On a Whim Wm's world travels

Beloved dictator of Yugoslavia is memorialized in Belgrade, Serbia. Some people say things were better when he was there. He carefully played the west and east, while doing his own thing. The joke they told: Tito is in the car and his driver asked if he should go left or right. Tito considers this and says “Signal right then turn left”. We still saw big ugly blocks of apartments (why did communism mean the sacrifice of beauty and color). But Tito only had one home (not 88 lavish palaces like Ceaucescu).

Our young guide (in his 30s) said that in his life, Serbia has changed governments 4 or 5 times. Each time, he would have to redo all paperwork: driver’s license, passport, titles, certificates… and he would have to pay for this change. It is now the Republic of Serbia and he hopes it stays for awhile.

And to our new found friends.

Hello, Budapest!

We sailed up to the 13th century, reconstructed Golubac fortress at the entrance of the Djerdap Gorge. It had only been open for a week. Sixty five percent of it was reimagined. This is a good model for further sandcastle building!

Our ship then picked us up for the journey to Belgrade. At dinner we met a couple from Cedar Mill, Oregon! In fact, Beth Giles has a newsletter I used to receive called NW Organizing Solutions (a guru in organizing!)

https://photos.app.goo.gl/WC4WDp5Y16wSqhgm9

Lepenski Vir was an archeological site in Serbia. It was found in the 1960s just before the dam was built, covering it up forever. Now there is an excellent museum and reconstruction of the levels of civilizations who lived here.

On Wm’s first day of freedom (and retirement), we moved to a fancy hotel to meet up with our group.

The next day we toured Bucharest again on a lovely sunny day.

They drove us to our cruise ship on the Danube river. During dinner, with floor to ceiling windows, we moved across the water to Rousse, Bulgaria.

More photos to follow soon.

It all started with this.

What is in Queen Elisabeth’s hand? I started asking around. I discovered that this Queen of Romania was a poet and author. Her pen name was Carmen Silva (song of the trees). Queen Marie, her daughter-in-law from England, was also a prolific writer.

I went to my favorite bookstore, Cărtureşti Carusel, and asked the young clerk if she had any English books by Queen Marie. She asked, “Our Queen Marie?”. Yes, and no books. But I found everything online: http://www.tkinter.smig.net/index.htm

Did you figure it out? (and, by the way, don’t you love this book stand!)

A tatting shuttle! She was making lace! And I am not alone in this art today. Many Romanian women make lace. Be sure to read Queen Marie’s The Country that I Love and The Story of My Life. Great stuff!

We enjoyed a lovely, sunny day in King Michael I park, mostly in the Village Museum.

Some of these were smaller than our apartment. Yet they managed to fit in their looms and spinning wheels.

We also managed to tour Ceaucescu’s one of many homes.

The history was frightful but the mosaics were brilliant.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/p9aLWTzTfBmYo4UAA

We found our next Halloween party venue.

The Romainians bill this Castle as Count Dracula’s. False in everyway. I read Bram Stoker’s Dracula and terrified myself. But the Castle is lovely, not spooky at all.

A few of our decorations with Candace’s help and Presto! Viola! A party that you will never forget! Get your ticket now!

We spent a very cold day visiting Peleş Castle (King Carol I & Elizabeth’s home) & Pelişor (the home they built for Ferdinand & Marie).

Queen Marie visited Portland, Oregon in 1926. She came to see her good friend, Sam Hill, and his home, Maryhill, overlooking Cellilo Falls in the Columbia Gorge. She donated artwork and furnishings to his museum. (Another little bit of home!)

The Young Men of Scheii festival in Brasov, always begins on the first Sunday of May, for Easter & Spring. This tradition started before the 18th century. The men and their horses in full regalia, parade to the main plaza.

The rest of the day is filled with special songs and dances of the region.

We heard tunes that sounded Greek, Hungarian, Balkan… but we were told that they are all truly Romanian.

The old section of Brasov is lovely. Some buildings date back to the 1500s.

We will miss our usual trek to Northwest Folklife this year. But it felt as though we participated in a mini version. You can see Wm dance here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/HoeyGTpnZ7agQTJr5

Before we left Turkey we saw posters everywhere for one of our favorite bands, Pink Martini.

We flew to Bucharest, a very flat valley full of greens and yellows (rapeseed).

There was a bit of a kerfluffle about needing an international driver’s license to rent a car. But Wm saved the day and we climbed up the mountains to the old section of Brasov, in Transylvania (bla, ha ha). The guesthouse has some baby guests residing by a bathroom window.

With signs of spring everywhere…. including the tops of the tall trees…

After an evening of Sufi dancing,

we spent the day traveling by ferry enjoying the Bosphorus. This is the strait flowing between the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara, dividing Turkey into Asian & European continents.

We stopped in Anadolu Kavagi, in sight of the Black Sea for food and silliness.