Journey To Transylvania And Beyond

From Warsaw to Krakow

When you think of the big European cities that people tend to visit, you get these familiar names: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London, Paris and Rome. But Krakow, Poland’s second largest city and former capital, barely gets a mention. I decided to visit Krakow and journey from there to Slovakia and onwards to Romania to get a glimpse of old central and South-Eastern Europe. We took a flight from Vancouver to Warsaw via Toronto.

When we got into our Ab&b in Warsaw that night a “light bulb” appeared above my head. It dawned on me that I needed to be “educated” to get a clearer picture of Central Europe. It has been nearly 30 years since Poland and the rest of this part of Europe got out of communism and moreover it was also occupied by the Nazi during WWII. We can say that Poland has had a rich and dramatic past! As of today, Poland is still being overlooked by North American tourists; perhaps because we still harbour the antiquated belief that Central and Eastern Europe is somehow behind the times…but take a look…

A new law in Poland was signed at the beginning of 2018 which limits shop openings to the first and last Sunday of the month and by 2020 even these are planned to be phased out. Supporters of the ban say that it would benefit workers and their families. There have been some religious reasons for opposing Sunday labour as well. The Poles are Catholic, most still attend church regularly as I discovered on my recent visits to Sweibodzin and Poznan. They’ve maintained their churches very well and the insides are incredibly beautiful. I realized that in all of my life I had been going to church only as a cultural Christian. I found myself in church on Sunday because it was Sunday. I had been holding and feeling only the tail of this massive elephant called “Christianity”. I was hesitant whether to bow at the altar or genuflect when visiting other distant churches and cathedrals around the world.

After paying a visit to the All Saints Cathedral we proceeded to the Old Town. I discovered that when Polish famous composer Frederic Chopin died, at the young age of 39 of tuberculosis in Paris, his sister had his heart removed and preserved. It was moved to Warsaw during the rule of Imperial Russia. The Nazis allowed Chopin’s heart to be put in safekeeping during the Warsaw Uprising and since 1945 it has remained in a crypt at the Holy Cross Church in Warsaw.

I like to see and observe change. My abiding love of history, cultural change and what had gone before such change has carried over into my travels around the world. We stayed in Warsaw for a week and then took a bus to Krakow. I discovered that when a city has been around for as long as Krakow has, there would be plenty of interesting things to see besides cobbled-stone streets and well-planned squares surrounded by ornate buildings. There are many impressive churches in Krakow including St. Peter and St. Paul’s church in which the parents of Pope John Paul II were married. St. Peter and St Paul’s was also the venue for the Golden Classical Music Concert performed by the orchestra of Saint Maurice (with the best classics comprising of Chopin, Mozart, Schubert, Tchaikovsky and Vivaldi) when we were there. We had the pleasure of attending…

During our stay in Krakow we also took the opportunity to visit the Wieliczka Salt Mine; a UNESCO World Heritage site. This labyrinth was filled with intricate salt carvings including a giant replica of da Vinci’s Last Supper on the walls. Our tour guide encouraged us to lick the walls to confirm that it’s all salt. Nobody (in our group) did but I relished the opportunity, tasted it and confirmed that it was salt indeed! It was probably 6000 years old 😊!

Needless to mention, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp was the focal point of our visit to Krakow. The authentic Memorial consists of two parts of the former Nazi camp- Auschwitz and Birkenau. The museum attracts millions of visitors per year. Most people (except Holocaust deniers) understand that Auschwitz is a symbol of terror and genocide. It was established by Nazi Germany in 1940 in the suburbs of Oswiecim a city that was annexed to the Third Reich. It is situated about 50 kilometres west of Krakow. The increasing mass arrests of the political opponents and Jews were beyond the capacity of existing local prisons where they were arrested. Therefore, the reason for the establishment of the camp. The first transport of prisoners reached Auschwitz from Tarnow prison on June 14, 1940.

The statistics are sobering. Most of the estimated 1.3 millions arrested were sent to the gas chambers. Others died of starvations and other causes. Krakow has had more than its share of misery and tragedies. Yet I believe this has resolved to make the city stronger, resilient and in a way more endearing to visitors. A visit to Auschwitz was somber and thought-provoking for me. I found it a valuable place to reflect and learn, not only about history but, perhaps even more so, something about ourselves and humanity.

Slovakia

Most people would fly into the capital Bratislava when they intended to visit Slovakia. However, we took a Flixbus from Krakow to Kosice, a university town which is much more off the beaten path in the eastern part of the country. I had used this transport company before, travelling from Prague to Dresden and found it reliable and satisfactory. The buses are equipped with comfortable seats, toilet, free Wi-Fi and power outlets. The journey from Krakow to Kosice took us about five hours. Kosice grew up on the crossroads of the long-distance merchant roads which connect Eastern Europe with the West and the Baltic with the Black Sea. The settlement existed since the Palaeolithic Age. I surmised that the town plan concept was probably the oldest, the largest and the most preserved among Slovakian towns. I found it quite easy to read and remember the street network. The town’s network was basically formed by the three streets, aiming from the North to the South, with the middle one gradually widened into the shape of a lens.

We strolled along the Hlavna Ulica (Main Street) in the architecturally impressive historic center of Kosice with no fixed destination in mind. This was a splendid morning, with a slight haze and the promise of a fine Autumn day in Kosice. The Pedestrian-only promenade stretched for about 1.2 kilometers. To me this was a showcase of Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Art Nouveau masterpieces. I admired the majestic facade of St. Elisabeth Cathedral which dates back to 1380. It is the largest church in Slovakia and one of the easternmost Gothic cathedrals in Europe. According to archaeological and historical sources, the present-day cathedral was built on the ground of an earlier church which was also consecrated to St Elisabeth of Hungary. We decided to pay the Cathedral a visit.

May put on her head scarf and I removed my baseball cap as we approached the main entrance of the Cathedral. The very moment as we entered the Cathedral I recalled the verse “Be still and know that I am God”. Perhaps I have been raised in churches with the “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silent” sense of the holy. I love the sense of the holy in places like this. Silence touches that deep part of my soul that words sometime seem not to be able to do…

During my globetrotting and wandering I have seen a lot of churches and cathedrals (like the impressive Burgos and Leon Cathedrals) but to me, the Elisabeth Cathedral in Kosice absolutely contain some of the finest Gothic stained glass to be found anywhere. The stained glass was gorgeous but at the same time not gaudy. It possessed this wonderfully translucent and iridescent qualities. I looked carefully at the glass against the clear sky and was mesmerized by its richness and colourful transparency. It left me wondering whether that perhaps such glass had never been made before, has never been made since and probably will never be made again in the future…We remained quiet for most of the time in this hushed church where motive candles flickered before wooden saints. In a strange way I had the deep feeling that this was also my church as I felt a primal connection with the Christian heritage and tradition. At the time of our visit the interior (with the many altars, paintings and wall frescoes) was free for visitors to admire. The main altar dedicated to St. Elisabeth, crafted in the period of 1474–77, consist of two pairs of decorated “wings” with each containing six Gothic paintings which are adjoined to the central part. As a whole, there are 48 paintings in three themes – Elizabethan, the Passion and the Advent. After spending some time in the Cathedral, we stepped outside and continued our stroll once again in the shadow of the aristocratic palaces and stately houses. That evening we went out again to enjoy the illuminated splendour of this Cathedral…

There were tourists and locals alike sitting in the outside areas of the restaurants and cafes admiring the elegant scenery and watching people and the world go by. I observed them for a while and then realized that this was not usually the way I like to visit a country. If I have the choice, I would like to visit at least three different locations, as I did with Poland, to get a better idea of the country as a whole. But sometimes we just don’t have the time or opportunity. I would love to return to Slovakia and see more. With a heavy heart we bid farewell to Kosice and took the Flixbus to Budapest. From Budapest we managed to catch the night train from the Keleti station to Brasov.

Brasov

Bound on the east and south by The Carpathian mountain range which formed its natural borders, Transylvania extended westward to the Apuseni Mountains. It is a historical region located in central Romania. The term Transylvania sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also parts of the historical regions of Crișana and Maramureș, and occasionally the Romanian part of Banat. The region is known for the scenery of its Carpathian landscape and its rich history. The Western world commonly associates Transylvania with vampires, because of the influence of Bram Stoker’s novel “Dracula” and the many Hollywood horror films adaptations. The novelist had a specific location in mind for the Dracula Castle while writing the narrative: an empty mountain top in the Transylvanian Kelemen Alps near the former border with Moldavia. However, I was informed that Bram Stoker actually never visited Romania. He depicted the imaginary Dracula’s castle based upon a description of Bran Castle that was available to him in Britain at the turn-of-the-century. Stoker was purported to have used the illustration of Bran Castle in Charles Boner’s book, “Transylvania: Its Product and Its People” (London: Longmans, 1865) to describe his imaginary Dracula’s Castle. There were so many amazing places to visit in Brasov, and yet Brasov seemed not to have captured the full attention of travelers planning European trips. We spent a week in Brasov Old Town and learned of its origins and role as an important market town in medieval Transylvania. There was a tale to unravel the secrets of each site we visited. The beautiful cobblestone lane (Strada Sforii) and the colourful houses grabbed my attention, but they looked nothing like the images in my mind of a place where the legend of the Count Dracula began.

We visited the Black Church, a German-Evangelical church. It is one of the celebrated landmarks of Brasov and perhaps also one of Eastern and Central Europe’s most iconic monuments. The name of the Church was given after the catastrophic fire of 1689 that blackened its wall when the entire city was practically burned down. The church and its surrounding somehow strangely brought forth for me an image of events which shaped the past of Transylvania… The image of war and peace, from the many foreign invasions to the role of the Saxons who colonised the land and the impact of the Reformation on their society. Nowadays, the church preserves only three of the original six bells that existed. I was informed that here within the church lied the largest collection of Oriental carpets outside Turkey. The altar is one of the oldest in Transylvania. The pulpit which dates from 1696 is decorated with the sculptures of Moses, the four Evangelists in Christian tradition Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. From around the same period dates the mural painting representing Virgin Mary.

We Continued our journey to St Nicholas Church situated in the Unirii Square in the Schei district of Brasov. The charming pointed main tower and the two smaller towers of the Church immediately caught my eyes like the fabled buildings in fairy tales. It dates back to the 15th century and was built on the site of an older church dated around 1292. It was initially built in the Gothic style and later redecorated with architectural elements of Baroque style.

Within the courtyard is the Museum of the First Romanian School. I believe St. Nicholas Church, through out its history, together with the adjacent First Romanian school had provided the needed religious, spiritual, intellectual and cultural support to the diverse population of this city .

We spent a week in Brasov, walking on some of the fascinating trails around the city, embracing the majesty of the ancient walls and fortifications amidst its beautiful natural environment…

No visit to Brasov would be complete without a visit to Bran Castle which we did but were disappointed that Count Dracula did not turn up to show us his lodging. The widely believed connection between Bran Castle and the Dracula legend (of Vlad III Dracula and Bram Stoker’s novel) is perhaps helpful for tourism purpose.

Bucharest

Bucharest, the capital of Romania, for us from Brasov, was just a short ride away. Most visitors to Bucharest would treat the city unlike the way which we did. They would arrive at the capital, pass through it briefly and head to the northern towns of Transylvania to see, among other sites, the Pele Castle. This Neo-Renaissance castle was built between 1873 and 1914 in the enchanted forest of the Carpathian Mountains on an existing medieval route linking Transylvania and Wallachia…We, unlike most tourists, came from the other direction. However, regardless from which direction we came, we all had to walk up to the end of a beautiful forest path to get the first glimpse of this spectacular Castle set on top of a hill. Despite the glare of the Romanian autumn sun I removed my “shade” to really appreciate its beauty and majesty which are so fully displayed amidst the colourful foliage.

I had the strong suspicion that many tourists had counted Romania as a visited country but had not, from the cultural perspective, really gathered anything of value. We intended to stay for a while and hoped to immerse ourselves in the rich culture of this fascinating country. But what did I do on this first trip to Bucharest? I rented an Ab&b in Bucharest’s Old Centre: –Centrul vechi to the locals. Centrul vechi is the legendary birth place of Bucharest. It is also Bucharest’s unrivaled district for restaurants, cafés and bars. I discovered that it is actually a city of contrasts. I was stimulated by the design styles to the size of buildings and the people we encountered. We saw roof top bars hosted by century old buildings, with many boasting beautiful facades and decorations. Just like elsewhere in Central Europe, Bucharest is also about the cafes. People go in the morning or afternoon for coffee, and by nightfall, they have switched to beer and wine.

We wanted to have coffee at the Artichok social coffee house where I would have had the opportunity to watch and “study” the patrons of the shop. But while we were still undecided a honeybee was circling around me, driving me nut and making it difficult for me even to take proper photographs. By then May had already walked over to the shop called “libraria Humanitas”.

I hang aroud a moment and had a short conversation with one of the patrons who asked me whether I had been able to see Bucharest through the eyes of the homeless and heard the story about Gheorghe. It appeared that Gheorghe was a drug addict who had lived on the streets of Bucharest for many years and lost many of his friends to drugs… The patron told me that eventually a local NGO called the Parada Foundation (that gets children off the streets) helped him to climb out of homelessness and built a life for himself. The story reminded me of Vancouver’s “complicity” in the problem of Downtown Eastside. It is complicated!

Bucharest is actually covered with parks – something that I didn’t expect in an Eastern European city. It is one of the greenest major cities I have come across in Europe. But I also wanted to take one step further than parks. I discovered that Bucharest, as a city in a continuous transformation since the fall of Communism, is probably “cooler” today than the years before. So, I came up with the ultimate checklist (while indulging ourselves in some fun) of some of the quirky, creative and intriguing things and places to visit and see in Bucharest.

Apart from all the “strange” sites we visited we also went to see The Palace of the Parliament which has a developed area of 365,000 m2, making it the third largest administrative building in the world after The Pentagon and Long’ao Building. I am informed that The Palace of the Parliament is also the heaviest building in the world, weighing about 4,098,500,000 kilograms. Romanian specialists who analyzed the data argue that the massive weight and structure of the Palace lead to further settlement below the construction making it sinks by 6 mm each year.

It is left for travellers to discover Bucharest and much more… But it is possible for us to discover “much more” only if we can “re-educate” ourselves to listen, see and feel what is around us..

.From Bucharest we took the train and continued with our journey towards Sofia in Bulgaria and beyond…

Just a thought:

My innate ability of listening, seeing and touching no longer come naturally since I became adult. The vision and imagination which we once had as little children, destroyed by liberal schoolings, harmful cacophony of the modern society and popular culture, have to be rediscovered. I have learned from Thomas Merton that most of our senses need to be educated (re-educated?) in order for us to listen and see and appreciate what surround us. I remember the tea ceremony performed by our son Nigel and his bride Haruna at their wedding reception. In the Eastern tradition of tea ceremony every individual is greeted with respect and courtesy. The things (tea utensils, cups, saucers and a tray laid out in order) were handled with care and the tea served according to tradition in such orderly way as if to pay homage to the contributions they each play in the event. This simple tea ceremony demonstrated the sensitive feeling of respect and reverence for both people and things, similar to what I found so common in the Benedictine Way.

We have to be constantly reminded that progress is not always all gain. It is not necessarily so. St. Paul advise us “to hold fast that which is good”. Beauty and good will not come to us at all if they do not come into correct perspective. Beauty and the good of the past, once gone, is irrecoverable.

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