End of the Road

“What is that feeling when you're driving away from people and they recede on the plain till you see their specks dispersing? - it's the too-huge world vaulting us, and it's good-bye. But we lean forward to the next crazy venture beneath the skies.” ― Jack Kerouac, On the Road


After two nights stay, we headed out on the last day of our great road trip, visiting Hunedoara, the small southwest Transylvanian city where Paula grew up. Pauline (Paula's father) caught a ride into town with us, and he told me that anytime I want to come back to Densus, he will welcome me with open heart. This meant the world to me, and I hope that it will not be too many years until I will be able to take him up on his lovely offer.

My cozy room in Densus

Leaving Densus was not easy. I could have stayed there for weeks, months, forever perhaps (if I could somehow transport my Bella dog to be there with me). My time in the Transylvanian hills reminded me that even though I am enjoying my time living in Portland, deep in my soul, I will always be a mountain girl.

As we approached the town of Hunedoara, we came across some of the most interesting architecture I have seen - a speckling of Gypsy mansions with elaborate Oriental-style roofs. This is where the top tier of the Gypsy caste live. And they seem to really live it up.

Gypsy mansions outside Hunedoara

Hunedoara is a small mountain town that was once home to one of the largest iron-ore processing plants. When the plant was still operating, the city was literally red-tinted from all the pollution.

View of Hunedoara from the Corvin Castle

Corvin Castle, Hunedoara

Perched on a cliff in the center of town is a stunning medieval castle, built in the mid-15th century. In the center courtyard is a well, dug deep out of solid rock by Turkish prisoners who were promised freedom once they reached water. It took 15 years to strike water 28 meters down, but in that time Hunedoara died and his wife chose rather than honor her husband's promise, she would execute the three Turks. Still inscribed on a stone in Arabic, you can see the words of one of the Turkish prisoners: "You may have water, but you have no soul."


While many of the castle's interior features were destroyed by a fire in 1854, what makes it especially interesting is it's juxtaposition with the skeletons of the abandoned iron ore plant and communist factories - one of which is where Pauline worked until it was decommissioned soon after the revolution in 1989.

The ruins of the iron-ore plant viewed from the castle

I'll never be brave enough to drive in Romania

Romanian roads are not so easy to travel by, and I must say I have been extremely impressed with how well Eli has adjusted his driving style so that he can survive in the chaotic and aggressive roadways here.  While navigating through Bucharest was by far the most frightening experience, driving through the mountain passes was just at perilous. It is a long and winding road home from Densus to Bucharest. 

Our goal was to make in through the mountain pass, following the Jiu River to Targu Jiu, and to then head East to the sulphur hot springs at Calimanesti, where we hoped to find a room for the night and some relief for our road weary bodies.

Manastierrrea Laincini

To break up the trip, we stopped at the Manastirea Laincini, a monastery that used to only be accessed by foot, and that was trashed by the Germans during WWI.  They have restored it beautifully and it is once again an active monastery. For our visit, Paula and I got to sport some fashionable skirts, and a priest treated us to some place mats that explain the proper steps to being a man and a woman. Interesting materials, for sure!

Covering our legs for the monastery

Literature on the step's of man's and a woman's life

Then it was onward to a new experience for us all - taking the waters at Calimanesti. Hot springs are plentiful in Romania, with many having histories as Roman baths. However, the hot springs do not have the same kind of tourism built up around them that we do in the United States. Many of the places are set up much like a hospital or sanitarium, and many people - particularly pensioners - come to these hot springs villages to take the waters for specific medical ailments. They even get prescriptions from their doctors to get certain water treatments. It took us a few tries to find a place that did not feel like we were walking into a scene of The Shining or even worse, a communist-era hospital. I am especially glad that we did not stay at this place here.

A typical hospital-style bath house

Casa Romanesca

Instead, we went on down the road and found Casa Romanesca. While it had more of a party atmosphere (i.e. pop music blasting, outdoor bar terraces), we were glad to find that the large sulphur spring pool was outside and open 24 hours. And since we were two days ahead of the May Day holiday exodus to the beach and mountains, we nearly had the place to ourselves, sharing our evening soak with a just handful of local youth. Even with the blaring pop music, we enjoyed soaking under the stars. The next morning the three of us got up early and enjoyed the pool to ourselves as the sun came up over the high peaks. This was the perfect end to a perfect road trip.

Taking it all in on our last day of the road trip