Galya and Teo's trip to Romania, Part 3

Sept 27

We drove from Iasi to Bukovina, passing Moldovian,
now,I guess, true Moldovan villages and towns,,, so
poor and grim.... my heart sank thinking: Gosh... I
had to cross Atlantic and Europe to see this....
But then we arrived to Bukovina, the area of painted
monasteries.... settled in the country side hotel
"Casa Elena" (4 stars)... and went to see Voronetc
monastery... This was something... you will see the
pictures... Very very beautiful, uplifting... unseen
before... Tomorrow we have entire day of many other
painted monasteries.


THE place we stayed... in the hills of
pre-Carpathians... is so-o-o-o-o peaceful, so...
quiet.... you can feel like your soul is relaxing at
the face and feel of Eternity.... We hiked a little in
the mountains and along the river... passing the huts
in the village.... cows were coming home ringing their
bells.... At some house at the fence we looked at the
pig.. Theo's started to make pig-sound-noise... and
you would not believe... pig came strait to him and
repeated the same noise.... I was startled...
I made a lot of pictures-filmed the hills and
greenery, and smoke in the peasant's yard, and
river... and the sense of eternity... thinking... My
God, the entire trip was worth this very scenery and
feeling of the peace....
Hotel is wonderful, after the walk we wnent to the
reastaurant... very classy, giving the location...
Exceptional food... we had beet salad with the touch
of horseredish (I have to repeat it, you've never
tried anything like that), then we had fresh porchini,
just picked in the surrounded forest (I guess, only
Serezha knows how it tastes.. it tasted heavenly, even
THEo admitted). When we left restaurant, we both
simalteniously started reciting the poetry: THeo
recited Emenescu, and also something from Lorelei... I
resited from Semen Kirsanov the following:
" Osennii gornyi vozduh - v zvezdah....
S vechernimi gorami - v rame...
Pust' budet etot vecher - vechen....
ne tron' ego raskatom - atom..."
to translate it in English:
"Autumn mountain air is full of stars,
The shape of Evening mountains...is asking to be
framed in the picture;
May this evening streach into Eternity;
May the peace never be thundered by atom (?)"
*******************************

I have to mentioned that on the way here we stopped in
the town named Targy Fremous where THeo's Mom was
born. IN the city hall, the civil records room, the
woman was very-very unfriendly, and did not want to
give any information about Theo's Mom's birth record
saying that people are coming and claiming (again!!)
inheritance... and last time someone came form France
and she gave the record, and nearly lost her job...
Any way, THeo persuaded her, and she did brought the
folder (within 2 min) and read the record abut Jeni's
birth but did not let me film or even take a notes.
However she gave address where Jeni was born (at
home), and we went and found the place, and THeo spoke
to the old people around... Place , I bet, looks the
same as it looked 90 years ago. We filmed it and took
pictures....
Deep sigh...
Actually, I am glad we are out of this part of the
country which looks so familiar to me... as Gomel
(belorassian shtetle looked 50 years ago).
HOw many times I thought: "How blessed I am, we are
coming to America).
WEll... this internet in 4 stars hotel in Bukovina is
via telephon modem. I hope you will get this letter.
Hug you
galia and Theo



Galina Ermolin