Hajni, one of our guides, and one of the more amazing women I've met in Europe. She is the Lexia director for the Budapest program, and frequently says, “What the hell?” as incredulously as a native English speaker would.
In a classroom in Budapest.
Part of a museum built in the style of several kinds of famous Hungarian architecture. Represented within the complex are Romanasque, Baroque and here, Gothic.
If it isn't baroque, don't fix it!
Romanesque.
Our faithful bus, and so we head into Romania...
A palace in Romania, now converted into a church. In honor of the calendar year, it has 365 working windows, and a false window, for the leap year.
The interior of a small church just across the border into Transylvania. They grow the grass during Easter time, to honor the new harvest and to signify re-birth.
Detail of a traveling altar, which soldiers used on the field during wartime.
The hat of our native-speaking guide, who you'll see a fair amount of. He was fantastic. Prepare yourself.
bwahahaha
I found the architecture completely fascinating.
I seriously fell in love with this building, and want to live here someday. Hajni was quick to point out that it was NOT painted in its original colors after being. I couldn't be more thrilled with that concept.
Um...?
A stray dog at King's Pass, which is the official entrance to the Transylvania region. And although he/she/it was totally adorable, no, Mother, I didn't pet it.
Epic photography at King's Pass.
The following are just a photo dump of King's Pass. Prepare yourself. The landscape is just spectacular.
Making the jump into Transylvania.
A Transylvanian truck stop.
The so-called “Lazy Haystacks,” as named because they are made simply by shoving large sticks into their centers and propping them up. These are prolific throughout the region.
A perfectly posed pooch.
Interior of a small village church, with an amazing painted ceiling. This place was FREEZING inside, and I started to take pictures upside down (like this one) in order to stay warm.
...still cold...
Transylvania is famous for its extremely ornate stitchwork, like this.
Detail of the lodge where we had our first dinner in Transylvania. We stayed with local families, in guest houses or pensions for four out of the five nights that we bussed through Transylvania.
Where I slept that first night.
It was totally adorable, no?
Our neighbor's work bench.
A completely normal sight in Transylvania. No, seriously.
A reservoir in Romania...and this is where I leave you, for now.
