As the title says this post is about a memorable holiday in the sun. Unfortunately it was the winter sun and it was freezing outside. I say unfortunately but actually the weather put an edge on it that otherwise wouldn't have been there. So here goes, my memorable holiday in the sun. Cue Sex Pistols song.
Back in 2004 I ventured out down a long and lonely road with only the vaguest idea in which direction I would inevitably end up travelling. After a few memorable months on the roads of Europe I eventually ended up in Romania, where I met my lovely wife Otilia (AKA Romanianmuminlondon). You may have read her blog, if not then do so now.
We met in a club in Bucharest and pretty soon were spending every day together. After celebrating Christmas and New Year in Bucharest the girlfriend of one of my friends said she could get us a house in the mountains of Transylvania for a few days. We immediately jumped at the chance.
And so it was that a week later a group of us set out for the mountains surrounding Brasov.
At the bus station in Bucharest we got the first glimpse of our transport for the next couple of hours, a minibus that didn't look big enough for our small group never mind the cue of passengers that were waiting at the stand. But half an hour later all people were on board and the bus trundled its way down the cold and ice covered streets of Bucharest. It was cramped and it wasn't particularly warm in the bus but at least me and Otilia had managed to get a seat next to each other. For the next couple of hours we wound our way around narrow, pot hole filled country roads. Through small towns and tiny run down villages. All very beautifully covered in thick deep white fluffy snow.
Eventually we made it, shaken but alive, to Brasov. A beautiful place that I highly recommend (along with the rest of Romania) At Brasov we met up with some other people and piled our selves into a couple of cars for the short journey up the mountain to the house. By the time we were dropped off it was dark, even colder and very late. A short walk from the muddy mountain road we found our selves faced with a large white house. As we entered, the true nature of our accommodation became apparent. Minimal lighting, no water (not even in the toilets), constant power cuts and just wood in the cellar to heat the house with. Did this dampen our spirits, hell no, it just made us try even harder to have fun.
Each room had in it a masonry heater. You place wood in the bottom, let it burn and it heats up the bricks creating a large heater. We quickly got these heating the rooms, something my wife is very adept at, and then got on with the business of having fun.
With the dawn of the next day the true beauty of the surrounding area could be seen. The trees were bare of leaves, the ground white with thick snow and the lake just a little down from the house was completely frozen over. Otilia and I headed out for an early morning walk to blast the cobwebs from our heads, needed after the drinks of the previous night. From the other side of the lake the cold and dominant house looked like something you would see in a horror movie. Think Evil Dead by a frozen lake.
After our walk we got back to the house and began chopping more wood for the heaters and the barbecue, after all people have to eat. As I mentioned at the start this house had no water what so ever (thank god for beer) so the toilet was, well, where ever you wanted it to be. You get the idea. After all we were in a secluded house in the mountains. After another walk in the woods we stayed in the house listening to music until the sun went down. Or should I say dropped as it seemed to disappear very fast and needless to say the real mountain coldness came back with a vengeance. Once the sun fell we collected wood from the cellar, piled it on the barbecue and lit a fire to be proud off. Cooked Romanian sausages were eaten, songs were sung and beer was drunk. The evening was tremendous. The woods looked fantastic in the moonlight and the soft glow of the fire and the sky was a brilliant mass of shining stars.
The following day was much the same as the one before, after all were in Evil Dead Vampire country. What else are you gonna do?? The evening was once again filled with great food, a hot fire, singing and drinking.
The next day, we packed our things and headed back on the road to Bucharest, stopping briefly to see the church that one of the girls was re-painting the murals in. Stunning work.
The journey back was much the same as the journey there and after a couple of days in the mountains Bucharest just didn't seem that cold any more.
Was this the best holiday I have ever had? No. Was this the best memory from my year bumming it around the bars of Europe? No. So why have I chosen to write about this particular memory? Simple really, it was the first time I holidayed with my wife. And lets face it, no water, power cuts, wood heaters, food and beer.
What better way to spend a few days with friends.
I would have provided a few pictures but unfortunately they are all on a CD in a pile of CD's and it would take me a week to find them. Maybe next time.
The voice has spoken.
This was our entry to the Tots100/ Al Fresco Holidays competition. Their sites look amazing and we would totally love to visit one someday, for now it’s a muddy camp site in Norfolk for us! There’s still time to enter the competition – take a look here.
Back in 2004 I ventured out down a long and lonely road with only the vaguest idea in which direction I would inevitably end up travelling. After a few memorable months on the roads of Europe I eventually ended up in Romania, where I met my lovely wife Otilia (AKA Romanianmuminlondon). You may have read her blog, if not then do so now.
We met in a club in Bucharest and pretty soon were spending every day together. After celebrating Christmas and New Year in Bucharest the girlfriend of one of my friends said she could get us a house in the mountains of Transylvania for a few days. We immediately jumped at the chance.
And so it was that a week later a group of us set out for the mountains surrounding Brasov.
At the bus station in Bucharest we got the first glimpse of our transport for the next couple of hours, a minibus that didn't look big enough for our small group never mind the cue of passengers that were waiting at the stand. But half an hour later all people were on board and the bus trundled its way down the cold and ice covered streets of Bucharest. It was cramped and it wasn't particularly warm in the bus but at least me and Otilia had managed to get a seat next to each other. For the next couple of hours we wound our way around narrow, pot hole filled country roads. Through small towns and tiny run down villages. All very beautifully covered in thick deep white fluffy snow.
Eventually we made it, shaken but alive, to Brasov. A beautiful place that I highly recommend (along with the rest of Romania) At Brasov we met up with some other people and piled our selves into a couple of cars for the short journey up the mountain to the house. By the time we were dropped off it was dark, even colder and very late. A short walk from the muddy mountain road we found our selves faced with a large white house. As we entered, the true nature of our accommodation became apparent. Minimal lighting, no water (not even in the toilets), constant power cuts and just wood in the cellar to heat the house with. Did this dampen our spirits, hell no, it just made us try even harder to have fun.
Each room had in it a masonry heater. You place wood in the bottom, let it burn and it heats up the bricks creating a large heater. We quickly got these heating the rooms, something my wife is very adept at, and then got on with the business of having fun.
With the dawn of the next day the true beauty of the surrounding area could be seen. The trees were bare of leaves, the ground white with thick snow and the lake just a little down from the house was completely frozen over. Otilia and I headed out for an early morning walk to blast the cobwebs from our heads, needed after the drinks of the previous night. From the other side of the lake the cold and dominant house looked like something you would see in a horror movie. Think Evil Dead by a frozen lake.
After our walk we got back to the house and began chopping more wood for the heaters and the barbecue, after all people have to eat. As I mentioned at the start this house had no water what so ever (thank god for beer) so the toilet was, well, where ever you wanted it to be. You get the idea. After all we were in a secluded house in the mountains. After another walk in the woods we stayed in the house listening to music until the sun went down. Or should I say dropped as it seemed to disappear very fast and needless to say the real mountain coldness came back with a vengeance. Once the sun fell we collected wood from the cellar, piled it on the barbecue and lit a fire to be proud off. Cooked Romanian sausages were eaten, songs were sung and beer was drunk. The evening was tremendous. The woods looked fantastic in the moonlight and the soft glow of the fire and the sky was a brilliant mass of shining stars.
The following day was much the same as the one before, after all were in Evil Dead Vampire country. What else are you gonna do?? The evening was once again filled with great food, a hot fire, singing and drinking.
The next day, we packed our things and headed back on the road to Bucharest, stopping briefly to see the church that one of the girls was re-painting the murals in. Stunning work.
The journey back was much the same as the journey there and after a couple of days in the mountains Bucharest just didn't seem that cold any more.
Was this the best holiday I have ever had? No. Was this the best memory from my year bumming it around the bars of Europe? No. So why have I chosen to write about this particular memory? Simple really, it was the first time I holidayed with my wife. And lets face it, no water, power cuts, wood heaters, food and beer.
What better way to spend a few days with friends.
I would have provided a few pictures but unfortunately they are all on a CD in a pile of CD's and it would take me a week to find them. Maybe next time.
The voice has spoken.
This was our entry to the Tots100/ Al Fresco Holidays competition. Their sites look amazing and we would totally love to visit one someday, for now it’s a muddy camp site in Norfolk for us! There’s still time to enter the competition – take a look here.
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