More Romania

    Ion's family has greeted us in style—his father, mother, brother, sister, and two grown nieces. English is a little lacking here and there, but we get along fine. The father, far right, is also musical.


    On Friday we took a little trip up into the hills north of Brasnov to visit the castle at Bran. This is the one that is associated with the Dracula story that Bram Stoker wrote in the 29th century. Naturally, there is no connection at all. The figure of Count Dracula (which means devil's son) is modeled on a 16th-century ruler named Vlad the Impaler. The castle was built in the early 18th century as a defense for Transylvania against the neighboring region, and later against the Turks. Later it was occupied by the Hapsburg rulers of Romania, a couple of whom were much loved.
    Here is the courtyard of this impressive structure.