Bucharest and Transylvania, Romania - July 2013

The is the second posting of my July/August trip to Germany, Romania, Switzerland and France.  

July 21, 2013 - From Dusseldorf to Bucharest, Romania

I hate these early departures, even worse then a 2:00 am flight.  But I was up at 4:30 am and took a taxi to the airport.  The two Air Berlin flights were uneventful.  I will say the transfer in Berlin was a hassle.  There is separate security and passport control at every gate.  Upon arrival I again taxied to my downtown hotel.  I was exhausted and just relaxed the rest of the day.

July 22, 2012 - Bucharest

Today I did the hop on hop off tour of the city.  Below are some of the sights I saw.

This is the second largest building in the world following the Pentagon.  It was built during the final years of Communist control.  Now you know why there was no money for the people.

There is a lot of French influence in Bucharest - including their own Arc de Triumph.

I really liked this elaborate building.

July 23, 2012 - Bucharest

Today's adventure was a 12 hour tour to visit two castles and Transylvania.  It was a full day tour from Bucharest to Transylvania on a very picturesque route through the Carpathian Mountains.

The first, Peles Castle, erected between 1873 and 1914, has been the summer residence of the Romanian Royal family and it is the most visited museum in Romania.  The architecture was influenced by the king's previous German Black Forest residency.

For lunch we stopped in Brasov - a typical old Transylvania city.  Like many Eastern European cities there was little war damage, but you did see the ever present communist build apartments.

Bran Castle (14th century) has been serving for ages as a military fortress controlling the entry route to Transylvania and it is nowadays frequently associated with Dracula's myth.  The guide gave us the historical recap of Vlad the Impailer, who was the basis for Bram Stoker's Dracula. 

Peles Castle

Brasov

Count Dracula's castle in Transylvania

 

July 24, 2013 - Bucharest to London

I picked up my $35 laundry - I think they ironed my t-shirts and underwear for that price.  I walked to the Old Town for a bite before heading to the airport.

I met by good friends Ann and Norman at my London Heathrow hotel.  We had a nice dinner and chat before I headed to bed.  I had another early flight to Geneva.