Escape to myself

Brasov in the sun is beautiful. The hostel is fine and roomies chatty and ready to be open. Just the type of place I like most. This morning I took a free tour around the town with Alex our guide; it was a convivial group from all over the world. I had some interesting chats with visitors from South Africa, Spain and the States. The tour took in the main sites of the old town; castle walls, towers and the Cathedral. Brasov is a very green city surrounded by forested hills. It was pleasant to walk in the sun with birds singing. Alex was very knowledgable on the history of the city and the politics if Romania from the middle ages until today.

After the tour I went with my new pal to the art museum which had an excellent collection of Romanian art. Conversation was fun and flowed easily and when we went for a drink in a cafe we got to chatting with a Romanian guitarist. Our talk spanned Flamenco, guitar, Spanish, Latin American and English writers and much more. I always meet stimulating and interesting people . She worked as an educational psychologist.

This afternoon I visited the Black church so called because it was blackened by the great fire of 1689 which destroyed much of the city. An austere and massive building it contained some intriguing furnishings.

In all Brasov has much to offer in history, architecture and green spaces.

When I got back to the hostel I met my new room mate, Jesus, from Galicia in North-west Spain. He studied English at Hull. Yet more conversation about Spanish and English literature and much besides. We had much in common.