Elite Traveler Discovery Itinerary in Romania - Every Trip is Different
My Day ... going to meet a mask-maker in remote village called Nereju in the Vrancea region of the Carpathian Mountains (Moldavia)
We had an early breakfast at Count Kalnoky's Inn. Cristian Lascu, the editor of National Geographic Magazine (Romania), joined us. He explained folk customs and also his interests in cave exploration. Many caves were home to now extinct giant ice-age cave bears.
We traveled later to Nereju Village to meet a mask maker. On the way we stopped to photograph an ancient water mill, recently abandoned. After walking up a hilly village road we reached the mask-maker's hill-top house and learned about his craft. The masks are popular at Xmas/New Year for ancient rituals celebrating the coming of a new season.
Later we met villagers who showed us the bear skins that are worn by young men in the Xmas/New Year celebrations.
I was lucky that I was offered a ride on a villager's horse equipped with a wooden saddle. The ride through the fresh fall air was an unexpected highlight for me as I've always liked horses and horse-riding. I was happy to get back that night to a good meal and a good night's sleep.
