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Travel: Romania

I have traveled to many countries but very few places have enchanted me like Romania has. I don’t know if this deep sense of connection I feel towards this country that I have visited multiple times comes from the country’s very delicious food or from its beautiful landscapes and countryside or from the very welcoming people of this land. For sure, my Romanian ex-wife was a major influence in introducing me to many of the wonderful cultural artifacts and experiences of this magical place.

But, as I think long and hard, my love for Romania might have something to do with the simplicity of village life in Maramures and the Transylvania countryside. It would definitely have to do with zacusca (a vegetable spread), mamaliga (a cornmeal porridge) and ciorba de pui (a sour chicken soup), three of my favorite Romanian dishes. I am fairly certain it has a lot to do with the aromatic wafts I inhale as I take shots of my favorite tuica and palinca, which are once-distilled and twice-distilled plum brandies, respectively, that Romanians make at home to almost heavenly perfection and to a very high alcoholic content.

I recently wrote an article for a Romanian website that captures some of my interesting experiences of traveling in this beautiful country. You may access it at the link below.

A Solo Traveler’s First-Day Friendly Romanian Experience: https://positivenewsromania.com/2019/04/02/a-solo-travelers-first-day-friendly-romanian-experience/ 

A few pictures from my Romanian sojourns: