România: Impression and Experiences

I sit on this train leaving Romania realizing how much I actually really loved being in the country. I spent two weeks (minus one day in Moldova) traveling to numerous cities around the country and enjoyed every second of it. While I was there, I didn’t realize this. Like any other place I have traveled, I got used to and acquainted with the every day comforts of being where I was.

I started in Bucharest coming via taxi from Bulgaria and started off pretty rough despite gloomy weather and having to walk in it for 10 hours due to the rules of my couchsurfing hosts. Despite the rough start, they did welcome me into their home with homemade Pálinka and local cuisine which came from some village.
That’s the thing about Romania that I love so much, is that the ratio of village life outdoes the city life. It’s an incredible appreciation coming from a country where everything is processed and GMO rules.

I first used BlaBlacar from Bucharest to Constanta, something I’ve been wanting to use for years and absolutely loved it. Surfed with some incredible hosts from Spain and France for a few days on the Black sea where I stopped time sitting on the beach and taking it all in. After Moldova, i made my way to Iasi and surfed with a British woman referred to me by my hosts in Bucharest. Here we went over to an old Romanian students house where she cooked and prepared some more local cuisine for us and had some wine.

My second Blablacar experience was from Iasi to Cluj passing through the Carpathian mountains and was an experience with a driver I will never forget. Not only did he stop some places for me to see and take photos, but it was such nice company that he invited me to have drinks and dinner at his place with him and his wife the next day. 5 palinca shots and 5 beers later, we drunkingly parted ways and still keep in tough. Stayed with a German guy who was willing to take me in despite his busy schedule. Saw the Salt mine in Turda and the city center while I was there.

Did a third Blablacar from Cluj to Sibiu and was yet another nice experience chatting with Romanians about life there and in the USA. I didn’t have too much luck in Sibiu, Sighisoara, and Brasov through couchsurfing. But I had an incredible kitchen party in a hostel in Sibiu and hung out with some people from there in Brasov. Had the ability to stretch out in Sighisoara in a cheap full apartment in the middle of town.

Sightseeing outside of Brasov, I had finally broken my fear of hitchhiking. Although it was only 15 Kilometers, those 20 minutes spend speaking with a Romanian about my travels was incredible and I will never forget that. Despite the unusual travel path I decided to do, I took a long 9 hour train across the country (two with an American girl so I wasn’t completely lonely) seeing some beautiful landscapes with one fortress right outside my window.

In Timisoara, I enjoyed my last city with an incredible and hospitable host whom I’ve connected with so well that made me really fall hard for Romania. Romanian language is incredibly Romantic and pleasant to the ears. It’s more so for me because some of it sounds close to spanish yet some words have a touch of slavic tongue and trully unique in its own way. Romania has a lot to offer as far as things to do, see, and especially experience. It’s surely become one of my favorite countries and a place I can guarantee returning to. Noroc 🙂