It’s easy to make assumptions about a country whilst sitting in an armchair at home. There is always the unexpected be it the food, the people, the countryside. What a pleasure it was finding fields filled with tall stems of maize nodding in the autumn sunshine with the back drop of the Carpathian Mountains.
A scenic view of the Carpathian Mountains.
There are plenty of signs up warning of the bears. Locals spoke of two/three frightening tourists at a picnic area but . . . despite cranking our necks up and down the valleys, we saw none. “If only you had come last week!”, they cried.
Transfagarasan Highway
Driving up the Transfagarasan Highway passing through the Fagaras mountains in Transylvania was a bit hairy (English term meaning treacherous). Winter snow had changed the set of hairpin bends into . . . !!! (Between October and June, the road is firmly shut because of the weather.)
The Transfăgărășan Highway crossing the snow covered Carpathian Mountains
The Transfăgărășan Highway crossing the snow covered Carpathian Mountains in low cloud
Would the temperatures drop overnight trapping the mini bus or was there enough of the warm, autumn currents to rise pushing this cold snap out the way?
Cabana Lodge, Balea Lac
Cabana Bâlea Lac Mountain Lodge
Next morning, fog i.e. warm/cold air colliding and the steady drip, drip; things were thawing . . . for now.
Maybe the real reason why no bears; they had already ‘sniffed’ the cold coming. It was time for a cosy cave to dream of crazy tourists and food.
Extra photos of the Carpathian landsapes
Tree covered slopes rising above the village of Arefu in Romania
Fir trees covered in fresh snow in Romania’s Carpathian Mountains
View from mountains over Transylvania Romania