Before crossing the border....good Goulash soup [the best!]. A foretaste of things to come.
The border guard took all our passports and disappeared into his office for at least half an hour. When Istvan our driver handed him the paperwork, he said the bus was full of AUstralians. "What?", said the officer, "All of them???"
Wherever we arrived, we were given the 'best room'. This is in Ildiko's house.
In Ildiko's kitchen.
This is the exterior of a house in a Romanian village. The door is to the cellar where the father of the house did his carvings.
These sculptures were carved by this lovely woman's father, who started carving after returning, wounded, from war. She tells me he was a 'silent' man, but clearly, from the love in her eyes, he also was a very loving one. He did all these carvings 'from his head', ie from his imagination, no pre-drawing, no research. I particularly love the faces carved for the 'harrowing of hell', 3 pictures down.
gateway to the churchyard...
A very very old church--12th century, I think. During the Reformation period [early C20th], most catholic church walls were whitewashed. Ironically, this helped preserve many of the frescoes from damage during the travails throughout the century. Restoration work is very slow. One of the few times I've wished I were a millionaire, to be able to throw money at the restoration projects.
Today was very very cold, probably not more than 8 degrees, after 28-degree days for the previous 2 weeks. It's the very day we head out to the goat/sheep farm for a spot of cheese-making...
As you can see, Gina [far right] is as cold as I am. After a morning of begging, borrowing and swapping warmer clothes, we seem to get by. Her nose finally turns back from deep purple to skin tone.
Banffy Castle, Romania
[You can see I felt very at home]
Zsuzsi with Zsuzsa, one of our wonderful hosts. Zsuzsa sewed the girls into traditional costumes for the day. She made all the costumes.
Marton, Mim, Ruby, Zsuzsa and Tim
The following photo series is by Robert Sebes
This is the 'mafia town' in Western Romania, Ostentaion above practicality, Most buildings are works in progress.
We begged Robert for this photo of the pig
L-to RL Gina Tim, Richard, Pam, Eve, Mim, Lottie, Ruby, Zsuzsi [Robert taking photo]
our 'fearless leader' Sally, with one of our hosts, Zsuzsa neni [who baked the cabbage-leaf bread]
The following photo series by Ruby Soboslay Moore:
Richard, by Ruby
Robert, by Ruby.
The following photo series by Mim Soboslay Moore
As we turned in the gate, after our cold trip to the goat/sheep farm, the band rose to their feet and serenaded us up the drive.
