A Smile and Wave from Iasi, Romania

Iasi. It's actually pronounced "Yash".

There is lots to say about this cultural center and former capital of Moldova. Its history is rich and its elegant streets, very enjoyable to wander through. However, in this very subjective road trip, its main feature is that it sits at the very edge of the country. Just next to the Eastern border I will be crossing, I leave the Iasian avenues.

These Ukulele Road Trips have been in Romania for a while, and even if I could write long lines about the wonderful experiences and travels I've had here, I'd rather let a song do the talking.

I'll Brasov (brush off) the dust from Transylvania, from my old jeans, I will again be a, travelling bard this time a little bit more brave, smile and wave, smile and wave, smile and wave

a Bucharest (book a rest) in the commie capital, a walk in Tineretului and all,  I leave behind just like the time you gave, smile and wave smile and wave, smile and wave

Sighisoara, Suceava, Cluj and You, I part without but with the plan soon to, relive them, not allow them in a grave, smile and wave, smile and wave, smile and wave

Am I happy now to go, from the old culture capital, Iasi (yes) and no, I smile and wave Bicaz Bicaz (because), I see all that could be and all, that was

On my way I'll Sibiu (see biou-)tiful sights I'm sure, time for a Bran (brand) new start and an encore encore, time also for a haircut and a fresh shave, smile and wave, smile and wave, smile and wave

smile and wave, smile and wave, share and like !

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The Peaceful Heights of Lacul Rosu, Romania

Whims are a curious thing. Even the word is sort of amusing. "Whim". Sounds funny. Try it. No really, say it. Whim. See?

And luckily for me, a whim, courtesy of a fellow traveler, is exactly what has brought me to Lacu Rosu. It also took a bus ride, sleeping over in Bicaz, where I walked a couple of hours with my gear to find a place to sleep, and some hitchhiking to get to the "Red Lake" the next day. But I could regret none of it when I arrived there.

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That's the funny thing with whims. They definitely don't make your life easier. But they might just give you what you need in the end. Something you might not have known you needed at all actually. It could be no wifi, and stretches of tall trees as far as the eye can see. Or it could be the peace and quiet of a young lake that makes your thoughts clearer. Anyway, motivational posters aside, whims that you follow give you moments to truly live, and stories to tell. Or if you're whim-ing with a ukulele or two, short songs to sing.

I said "young" lake, because as it turns out, this "Red Lake", or, "Killer Lake" as it used to be called, is only roughly 200 years old! Basically, in July 1837 (which, incidentally, is also the year Felix Mendelssohn got married... fun fact), a violent storm caused big bits of the surrounding mountains to collapse. The landslides blocked nearby rivers and the lake grew on an area covered in trees. Which is why many trunks of giant fur-trees still peak out of the lake. The text by the booth to book rowing boats says that it is a "witness to the originality and specificity of the lake even today". There you go.

Another very scientific theory about the formation of the lake involves a beautiful young woman called Eszter, "her eyes greyish-green", in love with a beautiful man, "so strong that he could kill a bear with his embrace and played the pipe so beautifully that he moved all hearts around" (wow, right?) (still quoting from the same poster by the way). Long story short, she was kidnapped, and sad, prayed, and then a big earthquake killed them all. The Killer Lake appears, and, it now reflects the colour of her "greyish-green" eyes, a beautiful colour, that surely deserves a more elegant name.

It's safe now though you'll be glad to hear. And if ever a whim does take all the way to Lacul Rosu, you won't need legends to make this place feel very special to you. You can be sure of that. Whims make good things happen.

As for now, just like this wild migrating ukulele, I'm flying off (not literally) to my next destination. Hope to hear from you in the mean time. And feel free to share this post and song. Follow your writing and sharing whims!

The Painted Monasteries of Bucovina - Romania

I had an interesting conversation this morning with the kind lady running the small pension I'm staying at, near "Suceava". We were talking about bus timetables, and I was asking at what time I should leave to get the "Gura Humorului" bus. And the answer I understood from the gestures and my broken Romanian was this one: that if ever she cuts her own finger, I should come back in 50 years and it'll all be fine. Which is odd. And which also speaks volumes on how little I've learned of the language despite spending so much time here. Anyway,

The most flowery mode of transportation in the world in is Gura Humorului, Romania

I'll let you in a bit further behind the scenes here. My Ukuleles and I have a system. We talk to people, ask them what's nice in their country, and go there. It's fairly simple. So when I asked Romanians what I should check out in their land, I heard about "painted monasteries in the North" quite a few times. So off I went. They didn't mention that I should better have a car, that there aren't that many buses and bla, but, it's not like I asked. 

Pictured above, I'm guessing, Jesus with sort of braids inside the Voronet Monastery, also pictured. Then, paintings on the exterior of the Humorului Monastery, also pictured.

Maybe it was the weather, my mood, or the fact I'm not an Orthodox Christian, but, the paintings didn't really win me over. I enjoy the idea, of painting lots of people on buildings. It's fun. A lot of the depictions even look like comic strips, except instead of batman saving Gotham City, it's Jesus and the Gang saving our souls. Not much dialogue though. And, well, it's not very well drawn to be honest...

My not-so-insightful criticism apart, from the many - probably beautiful - painted Monasteries, I managed to do 2 or 3. Which is not that bad. I still got a good feel for the place. And inspiration for a song:

These two Monasteries above are part of the so-called "Painted Monasteries of Bucovina". The Voronet (with a ț and pronounced Voronets) Monastery was built in 1488, and the Humorului one (in the video) in 1530. Their importance, which completely eluded me, was not missed by UNESCO, who put them in a pretty-important-buildings-list with a few others from the region. The paintings depict the lives of famous saints, in a way that was designed to be accessible to all, although, I didn't really get which way it was supposed to be read. An interesting fact about the Voronet Monastery (which has a river nearby, where a little blue ukulele accompanied a certain song about paint), is that the unique (I was told) bright blue on the outdoor walls was given its own name; the Voronet blue. Which I am retrospectively very glad to have seen, with my own shade of blue and its four strings on my back.

it's not play, it's not a masterpiece, it's not a portrait here to stay. just like like the pictures on these walls they cease, to shine and slowly fade away. only cold stones I fear is what you see, not the bright colours that I thought would be.

A musical colleague, in the Voronets blue. Playing a few chords and watching on, as a tiny white man comes out of a young boy's mouth, and while his buddy to his left is casually killing demons.