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@Brâncusi's Table of Silence, Gorj

On their first morning in Gorj, the pets went to see the Table of Silence by Constantin Brâncusi, a circular stone table surrounded by twelve seats in the shape of hourglasses, symbolising time. Adriana, their guide, explained that the sculptor was born in Gorj.

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@Mountains, Gorj

As the tour continued, Adriana picked up the theme again. "The Rânca ski resort in Gorj County, is a popular destination for skiing and snowboarding. The resort is located in the Parâng Mountains and has six ski slopes -- two medium-level, two light, and two for beginners."

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@Snow Scene, Gorj

"The elevations are between 1,580 and 1,918 metres and the longest slope is 900 metres," she continued. "Cross-country skiing, mountain hiking and other recreational activities take place here. It's a good starting point for various mountain trails in the Parâng Mountains."

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@Fritillary on Flowering Oregano, Gorj

The pets had a picnic lunch in a meadow on the outskirts of Gorj. "Oregano adds flavour to savoury dishes," explained Adriana. "It may also have health benefits due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. It is a herb belonging to the mint family and has been used for thousands of years in this part of the world."

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@Romanian currency

"The Romanian currency unit is the leu, subdivided into bani, which is the Romanian word for 'money'," explained Adriana. "There are 100 bani to the leu. The singular of bani is ban. The plural of leu is lei. Coins come in denominations of 1 ban and 5, 10 and 50 bani."

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@Mracuna Monastery, Danube, MH

"The currency code is RON," continued Adriana.
"What's a currency code?" queried Nugent.
"Every country's currency has a unique code. USD is US dollars, AUD is Australian dollars, CAD is Canadian dollars, INR is Indian rupees, GBP is British pounds and NOK is Norwegian Krone."

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@Alfalfa field

"Alfalfa is a legume plant with a high protein and digestible content, and is used as a basic feed. Alfalfa is grown over very large areas, later to be processed as alfalfa pellets for animal feed on farms and in households."

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@Ponies eat alfalfa!

"Alfalfa is a very old plant on Earth. It was brought to us from other countries, far from here, from the East, where it grows wild, as we grow wild mustard and oats. Although our winters are a bit cold, if there is enough warmth in the summer it grows just fine. So one of the assets of this plant is that it is suitable everywhere in our country."

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@Bright Geraniums

The tour coach passed through some charming small towns and villages. "Geraniums are popular in Romania, and in fact the Romanian Post Office once produced a set of eight stamps featuring the flower. They are also known of course by the name pelargonium and are used also for essential oils."

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@Village in the Rain

"I think this would be a very nice place to live," remarked Nugent to his friend, Sapphire, as they admired the village they were passing through, with its pretty pastel-painted small houses. Sapphire agreed.

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@Waterfall, Caras Severin

Adriana told the group they were now entering the county of Caras Severin, south-west Romania. "The area is well known for its stunning waterfalls," she said. "We are now stopping to visit the Bigar Cascade Falls. Please take care -- and don't get too wet!"

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@Potato and leek soup

After a busy morning sightseeing, the pets were glad to be shepherded into a café for luncheon. They had the set menu, starting with potato and leek soup, a Romanian favourite!

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@Roast Pork, Dumpling & Pickled Cabbage

As they ate, they chatted and compared photographs they had taken whilst out and about in the countryside. They agreed that Romania was one of the most beautiful countries they had ever visited!

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@Mountain Flowers

In the afternoon the pets were taken for a relaxing walk in the Caras Severin mountain area. There were many beautiful wild flowers, and Adriana explained these included tiny wild orchids, clover, edelweiss, aconitum and peonies. It was a joy to breathe in the fresh mountain air!

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@Rural Romania

The tour continued through rural Romania. It started to drizzle and lulled by the rhythmic swish of the wind­screen wipers, most of the pets dozed off following their hike in the fresh air!

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@Pelican

Adriana told the group that Romania is home to both the great white pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus) and the Dalmatian pelican (Pelecanus crispus). The birds migrate to warmer lands for the winter and arrive back in Romania in late March/early April and leave again after breeding from September to late November.
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@Baba Caia Rock, CS

As the sun started to set, the tour coach pulled up near the village of Coronini. The pets disembarked to view the Baba Caia Rock in the Danube. "Across the river is Serbia and you can see the Golubac Castle from here. Now, the Baba Caia is 7 metres high and is an eroded limestone relic from the Cretaceous period. It has given rise to many legends in the area!"

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@Fruit Market, Timisoara, TS

After staying the night in Caras Severin, the next day they arrived in Timisoara. "Cherry growing is an increasing industry in Romania," said Adriana. "Many Romanians have a cherry tree in their garden! On a more industrial scale, cherries are used in compotes, jams, juice and syrup. Other products include sweets, cakes and liqueurs."

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@Swan Lake, Arad

Their tour now took the pets to the county of Arad, on the far west of Romania. Adriana told them that in its long history, Arad had belonged to the Romans, to Turkey, to Hungary and finally to Romania in 1919. Arad is a railway junction and commercial and industrial centre. Manufacturing includes machine tools, railway carriages and textiles. Milling, distilling, and woodworking are also important.

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@Rain and River, Arad

Their coach passed over the River Mureș and stopped briefly for the pets to stretch legs and wings. Adriana took up her commentary when they were all back on board. "Arad hosted one of the first music conservatories in Europe, one of the earliest teacher training colleges and the first car factory in Hungary, now present-day Romania."

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@Meadow, Bihor

The pets enjoyed a peaceful night at a bed & breakfast in Arad. The next day their tour continued, and they entered the county of Bihor. Adriana kept their interest high by describing the Bears' Cave, located in the Apuseni Mountains. It was discovered in 1975 by a spelaeologist group, and was later found to contain 140 cave bear skeletons. The cave bear is a species which became extinct during the Last Glacial Maximum, about 27,500 years ago.

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@Hotel Astoria, Oradea

"This is our hotel for the night -- the Astoria!" declared Adriana. "It was built in the early 20th century. The ground floor used to be a cultural café and meeting point for intellectuals. Note the beautiful architecture in its eclectic style."
"Huh?" whispered Nugent.
"It means it's derived from a broad range of styles," translated Piggy. "I think I can spot an Art Nouveau theme going on there?"

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@Tram, Oradea City Centre, Bihor

Adriana continued: "There are two wonderful things to know about travelling from city to city in this country: it is cheap and there are many options. Many Romanians don’t own cars and rely on public transportation for their daily commutes. This means that it is relatively easy for tourists to get around the country by the same means of transportation."

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@Oradea City: River Crișul Repede, Bihor

As the sun started to set, Adriana escorted the group to a high point for an aerial view of Oradea City, though which flowed the River Crișul Repede. Adriana explained to them that Oradea is a cultural centre, and she pointed out the location of the state theatre, a puppet theatre, philharmonic orchestra, regional library and museum.

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@Panorama of Oradea City, Bihor

As night fell, the pets were taken back to the Astoria for a sumptuous traditional Romanian meal. After exploring the nooks, crannies and quirks of the hotel, the pets, quite tired out by this time, went to bed.
Where would the next day take them?

Nugent has enjoyed their tour of Romania, but it is time to go home. Please select another pet as visitor, so they can also enjoy this event!