A Church for all Seasons

Maramures, Romania

 

Horse & cart was everyday transport

Maramures is a traditional region of Romania that has managed to cling to its rural ways despite the communist era.  We were lucky to have a wonderful two day homestay with Ramona and her family in the village of Vadu Izei.  Nicolae gave us a guided tour of the area with a picnic lunch overlooking the small village of Breb out in the countryside. I seem to recall that Prince Charles (well, his Trust) had bought a few houses in the village.  Our tour included a "happy" painted cemetery, the Sighetu Communist era prison now a holocaust museum, an example of a heritage listed wooden church, a farm using antiquarian water-driven tools, a tasting of local liquor and then to right all wrongs, a visit to a monastery. 

The Merry Cemetery of Sapanta where every headstone also tells a cheeky  story of their lives. Most famous is the nagging mother-in-law. This lady (above) is felting.  No-one appeared to have been a quilter!

Sapanta Cemetery with it's wooden church under reconstruction

Not cream cakes at a a picnic lunch!

Budesh Josani Church _UNESCO listed wooden church

Wooden church interior covered in frescoes & carpets

Even the metal headstones were extraordinary 

Sarbi Village Antiquarian Farm with water powered tools. Our host makes merry too and offers us tasters of hornica, a type of local plum brandy.  The Cap'n preferred this to his picnic lunch.

Finding the source of local liquor (a tap in the gate post!)

Barsana Monastery Church: last wooden church built and place of pilgrimage