Miss our Romanian mountains...

2013 will be ours!

Health, happiness, hope!

Love, laugh, life!

Energy, enthusiasm, eternity!

Dreams coming true! :) 

Have a great 2013, full of beauty and prosperity!

Someday

Someday... soon... your dream will come true and I will be happy for you! :)

Someday... hope soon... my dream will come true and you will be happy because it includes you! :)

Dare!

Indrazneste sa iesi din multime... si sa nu te mai lasi purtat de... spiritul de turma! Indrazneste sa fii tu insuti! Chiar daca unii vor sari sa te judece, multi sa te critice, altii sa te eticheteze... 

Mereu va conta acel ceva care face diferenta. Acea calitate care te scoate din rand, acea doza de curaj care te aduce in fatza, acel vis care te ridica... 

Daca ne-am gandi un pic, ne-am da seama cate sunt de facut... si cate ne asteapta... :)

Mi-ar placea ca ziua sa fie mai lunga, oamenii mai calzi, figurile mai zambitoare dimineata... mi-ar placea ca toate lacrimile sa fie de bucurie, orice mana intinsa sa gaseasca imediat o alta, orice gand frumos sa devina realitate... 

Aparente

Nu caut justificari, nici scuze. Sunt ceea ce sunt, ce arat si cine spun ca sunt. Nu stiu daca sunt un "munte de calm" cum mi s-a spus recent (si nicidecum pentru prima data), poate sunt un pic mai "linistita" decat majoritatea... Nu fac lucruri doar pentru a fi apreciata si sa impresionez... nu am pe cine, nu am de ce si nu stiu cum... 

Dar da, trebuie sa lucrezi mult si sa te chinui sa ma superi... si nu inteleg algoritmul, dar unii reusesc...

Daca preferati sa considerati aparentele, in locul realitatii... sunteti liberi sa o faceti!

Si sa anticipez o intrebare, voi raspunde ca... nu, nu sunt suparata! :)

Muzeul Tarancii Romane din Maramures

Muzeul s-a deschis la 21 aprilie 2001. Casa in care se afla majoritatea exponatelor a fost construita intre anii 1720-1722 din lemn de molid din Valea Bradului. Este singura casa de pe Valea Izei construita din lemn rotund pastrata pana in zilele noastre.

Muzeul Tarancii Romane din Maramures este un omagiu adus Femeii ca mama, bunica, sotie, sora si prietena si este unicul din tara.

In curtea muzeului se regasesc sculpturi din lemn ce reprezinta viata Femeii de la tinerete pana la batranete.

Muzeul nu este permanent deschis, dar oricand doriti sa il vizitati, cheia de gaseste la familia care locuieste in a doua casa pe ulita. :) Este incredibil sa il auziti pe acest taran maramuresean povestind despre istorie, traditii, obiceiuri maramuresene. Am petrecut mai bine de o ora in compania dumnealui. Un om de o bunatate iesita din comun, o puritate a sufletului cum rar mi-a fost dat sa intalnesc, o dragoste imensa fata de strabuni si fata de locurile natale, o simplitate si o modestie specifice maramuresenilor.

Din fata casei nu putea sa lipseasca "pomul cu oale". Familia care avea o fata de maritat agata o oala rosie in varf. Numarul de oale din "pom" simboliza avutia familiei respective. Daca fata fusese petita de un anume flacau din sat sau din satele vecine si nunta nu avea loc pana la plecarea flacaului in armata, oala rosie era coborata din varful "pomului". La intoarcerea la vatra, incepeau pregatirile pentru nunta. Zestrea era foarte importanta pentru orice tanara fata, obiceiurile erau respectate cu sfintenie si respectul si dragostea fata de familie si parinti erau de neclintit!

Regasiti si aici elementele specifice arhitecturii maramuresene: gura de lup, arcadele, imbinarea peretilor in forma de coada de randunica.

 

 

Este un obiectiv turistic pe care TREBUIE sa il vizitati daca ajungeti in Maramures!

Mocanita - The Carpathian Forestry Steam Train

  

Sometimes known as "Vaser Valley Railway" the forestry railway of Viseu de Sus, located in the high North of Romania next to the border to Ukraine, is an unique technical culture asset: on a network of approximately 60 kilometers length operate - besides motor engines - up to now wood fired steam locos. The CFF Viseu de Sus, which stands for Caile Ferate Forestiere in Romanian language (forestry railway), is probably the last real operating forestry railway with steam locos.

The narrow gauge railway (with 760 mm gauge) passes with many curves, over bridges and through tunnels, next to the Vaser River into a wild romantic valley of the Romanian Carpathian Mountains. The railway opens up a great forest area without any kind of roads and villages, but where still bears and wolves live in nature. The economic use of the Vaser Valley forests started late in the beginning of the 18th century, when the area belonged to the Austrian-Hungarian empire. German speaking settlers opened up the primeval forest and rafted the wood trucks down to the saw mills in Viseu de Sus.

  

In 1932 started the construction of the forest railway, which was an enormous technical improvement compared to the trunk rafting. Forest railways had a big extension all over Europe, especially in the Carpathian area. The operating principles were very simple: following close to the river, in case of need with small curves (therefore the use of the narrow gauge), and constructed to enable the small locomotives pulling the empty logging cars up to the mountains and to coast down the heavy loaded trains to the saw mills.

According to the rising road transport in the 1950s and 60s the European forest railway disappeared one by one. But not in the economically backward Romania: even 1970 existed still approximately 3,000 km of forest railway lines and up to 1986 (!) still new steam locomotives were built. At the end of the 1980s still 15 CFFs with together 1,000 km were operating.

Today the CFF Viseu de Sus is the last and only operating forest railway in Europe - all other lines were put out of service. CFF Viseu de Sus is handled as a private industrial railway operated by R.G. Holz Company S.R.L. To preserve the steam locos as long as possible for tourism purpose, most of the production trains are operated with Diesel engines.

But for the pleasure of the numerous visitors the tradition of steam railways in Viseu de Sus stays alive. Tourist trains will run from May until October several times a week, except Sundays and holidays. And also around winter holidays.

On December 29th, 2010, we enjoyed a 6-hour-trip from Viseu de Sus towards Paltin (21.6 km) with several breaks for maintenance operations. :) 

 

It is an incredible journey nobody should miss! 

For this, please note: telephone numbers: +40(0)262.353.381; +40(0)744.686.716; website: www.cffviseu.com; email address: info@cffviseu.com.

Beautiful Romania (7)

Bicaz Lake, Neamt County, Moldavia

Sunset Colors in Maramures

Beautiful Romania (6)

  

Location: Mogosoaia Palace or Brancoveanu Palace ("Palatul Brancovenesc"), Mogosoaia, Ilfov County

Mogosoaia Palace is situated about 10 kilometres from Bucharest, the capital of Romania. It was built between 1698-1702 by Constantin Brancoveanu in what is called the Romanian Renaissance style or  Brancovenesc style, a combination of Venetian and Ottoman elements. The palace bears the name of the widow of the Romanian boyar Mogoş, who owned the land it was built on. The Palace was to a large extent rebuilt in the 1920s by Marthe Bibesco. 

The Palace had been given to Marthe by her husband, George Bibesco, who later also deeded the land to her. She spent all her wealth from the many books she wrote in its reconstruction and it became the meeting place for politicians and international high society, a quiet retreat during the growing turmoil of the 1930s. Prince George died in 1941 and was buried in the small, white 1688 church on the grounds of the Palace.

The Palace is now a popular tourist destination, but although the grounds and gardens are beautiful, the interior of the palace itself is under reconstruction and presently houses a museum and art gallery ("Muzeul de Arta Brancoveneasca"). 

During the second world war, Prince Antoine Bibesco (a cousin of George Bibesco) and his wife, Elizabeth Bibesco, refused to flee the country despite their outspoken anti-fascist opinions. Elizabeth spent considerable time during these years visiting Marthe Bibesco at Mogosoaia and when Elizabeth died of pneumonia on April 7, 1945 she was buried in the Bibesco family vault on the grounds of Mogoşoaia. It may surprise visitors to see her grave here with its poignant epitaph in English - "My soul has gained the freedom of the night." Neither Elizabeth Bibesco's husband, Antoine, nor George Bibesco's wife, Marthe, could be buried beside them, as they both died during the communist regime.

References taken from here. :)

Beautiful Romania (5)

Location: Romania, Moeciu de Sus, Brasov county

I am... speechless today...

Beautiful Romania (4)

Location: Romania, Brasov City, Brasov County
Kronstadt in German :)

Brasov city is located in the central part of the country, in Transylvania, about 166 km from Bucharest and is surrounded by the Southern Carpathians.

The city is well-known, among others, for hosting the Golden Stag International Music Festival and for being the birthplace of the national anthem of Romania.

MUST SEE places:
- Bran Castle, nearby Brasov;
- The Black Church (Biserica Neagra) - the building dates from 1477, when it replaced an older church (demolished around 1385); it acquired its name after the walls of the church had been blackened by smoke from the 1689 great fire;
- The mayor's former office building (Casa Sfatului);
- St. Nicholas Church (Biserica Sf. Nicolae) - since the 14th century;
- The Rope Street (Strada Sforii) - the narrowest street in Romania;
- The "Brasov Citadel Fortress" (Cetatuia Brasovului);
- Tampa, a small mountain in the middle of the city (900 m above sea level), a sightseeing spot near the old city center;
- Poiana Brasov and many many other wonderful sights!

*****

Municipiul Brasov este situat in centrul tarii, in Transilvania, la aproximativ 166 km departare fata de Bucuresti si este inconjurat de Carpatii Meridionali.

Orasul este bine-cunoscut, printre altele, pentru gazduirea Festivalului International de Muzica "Cerbul de Aur" si ca fiind locul in care a luat nastere imnul national al Romaniei.

Locuri ce TREBUIE VAZUTE:
- Castelul Bran, in imediata vecinatate a Brasovului;
- Biserica Neagra - cladirea dateaza din 1477, cand a inlocuit o biserica mai veche (demolata in jurul anului 1385); si-a dobandit numele dupa ce peretii bisericii au fost innegriti de fum in urma marelui incendiu din 1689;
- Casa Sfatului;
- Biserica Sf. Nicolae - datand din secolul al XIV-lea;
- Strada Sforii - cea mai ingusta strada din Romania;
- Cetatuia Brasovului;
- Tampa, un munte nu foarte inalt aflat in mijlocul orasului (900 m peste nivelul marii), un loc de unde se poate admira centrul vechi al orasului;
- Poiana Brasov si multe multe alte atractii superbe!

Beautiful Romania (3)

Bucegi Mountains

The Bucegi Mountains, with an area of around 300 sqkm, are located at the eastern border of the Southern Carpathians, between Prahova Valley to the east and Ialomita Valley to the west, in the southern side of Brasov city.
At a higher elevation is the Bucegi Plateau, where wind and rain have turned the rocks into spectacular figures such as the Sphinx and Babele.
The Bucegi is believed to be the Dacian holy mountain Kogainon, on which the mythical figure Zamolxis resided in a cave.

*****

Muntii Bucegi, cu o suprafata de circa 300 kmp, se afla la extremitatea estica a Carpatilor Meridionali, desfasurandu-se intre Valea Prahovei la est si Valea Ialomitei la vest, in partea de sud a orasului Brasov.
La altitudine ridicata se afla Platoul Bucegi, unde vantul si ploaia au transformat rocile in figuri impresionante precum Sfinxul si Babele.
Se spune ca masivul Bucegi este muntele sacru dacic Kogainon, unde zeul Zamolxe a locuit intr-o pestera.

Beautiful Romania (2)

Location: Romania, Moeciu de Sus, Brasov county

Other stamps to be sent all over the world... :)
Beautiful colors, wonderful landscapes, extraordinary nature!
Places where money is not people's first priority, where life does not run after imaginary trains or illusions, where dreams are priceless and so valuable!

*****

Alte timbre care sa fie trimise pretutindeni in lume... :)
Culori frumoase, peisaje incredibile, natura extraordinara!
Locuri in care banii nu sunt prioritatea nr. 1 a oamenilor, unde viata nu alearga dupa trenuri inchipuite sau iluzii, unde visurile sunt nepretuite si atat de valoroase!

Beautiful Romania (1)

Location: Romania, Moeciu de Sus, Brasov county

There are a lot of beautiful places in Romania, places I had not the opportunity to visit yet. Therefore on my objectives list for the following years I put down trips in Transylvania, Bucovina, Maramures, North of Moldavia and in a lot of other regions of the country.
First thought that crossed my mind when I saw the small house enjoying the sunlight was an invitation... "Look, I am right here! Come on in, please!"...
I would like to send letters in envelopes with this kind of stamps worldwide... as invitations... we have such a wonderful country with such extraordinary landscapes!
We have to turn on the light in order not to destroy everything around us!

*****

Sunt o multime de locuri frumoase in Romania, locuri pe care nu am apucat sa le vizitez inca. Asadar pe lista mea de obiective pentru urmatorii ani mi-am notat excursii in Transilvania, Bucovina, Maramures, Nordul Moldovei si in multe alte regiuni din tara.

Primul lucru care mi-a venit in minte cand am vazut casuta bucurandu-se de lumina soarelui a fost o invitatie... "Priveste, sunt chiar aici! Haide intra, te rog!"...

Mi-ar placea sa trimit scrisori in plicuri cu astfel de timbre in toata lumea... pe post de invitatii... avem o tara atat de frumoasa cu peisaje extraordinare!

Trebuie sa aprindem lumina ca sa nu distrugem totul in jurul nostru!