Transylvania Dracula Castle Didn't Suck

We got some last Olympics watching in. I think today was the closing ceremony.

Rented a car.

Took a drive out of the confines of lovely Brasov.

Our little day trip was to see Bran Castle. It's marketed as Dracula's Castle but it seems that marketing is about all it is. One of the signs inside explained:

"Nocturnal residence of Count Dracula

In 1897, the Irish writer Bram Stoker gave the world an imaginary character that even today fascinates audiences from all over the world: Dracula, an immortal Transylvanian count, thirsty for innocent blood. The legend created by Stoker is based on the fictional image of the 15th century Wallachian prince, Vlad Tepes, who was famous at the time by his severe punishment of the law breakers. Starting from Tepes's bloody reputation, from his enigmatic death and the belief in supernatural beings such as the living dead, present in the Romanian folklore, Dracula is a mixture of real historical facts and imaginary. Bran Castle, described in literature as a great fortress difficult to conquer, located in a mysterious place in the midst of the Carpathians Mountains, was the ideal framework for Bram Stoker's novel. Nowadays, Bran Castle is not only the imaginary residence of Count Dracula but also presents to its public the characters of the Romanian folk tales: Strigoi, Moroi, lele, Muma-Pădurii."

So I think the truth is that the the character Dracula had some elements based on Vlad the Impaler, but the castle itself doesn't have much connection to either the character or the real person other than being located in Transylvania. I'm not one to let reality get in the way of a good time, however.

Also had I not wanted to go to this random castle I wouldn't have ever known the joy of looking for parking in a crowded corner of rural Romania.

"The lele

These feminine mythical creatures (or, by other appreciative names, - The Beauties, The Masters, The Falcons, The Saints, etc.) are described as girts who appear at night in flight, by floating in the air, singing and dancing. They are believed to be immortal, because, as servants, they drank the bottle of living water brought by Alexander the Great from his pilgrimages. They are ghosts with very tempting silhouettes, dressed in white veils.

They may have candles in their hands which are seen as circles of fire when they fly over a sleeping person they meet on the way.

They are great lovers of songs and dances. The grass is greener or mushrooms and flowers grow where they danced.

"Few of those who claim they saw them dancing without being noticed -and thus escaped unscathed - say it is wonderful: first they line up and than they spin in all sorts of shapes, twists and turns, delighting your eyes so that you don't know which one to admire more.

And when they have to part, the wheel spins so fast that it looks like a bright circle of fire, as if someone was taking a lighted torch and spinning so fast, so fast, that the one sitting in the middle of the circle remains confused and their mind jumps out of place." Since night is the time when they appear on earth during the spring-summer season, it is recommended that people would not go out then, so that meeting them cannot have bad consequences. They can appear near the eaves of a house, in the meadows, on the water's edge, near some old trees.

The most common condition they can cause as a result of their dance over the victim is paralysis; they are also responsible for sudden illnesses or loss of mind.

In order to protect yourself from them, If you have to leave the house during the mentioned period, it is recommended to wear a bunch of magical herbs (wormwood, lovage, celandine, etc.). If the condition has already set in, traditional dances or charms are used."

Ern tried on some vampire gear in the giftshop.

I vant to smooch your cheek.

We stopped at a nearby restaurant called Brana.

Noroc!

Chicken Schnitzel with rosemary oven baked potatoes

Back in Brașov, we hit a Carrefour supermarket. This is one of those countries where you have to weigh your own fruit ahead of time and print out a sticker then attach it to your produce.

I found a coin worth 0.0022 dollars. The rich get richer!