luni, 30 mai 2011

Sunday Trip - Aninoasa and Corbii de Piatra

Yesterday, after so much barbecue and beer, we decided to take a round trip in the area. We loaded the kids in the car and we headed to see some forgotten attractions. 
If from Pitesti you choose to take the road to Mioveni (the place where Dacia Renault has the factory), then you drive some 30 more minutes, you will cross a wonderful area, with tender hills full of Acacia trees in bloom. Maybe is the spring, maybe is the view, but you can sure feel the nature with all the body and soul. All the hills were whitened with flowers and everywhere we saw lots of truck with bees. That's because the Acacia honey is very popular here.

We first went to see Aninoasa Monastery, easier to reach from Campulung (only 18 kilometers), situated on the left side of Bratia river. It was build in XVII-th century, founded by a local nobleman, on his name Tudoran Vladescu. Is a sad story, his wife died in the first year the building started, so he decided to become a monk and to change his name in Teodosie. The paintings on the walls are done by a famous religious painter, Parvu Mutu, who soon became the official family painter of Cantacuzino family.
The Monastery's walls can reach 1,84 m in thickness, is a fortified building, with battlements on the entrance, proving it was conceived for defense, not only for praying. It was also very rich, with many lands in possession, thousands of horses and cows, which made it a very desirable target for thieves.
In our days is a nun's monastery, very well-cared and, of course, very quiet.











Next stop was Corbii de Piatra, an amazing place, a church carved in a stone block, dating from 1512, as per official attestations. There are proofs that the cave was a monastery long before this date, from very early times, and it sure was an orthodox place of prayer. The paintings are the original ones, there was no restoration ever. Is not difficult to reach there, but you need to carefully follow the signs, not so visible sometimes.








We stopped on our way back to the river to see the horses, then to capture some more pictures on the road. The architectural style of the area is quite charming, with picturesque arches and verandas. This is the kind of house I'd like to have.





We returned back and we hurried to come back home on the daylight, but before we left, Bogdan took some pictures of the dramatic light in my brother's yard. Isn't it beautiful?



Saturday Report

It was a beautiful weekend and we totally forgot about work, internet, plans and any other boring and bothering stuff.  I tried to increase my presence and I think I succeeded, I enjoyed so much spending time with Bogdan and the kids, you know, just living on basics. We don't need too much to be happy, just the presence of people we love, some food and some beer :).
We spent the whole weekend in a small village between the hills, one and half hour driving from home, in my brother's yard, playing with the kids, sleeping, barbecuing (I mean eating, because my brother prepared the food) and making soap bubbles. And pictures. That's why I'm telling you today only about Saturday, it was hard to choose from more than one thousand pictures, and Sunday was so glorious! I need to tell and show you more.
 Radu was the number one bubbles fan this time, he fought with Mara every 10 minutes for the bottle, even we brought one for each kid.
 Mara was running all the time, up and down, picking flowers and playing with Alexandra, her cousin.
Children's table...
 Our wise niece, Alexandra.
 Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles.
 Runa was very helpful with the kids on Saturday... I might tell you later what she did on Sunday :).
 Accomplices in action!
 Dolls in chains, lots of imagination flying around!
 Marian, my brother, preparing the wood for barbecue. He is the best!
 Meanwhile, Radu was overturning Runa with the beach chair... yes, he is very strong!
 There was kind of swinging competition...
 Maria won... she is 1 year old and her grandmother is teaching her to walk. She can swing better.
 But soon she's gonna run, no more grandma's help.
 Alexandra forgot about the soap bubbles, she has chosen the dandelions instead...
 Mara is already an expert in blowing dandelions!
 Sharing secrets...
 ... and wonders...
 It was Alina's birthday last week and we kind of celebrated her Saturday night! Happy Birthday, sis! We should do that again, because this is the first Alina's birthday we didn't dance!
 That's me, yep.
 My barbecuing brother!
My sweet sister-in-law.
 Ice cream devouring on Saturday, Paracetamol on Sunday.
 Told ya' I didn't know what to choose!
Bogdan doing what he does best! 
See you soon with the Sunday adventures (and some new and beautiful places to discover)!
I'm wishing you (and myself) a fabulous week!

vineri, 27 mai 2011

Mara's TVR Show Coming Soon

She was invited, among another eight kids from her ballet opera troupe, to record a show for the Romanian State Television. Of course I'm proud, of course I'm happy, of course I have to share it! 

Photo by Mihai Stetcu