Walking tour
Time window: May - October


                    THE  MAGIC  MOUNTAIN


     What does a Magic Mountain do?  This one, located on the eastern
side of the Carpathians in Romania, has a strange property:
     IT  SPELLS  INTO  EVERLASTING  FRIENDSHIP,  OR  LOVE,  THOSE  WHO
CLIMB  IT  TOGETHER.
     "The Celebration of the Mountain", held in the first Sunday of
August (the end of the astronomical summer) comes from times immemorial.
A description of this Celebration held in 1898 shows that people in
their hundreds start climbing the Mountain at night, with torches, to
meet the rising sun on the top (indicative of the pre-Christian nature
of the rite).  There, on top, two main rules had to be observed:
1. those who quarreled over the year had to forgive one-another and descend
as friends  (communities with quarreled members were weak)  
2. the lad who wanted to marry that year had to show his beloved girl, for the
village to protect the newly-forming couple (families had to be started
early, to have children to toil the land and raise the cattle).
     There is no straight road from the airport, or the railway station,
to the Mountain. One has to cross the kingdoms of Music and Poetry to
reach it. That's our job, of course.


     This is a tour of the Magic Mountain Foundation, Romania

          JOURNEY  TO  THE  TOP
                   OF  THE
            MAGIC  MOUNTAIN,
                     CEAHLAU
- Tour of compared  music, poetry and folklore -

Day 1-2:        MEET THESE ROMANIANS:
        * Mihai Eminescu, the national poet
        * George Enescu, the national composer
        * Constantin Brancusi,  founder of the modern school of
               sculpture (Henry Moore was his student)
        * the people in the Park of Cismigiu, in Bucharest

        Welcome in Bucharest, the capital (2 million of friendly
inhabitants). During these two days touch the chakra points of the city,
meet the famous people of Romania in arts and not only.
        Let the city talk to you, laugh and wonder with you  -  churning
the centuries and the history-makers.
                    Overnight in Bucharest (5, 4, 3 star hotels)

Day 2;    "THE LAST ROMANTIC  -  QUEEN MARIE OF ROMANIA"
              (after the title of Pakula's book)

        Once upon a time there lived a beautiful and romantic queen  -
Marie of Romania (grandniece of Queen Victoria). So romantic that she
willed to have her heart buried at the site of her last love affair, as
a late protest against the Fate of all queens  - to marry for political,
rather than sentimental reasons.
        Marie is like a mirror set in front of us all. Marie helps us
understand the value of the most powerful driving force  -  love,
suppressed, too many times, in favour of lesser motivations for
happiness.
        This afternoon drive to the royal summer palaces in the mountain
resort of Sinaia, one of which was decorated by the queen herself.
        Evening of poetry and ballads (Romanian, English and Russian  -
as Marie was the daughter of a Russian dutchess and an English prince).
                  Overnight in Sinaia (4, 3, 2 star hotels available)

Day 3:           TRANSYLVANIA

        If Transylvania does not conjure romantic visions, what does?
        * visit one of the royal palaces in Sinaia
        * cross the Carpathians into Transylvania. Visit castle Bran,
one of the few standing 14 century castles in Europe.
        * visit Brasov, the second city of Transylvania. Many and great
are the secrets of a mediaeval town.
        * evening of compared music.
                  Overnight in Brasov (5, 4, 3, 2 star hotels)

Day 4:            MOLDOVA
        * cross the Carpathians again  - this time into the province of
Moldova. On route, visit the mysterious Red Lake and its sunken,
petrified wood,  then the spectacular Bicaz Gorge. Also on route  -
initiations into more universal poetry, music, traditions in ritual
brotherhooding, engagement and wedding.
        * evening of compared theatre, poetry and legends  - with the
actors of the famous Youth Theatre in Piatra Neamt.
                   Overnight at "Ceahlaul" hotel (3 star plus)

Day 5:         THE  MAGIC  MOUNTAIN

        From Piatra Neamt take a 2 hour drive -  along the winding
shores of a lake -  to the foot of the Magic Mountain, Ceahlau. Every
couple of miles there is another legend attached to another site  - like
markers to a realm beyond ours.
        Visit the ruins of the Palace of the Princes;  on top of its
own, dramatic story,  Alexandre Dumas (the father) set another one  -
"The Ghost of the Carpathians".
        Light lunch in the resort of Durau  (800 m. altitude). Meet the
mountain guides who know the trail to the other realm. Then start
climbing half the Mountain, to the chalet of "Fantanele", at 1100 m.
        Start a bonfire and the legends of the megaliths on top:
pre-Christian and Christian deities in stone-form, ancient legendary
characters - turned to stone, supernatural entities - petrified by even
greater forces. A king of Moldova, Dimitrie Cantemir, who climbed
Ceahlau by 1700, said, in his "Descriptio Moldaviae":  "Had he ancient
historians known of the legends of Ceahlau, this mountain would have
been more famous than the Olympus".
        Light dinner at "Fantanele".  Rest until 2 a.m.

Day 6:              THE  SPELL

  

        At 2 p.m, escorted by the local mountain guides, flash-lights in
hand, continue the climb to the top (1904 m) as required by timeless
rules, to meet the rising sun on the peak.
        Bow deep to the rising ancient god, then call on the megaliths
on top  -  petrified legends of old,  then share the talismans  - half
to each of you. "You have been spelled into everlasting friendship or
love with your companion".  This Mountain never erred in its millenary
existence.
        Change the realms, descend to Durau for the Magic Mountain ball.
                    Overnight in Durau (3 star hotel)

Day 7            TILL  THE  END  OF  TIME
        Happy is the planet that has a Magic Mountain. Happy are its
people, because The Spell is indestructible. Make this Mountain your
compass in life, if ever in doubt about the trails.
        * depart from Durau to a wine-tasting party in Buzau, then to a
farewell dinner in the resort of Sarata Monteoru.
                    Overnight: Sarata Monteoru  (3 star)

Day 8:  * departure to the airport  (2 hours away)
        * departure from Romania, as friends for life, or lovers. May
the Magic Mountain bless your Days!

                         THE MAGIC MOUNTAIN FOUNDATION
                         Logistics: "Best Tours of Transylvania"
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Best Tours of Transylvania - E-mail : np@transylvaniatour.com