Cluj Napoca – Maramures: Culture and Folk Lore, Tour Day 3, WTRD 13, Aug 22, 2016

Cluj Napoca Tour – Maramures

The small hotel we stayed in last night was very comfortable. The breakfast room had only enough room for about 12 people. We were early enough 7:30, that we did not have to compete for seats, but it was a good thing we were leaving at 8:15 and vacated the breakfast room by 8:00 when another group was flowing in.

According to our guide George, Romania does not have an immigration, refugee problem. Romania is not a part of the Schengen agreement so they do not have to take refugees, but most of the refugees apparently are not interested in migrating to Romania because of its lower socioeconomic status. Romania has lost about 5,000,000 million people from the last census, migrating out of Romania. Unemployment is low because of the baby boomer retirements opening jobs to younger people.

A hold over from communist times, Romania has universal healthcare of sorts. It doesn't pay for surgeries. Dental care is not included. Not sure what else it doesn't cover, but it sounds very basic.

Our guide tells us a joke explaining Romanian culture: An Italian, a German, and a Romanian, died and were being interviewed by St. Peter at the Pearly Gates. He asked the Italian how he died. The Italian replied,"I was driving my Ferrari and driving 300 kilometers per hour when I hit a wall, and I died." "Ok, come in", St Peter said and opened the gate. St. Peter then asked the German how he died. The German replied, "I was driving my BMW and driving 200 kilometers per hour, hit a cow, and I died. "Ok, come in", St Peter said and opened the gate. He then asked the Romanian how he died, and the Romanian replied, "I was driving my BMW, and I starved to death." Apparently showing off and keeping up is a part of the Romanian mindset

We were on the road driving north toward the region of Maramures (northern Transylvania), close to the border of Romania and the Ukraine. Through long agricultural valleys of corn, hay, sunflowers and small villages we traveled until we began a more twisted ride uphill into the low mountains. The vegetation is both deciduous and evergreen, firs and pines.

As we drive further into the mountains, there is more mining and industrial buildings to refine the metals extracted from the lands. The landscape is covered with smog. You can smell the industry here.All of the metal components on the Eiffel Tower, came from Romania. The third highest cooling tower in Europe of 1000 feet is here in the mountains. The structure is concrete, resistant to earthquakes and the inside has special bricks to trap pollutants.

Due to the relative isolation of their land, the people of Maramures developed a particularly strong community with a unique personality, traditions, culture, fashion and lifestyle unspoiled for centuries.

Our first visit is to the early 1720's Church of Surdesti, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and until recently the tallest and oldest wooden structure in Europe. This is a good opportunity to learn about the Uniate Church (Greek Originally, this church was a Greek Catholic Church, not Greek Orthodox and there was a law that no stone and mortar tower could be taller than the state church, so the Greek Catholics subverted the tower law by building a tall tower made of wood.

During the communist era, the Greek Catholic church was given to the state church. Today, both the Greek Catholics and Greek Orthodox share the wooden church. The surrounding grave yard is old and ill kept and looked as if it is no longer used. However, as I worked my way out to the graveyard to get a better photo perspective of the church tower, there was a new grave of a man born in 1933. It was an interesting stop.

There is a local dowry tradition here in the mountains and the Iza Valley. Girls coming into marriageable age begin to collect things for their wedding. Ceramic pots were an important item to have. The young woman and her family would place pots in the tree. Prospective suitors would watch as the pots were place upwards toward the top of a tree in the garden. When the top pot was placed, it was a signal that the girls was ready to be married and would accept suitors.

A one point in our drive through the mountains, we came to a small hill, called a magnetic hill. The driver of our van, turned of the engine and took his foot off the brake. The van appeared to move upward as it was pulled by an invisible force "up the hill." Russ assures me it was an optical illusion, but it sure looked like we were going up hill. Hmmm. Will have to do a little research on this.

Our troup stopped for lunch, huge bowls of soup. Russ, ordered a cold cut plate, but I ordered the Hungarian Goulash and it was terrific.

After lunch we visited the Anti-Communist Memorial - a political prison in the Communist times. This is one of the main memorial sites of the continent, alongside Auschwitz Museum and the Peace Memorial in Normandy.

Locations of Political Prisons in Romania

Not only were Jews exterminated, but all who were against communism, human rights, who spoke out and dissented against the establishment. Up until 1989 when the communist government was overthrown, 2.3 MILLION Romanians were exterminated.  Despite that all of the exhibits were not in English, we've been to enough of these infamous prisons to know it was the last torturous stop for those who were incarcerated here. WHY as human beings are we so afraid of dissent and so vicious for absolute power and agreement?

We think this is all in the past. Well, it's not! Look at Turkey, today. Look at America and the people who think we should keep Muslims out of the country, who think that if you are not a Christian you should get out of the USA, if you do not believe in god, you are angry and the anti-christ; if you are gay, you are an abomination; if you are not white, you are inferior; if you are a woman, you are inferior. What is the matter with us as human beings that we are so willing to demonize and persecute, and even execute those not a part of our group of like thinkers? We are sickened by our gross generalities, and rationalized inhumanity towards one another.

We motor west along the Tisa River (very close to the Ukrainian border) and reach the village of Sapinta world famous for its "Merry Cemetery". Here each wooden cross carries a funny epitaph about the person's life. The community wanted to lighten the load of death and celebrate the passage into the next life. This cemetary is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

By the time we have visited the cemetery, we are tired and ready for a nap; however that is not the plan.

We stop briefly at the new tallest wooden church in Romania for photos,

gaze across the river at the Ukraine, and head toward our accommodations which will be home hosted this evening, first with dinner, then exclusively organized Maramurees folklore show, and accommodation.

During a magnificent, thunder, lightening, and rain storm we gather in a large protected gazebo where we drink homemade blueberry, wild cherry , and plum brandy, feast on dinner and dessert, sing, dance, and have a fun evening.

Yes, it tasted as good as it looks.

Now it's off to bed.

All is Well with the Worrall Travel Rs in Northern Romania

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