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Frosted travels through Romania
Wednesday 29 June 2016
For this little uncut gem to be a snowy paradise you will have to wait till the Northern winter but it is truly unspoiled and undiscovered. Romania is a destination that has to be experience in person and with all five senses. It bombards you with culinary delights, culture and whimsy. When we first travelled there I posted a few pictures but as the winter cold is really enveloping us we wanted to share some of Romania again and why it was so very special to us.
Arriving in
Bucharest in the pouring rain and after a chat to our cab driver all hope of
seeing snow during our visit dissipated. However, arriving at Z Boutique Hotel
in the Old Town all disappointment vanished as the rooms were warm and tasteful
and had fantastic views over the city. It was only a few minutes from one of
the many squares hosting an annual Christmas market. We layered up in minutes
and were back on the streets just as the rain stopped and were greeted by wafts
of sweetness drifting from the market and thousands of Christmas lights lining
the streets.
We were
seduced by absolutely everything, from the strange beer served hot, fragrant
mulled wine, enormous hotdogs with pork grillers, to the hundreds of different
types of coloured candy! We did not go hungry that night.
Waking up
the next morning with an eerie silence surrounding us we rushed to the window.
I knew that particular lack of sound so well and there it was, as we ripped
open the curtains we saw a city covered in a white blanket with the snowflakes
still drifting to the ground.
I never
truly understood my fascination with snow. The spell the dainty flakes weave
whenever they sifted over me on their way to the ground. Maybe it is the pure
innocence they cover the world in, maybe it is their fleeting nature?
We explored
the snow covered city on foot that day and were delighted to discover Paul’s, a
decadent patisserie in the heart of Bucharest. Imagine display cabinets filled
with delicate treats, the smell of rich coffee grounds enveloping you while a
churner slowly churn homemade hot chocolate so thick that you eat it with a
spoon! It instantly became a favourite and the place that would eventually lead
us back to Bucharest a day earlier than our original travel plans were.
Eventually
leaving Paul’s we strolled around the old city and into the magnificent
Cismigiu Gardens, a true winter wonderland in the middle of the city and a must
see.
We loved the
beautiful Caru’ Cu Bere
restaurant.Housed in an ancient twentieth century building filled with
character and the atmosphere still recalling the exuberance of old Bucharest.
Our waiter was quite apologetic announcing that due to us not having a
reservation we would only be able to keep our dinner table for two hours which
according to us was more than enough to try all the different treats! Homemade
bread loaves (literally loaves!) and little jars of traditional cherry brandy
arrived at our table just in time to accompany some hearty Romanian soups, pork
dishes, roasted vegetables and even some bear meat for the brave at heart. (We
prefer not to eat anything that would eat us…)
A quick
farewell to Bucharest and we were off to Sighisoara via the 05h45 local train the next morning. Snaking through
the powder covered landscape (it had not stopped snowing since our first night)
we arrived at what seemed to be a deserted train station… Sighisoara; also
known as the birthplace of the infamous Count Vlad.
A tiny town
but definitely worth a visit. We found out the hard way that restaurant hours
in winter here greatly vary from the cities and at 20h00 we could no longer
find a place to eat.
Having to go
to bed hungry that evening was soon forgotten when we strolled down to
breakfast at Pension Um Schneiderturm the next morning. As it was low season S
& I were pretty much the only visitors in town and the only guests at the
Pension they spoiled us rotten. A massive table laden with fresh treats from
fruit and cheeses to local honey and cured meats, not to mention the different
types of baked breads, pastries and cakes were all laid out just for us.
Another quick farewell before the Pension owner took us back to the little
deserted train station.
Next stop…
the secluded ski-village of Poiana Brasov where we spend the next few days.
Exploring the surrounding woods, snow sports and more yummy traditional food!
Daytrips by
bus to Brasov, Peles Castle,Sinaia, Azuga Rhein Cellers ( who produces the
official sparkling wine for the Royal family), Rasnov and the famous Bran
Castle let us explore the region of Transylvania and we let ourselves be
carried away by all the myths and legends of vampires and slain armies, of wild
bears and beautiful captured maidens.
Romania is
truly a place to remember and worth waiting for the Northern Winter for!
We wanted to
add some of our own winter travel tips to the blog for all of you heading to
Lesotho this winter… or maybe waiting for the first snow in Europe…
- Always either dress for your destination or
have a change of clothing in your hand luggage and baggage do go missing.
- Pack a pair of all weather, rubber soled boots
or shoes. Once it snowed sidewalks get slippery and navigating the city is
a bit more challenging.
- Thermal undergarments are your friends, so is
layering. With shops, restaurants and hotels thoroughly heated you have to
be able to take your outer coat off indoors and still be warm and decent.
- When in Europe, have cake for breakfast it’s
completely acceptable.
- Walk, walk, walk. The best way to appreciate
the icy landscape is on foot and you might just find a cabin restaurant
tucked away in the woods.
- Pack sunblock and a good pair of sunglasses,
and use them daily.
- Try the local snow sports. Snow mobiles are a
fantastic way to get close to nature and enjoy the remarkable trails
without needing weeks of lessons.
- When wintering in the Northern Hemisphere
visit the Christmas markets, they are unique and unlike anything in
Africa.
- Keep in mind that train, plane and bus schedules might be affected by heavy snowfall.
Heinrich & Elizabeth
Friday 17 June 2016
When you
walk into a venue where the bridal suite perfectly matches the brides colour
scheme and waves of white English roses spill onto the patio you know that the
day will be filled with excitement and that fairy dust that makes weddings so
special!
I had the
wonderful opportunity to photography Heinrich and Elisabeth's wedding at La
Bella Esperance as a second shooter for the lovely Tanya from Tavati
Photography.
Lots of
beautiful little details made this wedding so different… the intricate sugar
work done on the wedding cake by Elizabeth’s mother, the custom hangers for
each bridesmaid, the little tables with crayons and treats especially setup for
their “little friends”… and we just loved the way the whole family rallied when
the flowers did not arrive exactly the way they should have. In the end all
these little touches by the hands of the people closes to them made this
celebration truly unique
* All the
photographs in this post was taken by myself whilst photographing as a second
shooter for Tavati Photography