Romania Autumn Festivals?

Old Feb 22nd, 2004, 06:27 PM
  #21  
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Hi LLC. Well, I guess I looked at the same website you did, but other than that, I don't know much. Looks interesting. I know we're wanting to stay a bit in Sighisoara as well as above Brasov (like in the Predeal/Sinaia area) but I wasn't sure we'd want to move again just a few miles down the road. It looks very nice though.

We've seen a few places that aren't of the "big box" variety but haven't made any final choices yet. I like accomodations with character too, but I'm generally ok with guesthouses and such as well. I think we've accepted that some of Romania won't necessarily be much like a trip to France. So, we'll take some of that travel toilet paper (yes, there really is such stuff. I saw it at K-Mart, tight little roll, probably for camping) and a little bar of soap and hope for the best!

I did think that the Hotel Imparatul Romanilor in Sibiu could be a "splurge" for us (at somthing like 70Euro per night for both of us) amid the less expensive places. It seems like there aren't so many top end choices - not that we're looking for any - except perhaps in Bucharest, but you do seem to get so much for so little in what choices there are.

I was also just looking at the Hotel Caraiman in Sinaia and the Plai de Dor near Sucevita. Your guess is as good as mine on whether they are good or not, but they do seem to have some character.
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Old Feb 22nd, 2004, 06:52 PM
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Sorry, my numbers were off on the Imparatul Romanilor hotel. I checked and it's 2000090 Lei ($62.40 USD, including VAT)

Try this site: http://www.tourneo.net
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Old Apr 18th, 2004, 01:24 PM
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Clifton- are you still planning on Romania in the fall? Have you gotten any more info?
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Old Apr 18th, 2004, 07:29 PM
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Still planning on going. Dates seem to be firming up for a couple of weeks later than we'd planned. Looks like we'll be going from Oct 22-Nov 2nd, then training on to Budapest.

I think I've looked at every Romania website on the internet at this point. LOL. Have read both the LP and Rough Guide on Romania. I do think we're going to have a tough time finding a many traditional festivals at that time of year, (August would have been better) but have hopes for finding just a traditional sunday market in Maramures.

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Old Jul 25th, 2004, 03:06 PM
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ttt
Any other new information on Romania?
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Old Jul 25th, 2004, 06:22 PM
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LLC,

A bit here and there. Were you looking specifically for festival information or general info on Romania?
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Old Jul 26th, 2004, 04:18 AM
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Clifton,
Both. Still trying to decide where to go this fall. Are you renting a car in Romania?
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Old Jul 26th, 2004, 04:25 AM
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Just on for a second but -

Plans changed just a little. We're flying into and out of Budapest now. Looking at rental car companies there. Some have some very restrictive policies if you take the car into Romania. Some are fine but charge more on insurances.

There was a poster here a couple of weeks ago called Octavian (I think I have that right) that had built a Romania site that was very good. www.spirit.ro

Good luck!
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Old Jul 26th, 2004, 09:25 AM
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Check this site (http://www.dictionare.com/dictionaries/dictionary.htm) for quick translations.

Also, not a festival per-se but an interesting custom: if you're still in Romania on November 1-st, walk by/through an orthodox cemetery. This is the day to celebrate "The day of the Dead" - nothing creepy, after sundown people go with flowers and candles to the family graves and reminisce about the departed. It's erie to see an usually dark and deserted cemetery full of people, candle-light and flowers.

It's kind of nice, especially in a smaller town or village, where everybody knows everybody else and people talk to their neighbours and friends.

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Old Jul 26th, 2004, 07:20 PM
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mirela,

Thank you very much. By my best guess, we will probably be somewhere near Sibiu on November 1st. This sounds like a really interesting event to witness (quietly, out of people's way, of course). But this was just the sort of thing I was hoping to hear about. I know there are villages just west of Sibiu that we were hoping to visit. Perhaps one of those has an orthodox cemetary (I'm not sure if that area is Orthodox or is it Lutheran still from the Saxons?). Will try to find out. Again, thank you!



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Old Jul 27th, 2004, 06:44 AM
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You're welcome, Clifton.

The area near Sibiu is actually both.
It has indeed a mixed population and the saxon influence is fortunately still visible, however you will find romanian orthodox churches and cemeteries everywhere.
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Old Jul 29th, 2004, 09:46 AM
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Thanks again Mirela, that saves some research. I'm sure we won't have any trouble locating a smaller village near there. Only a couple of months now! (only?)
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Old Sep 17th, 2004, 03:35 AM
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Clifton: Who did you end up renting a car with that would let you take it into Romania? Are you spending much time in Hungary? Were the flights that much cheaper to fly to Budapest or did you just want time in Hungary. Do you have any sort of itinerary set or are you just going to wing it? Are you making any reservations ahead?
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Old Sep 17th, 2004, 04:11 AM
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Hi LLC.
We're renting from Budget through Autoeurope (a broker). It appears that Budget charges a per day surcharge for crossing into Romania on their own website, but has dropped it for Autoeurope. At least that was what the Autoeurope reps have told me on the phone. We were close to renting with a local company called Americana, but couldn't back out of the base CDW.

We planned to fly into Bucharest and out of Budapest or vice versa. I always planned to see some of Hungary, but thought it would be more a straightline direction. This was one of those rare cases though where open jaw was quite a bit more and the other issue was the car. Finding a company coming from either way and actually letting you drop the car on either side of the border had an astronomical drop charge or just wasn't allowed.

We've got a hotel booked in Budapest for a few days. Then we'll pick up the car and spend a few days traveling across the northern area before crossing into Romania. We don't have any hotel reservations or set itinerary after leaving Budapest. We then have a room reserved for our last night back in Budapest before flying out.
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Old Sep 17th, 2004, 04:36 AM
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That's my kind of travel! Quite different than alot of the France and Italy posters on this board who already have all their dinner reservations! I'm guessing you have done lots of research and have some idea where you might like to stay in each area though. How many days did you plan for your trip?
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Old Sep 17th, 2004, 10:55 PM
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I've tried to read up as much as I could. Of course, you never really know how things are going to be until you get there. How long? Probably not long enough but we'll have about 2.5 wks.

I know what you mean about the detailed planners. (part of me is envious of their foresight though) We discussed and even began researchign Italy - we've not been to either France or Italy yet. Both seem to be places where you have to plan more. Maybe due to competition with crowds? But I started to get the sense from reading here that we may have not matured yet enough to plan that trip. Someday.

Are you working out a trip to Romania or Hungary as well, LLC?
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Old Sep 22nd, 2004, 04:35 AM
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Clifton, I'm trying to plan something for Romania, but I'm having a hard time selling the idea. We both like off-the-beaten-track adventures, but as of now Romania isn't scoring too many points. I think I need julies pictures from her trip!
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Old Sep 22nd, 2004, 06:58 PM
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That was our thinking too. We'd been talking about Italy (and talking and talking). Something though seemed so... not sure if "pre-programmed" is the right expression. Sort of must hit one of these itineraries when in Italy kind of things or following the crowd. So we chucked that and started from scratch. I'm sure that sort of thing won't bother me as much at some point in my life (although I'd really like to see Mali and Bhutan before that happens).

Well, if julies doesn't have pics available, hopefully I will soon. Will be packing lenses. I'll try to add a little something here, good or bad. In the meantime, I have seen a couple of sites with great photos should you need more ammunition:

Best photos and articles:
www.spirit.ro

More good photo sites:
http://transylvanian-online.tripod.com/

http://www.johnrausch.com/Maramures/default.htm

http://www.roplace.ro/

And a personal favorite on the walled Saxon villages. We plan to do a lot of off the track investigation from this one:

http://medieval.romanianfolkart.ro

Hope you work out your plans! 27 days and counting for us.

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Old Oct 4th, 2004, 11:47 PM
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Here's another link that you might find useful. It's got accommodation, events calendar, itineraries, etc. English version is available too.

http://roumanie-ecotourisme.com

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