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50km from the city of Brașov at the foot of the Făgăraș Mountains lies a cave so steeped in mystery and strange phenomena that it is rather difficult to describe. The Rupestral Monastery of Șinca Veche (or The Temple of Șinca Veche), also known as 'The Temple of Fulfillment', 'The Temple of Wishes', 'The Temple of Fate', 'The Cave Monastery' or just plain 'Grotto', is a national monument and, on this very spot, the Divine Liturgy was served for almost a quarter of a millennium. Why so many names? Well, because nobody really knows when... [Lire la suite]

Last weekend whilst exploring the breathtakingly beautiful village of Peștera, Bran, we came across a statue with a sculpted plaque: "Tu Ghicuta urci Vladusca Pan’ la Pietrele lui Crai Sa dai branza cea mai grasa, Dar in coji de brad s-o dai Afle varul secelean C-a facut-o un pesterean…" This lovely, simple monument in stone overlooking the magnificent Bucegii is dedicated to the shepherds of the Bran-Moeciu area with an extract from "Legenda Branului" by Ion Duicu. It is an epic poem of 2,578 verses recounting the Bran Legend he... [Lire la suite]

(Image source) The other evening, I was having dinner with friends and at some point, we got onto the subject of pălincă. As you do. When you're drinking it. "Do you know the origin of pălincă?" Radu asked me. I thought I did in terms of the 'firey plum brandy claimed by the Hungarians as theirs which angers Romanians no end.' "Nope," said Radu. "Pălincă comes from the word pelin, a plant - and the original drink was made from this." Da? I didn't know. This calls for a blog, I thought, always a sucker for lesser-known facts. And... [Lire la suite]

In 1850, Barbu Dimitrie Stirbey, ruler (voivode) of Walachia (1849-1853 and 1854-1856), began the building of his palace at Buftea as a stronghold with its two exit tunnels should a quick get-away have been deemed necessary. Such were the times. It was completed by Stirbey's son, Alexandru (1837-1895), in 1863. But it is Alexandru's son, Barbu (married to Princess Nadèje Bibescu in 1895) who really gave romantic atmosphere to the palace through his gentlemanly escapades and historic adventures and, when I visited Buftea two weeks... [Lire la suite]

(Image source) Dumitru Furnica-Minovici (1897-1982) was born into an influential Aromanian family legendary for their crusade in the name of Romanian medicine. His Brasovian father was a merchant and his mother, Elena, one of the sisters of the famous Minovici brothers. Dumitru had three fascinating uncles: The first, Mina (1857, Braila-1933, Bucuresti), founded the world's first morgue in Bucharest in 1892 (imagine the conversations at dinner!) and created the term "legal medicine" as a way of organising research, teaching and... [Lire la suite]

On 9th May this year, a permanent exhibition, 'Memory as a form of justice' of the Sighet Memorial to the Victims of Communism, opened in Bucharest. To many, it is unthinkable that there was nothing here in the capital to serve the purpose of memory and education for such a period in Romania's history up until now, but thanks once again to the dedication of Ana Blandiana and Romulus Rusan, it is finally here.  The Sighet Memorial in Sighetul Marmatiei, northern Maramures, was established in 1997 as a reminder of the crimes... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) It was with enormous sadness that I learned this morning of poet Anni-Lorei Mainka's passing - and I still cannot believe it. It is impossible to say that 'she died', because people like Anni-Lorei never do. Her enormous heart, immense compassion and empathy for every living thing, her humour and her courage will remain always and her timeless poetry, ever present, all-embracing, will outlive us all. I never had the honour of meeting her in person. We became friends via Facebook several years ago - and it was as if I... [Lire la suite]

Tennis player Simona Halep doesn't shriek or grunt when she hits the ball, serving or otherwise. She doesn't sulk, doesn't stomp, wiggle or partake in court theatricals. She doesn't get involved in scandals. She isn't a sex bomb and neither does she have legs up to her ears. Simona Halep is the nice, respectful girl-next-door. She struggles with injuries. She is small. She is quiet. She is shy.  Simona's rise in tennis has been fast and brilliant, and yet she is STILL largely ignored by the international press. WHY? Ranked n°... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) Simona Halep, the first Romanian woman to have made it to a tennis Grand Slam singles final since Virginia Ruzici (today Halep's manager) in 1978, has given her compatriots a good and worthy reason to be proud of one of their own. It comes at a time when unearthing a contemporary national figure to look up to is more than just a struggle (check out the politicians for proof of that), and the love and support poured out for Simona is all over the social networks. I have seen 'proud to be Romanian' again and again... I... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) Pianist Raluca Stirbat is forever tireless in her love and determination to save George Enescu's mother's house in Mihăileni, Botoșani. Its deplorable state has further degenerated since THIS post in January 2013 - scandalous in a country that professes to hold its national composer so dear, along with the endless promises from authorities and the house's inclusion (finally, after much faffing about) on the list of historic monuments last November. I won't even mention the huge success of the George Enescu Festival... [Lire la suite]