Thinking Allowed: Full moon over Brasov

For a long time we have heard about how much other travelers adore Romania. Often, it is listed in their top list. Finally, we got the chance to see for ourselves. Landing in Bucharest and staring out at the flat urban sprawl made us feel glad that we were heading into the mountains. And what a great little mountain town Brasov ended up being.

Brasov is nestled right up against Tampa mountain which connects into the larger mountain chain, offering no end to outdoor adventure possibilities. We so enjoyed having a mountain at our doorstep. Our apartment was right in the old part of town which is quiet and cobbly and winding with a happening local-events scene as well as the usual tourist vibe and amenities. Jakob appreciated the inexhaustible number of cute cafes he could work from. One evening, he took the older girls to a concert, where Aurora, slightly bored, sat in her pew reading 'Dracula' while a Transylvanian played Bach's Toccata in D minor played on a huge church organ - so fitting! The kids and I grew to eagerly anticipate morning strolls to get pretzels coated in sunflower seeds. Best of all, we were all so glad to spend the month with friends. It was nice to have a small community (though with 9 children between us guess it wasn't that small a community!). We spent many a pleasant sunny afternoon in parks and playgrounds and explored the larger area in day trips further afield. Our 'small community' hiked, climbed, toured through castles, enjoyed local festivals, explored Brasovs' nooks and crannies, crocheted with locals, bouldered a dozen times, and played and played and played.