ROMANIA: Gizmo's Romanian Hunting Adventure

[ActionBob]

wow Erik great report so far! I'm so happy for you that the trip turned out well after that frustrating start! Great couple of deer as well

 

[Environ]

Great report Gizmo!

 

[Jfet]

This is GREAT

 

[Ragman]

I've been wondering when this report was going to come out. I was away from the computer last week on my fishing trip, so was pleasantly surprised to see it in progress on my return! I had no idea Romania was such a beautiful hunting paradise! Your pics alone tell a great story and I'm loving the report!

But how come nobody came to fix our flat tire when I was down hunting the Rockin G?

 

[siml]

@Ragman , we need a bit more of explanation on Rockin G tire........

 

[spike.t]

Dragon thank you. I sure hope you're right. I have my first book at the editor now so we'll see what happens.

......as long as its in english and not that texan speak you use............

 

[Ragman]

@Ragman , we need a bit more of explanation on Rockin G tire........

Not too much to tell...We were out in his big Dodge on our way to look at some rams and stopped on the highway to scan the bazillion mule deer that were in the field. We had heard a "tick, tick, tick" sound when the truck was rolling and a distinctive "hiss" when we stopped, so we boogied back to the ranch before it went flat. Upon investigation, he had picked up a sharp chunk of cut metal that was still in the tire, so we got it changed right away. @gizmo did do most of the work, though! Rest of the hunt we drove in the side-by-side!

 

[gizmo]

Guys I know I suck and I'm sorry. I've promised more and it's coming. I've been super busy and I know I've dropped off the face of the earth but it's not on purpose. I also owe y'all a fishing report from El Salto in Mexico.

 

[gizmo]

The day after we finished hunting we woke up and drove to the top of the Carpathian Mountains to Pelish castle. It was the castle built by the last king of Romania. To say it is stunning is a gross understatement. Breath taking is more appropriate.

The entry way, note the hand carved staircase.

The formal dining room.

Image of one of the towers

Mrs Gizmo in the garden.

 

[JustinC]

Awesome report Gizmo!

 

[gizmo]

Much much more to come.

 

[cpr0312]

Wow, that is stunning! Look forward to more of the country/castle pics!

 

[Clayton]

This whole adventure has been an outing I've enjoyed without leaving home. Thanks for sharing it with us.

 

[Adam S]

Gizmo, I'd like to offer you a very sincere thank you for this report. My wife is not a hunter and I've been trying for quite awhile to find a destination we'd both enjoy. She has no real interest in traveling to Africa or anywhere else I'd like to hunt. Looking at your pictures, it looks like Romania may be a winner.

 

[gizmo]

Here is some more pics of Pelish Castle. The stone road is a mile or so give or take up to the castle. It's a very beautiful walk up.

The court yard

More of the gardens

Inside the castle. This stained glass ceiling opens to allow fresh air into the castle. It also still works and is the largest, for lack of a better term, opening ceiling in Europe.

Hand carved wooden statues are all over the castle. Your not supposed to take pictures inside the castle unless you pay the photography fee which is very minimal but we didnt have any Lei when we went in so we had to sneak a few.

This is the queens "apartment"

 

[gizmo]

After touring the castle we walked back down and toured the monastary that sits below the castle.

 

[Southwind]

Beautiful, I love European architecture and this medieval tudor castle is outstanding. Next time I visit Horia I am going to have to visit the castle and bring my wife too. I'm thinking Carpathian Chamois and early fall Roe deer.

Thanks for sharing your adventure in such depth.

 

[gizmo]

Once we finished we spent some time driving through the town and went and visited a famous composers vacation home. Then we continued on to Bran to tour Bran Castle "Dracula's Castle". To give a back story, this castle though known as Dracula's castle was not his home. It is a castle that fit the idea Bram Stoker had in his mind of what Count Dracula's castle should look like. It does have some ties to Vlad Tempish but wasn't necessarily his home. He did come there on occasion from my understanding to collect taxes and such and was briefly imprisoned there by the Turks at one point. "Dracula" Vlad Tempish did have a castle in the Carpathians known as Poenary Castle. We ran out of time and didn't get to see it on this trip but is top priority for next one. Bran is a beautiful castle nestled in the heart of the Transylvanian Carpathians and the town of Bran is a wonderful place and much like taking a step back in time.

 

[Southwind]

And it could be your summer house for around $80 million
http://www.foxnews.com/travel/2014/05/12/for-sale-in-transylvania-draculas-castle.html

 

[gizmo]

I got a little out of order so I need to back up. Just prior to Bran we visited the city which is home to the black church. It's called the black church as it suffered from a terrible fire in the 1600's which stained the stones black where it derives it's knickname. Originally it was a Catholic church built in the 1380's. After Martin Luther was excommunicated from the church and founded the Lutheran denomination the black church became the second Lutheran Church in the world. It has quite a bit of significance to me as I am Lutheran so it was quite a special experience for me. The size and scale of the church is is beyond belief and makes it very difficult to photograph with out a large wide angle lens. It's simply breathtaking .

The town square just around the corner from the church.

A ancient fortress overlooking the town square