As you may recall, the object of my intense desire, Cluj-Napoca City Hall, had been veiled in tantalizing construction lingerie for as long as I’d known her. So eager was I to peek up her satin nightgown last December that it landed me in the backseat of a police car. Such is the plight of those who find climbable no-go zones immensely attractive. One day, when science proves … Continue reading Cluj City Hall Quits Teasing, Goes Full Nude
Kornis Castle, located near the city of Dej, is my favorite abandoned Transylvanian castle to date, though that’s bound to change in the near future as the weather gets better. It’s a bit removed from Dej itself, so if you arrive in the city by train or bus you should find some way to get to the castle by car. I hitchhiked there with little trouble from … Continue reading Abandonment Issues: Kornis Castle
Roșia Montană is a highly controversial, inactive gold mine in Transylvania’s Apuseni Mountains that’s been written about extensively over the years. Sam has expounded quite a bit on the topic already, so rather than beat a dead horse, I’ll refer you to a few of his articles. What little I can add to the palimpsest of Roșia Montană content is an account of my own experience there with … Continue reading Do-It-Yourself Romania: Exploring Mines at Roșia Montană
Yesterday the Citadel Group at Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj hosted U.S. Ambassador Klemm at the Faculty of European Studies, an event which I was fortunate enough to attend and even participate in marginally. Ambassador Klemm’s speech (transcript here) focused on a ‘revanchist Russia’ and what NATO and particularly Romania ought to be doing to counter its increasing assertiveness in the Black Sea. Foremost on the honey-do list … Continue reading U.S. Ambassador Klemm Takes on ‘Revanchist Russia’
Few places in Romania have a higher concentration of garish gypsy palaces than the little town of Huedin, located just west of Cluj. The palaces have always struck me as the architectural equivalent of gold grillz and raised trucks—flashy emblems for American proles who want to project a moneyed lifestyle despite earning $30,000 a year. Most people look at such ostentation and shake their heads, including myself. … Continue reading Gypsy Palaces in Huedin
All Things Romania 