Vlad the Impaler

Vlad III of Transylvania

 Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia in present day Romania earned the nickname "Impaler" for his preferred method of dispatching his enemies and anyone he found to be tiresome. Vlad was the real life character that inspired Bram Stoker to create Dracula who in comparison was a veritable saint. 

If done right the impaled could live for up to 48 hours whilst Vlad had supper as he watched.

Now Vlad who had a few wives, at least one of which jumped off the castle balcony, decided to take Katarina of Brasov as a lover. Imagine how the conversation went with Katarina's father :- So Vlad what is your intention with my daughter? Well actually Mr Katarina's Dad it is to Imp....

Anyway enough of the history lesson.

Bram Castle

Bram Castle in Transylvania is where our arch villain Dracula supposedly hung out.

Peles Castle

A much more interesting castle in the same area is Peles Castle which was built for King Carol I.

Brasov

I found the town of Brasov in the same region of Transylvania to be absolutely enchanting and ended up spending five nights there.

Zip Line

Just outside the city of Brasov is a large natural area leading up the Seven Ladders Canyon. The three kilometers back through the forest can be a whole lot of fun when you take the zip line. In fact it is a series of 36 different zip lines that very often transition from one to the next way up on a platform perched in the top of a fir tree. With nobody to help fixing the pulley to the line you have to make sure you get it right which causes a bit of anxiety for the first couple.

High mountain Shepherd

Way above treeline there were large flocks of sheep which were always attended by a shepherd and a pack of dogs that would come charging at me as I passed.

A friendly dog ( I think)

Endless trails

Incredible riding

I have got to say that Romania has provided for some of the best riding that I have had on this trip with narrow farm tracks that are up in the tundra before plunging back down into the thick forests.

Hobbit House

And how about my own little Hobbit house to spend the night in. It was leaning at such an angle that my neighbors commented that it looked like it was on a side stand.

Transfagarasan Highway

And of course no trip to Romania would be complete without a ride on the Transfagarasan Highway. Built during the 1970s by the communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu this was considered a strategic military road should the country be invaded by the USSR.