real count that inspired Stoker's Count Dracula). He in fact never lived there. Bran Castle was built in 1382 by Saxons. 1382! It looks as if it is built on a mountain of rock. Creaky floors, secret stairways, dark and short passages - creepy enough without the vampires...

Transylvanian Halloween