Hungary,
Romania
and Bulgarian – July/August 2018
The train from Vienna arrived in Budapest
about 12:30 p.m. I walked to the Hotel
Star Inn where our Intrepid group would meet that evening, dropped off my
luggage and headed to the center of town.
Stopped in a nice square and had a slice of the delicious walnut filled
Ezterhazy cake and then walked across the stone bridge to the buda side past
the Matthias church but it was closed.
We all met at 6 p.m. for our orientation meeting and then I walked back
to October 6 and SAS Street
for a delicious salmon salad with arugula and peppers at Café Kor.
Met the group in
the morning for our orientation walk around Budapest.
I had been there before but it is always nice to get another point of
view. Our guide, Claudia, is from Romania and
really nice. Afterwards I walked across
the yellow bridge to Margaret’s Island and
enjoyed the beautiful fountains, Japanese gardens, the open woods, etc. It was really lovely. Stopped by Szazeves, the 100 year old
restaurant to see its charming interior and then stopped again for another
delicious piece of 7 layer Ezterhazy cake before heading to the Jewish
quarter. Peeked into a few “ruin pubs”,
i.e. fuge Udvar in the historical Ghetto area.
They are part of Budapest’s
lively nightlife and most started out in condemned buildings, old warehouses,
etc. and are filled with flea market furniture, etc. Great fun for the young!
Was able to get
the last tour of the great synagogue, the largest Jewish house of worship in
the world outside of NYC. On the patio,
there is a holocaust tree of life memorial which presides over the mass graves
of those murdered by the Nazis. Had a
few minutes to see the museum of lamps, torahs, etc. Very moving…
Enjoyed a
delicious dinner outside at Menza near the hotel, i.e. warm goat cheese salad
with walnut bread croutons and warm chocolate torte with ice cream.
After breakfast we
took the train to Eger
and had an orientation walk around the town.
Stopped for lunch at Macok with a few others and had delicious
dishes. I had perch-pike with
cauliflower puree and a couple others had rabbit with sweet potato puree. All beautifully presented. Wandered up to the castle and around the
little streets, had an ice cream and then returned to the hotel. Later we all went wine tasting as the area is
very well known for its unique wines.
Took the bus in
the morning to Debrecen
where we stopped for a couple hours to explore Deri Square with its fountains, colorful
buildings and golden great church.
Stopped at a café for apple strudel and coffee before continuing by
train and then private mini van across the central plains into the Maramures
region of Romania. It was a very long drive. We stayed the night at Ramona’s guesthouse
where she fixed us a delicious dinner of pork chops, mashed potatoes,
cucumber/tomato/feta salad and nut cake for dessert!
After a nice
breakfast a mini van picked us up and we were off to see the countryside. First
stopped to visit a number of wooden churches of quite unique design. Also visited the sighet prison, located in
the town of Sighetu, which was used by Romania to hold
criminals, POWs and political prisons. You can look at the former prison cells
which housed some of Romania’s
foremost intellectuals; some of the cells have turned into exhibits on the
history of the prison and communism. A
very worthwhile experience. Stopped for
an apple strudel and espresso before continuing on to visit an old grain mill, textile
mill and place where they make plain and blueberry liquor which we sampled
while our guide played the fiddle and our host the drums. It was lovely.
Last stop was the
Merry cemetery in Sapanta. It is famous
for its colorful tombstones with naïve painting describing, in original and
poetic manner, the people who are buried there as well as scenes from their
lives.
Ramona’s dinner that
night was mushroom fritters, soup with dumplings, cabbage rolls stuffed with
meat and chocolate cake with coconut.
Not quite as wonderful as last night’s meal but good all the same.
After breakfast we
headed to Transylvania, stopping for a couple
hours in Bistrita situated on the bistrita river. I visited the Evangelical church tower and
wandered around the town a bit before stopping at a little café for apple
strudel and coffee. Walked up to the
synagogue but it was closed…On to medieval Sighisoara, a world heritage site
famed as the birthplace of Vlad Dracul III, better known as Vlad the Impaler,
whose name was the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s iconic Count Dracula. Took an orientation walk around the old town,
surrounded on all sides by fortified walls.
Afterwards I walked down to the village below to see the unique houses.
Dinner at Casa
Georgius Kraus in the downstairs “cave” was delicious, i.e. duck breast salad
with arugula and sundried tomatoes and apple pie with custard sauce.
Delicious
breakfast with watermelon for a change.
Walked to the clock tower and enjoyed the museum of unique furniture,
etc. on each floor as you climbed to the top.
Walked up through a tunnel to the church on top of the hill and then we
all met at the hotel and drove to the small village of Viscri originally
inhabited by Saxons. An idyllic little
village of red tiled roofs, it is a world heritage site, virtually unchanged
for 900 years. Homestay in a nice little
guesthouse.
Once settled we
visited an old church and museum nearby and then took a horse cart to the home
of the brick maker to learn how bricks are made. Delicious dinner, all of us eating at one big
table outside on the patio, i.e. bean soup, potatoes with mushroom sauce,
cabbage salad and peach cake for dessert.
After a simple
breakfast we drove to the 13th century Saxon city of Brasov once a major
medieval trading center. Orientation
walk and then free time to wander along the pedestrian street, etc. Found a lovely café for cheesecake and
espresso and then spent some time in the folk art museum and the art museum
next door. Walked up to the first
Romanian school house and was enchanted with its old benches, chalkboard and
even the first printing press where the school books were printed.
Later that night
we heard an organ concert in the black church, Romania’s largest gothic
church. I was so taken by the music that
I forgot to look around at the rich collection of Anatolian carpets!!! Dinner together at a nearby beer hall which
was rather uninspiring…
Delicious
breakfast of crepes with jam and warm mini croissants before taking the train
to Bucharest. After an orientation walk around this very
cosmopolitan city visiting many of the ancient churches, the old part of town,
etc. we picked up pastries for lunch and then returned to the hotel. Later in the afternoon a few of us took a
fabulous guided tour of the Palace of Parliament, the second largest building
in the world (after the Pentagon) with its 3,000 rooms and 4,500 chandeliers covering
330,000 square metres. Incredible
carpets, staircases, etc. WOW!!!
Had a lovely
dinner at Kane Restaurant, i.e. duck sous vide with cherries and roasted beets,
chocolate mousse cake and a glass of wine.
Had thought about taking the metro but as it was raining I just took a
taxi back which was sooo much easier!
Delicious
breakfast of mini croissants and mini pains au chocolat and then said good-bye
to a couple people who were leaving this part of the tour. Will have a room to myself for the rest of
the trip!!!
Took a long walk
up to Muzeul Saturlut (Villge
Museum), an
open-air
ethnographic museum located in the Herastrau
Park, showcasing
traditional Romanian village live. It
contains 272 authentic peasant farms and houses from all over Romania. Unfortunately, it was closed for the day but
there was a camp going on so I was able to talk my way in and spent a couple
hours seeing the houses from the outside and peeking in the windows!!!
Stopped by a
little French bistro for chocolate mousse cake with cherries and espresso and
then walked to the Synagogue which was closed but I will be able to visit
tomorrow before we leave.
Took a taxi to
Fishhouse and had a lovely dinner, i.e. grilled octopus with potatoes and
chicory and cheesecake with berries outside on the patio. Started to rain just as I finished so
returned by taxi.
Took a walk in the
morning to the great synagogue with its beautiful chandelier – so glad it was
open. Wandered around the Armenian
quarter, unique to Bucharest. Took a train to Veliko Tarnovo, a very quaint
little town with its cobbled stone streets, etc. Only had time for a quick look around before
meeting for dinner at Restaurant Shtastliveca overlooking the water. We sat upstairs and everyone seemed to enjoy
their meal. I ordered duck which was
very disappointing but everything else looked pretty good!!!
Picked up an apple
pastry and coffee for breakfast and then had our orientation walk. First stop was the Tsarevets Fortress, the
former seat of the medieval tsars which boasts the remains of more than 400
houses. We wandered around the ancient
ruins, walked along the fortress walls and up past the palace ruins to the top
of the hill where we visited the church of the Ascension with its very stark
modern interior and dramatic murals painted by Teofan Sokerov in 1985 (not to
everyone’s taste…).
At 11:00 a.m. I
joined a walking tour which told of the history of Bulgaria as we walked though the old
city, stopping at interesting old Renaissance houses, handicraft workshops,
etc. Stopped for lunch at Ego and had a
Greek salad and some warm pita bread and then wandered down to the Sarafkinata
kashta house-museum, an example of Bulgarian architectural masterpieces from
the period revival. In the museum are
displayed costumes, handmade cloths, jewelry as well as objects relating to
everyday life.
Later I walked
down to the tourist information office and across the bridge to the Asenevtsi monument
representing the four kings of Bulgaria
who have ruled while Veliko Tarnovo used to be the capital. There is also a little park nearby. On my way back I stopped for dinner nearby,
i.e. grilled trout, grilled vegetables and chocolate tart for dessert. Delicious!!
Took a local mini
bus in the morning to Plovdiv,
an ancient city. Had some free time
before our orientation walk so I walked to Kapana and then the old town to get
a feeling for the city. Orientation walk
was really good highlighting some of the old parts of the city, etc. Dinner at Memory where we sat outside. I had a roasted eggplant salad with tomatoes
and tapenade and a warm chocolate soufflé cake.
In the morning I
walked to the Kapana area to visit the mosque and one of the great churches on
the way up to the amphitheatre where we would see a performance later that
evening. On to the old town to visit
some of the museums starting with the Ethnographic Museum,
a national revival building filled with lots of interesting things used in the
19th century, folk costumes, musical instruments, etc. Walked down the street of crafts to the balabanov
house containing a lot of nice contemporary art as well as being a beautiful
mansion on its own.
Wandered through
the stone gate to the small basilica, built in the second half of the 5th
century, with its colorful mosaic floors. Walked back to Kapana to Atlas where I enjoyed
a great lunch, i.e. roasted pumpkin salad with cheese and pumpkin seeds and
chocolate tart. Strolled through the
lovely park nearby with its beautiful fountains, lakes and statues and then we
all met at the hotel to walk to the amphitheatre for the folk dancing show
where several countries, i.e. France, Georgia, Slovenia, etc., were
performing. It was really good.
Walked into town
in the morning and then we took a mini bus to the bear sanctuary, home to
rescued dancing bears. On to Bkansko set
at the base of the majestic Pirin mountains and a ski resort in the winter. Orientation walk down the cobbled streets,
passing the stone houses to the Church
of Sveta Troitsa to see
its famous frescoes. Stopped by the big,
wooden “washing machine” and then listened to a pre concert on the outside
stage.
Had a delicious
meal at Matsurevhan out on the patio, i.e. grilled trout, grilled eggplant/zucchini/onions/pepper
and a unique biscuit dessert famous in the city.
After breakfast we
took a gondola up to the Pirin mountains and spent a couple hours hiking which
was really lovely. Visited Pavel
Rekznicek’s (a famous poet) house with murals of the revolution and pictures of
him as a young man. He was shot for
political reasons…The house has three rooms where he lived with his
mother. Stopped for a delicious lemon
tart across from Matsurevhan before heading to the little village of Gorno Draglishte
where we stayed at a guesthouse.
Orientation walk around the town and then a delicious home cooked
dinner, i.e. vegetable soup with homemade bread, potato/cabbage phyllo pie,
zucchini with cheese and yogurt sauce, cabbage/cucumber salad and carrot
“cake”. Afterwards we all dressed in
traditional Bulgarian costumes and danced outside together to music. Great fun!!
Early breakfast,
arriving at the Rila Monestery, the largest and most famous Eastern Orthodox
monastery in Bulgaria,
about 11 a.m. The main church has five
domes, three altars ad two side chapels.
On of the of the most precious items inside is the gold-plated
iconostasis, famous for its wood-carving.
There are frescoes on all walls and the church is also the home of many
icons. Also visited the museum nearby
with its beautiful breast crosses, small silver ones and a wood carved cross
with miniatures carved out of wood. Took
a walk down to the cemetery and than had a piece of chocolate cake at the
little outdoor café overlooking the stream.
On to Sofia. Orientation walk gave us a good feel of this
enormous city and a good idea of what to see on our own. Our last dinner together at Hadijidraganov’s. I had the chicken shish kebab with
tomato/cucumber/feta/olive salad and it was really good. Will now have a few days on my own…
Delicious
croissant in the morning with honey and then walked to the covered market
across from the mosque. Met a group near
the square for the walking tour and the guide was very informative about the
city. Went into the Aleksander Nevski
Cathedral built between 1882 and 1912 in memory of the 200,000 Russian soldiers
who died fighting for Bulgaria’s
independence during the russo-turkish war.
Also visited the Sveta Sofia church, one of the capital’s oldest. Went down into the subterranean museum
housing an ancient nectropolis with 56 tombs and the remains of four other
churches. Very interesting!!
Stopped by the
nearby Café Wien and had a lovely chocolate pistachio torte with pistachio
sauce and an espresso, listening to Viennese music. A nice break.
Returned to the hotel to pick up my bags and walked to my airbnb about
30 minutes away. Met my hostess at the
door and we walked upstairs and into an absolutely lovely flat. One of the nicest airbnb I have ever stayed
in. She explained what was nearby, where
I could get delicious pastries in the morning, etc. and had even picked up a
delicious leek and onion baguette for me!
Then I was on my own. Took a nice
hot shower, add my delicious baguette and “regrouped” for a bit…Later that
evening I walked to “Made in Home” for a delicious dinner. A cute little house with tables in every
room. It was delightful!! I had a warm goat cheese salad with quinoa,
crackers, dried cranberries, walnuts and pepper pieces followed by a chocolate
caramel tart.
Found the Furna Café
nearby in the morning and had a delicious leek and onion baguette like I had
yesterday with espresso for breakfast.
Walked to the open-air market nearby and to the synagogue and then spent
a few hours in the Ethnographical museum with its regional costumes, crafts,
etc. Stopped by Made in Blue for a
chocolate tart and espresso before heading back to the airbnb.
Later that evening
I took the metro to Chefs restaurant and it was about a 10 minute walk from the
metro stop. Had such a wonderful meal,
i.e. octopus with carrot puree and cheesecake with apricot sauce. Very peaceful atmosphere.
Furna for a
chocolate croissant and then wandered around the ladies market filled with
great fruits and vegetables. Stopped by
the Sveta Nedetya church, an Eastern Orthodox medieval church that suffered
destruction through the ages and has been reconstructed many times. On to the National Gallery of Art, occupying
most of the historic and imposing edifice of the former royal palace of Bulgarian
and filled with interesting Bulgarian art.
Stopped again at the Café Wien for chocolate cake and espresso and then
walked to the doll museum but unfortunately it was closed…It is on ul.Tsar
Samuli which is filled with art galleries so I wandered along enjoying what I
could.
Had dinner At Made
in Blue which was a bit disappointing, i.e. strange sunflower nectarine salad,
sweet potato wedges with blue cheese and figs and blueberry cheese cake for
dessert. Walked up to the Delta Blues
Bar and listened to some great blues for about an hour…
Furna for a fig
and cheese pastry and then walked to the 500 Bulgarian Art Museum and spent a
couple hours there. There are some 1,700
artworks from the gallery’s rich fund of over 42,000 museum pieces by Bulgarian
and foreign artists exhibited in 28 halls on four levels. The Bulgarian collection dates back to the
1890s, while the greater part of the foreign collection was formed in the 1980s.
Walked down Levski Boulevard
and through the park to “little things”, a cute little restaurant I had thought
to have lunch at; however, due to water problems it was closed…So walked over
to Made in Home and had a delicious grilled peach and burrata salad with maple
syrup glaze. Back to Made in Home for
dinner again, my last meal in Sofia. Had the excellent goat cheese salad again
along with the chocolate tart. It was
awesome!
My last pastry at
Furna in the morning and then walked to the metro and took it to the airport
and boarded my flight to LAX. Watched
“Wrinkle in Time” and “Downsizing” on board to pass the time! What a great trip!!
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