Re: More Central and Eastern European bling (incl Transylvania); *A flights, Accor ho
Our final day in Romania, driving back from Brasov to Sibiu via Făgăraș. This town is host to – you guessed it, another fortress from the earty 13th Century, conquered, part destroyed and re built through the ages. Unlike the others, this has a moat and in fact its probably the best fortified. There’s a moat, a tall citadel wall made of brick and then regular fortified towers and walls.
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I’m not sure about the church with the gilded dome. But I’m sure its old.
The inner fortifications. The tower on the left was used as a prison during the communist regime.
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Speaking of the communist regime, it was overthrown in the course of a week in December 1989. According to our guide Marius (who I think gave a pretty down-the-line account, but I’m sure there are other perspectives) it occurred largely independent of the other anti communist revolutions that year, as the state media prevented broadcast of them (this seems a bit far fetched).
The dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu, although possibly the most ‘liberal’ of the communist leaders began an austerity program in the early 1990s to pay down the ballooning debt and at the same time glorified himself and his family more and more. In December 1989, students began adgitating in the town of Timișoara and the State police cracked down. The agitation and riots spread out over the next few days. Killings of the public, the police and army numbered in the thousands.
On 22 December Ceaușescu gave a speech top about 100,000 people in Bucharest; it was a fiasco; he was eventually booed down. The speech was being broadcast by state television. A riot ensued. The next morning the Ceaușescus attempted to flee first by helicopter then by car. Howver by the is time the army had changed sides and Ceaușescu and his wife were captured. A brief trial ensued, they were found guilty and shot on the 25th December 1989. There is some speculation that the revolution’s speed and the capture and dispatch of the Ceaușescus was too ‘neat and tidy’ (and immediately after the debt was paid off) and that it wasn’t as spontaneous as it seemed.
Post revolution, democracy has been in place, although most of those in power are former communists (adding to the speculation above). The country now has a decided western bent and is in the EU (but not yet in Schengen/Euro zone) and belongs to NATO. We found it to be a delightful place.
All castled-out, we asked if we could get a view from one of the mountains and Marius obliged with a quick trip up the Trans Făgăraș road, which is a ‘short cut’ over the mountains between Wallencia in the south and Transylvania. Know as Ceaușescu’s Folly, it road was constructed between 1970 and 1974 by the military at huge cost, including in lives. About 40 deaths were admitted, but its suspected that many, many more died.
The road climbs to over 2,000m although we only went about 2/3 of the way up. It’s a very winding road all the way. Starting in glorious beech and pine forests, it quickly emerges into alpine meadows with some spectacular waterfalls. Here we approach the mountains and climb through the lower portions:
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This is the second stage, winding up a classic glacial U shaped valey, with the road switching back and forth dozens of times.
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The last picture shows the crest of the road, on the skyline, where there is a ski lodge. A cable car runs all the way up the mountain to the top and mainly runs in summer for the skiers. Next time I want to drive the Trans Făgăraș all the way! However, anyone contemplating this should be prepared for a slow trip stuck behind a bus or three - unless you are willing to do some 'Romanian style' overtaking :shock:
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