The Big Romania Tour of former Capitals

I am fascinated by the Middle Age, I wonder about all the conveniences from a Royal Court. It must have been a hard time comparing with a modern club when the girls are wearing shirt skirt as an uniform. I wonder how was during Middle Age accosting, dating and loving a women wearing a very long dress with a crinoline. Hard times indeed.

We can only speculate about, I am sure we can discuss a lot more about this hot issue. Visiting the former Romanian Capitals and asking or answering the right questions would be an interesting thing, I am sure, that's why I am proposing you the Tour of Former Romanian Capitals. As you might remember, during Middle Age the history mentions three Romanian countries : Wallachia, Moldavia and Transilvania. In Wallachia, before Bucharest gains its overwhelming importance, the capital was closer to the mountains, much easier to defend, successively in the towns of Campulung, Curtea de Arges and Targoviste.

Alba Iulia at night, inside the citadell, the Orthodoxe Church

The Moldavia Capital has been long time in Suceava. Even the legendary Stefan cel mare/Stephen the Great was located in Suceava and had here its Capital and headquarter. Later, under the constant pressure of the Othoman Empire, Iasi became the Capital.

Transilvania was under a strong Hungarian-Austrian influence, but I am not going to send you away in Budapest or Vienna. Go better to the headquarters of the local Diet (Parliament) in Alba Iulia, Sibiu or Cluj Napoca.

Cluj Napoca is former Capital, and a nice city for sure!

A difficult task indeed for a Swiss, overwhelmed by the huge Romania! Romania is not so big, would only say is a medium sized country with its 237 000 sqkm and 20 000 000 inhabitants. According my researches and ideas, if you are on a time pressure we can manage to see all these cities within 3 days. Less means to pass some interesting places.

The trip shall start  from Bucharest in my opinion, but I am very flexible about that. During first day visit please the former Wallachian Capitals Targoviste, Campulung and Curtea de Arges, which might appear nowadays unsignificant province towns. Digging deeper, you can find some wonderful, really royal churches (all the court was orthodox and attended the church regularly) or museums, even fortifications necessary for the defensive purposes. If you are in the warm season and the wonderful road Transfagarasan is opened, cross the mountains on it, the landscape is really fantastic. Reach then Sibiu, and visit it in detail, it is a still a wonderful city. You have all the time in the world, we are going to spend the night here, in an excellent **** hotel, with wine tasting to the dinner. Don't miss the Bruckenthal museum, it is also worth to a long visit.

The Culture Palace from Iasi, which is even today a Romanian Culture Capital

Start your second day leaving Sibiu and visiting Alba Iulia and its very well kept citadell, and the city of Cluj Napoca/Koloszvar/Klausenburg, still being today an interesting mix of populations, who lives in a perfect harmony (my opinion, the Hungarian shall correct me if I'm wrong, koeszonem szepszi!). Unfortunately, we have not much time for Cluj-napoca, as we have to reach Suceava's  hotel Bucovina. Visit Suceava citadell next morning, and imagine the legendary Stefan cel Mare ruling the city and the country. He was rather small, violent and with a soft spot  on beautiful women, no one could resist him, or didn't dare to say no. Live for Iasi, the Moldavian capital up to 1859, which is still nowadays a very important cultural city. The last for 400 km up to Bucharest are only a play. Please keep in mind that the all trip comprises 2000 km, and give the good news about dedicating it longer than three days. Also, according your budget, I can find a good solution! The trip as described above, 3 days with complete pension and lodging in exquisite hotels, would cost 500 Euros.

The hidden secrets of wine tasting

Everybody, or almost everybody, likes a glass of wine in a selected company. It is not compulsory, that everybody becomes a professional wine taster or a somelier.

The main difference between a somelier and a normal trained wine taster, is the simple fact that the somelier needs to speak loud about his experience, and is able to do that, mastering the right vocabulary. Remember, every science is first of all a matter of vocabulary, as a craft is first of all a matter of skill!

But, let's go back to our glass of (Romanian) wine! If the wine comes in a glass, you might want to use a clarifying glass. Putting the wine in the clarifying glass is a spectacular part of the tasting, and many people don't understand the major importance of it. Thus the wine clarifies and simultaneously is airing, emphasizing its natural qualities. As nowadays most producers filter their marketed wines thoroughly, in many situations the clarifying stage is not necessary anymore, with only some exceptions, e.g. if you observe some sediments, or you taste a strong red old wine, which requires for sure clarifying.

Judging the color of a wine is the first step while wine tasting

Next time when you are going to taste a glass of light white wine, e.g Ottonel, Chianti or whatsoever, and the waiter intends to use the clarifying glass, tell him please to spare the effort, that wine simply doesn't require that method, and even doesn't support it.

So, one thing is clear, go to the next step: pour in the tasting wine, and please don't be impacient. Watch carefully the wine first, from longer or shorter distance. Observe the color, the tone, the shade and compare with other similar wines you tested before. Maybe this wine is particular, due to soil, climate, harvesting etc (terroir use to say the French). Incline the glass and observe how the wine humidifies the glass, and if it lets any traces. Observe continuosly the aspect and continuity of the forming pelicula. Smell the wine near the glass and by bringing the smell to you from the distance, with your hand.

On wine tasting always use a spittoon, no matter how difficult is it ot you.  Not using  means getting drunk very quickly

Lat, but not least, taste the wine. But never taste and swallow, experience it! Feel the liquid with all your tongue, and bear in mind that the tastes are only sour, sweet,salt with their tones. Anything else you might feel is again flavor/smell, coming from the nose which communicates with your mouth.

By the end, spit the wine, no matter how difficult is it to you.
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