Large landslides took part of the road out and workers are shoveling by hand to repair the damage.

The MRACONIA MONASTERY was re-established in 1993.

As we take a rest the barge that we had previous past is catching up to us.

Riding along we came upon the stone carved Statue of DACIAN KING DECEBALUS.

It is the tallest rock sculpture in Europe.

The layout of villages in Romania are unique, as houses are built along the main road only. There are no houses behind the main road.

Each house is attached to the next.

The large gates are for the hay wagons, horses and wild stock to enter. A Romanian farm house in the village.

Huge empty bleak looking factories stand as a reminder to the Russian influence and a time when thousands of people used to be employed by them.

We often ask ourselves as we pass another enironmental nightmare (closed down factory), what happened here?

At the town of Orsova, we head south to the Sarmizegetusa Regia (Fortress). 13km from our destination we take a room at this pension for $16CDN/night.

Grapes grew above our parking spot.

August 01, 2006. The GPS indicates 13kms in a straight line to the Fortress. 13km and 4 hours of hell.

Now we can look back and laugh. The night before it had rained and turned the road to mud and huge water crossings.

The road keeps deteriorating, standing up right on the bikes we pass locals, who excitingly wave to us.

Some bushes have KTM orange ribbons and we realize we are on a KTM rally track.

It still amazes us what the BMW will do when put to the test. The BMW course definitely paid off here.

After getting lost we finally find the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the SARMIZEGETUSA REGIA (the Dacian Fortresses of the Orastie Mountains)

Archeologists are camped at the site and are surpised to see us.

After what we had been through getting here, we can't see any other tourists visiting this place. Seen here is the fortress wall and...

...about 50m of the rampart has been exposed.

A map of the Archeological dig.

The civilisation of the Dacians was created by the north branch of the Thracians, the people known in history under the name of Getae.

Seen here is a large circular sanctuary dating back as far as the 2nd century BC.

The rectangular sanctuary. The sanctuaries, are witnesses to the ceremonies of the past.

Large limestone sanctuary. The defensive system, reveals the Dacian type of spirituality, an intermingling of a warrior's spirit and religion, and the close ties between religion and the state.

The Andesite Sun.

After the road from hell, we head back to hwy 68 and east over to Sebes and Sibiu, turning south just past Scoreiu on the famous Transfagarasan Road.

On the way we stop in a small village.

Large wooden wagons are stacked with hay.

Locals watching us with as much interest as we them.

These people remind me of a time, when I crew up in Germany. My Grandma looked just like that. I miss the old time.

The Fagaras Mountains lay ahead of us.

With anticipation we head for them.

The run offs from the Glacier lakes create spectacular waterfalls. Some take the Coca Cola Gondola to the top, whereas we take the twisty road.

Reaching the top and looking back where we were just an hour ago.

The Fagaras Mountains cut a serrated line south of the main Brasov-Sibiu road and ...

...shelters dozens of glacial lakes.

And here is what everyone is talking about the famous "TRANSFAGARASAN ROAD".

At the summit, before the tunnel, people are camping wild and hiking around a small lake to the still present snow patches.

Here we meet Chris and Solo, a couple of Romanians, exploring their country on dual sport motorcylces. We actually had received an e-mail from Chris a few months back and by coincidence run into him here.

A glacier lake at the summit.

The view after exiting the tunnel on the other side of the mountain range is spectacular. The road drops from 2014m to 500m.

Small and large waterfalls follow us on our descent.

The sun is starting to set as we reach LAKE VIDRARU and we decide to take a room at a pension.

August 02, 2006. At the end of Lake Vidraru we cross a large dam leading into a tunnel.

Lake Vidraru is an artificial lake. It was created in 1965 by the construction of the VIDRARU DAM on the Arges River.

It is an arch dam built on a foundation of rock, and it was built to produce hydroelectricity.

After the tunnel the road descents over several bridges...

... into the valley below.

In Curtea de Arges we visit the EPISCOPAL CATHEDRAL.

The Curtea de Arges Monastery was built between 1514 and 1526.

It was founded by Neagoe Basarab and considered to be a masterpiece.

The interior displays impressive votive paintings, marble gilded bronze, onyx iconostasis, and ...

...twelve columns with floral ornaments representing the twelve apostles.

In the pronaos are the tombs of its founders, Neagoe Basarab and Radu from Afumati, ...

...as well as of the first couples of Romanian kings and queens (Carol I and Elisabeta, Ferdinand and Maria).

The saint patron of this CHAPEL (adjacent to the Cathedral) is "The Saint & Martyr Filofteia" who has been protecting the monastery for 8 centuries.

In 1517, the canonization of Saint & Hierarch Nifon, The Patriarch of Constantinopole, the Metropolitan of Wallahia took place here.

The entrance to the Chapel.

From Curtea de Arges we take the small country roads, crossing over to Ramnicu Valcea and come upon this...

...a massive sinkhole has swallowed up the road.

We head to the Horezu Monastery, but are unable to find it and retrack to Ramnicu Valcea and onwards to Pitesti.

Close to Bucharest we turn north through Buftea on the 1a and start to encouter more and more Gypsies.

Most of them are in convoys of three or more horse pulled wagons.

August 03, 2006. Zig-zagging our way through small villages to avoid Bucharest we arrive at the SNAGOV LAKE.

A small island in the lake is home to the 16th Century Church and Monastery. For 10 Euro, we get a couple of youngsters to watch our motorcycles and row us (with Mikes' help) across the lake.

The TOMB of VLAD TEPES is inside the Church and as the legend goes Dracula's headless torso is buried here.

The stone church is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

We only took pictures from the outside since the monk wanted an outragious 20 Euro in addition to the 13LEI/person admission to take pictures of the interior.

The beautiful wooden door of the church. The interior is half renovated and renovation is ongoing.

From Snagov Lake we go north on E60 through Ploiesti, Sinaia and Busteni. After Azuga we turn of the main highway and drop via switchbacks into the valley below and the town of Rasnov.

As we approach the town we can see the massive 13th Century RASNOV FORTRESS.

August 04, 2006. In the morning we take the steps from the town up to the Cetatea Rasnov.

A map detailing the layout of the fortress. Rasnov Fortress (Rosenau in German), is located on a rocky hilltop in the Carpathian mountains, 200m above the town of Rasnov.

The entrance gate to the fortress. Admission is 10LEI/person.

Looking over the town of Rasnov. Saxons first settled in Transylvania in the 11th century, and the Saxon town of Rasnov was founded in 1225.

The castle was meant to be a place of refuge for the commoners from sieges over extended periods of time.

As such it had at least 30 houses, a school, a chapel, and other buildings more commonly associated with a village.

And if you were bad you ended up here.

The first written record for the fortress is from 1331, and when the Tartars invaded in 1335.

The wooden cross located on the chapel.

...it can be seen from miles away.

The east side is the most heavily fortified, and ...

...the walls on both that side, as well as the northwest side are doubled.

View of the walls of medieval fortress from the inside observation point.

Not a place I would like to be.

The defenses include 9 towers, 2 bastions, and ...

...a drawbridge.

The Rasnov Fortress is neslted in the hills of Transylvania.

The walkway up to the entrance.

These cars are still found all over Romania.

10 kms from Rasnov lies the BRAN CASTLE.

The entrance. We both agreed that the alleged Dracula Castle was a bit disappointing, ...

...as we expected dark stone towers and dingy rooms...

... but in reality it is more of a fairy castle.

It did have a small secret passage way that led to the upper floor.

This fortified medieval castle, often referred to as Dracula's Castle, was built in 1377 to protect nearby Brasov from invaders.

It is home to a rich collection of Romanian and foreign furniture and art items from the 14th-19th Centuries.

In 1920, the people of Brasov who owned the castle offered it as a gift to Queen Maria of Romania, and the castle soon became her favorite residence.

The castle's rooms and towers surround an inner courtyard.

It is said that the well is actually a passage way to the outside.

No way Count Dracula would be seen here. Way too nice for that.

The castle sits high atop a 200 ft. tall rock overlooking the picturesque village of Bran.

We hike up a path behind the Bran Castle and ...

...get a spectacular view of the mountains and fields.

On the grounds below there is an open-air ethnographic museum ...

...of old village buildings with exhibits of furniture, household objects and costumes.

We can't resist this Romanian/Hungarian Pastry. It is called KURTOS KALACS.

The sweet dough is browned over the heat source and...

...chocolate or coconut powder is sprinkled on it.

It was very yummy.

Not so yummy is Romanian Pizza.

A farmer loading hay onto his wooden wagon.

Back in Rasnov we take the opportunity to photograph some of the quaint houses...

...that line the main street. Also seen is Romania's number one car the DACIA.

A place where rural medival life remains intact and ...

...peasants live off the land. Where tiny villages, steeped in local customs and history,...

...sit among rolling hills and dreamy landscapes.

Staying at the Pension Montanouo in Rasnov for 70LEI/night.

August 05, 2006. With only 120kms to go, a short riding day, we arrive in SIGHISOARO by noon.

We venture into the old town of Sighisoaro and its citadel.

The fortified walled old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and ...

...consists of a beautiful medieval CLOCK TOWER (Turnul cu Ceas), which dominates the town.

For 7LEI/person we are allowed to climb the clock tower for a spectacular view of the town below.

Adjacent to the clock tower stands the 15th Century BISERICA MANASTIRII (Church of the Dominican Monastery).

The town square below and...