Dance through Romania

I had traveled in Romania with the choreographer Theodor Vasilescu on his annual folk-dance tour in 2009. A group of us were eager to dance in Romania again in summer 2011, but Theodor was not available.

I recalled seeing (while researching a trip to Bulgaria) trips to Romania listed on the website of Penguin Travel (St. Orpheus 9, 1421 Sofia, Bulgaria; e-mail info@penguin.bg).

Penguin put me in touch with their partner in Romania, Active Travel (Str. Toamnei, Nr.2 bl.1, Brașov, Romania; phone/fax +40268 321515), and they planned our custom tour for June 7-18, 2011, one that included folk-dance lessons and performances. I recommend their services.

Our tour cost €1,286 (near $1,600) per person, double occupancy, and included accommodations, breakfasts, bus, driver, guide, four dance lessons and several performances.

I also recommend Cristian Caprioara. A licensed mountain guide, tour guide and ski instructor who is fluent in English, he began learning Romanian folk dance several years ago for his wedding and has continued weekly lessons in Brașov. Cristian was patient, personable and competent, and our driver was extremely skilled, kind and helpful.

Sightseeing in medieval cities, Roman ruins, outdoor museums and fortified churches kept us fully engaged for 12 days. It was a treat to travel back roads with a small group of nine eager participants in a nimble minibus.

Along the route, we hiked at scenic Lake Balea on the Transfagarasan Road and through a breathtaking gorge in Piatra Craiului National Park. We lingered for wine tasting and lunch at the Ostrov (“Island”) Vineyard, in the Danube, and enjoyed țuică (brandy made from various fruits) at a tasting room in Sighişoara.

We visited the mud volcanoes of Berca and the sculpture garden at the Ciolanu Monastery at Magura. Later, Cristian stopped the bus so we could chat with a woman and taste her coliva, a sweet cake prepared from grains, walnut and honey. This was on Sambata Mortilor, a day to remember deceased loved ones and on which coliva is traditionally served.

A few boutique hotels were especially enjoyable: Venezia in Bucharest, Casa Wagner in Sighişoara and Casa Matei in Berca. The other hotels were clean, comfortable and pleasant.

At the Delta Paradis hotel, in an extraordinarily delightful location on the Danube River Delta, we enjoyed watching birds and dining on fresh fish on the veranda.

One disappointment was the condition of the boats owned by the Delta Paradis; they were noisy and not well maintained. Our boat tour was shortened by folks’ reluctance to get into the boats. Their apprehension was affirmed when a motor failed. Fortunately, a local fisherman supplied tools and a new fuel line.

All returned to dance merrily in the spacious restaurant. I recommend that anyone traveling in Romania dance a few horas (simple circle dances), then toast friends with a glass of țuică.

DIANE BAKER
Corona del Mar, CA