vineri, 18 octombrie 2013

Travel guide by LIDL in Romania/ Reiseleiter bei LIDL

Travel guide by LIDL in Romania/ Reiseleiter bei LIDL


If you know the concern LIDL only as a retail chain, you are wrong. They do a good job and business even in the travel branch, and I would like to unveil more about it, as it worth your time. I think you must know and be aware about this excellent bargain from LIDL!
The Romanian dances and songs are really different

Besides other good offers, LIDL has an excellent discovery tour of Romania. It was a total success this year, with 10 trips of this type to Romania, and I had the honor and pleasure to guide two of them, on behalf of Karpaten, the Romanian partner and organizer from LIDL.

This trip to Romania consists on flight, half board, two nights in Bucharest (first and last, because of the flights), three nights in a very friendly house from Bazna and two nights in a very good house from Predeal, namely Piemonte. It is first of all to notice that LIDL and the local organizer are very good negotiators, even excellent, I must say and recognize. If you try to book on your own in these excellent hotels you will get a double, even triple price!
Traces of German culture and history in Brasov. We say Danke!

Second, it was so nice and pleasant for me that the travel guide has much to do and organize on himself. We in Romania love to improvise, we really have this talent and culture due to our communist past full of penury and poverty. Please, don't get me wrong, I respected literally the program from LIDL, but I fought hard to offer something supplementary (or EXTRA, as I like to say). I hope I succeed and the clients have been very happy and satisfied in this short trip to Romania (only one week long, I repeat).
Romanian wines are not easier to produce! But the country is still among the world's most important producers

During the trips happened more very touching and interesting events. We took to a church service in German, as the trip is among more targets, a trip inside the German culture and history in the Romanian Transilvania. We tried the tasty meat rolls, an excellent Romanian speciality, as the Romanian wines (Cabernet Sauvignon remains my personal favorite, I can recommend it before any other wine. This wine really got something divine in it, giving a fantastic strength and energy).

Four of my travel guests had birthdays and we celebrated, of course, with a lot of wine. I had also birthday and I invited them all for a round, in a fantastic mood. A few of my travel companions discovered their roots, they are born respectively around Oravita, Constanta and Bistrita. Wait them again to search deeper, as it was really touching.
Celebrating a birthday during the trip, in a cave , of course

I can recommend this wonderful trip, I am going to make it unforgettable, and has an excellent report between price and performances!


miercuri, 16 octombrie 2013

Discovering Drobeta by night in a special way

How to discover a Romanian city at night


In the Romanian city of Drobeta Turnu Severin (only one city, believe me!) I have one of the most interesting experiences of my activity as a travel guide, and now I wanna to share with you. I hope you will enjoy, understand, finding also interesting.

Namely, I reached the wonderful city of Drobeta in the afternoon, guiding an active biking Romania tour from Launer Reisen. It was a wonderful weather, middle August. The city itself nice, clean, interesting and inviting. We arrived in Hotel Continental Portile de Fier, checked in and took our rooms, and had the dinner at 7 hours p.m. Was O.K., no objection, we also said good bye, as the German customers were supposed to go further in Serbia and I was supposed to go back to Bucharest, taking over another group. It was an excellent trip, that I enjoyed a lot, and I hope the tourists also.
A group of happy bikers, touring Romania through Launer Reisen ( see Mr Paul Launer the first on the left, in the black suit)

After the dinner, I made an unexpected proposition: let's go walking through the city and discover it at night! Just two persons showed to be interested: Dr. Renate and Norbert Lauppenheimer.

We walked through the city and discovered first a spectacular kinetic fountain. It is really one of the most interesting fountains in the all Romania, a masterpiece of a local scuptor. Besides, the market place around is nice, has a nice park and a monumental building (a museum in restoration). It was very peaceful in that marketplace, I noticed that was the locals' favorite meeting point. It was still day light, but the night came upon the city of Drobeta.
The Civic Centre of Drobeta Turnu Severin is charming and seducing

An old city indeed, very important for the Romanian history. The name itself sends immediately to the Roman Empire! Short and concrete, the Romans build here a bridge, engineered by Apolodor from Damascus, one of the most notorious architects of the old times. On that bridge came the Roman legions, invaded and conquered Dacia. Thus has been build the Romanian people and language, the Romans and Dacians are our ancestors.
The ruins of a foot from the antic bridge designed by Apolodor from Damascus. Discovering it by night was a thrilling adventure

As a proud Romanian I am, I invited my companion to show them one of the foot of that bridge. Meanwhile, the night falled and we walked and walked along a nice streets with big houses (traditionally a residential area of Drobeta Turnu Severin). Finally we found the foot, in the yard of the History Museum, which was in reparation and locked. It was a very unpleasant situation for me, and I didn't know what to do, as I ought to show that foot to my tourists.

I knocked strongly, waking up all the local vagabond dogs, but also the Museum guard. And that guard allowed us to enter the yard and watch the ruins of the bridge. My honor was saved, thank God. Further was not so easy, we discovered the foot on the Danube shore, after a little fight with a pack of barking dogs, crossing the railway and climbing a hill. Everything in dark, at night, don't forget!

I really think it was a fantastic experience, showing that in Romania everything is possible!

vineri, 4 octombrie 2013

Romania for tourists from Asia

Introducing Romania to the Asian tourists


Nevertheless Europe is stormed by Asian tourists, Romania is still out of the beaten path. We can receive much more tourists from Asia as we do know, they are highly welcomed.
Romania is an interesting spiritual destination due to the important role of the Orthodox church

I think Romania is a fantastic destination for any tourists, whether coming from Asia, Europe or another continent. We have everything, starting with urban life, to unspoiled nature and pristine beaches. Plus, we have a spiritual life, which Asian tourists can understand better than anyone else. 90 % of the Romanian population is deeply religious (Christian orthodox) and attends regularly the church, totally different from the Western world.
Romania is a wine destination, and I hope that the Taiwanese tourists will enjoy it

This simple fact makes Romania so different, and was really helpful in the history of Romanians, who peacefully withstanded much more powerful surrounding empires (Austrian, Habsburgic, Russian, Turkish etc). They all are gone, Romania and the Romanians are still here, with a pregnant identity. We are very proud of it!
Urban life in Bucharest Old Centre is a must for any foreign tourist

Many Romanians, due to their deep spirituality, felt attracted to Yoga, Zen, Chinese philosophy and Asian way of life. It may seem totally different, but it is only a different side of a special process, triggered by the basic questions of a human being. This dialogue of culture is the most important thing in the travel branch. It is not at all a clash, we respect and understand each other.
Pristine nature in Romania makes it even more attractive

Very soon I am going to have the opportunity to be the travel guide of an Asian tourists coming from Taiwan. It is a deep honor and a big pleasure, also a professional challenge. I will strive to present Romania in a realistic way, with good things and bad things. Maybe Romania is not the Paradise on Earth I dream, but is for sure nice place to see!

This group of tourists come to Romania in a bigger European Balkanic Tour, organized by the company  Albania Experience, and Mr Julian Trushi. It is going to be a fabulous tour, I am sure about it, and will keep you informed about that!
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