Post by Zostar on Dec 12, 2004 12:31:38 GMT -5
"Oval-shaped Romania is the third-largest Eastern European country, behind Russia and the Ukraine. It lies on the Black Sea and, moving clockwise from the south, shares borders with Bulgaria, Serbia & Montenegro, Hungary, Ukraine and Moldova. The forested Carpathian Mountains account for one third of the country's area; another third is covered by hills and tablelands full of orchards and vineyards; and the final third comprises a fertile plain where cereals, vegetables and herbs are grown.
The Carpathian mountains boast the least spoilt forests in Europe, rich in beech, sycamore, maple, poplar and birch. Some 1350 floral species have been recorded in the Carpathians, including the yellow poppy, Transylvanian columbine, saxifrage and edelweiss. Romania has 13 national parks, including the Retezat Mountains in the Carpathians, and more than 500 protected areas.
If people didn't prosper under Ceausescu, bears did! He allowed no one but himself to hunt them, the result being that the Carpathian mountains are now home to 60% of Europe's bears. Some 40% of Europe's wolves and 35% of its lynx also live there, along with stag, wild boar, badger, deer, fox, and the green woodpecker, jay and grey owl. Romania's main drawcard for twitchers is the Danube Delta, home to 60% of the world's small pygmy cormorant population, the white grey egret, bee-keeper and white-tailed eagle. Half the world's population of red-breasted geese winter here. The protected delta has the largest unbroken reed bed in the world.
You don't go to Romania for the weather. The average annual temperature is 11°C in the south and on the coast, but only 2°C in the mountains. Romanian winters can be extremely cold and foggy, with lots of snow from December to April. In summer there's usually hot, sunny weather on the Black Sea coast. The majority of Romania's rain falls in the spring, with the mountains getting the most, the Danube Delta the least.
"Brasov, a medieval Saxon town surrounded by verdant Transylvanian hills, is one of Romania's most visited places. It was in Brasov that the first public opposition to the Ceausescu regime occurred - in 1987 thousands of disgruntled workers, angered by wage cuts, long hours, and rationing, took to the streets demanding basic foodstuffs. Ceausescu's response was to call in the troops (three people were killed) and cut rations even further. Brasov's main attraction is the Black Church, said to be the largest Gothic church between Vienna and Istanbul. The church's name comes from its blackened appearance following a fire in 1689.
Many people use Brasov as a base for visiting nearby attractions. The main magnet for tourists is Bran Castle, commonly known as 'Dracula's Castle', 30km (18.6 mi) south of Brasov. Despite popular myth, the castle has no links with Vlad Tepes, the medeivel prince most often associated with everyone's favorite vampire. And, with its fairytale turrets and whitewashed walls, the castle is not exactly menacing. Less touristy and more dramatic is Rasnov Castle, en route to Bran Castle from Brasov. The ski resorts of Poiana Brasov and Sinaia are also within easy reach by bus or train from Brasov. Plenty of local and international buses and trains stop at Brasov."
"The 5800 sq km (2238 sq mi) Danube Delta, just south of the Ukrainian border, is Europe's youngest land geologically, and a magnet for birds and birdwatchers. Amid this wetland of reed beds and waterways, lily-covered lakes and shifting sand dunes, the Danube River completes its journey from Germany's Black Forest. Just over 14,500 people live on the Delta. Traditional wooden kayaks and rowing boats are the primary means of accessing the Delta's 57 fishing villages. Ceausescu's project to reclaim 38% of the delta for fish farming, forestry and agriculture was abandoned after the revolution. Today the Danube Delta is protected, and 273,300 hectares (675,051 acres) of it are strictly forbidden zones, off limits to tourists and fishermen. If you want to see wildlife, your best bet is to explore smaller waterways in a kayak or rowing boat or with a local fisherman. There are no shops, so take supplies with you. And don't forget the insect repellent! The gateway to the delta is Tulcea, with good bus and train connections. From there you can hire rowing boats and kayaks, or arrange trips with fishermen. You'll need a permit to visit the Delta, which you can get at travel agencies in Tulcea."
"The Fagaras Mountains, in the centre of Romania, form part of the Carpathians and stretch for some 75km (47mi) south of the main Brasov-Sibiu road. The mountains are peppered with more than 40 glacial lakes, the highest of which is Lake Mioarele at 2282m (7484ft). The famed Trans-Fagarasan Highway cuts through the Balea Valley across the mountains from north to south, a mountain pass which is said to be the highest road in Europe. The Balea tunnel, cutting between Romania's highest mountains - Mount Negoiu (2535m/8314ft) and Mount Moldoveanu (2543m/8341ft) - is 845m (2771ft) long. The Fagaras Mountains offer the most spectacular hiking in the country, with well marked trails and an abundance of wildlife. The main drawback is the difficulty in getting there. The trailheads are 8km (5mi) to 15km (9mi) south of most train stations along the Brasov-Sibiu line, and the region is poorly serviced by bus. The main access point to the trails is Victoria, which you reach by getting off at the train halt 7km (4mi) north at Ucea. If you have a car, follow the Trans-Fagarasan Highway to Poienari Castle, just over the border in Wallachia. This was built for Vlad Tepes, and is regarded by Dracula buffs as the real McCoy. You climb 1480 steps to reach it from the side of a hydroelectric power plant below."
The Carpathian mountains boast the least spoilt forests in Europe, rich in beech, sycamore, maple, poplar and birch. Some 1350 floral species have been recorded in the Carpathians, including the yellow poppy, Transylvanian columbine, saxifrage and edelweiss. Romania has 13 national parks, including the Retezat Mountains in the Carpathians, and more than 500 protected areas.
If people didn't prosper under Ceausescu, bears did! He allowed no one but himself to hunt them, the result being that the Carpathian mountains are now home to 60% of Europe's bears. Some 40% of Europe's wolves and 35% of its lynx also live there, along with stag, wild boar, badger, deer, fox, and the green woodpecker, jay and grey owl. Romania's main drawcard for twitchers is the Danube Delta, home to 60% of the world's small pygmy cormorant population, the white grey egret, bee-keeper and white-tailed eagle. Half the world's population of red-breasted geese winter here. The protected delta has the largest unbroken reed bed in the world.
You don't go to Romania for the weather. The average annual temperature is 11°C in the south and on the coast, but only 2°C in the mountains. Romanian winters can be extremely cold and foggy, with lots of snow from December to April. In summer there's usually hot, sunny weather on the Black Sea coast. The majority of Romania's rain falls in the spring, with the mountains getting the most, the Danube Delta the least.
"Brasov, a medieval Saxon town surrounded by verdant Transylvanian hills, is one of Romania's most visited places. It was in Brasov that the first public opposition to the Ceausescu regime occurred - in 1987 thousands of disgruntled workers, angered by wage cuts, long hours, and rationing, took to the streets demanding basic foodstuffs. Ceausescu's response was to call in the troops (three people were killed) and cut rations even further. Brasov's main attraction is the Black Church, said to be the largest Gothic church between Vienna and Istanbul. The church's name comes from its blackened appearance following a fire in 1689.
Many people use Brasov as a base for visiting nearby attractions. The main magnet for tourists is Bran Castle, commonly known as 'Dracula's Castle', 30km (18.6 mi) south of Brasov. Despite popular myth, the castle has no links with Vlad Tepes, the medeivel prince most often associated with everyone's favorite vampire. And, with its fairytale turrets and whitewashed walls, the castle is not exactly menacing. Less touristy and more dramatic is Rasnov Castle, en route to Bran Castle from Brasov. The ski resorts of Poiana Brasov and Sinaia are also within easy reach by bus or train from Brasov. Plenty of local and international buses and trains stop at Brasov."
"The 5800 sq km (2238 sq mi) Danube Delta, just south of the Ukrainian border, is Europe's youngest land geologically, and a magnet for birds and birdwatchers. Amid this wetland of reed beds and waterways, lily-covered lakes and shifting sand dunes, the Danube River completes its journey from Germany's Black Forest. Just over 14,500 people live on the Delta. Traditional wooden kayaks and rowing boats are the primary means of accessing the Delta's 57 fishing villages. Ceausescu's project to reclaim 38% of the delta for fish farming, forestry and agriculture was abandoned after the revolution. Today the Danube Delta is protected, and 273,300 hectares (675,051 acres) of it are strictly forbidden zones, off limits to tourists and fishermen. If you want to see wildlife, your best bet is to explore smaller waterways in a kayak or rowing boat or with a local fisherman. There are no shops, so take supplies with you. And don't forget the insect repellent! The gateway to the delta is Tulcea, with good bus and train connections. From there you can hire rowing boats and kayaks, or arrange trips with fishermen. You'll need a permit to visit the Delta, which you can get at travel agencies in Tulcea."
"The Fagaras Mountains, in the centre of Romania, form part of the Carpathians and stretch for some 75km (47mi) south of the main Brasov-Sibiu road. The mountains are peppered with more than 40 glacial lakes, the highest of which is Lake Mioarele at 2282m (7484ft). The famed Trans-Fagarasan Highway cuts through the Balea Valley across the mountains from north to south, a mountain pass which is said to be the highest road in Europe. The Balea tunnel, cutting between Romania's highest mountains - Mount Negoiu (2535m/8314ft) and Mount Moldoveanu (2543m/8341ft) - is 845m (2771ft) long. The Fagaras Mountains offer the most spectacular hiking in the country, with well marked trails and an abundance of wildlife. The main drawback is the difficulty in getting there. The trailheads are 8km (5mi) to 15km (9mi) south of most train stations along the Brasov-Sibiu line, and the region is poorly serviced by bus. The main access point to the trails is Victoria, which you reach by getting off at the train halt 7km (4mi) north at Ucea. If you have a car, follow the Trans-Fagarasan Highway to Poienari Castle, just over the border in Wallachia. This was built for Vlad Tepes, and is regarded by Dracula buffs as the real McCoy. You climb 1480 steps to reach it from the side of a hydroelectric power plant below."
-Lonely Planet
"A natural chateau locates its estate here; a tangle of overgrown and overripe fauna laces against the sky with browning stems and withering leaves. The intense pong of acerbic flower’s and their rotting fruit fills the air. Jays and green woodpeckers gather to gorge themselves in the banquet of surplus crop. Wild boar also browse the area, indulging on the food like the pigs they are. A time ago it was agreed mutually that this would be shared hunting grounds for the whole of the three packs. This is a place where wolves will not hunt one another but chase the lera that they were meant to chase."
"This is where the cubs frolic - the historic Stone Spores where Larka, Fell, and Kar where raised swearing oath to protect each other. The rocky formations still just from the area like mushrooms. A warm dry cave is not to far away and provides a cozy nursing den or hide away for shy pups. It is blocked off by the traditional willow tree who's gnarled branches hang like graceful fingers. Overall it is a blissful place though the silhoutte of the Stone Den sometimes shadows the area..."
"This is where the cubs frolic - the historic Stone Spores where Larka, Fell, and Kar where raised swearing oath to protect each other. The rocky formations still just from the area like mushrooms. A warm dry cave is not to far away and provides a cozy nursing den or hide away for shy pups. It is blocked off by the traditional willow tree who's gnarled branches hang like graceful fingers. Overall it is a blissful place though the silhoutte of the Stone Den sometimes shadows the area..."
- Zostar