Sibiu

Today the weather forecast was awful, rain all day.

So we set off by taxi into the lovely town of Sibiu.

We arrived in sunshine and spent the next four hours walking around this beautiful town, still in sunshine. Never trust the weather forecasts.

There was a Street food festival going on in the main square and lots of craft stalls and music.

The town is very colourful with lots of beautiful buildings.

Most of the centre is traffic free and it makes for a very tranquil atmosphere.

Great architecture with most of the building have features like Eyebrow windows and colourful facades as you will see from the following pictures.

It is also a walled town with several guard towers around the perimeter.

 

 

Bridge of Lies , where the merchants had their daily meetings. 

 

Eyebrow windows.

 

 

Our campsite

 

 

View from camp.

 



Horezu Monastery and Balea cascade

We started the morning early from our overnight car park near the Monastery.

The local bar and the howling dogs kept Rob awake most of the night. Sarah slept through it all.

We walked up the hill to the Monastery and were all alone as we entered the grounds. It was very tranquil in the early morning sunlight.

 

 

Horezu Monastery was commissioned by Prince Constantin Brancoveanu in 1690

 

 

The main church has some beautiful original frescos.

 

 

We now decided to try the Northern end of the Tranfagarasan Pass to how near Lake Balea we could get this time.

This end of the pass was much more dramatic with better views fro the road.

We were however heading into a thunder storm but that made it even more atmospheric.

We finally saw the Balea waterfall and cable car and though we had cracked it this time only to round the corner and find concrete bollards blocking the road.

So it looks like we will be returning another year after the 1st of July.

 

 

So we continued to our next camp site near Sibiu at Cisnadiora called Camping Herberg Ananas.

We received a very friendly welcome and set up camp.

 

 

View from our van.

 

Tomorrow Sibiu.

 



Poenari Castle Fortress and Transfagarasan Pass

We left Bran early this morning and headed for the Tranfagarasan highway.

We drove through some beautiful scenery on some unforgettable roads. and I use that term liberally.

Some of the pot holes could hide a small car, no sorry I am exaggerating slightly, but only a bit.
 

Sheep Jam

 Donkey Jam.

 

We arrived at Poenari Castle mid morning in lovely weather and headed for the castle.

This ascent is by 1480 steps leading up the hill to the Fortress.

Good game. good game.

 

Only 900 more steps to go.

Made it.

 

This fortress was built in the thirteenth century but possibly abandoned until the 15th century when Vlad the Impaler rebuilt and consolidated it and made it one of his Fortresses.

Great views from the top of the Arges river and valley and the Tranfagarasan road.
 

 

 

 

We then continued up the pass to see if it was really closed. We got a far as tunnel before we found a barrier across he road, end of game. so turning back we headed to our next destination of  Horezu and its Monastery. We are now parked up in its car park for the night and will explore it tomorrow morning.