The Four Major Food Groups of Belgium

I came to Belgium with little expectation and even less knowledge of the place I planned to spend a weekend. My main purpose was to take some time to visit two of my cherished friends before heading back across the pond.

From the instant I arrived, I was charmed by the city of Brussels. From the artistic quality of the graffiti on the trains,

and on the trucks . . .






to the streets lined with beautiful buildings, each a bit different and with interesting details, from windows to doorknobs, to delightful murals.

And the door knobs.  The doorknobs of Brussels deserve more than one passing mention!

I have doorknob envy...

Within the first 24 hours of my stay in this lovely city, I was treated to the four major food groups of Belgium:

Beer

Duchesse De Bourgogne - an acquired taste, but quite delicious!

Waffles

Fresh waffles for all!

Chocolate

Laurent Gerbaud Chocolatier's - some of the purest and
most delicious chocolate in Belgium

Pommes Frites

I don't think I've ever witnessed a happier bunch of fast food staff.
These Pommes Frites guys have a great time at work!

I'm convinced that this Belgium diet may be the elixir of life, as people in Brussels all look quite fit, happy and healthy.  Including the dogs, who are welcome to dine at restaurants with their two legged companions.

Even dogs have it made in Brussels!

Bucharest - A Tale of Too Many Cities

Paula, Eli and I returned to Bucharest just as most of the city's population was fleeing the city to spend the International Workers Day and Easter holiday at the seaside or in the mountains.

Through the open windows of their attic apartment, the city sounded noticeably quieter, and I was quite glad of the good timing that allowed us to enjoy both the mountain villages and the city in relative peace.

Bucharest is a place where the buildings tell all kinds of stories. Cheaply-built communist era high-rise flats and post-communism "modern" skyscrapers intermingle with ornate Orthodox churches and once grand 19th century mansions. Just around the corner from Eli and Paula's apartment is just such an example.  A beautifully restored Orthodox church from 1725 sits within feet of a post-communist era high-rise that I have dubbed "Imperial Storm Trooper World HQ."

18th century Orthodox church neighboring a post-revolution skyscraper

Walking through the streets of Bucharest, I often found myself stopping mid-step to take a double-take at some of the details to be found on what, at first glance, seemed like old decaying buildings.

Once you learn how to spot them, you will find some exceptional architectural gems here, many of them immaculately restored.  One of my favorites was Biserica Stavropoleos, a working Romanian Orthadox monastery in the heart of Lipscani that was originally built in 1724 by Greek Orthodox monks.

Biserica Stavropoleos

  



However, a general state of disrepair is the common ground that seems to pull together all these pieces of history into modern-day Bucharest.

 


A few years ago, more than 2 million people lived in Bucharest, but in the past three to five years, Romania, and especially its biggest city, have lost nearly ten percent of its population to emigration. Much like in the rural places of America, Romania is experiencing a "brain drain'" with many of the young educated people, particularly doctors, leaving Romania to seek better paying jobs in other lands.

You would have to be blind to not see that there are many levels of history to this place. At one time, one of the grandest cities, the buildings of Bucharest reveal stories of times of grandeur as well as times of deep suffering and strife and also times of hope.

The former secret police building (right), which was destroyed
during the revolution, was redesigned as a symbol of a new era

 On the evening of May Day - which is celebrated as Workers Day here - we met up with some of Paula's friends for drinks. As we enjoyed our beers, we were serenaded with both Elvis songs and old-school Romanian pop hits. What was even more remarkable to me, though, is when I learned that we were sitting in a place were, not so long ago, only the top communist party officials were allowed to drink - on the terrace of the Cercul Militar Nationale.

   


Vlad the Impaler - yes, the one who inspired Brahm Stoker's Dracula - adopted Bucharest as his capital in 1459 to get some distance from the Hungarian influence that was prevalent in the Carpathian Mountains. Ideally situated on an important trade route, Bucharest's streets and buildings reflect a long and diverse history of it's role as a central hub of commerce. Lipscani, a neighborhood that Eli & Paula live quite close to, was actually an active trading center well before Bucharest became a city. It has recently been developed into a maze of cobblestone pedestrian streets lined with an ever changing array of beer halls, clubs and cafés.

A shop in one of Lipscani's historic trading alleys

Of all the countries under the Iron Curtain after WWII, Romania was unfortunate to have one of the most brutal of the communist dictators - Ceausescu. After an earthquake in 1977, he bulldozed over a fifth of Bucharest, destroying far more historic buildings than were damaged by the quake and replacing them with cheap high-rise buildings. At the same time, he commissioned an avenue that mimics Paris's Champs de Elyssee as well as one of the world's largest palaces, which, he called Casa Poporului (the House of the People).  Pretty ironic, since at the same time the dictator was erecting this extravagant symbol of his empire, in the name of austerity he was literally starving the Romanian people by exporting all the nation's food.  Because of the dictator's fear of being assassinated, the building featured an entirely natural air ventilation system (to prevent any poisoning) as well as an elaborate system of underground tunnels where the leader could escape the city.

Casa Poporului now hosts Romania's Parliament. It is the
2nd largest building in the world, 

The Museum of Cotemporary Art
is also housed at the  Casa Poprului

The Romanian Revolution was televised, so many of us growing up in the West saw footage of the uprising in 1989. I vaguely remember that time, but not much of the details. Even so, it was pretty fascinating to visit the place were Ceausescu made his last speech.

Ceausescu made his final speech here.

They have erected interesting statues to honor the revolution.

  

But we all agreed that it is the work of a particular unknown graffiti artist that has transformed this particular statue into a work of art.

In fact, I found there was quite a lot of interesting graffiti to be found in Romania.

    

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

Life in a Transylvanian Hollow

Interior of a 15th century church, Muzeul Civilzatiei Populare Traditrionale

After several hours exploring the Muzeul Civilizatiei Populare Traditrionale (an outdoor museum of traditional Romanian architecture), we headed out to the village of Densus where Paula's family is from. Her father, Pauline now lives in the house her grandfather built, and he is basically the handyman of the community, always running out to help somebody with something. When we arrived, the first thing Pauline did was to treat me to a taste of his homemade tuica, a plum brandy that is commonly made in the countryside, sort of like moonshine, but sweeter and not quite so strong.

True country hospitality - Pauline serves up his tuica

After we enjoyed our taste of tuica, it was time to head into the village take care of one of Pauline's most important jobs  - ringing the church bells to let people know about the Sunday service that would take place the next day. He invited us to join him, as the church is the oldest active stone church in Romanian, built up from stones of a pagan Roman site into an Orthodox temple sometime in the 1300s. You can still see original pillars and stones from the Roman times.

The oldest active stone church in Romania, estab. circa 1300

One of the stone pillars from the original Roman temple

Off the beaten path is where I feel most at home, and I immediately fell in love with this place in SW Transylvania.

The village of Densus - a little piece of heaven

If it weren't for such old buildings like the church, I would have almost thought I was back home in a place that is a cross between western Oregon and Appalachia. The village is in a depression sort of like a very big cove - a wide prairie encircled entirely by mountains. On three sides there are rolling green hills that remind me of Appalachia, but on the south side are the majestic snow covered Carpathian peaks that look very much like the Cascades.


Pauline and his girlfriend Felicia have a nice life here in Densus, and I was so happy to find myself in this little village, in the company of such good people, being treated to homemade tuica and enjoying a full moon sitting out in the yard in the company of two very sweet dogs - Lady and Rex.

My new buddies - Lady & Rex

Home sweet home in Densus

The next morning we headed out into the area of mountains where there used to be a lot of coal mining and visited the Sunday flea market in the town of Petrosani. I found myself some little treasures and felt even more how similar and parallel so many places really are.

Sunday flea market in Petrosani

In the evening, we headed two villages down from Densus and walked up to where Eli and Paula bought a farmhouse that they plan to fix up.

Walking up the hollow to explore Eli and Paula's place

Their place truly won my heart, a little Romanian hollow so much like Judy Branch and other pieces of heaven back home in Appalachia. Walking along the little creek to the head of the hollow, the hills rise up on all sides to nestle the old homestead in among cherry, plum and pear trees. There's a lot of work to be done, but I can see my friends making this into their own little paradise.




As we strolled around the hollow, the setting sun cast a sparkling glaze over everything, and I felt a familiar feeling that I would often feel once I made it home to Judy Branch. A feeling of total contentment of being just where I am. This is a special place, and I certainly hope and plan to return again and again.

Eli and Pauline's homestead at the head of the hollow