Sighosoara - Days 122-123

I love couchsurfing because you never know what experiences will come your way. Well, yesterday I was privy to a traditional Romanian funeral gathering in a small village.

I'm couchsurfing (or in this case - bewelcome.org) with a German fella who is doing voluntary work at a local guesthouse. The owner/manager had to attend a funeral yesterday in a village about 25 km away and offered to bring us along. Luckily I had something black to wear in my arsenal.

Romania has a strong mourning culture, so the moment we stepped into the family's home, people began wailing and hugging each other. Meinhard and I just stood awkwardly to the side with the flowers we brought. Despite initially feeling totally out of place and invasive, the family quickly embraced us (figuratively and literally) and included us in their celebration of life. We feasted on roasted chicken, potatoes, olives, homemade bread, etc... and the mood turned rather jovial. It was a very international gathering too. In addition to the Romanians, there was a German, two French firefighters, and myself. There were all combinations of languages spoken, and I even tested out my pitiful high school French.

Brasov - Days 118-119

It's not an overstatement to say that I'm absolutely in love with Brasov. And the town is especially appealing after the urban jungle that was Bucharest. Just a short train ride away from Bucharest, and I'm in Transylvania and the Carpathian Mountains. Insert Dracula joke here.

Brasov is a medieval town with picture perfect streets, town squares, and buildings in various hues. It's one of the few places I've been where the town is just as pleasant in the rain. The day started out with brilliant sunshine and by mid-afternoon had turned cloudy, and by evening it was sprinkling.

The city has a German section encircled in old city walls, and it's the hub of the city. The cafes, restaurants, and shops line the orderly laid out pedestrian streets. There is also a Romanian section of town called the Schei where the roads are winding and nothing is at a right angle. Historically, only Saxons were allowed to live within the fortified city, thus the two different areas. Both sit right at the foot of the Tampa Mountain (a little bit of home in Romania) and there is a cable car and various hiking paths that lead to the top. The mountain is even complete with its own version of the "Hollywood" sign. I'm not quite sure when it was erected, but if I had one criticism about Brasov, that would be it. It's not like I would forget where I am without it...

Fun fact about Brasov and Transylvania in general - the film "Cold Mountain" was filmed here and after the production wrapped, the cast and crew vacationed in nearby Poiana Brasov resort town.

A perfect start to my stay in Transylvania. Brasov, Sighisoara, and Sibiu are like the holy trinity of Transylvanian Medieval towns, and I'm overjoyed to be exploring them in the next week. I would move here in a heartbeat if there were decent jobs available. I did pass by Transylvania University today and saw a big "Confucius Institute" sign, so maybe there is hope?

Just kidding, I wouldn't do that to my mother. Speaking of, a big happy mother's day to my mom and all the moms out there. That includes the new and expecting mothers in my life :) I don't say it enough but I love you mama! One of my first writing assignments in the 4th grade when I arrived in America was to write about one person you admire the most, and like a good Asian kid, I wrote about my mother. I'm pretty sure I was the only one. The teacher showed it to my mom and I was embarrassed  beyond belief! I don't remember what I wrote but if given the same assignment today, I'd still pick my mom - no doubt. Thank you for being there for me and for giving me so many opportunities! The only reason I'm able to defy your wishes and travel around the world as an unemployed vagabond right now is because of you :)