Romania and Moldova Part II: The Painted Monasteries

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for! I know I was. Especially after how much grueling traveling I went through to get there... finally seeing the monasteries I'd come for!

We signed up for the monastery tour with a guy we met in the hostel. He'd already booked it for himself, but the cost was cheaper the more people we had. It turned out to be a good mood, not only because we didn't have to pay as much, but also because our tour guide was awesome. Gigi (Georgio) was a native Romanian who had grown up in the area and had spent a lot of time around the monasteries, just chatting with the nuns and learning all kinds of fun facts about them. He'd worked for a hotel there, and started giving tours for tourists at the hotel. When he realized how much he liked it, he learned English and started his own company. We liked him a lot because was very friendly and really knowledgeable. We asked a lot of questions, and he always knew the answers, and the one time he didn't, he asked one of the nuns for us. I learned so much about the history of Bukovyna!!!

We met our tour guide around 8 am, and took off for the first monastery. Along the way he pointed out to us some of the houses in the countryside, which were done up in the traditional Romanian style with intricate metalwork and woodworked trim and bright colors.

Then we stopped at the first of the painted monasteries: the Humor Monastery.

Then it was on to the Voronet Monastery, famous for its intense blue color.

Moldovita Monastery

I really want to go back sometime in the spring or summer, when those rose bushes lining the paths will be in full bloom.

I was attacked by a vicious Carpathian wolf!

We stopped in a mountain lodge for a lunch of soup (made of mushrooms gathered in the forest!) and for dessert-- an incredible cream puff with fresh berries on top. Our guide encouraged us to try the blueberry liquer, which was a local specialty made with blueberries gathered in the forest. Unwilling to drink a whole shot ourselves, Emily and I shared one. It was DELICIOUS, with whole berries still in it. I could easily have drank more... but wisely, I did not. Then we headed on to the last monastery, Sucevita.

I thought it looked like a spaceship.

Reviewing my pictures that evening, I asked Emily: "Is this MY life!?"