Sunday, October 4, 2009

Sinaia - Sunday afternoon 10/4

We arrived in Sinaia around 1pm and checked into our hotel.  Then we went on a four hour walking tour.  Some of the pictures are at http://picasaweb.google.com/nundabud/SinaiaRomania#

I may add a few more photos.  I have one of a poster saying Beware of Bears.  Sinaia is a city created around a royal palace and is a favorite place for Romanians and many tourists to visit.  To read the history of the Romanian Monarchy is quite interesting.  The first king, Carol I was a Hapsburg and his offspring populated palaces around Europe.   It is a city in the mountains and people use it year round; in the winter it is a popular ski spot.  We did a lot of uphill walking and passed various roadside merchants selling a wide range of products.  The embrodery is really beautiful.  One woman was very insistent that I should by an embroidered table cloth.  Her refrain "ten dollars" - it really was worth it but my decor doesn't lend itself to embroidered tablecloths.  The crochet work is also very beautiful.  We looked at the main palace and then did a small tour of a smaller palace built by some of the royal children who found the main palace too much.  We wandered up to a Romanian Orthodox monastery.  They don't allow pictures inside churches which is a pity because we've seen some magnificent churches.

After our palace tour, we walked back downtown and found a restaurant called Steak.  I found out that here steak can mean any kind of meat.  I had bean soup with smoked ham and chicken with red beans and a lot of garlic slices.  Florin had lamb chops, and a salad.  We drank a dry Romanian red wine.  Then we walked back to the hotel and have been in the lobby catching up on email and blogs.

This has been a marvelous weekend.  We will either take a train back to Bucharest tomorrow or a maxi taxi depending on whether there's a general strike or not.  Talk to you soon.

3 comments:

  1. WOW!!! The pictures are wonderful. I can't believe how pretty it is. I think I've gained 20lbs just hearing about the delicious dishes.

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  2. Thank you for sharing your fabulous weekend both in word and pictures. Both cities look beautiful! Rope Street is, indeed, narrow! Thanks for fulfilling my picture requests!
    Very few people in sight. It mustn't be tourist season. Florin sure does enjoy his lamb!! Safe trip back tomorrow. Hopefully the trains will be running. Love....

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  3. Great to hear that you are relaxing and enjoying life. The pictures are fabulous! Your apartment sounds nice. I especially like the patio and being able to sit outside and enjoy morning coffee or a pm beer.
    Be safe (sounds like you are)
    Love,
    Renee and Karen( who is interested in---what you are eating.

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