After our quiet night next to the reservoir with only some stray dogs for company we headed to Darmenesti to a campsite called Trotus Valley Camping which also doubles up as a workshop which repairs caravans and motorhome called Camperland. We emailed Nicu about a week before and asked if he repaired fridges, we were relieved when he said yes and so this was our destination.

Arriving mid-morning we discovered other people camped there with various problems to be sorted out. The campsite had really good facilities and is a good place to stay while things are getting fixed. The next day the “Bunyip” was driven into the workshop and the fridge removed. He found a few things wrong and gave it a good clean up. After testing it for a few hours and all was good, it was returned back inside. While the repairs were being carried out we sat in a pavilion outdoor eating area with tables and chairs undercover. It was raining and a bit cool so a Dutch couple took pity on us and invited us into their caravan for coffee and a warm place to sit. Marion and Martin were our neighbours for the next couple of days and to thank them for their hospitality we invited them to join us for coffee and a chat later that night.

It is good to have cold drinks and food again. The repairs cost us 105 euros which included the new parts and the labour. We can highly recommend this place as the campsite was very clean with good facilities and he fixed all the problems of the people who came to get there caravan and motorhome repaired, for a fair price.

While we were there we took the opportunity to do some washing and cleaning. Driving along some dusty dirt roads gave the inside a layer of fine dust. All the dirty clothes were washed and the sunny day with a bit of breeze helped to dry them.

Saying goodbye to our neighbors Martin and Marion.

We left the campsite on Friday morning after saying our farewells to Marion and Martin as well as Nicu and headed south/west to a small town of Prejmer. I had read about a carpark where we could stay overnight next to an old Fortress.

The drive as always in Romania was scenic with plenty of things to see along the way. In many places on the side of the road stalls were selling bread and kurtoskalacs. We have written about these before, a sweet dough wrapped on a wooden mould and cooked over coals, coated in sugar and then covered with cinnamon, nuts or various other ingredients. They are a weakness of ours and the friendly lady was most obliging when asked if we could take a photo.

Prejmer Fortified Church

The Fortress was completed in 1240 by the Teutonic Knights and was originally a Catholic church and later became and still is Lutheran. It was attacked over 50 times and only once was it captured. Inside the fortified grounds there are 270 rooms and each family in the town had a room where they kept supplies and stayed in times of attack. The church in the centre was very plain and while we were there a group of German tourists decided to sing some hymns, the acoustics were very good.

The courtyard at the entrance to the fortified church.

After the visit to the fortress we parked across the road in the bus parking area and set up for the night. Very surprized at how quiet it was after it went dark, hardly any cars on the streets and no-one to be seen.

Twice denied

It seems that our last few places we have visited are all fortresses as opposed to monasteries, not by plan it just worked out that way. In the morning we decided to head off to the fortress at Rasov, we had seen this in the distance on our last trip and never went there, it is close to Bran where the Dracula castle is. We set off trying to avoid Brasov and go along the tourist route which would take us down below Brasov and up to Rasov.

The drive was very scenic but when we reached the turn off it was blocked with police cars and entry down that road was not allowed, for what reason we did not find out. As there were no other cross roads until much further down we had to back track and go through Brasov on the way to the fortress. At Rasov we could see the fortress on top of the hill but again there were police on this road saying we could go no further with the vehicle and had to park and walk up. It was a long way up and Ewout’s hip still sore, so we decided to continue on, twice been denied we got the hint that we weren’t meant to visit Rasnov fortress this time.

Fagaras Fortress

It was easy to find and and much quieter with an easy park in the carpark near to the entrance. The entrance fee was about $5 or 3.50euros but this was a much grander fortress and had a museum. The claim to fame is that this fortress was never captured. The Museum was on the second level and did a complete circuit of the second floor, but to enter you had to wear the disposable shoe coverings to protect the carpets.

Display inside the Faragas fortress museum.

We could have easily stayed in the fortress carpark overnight but decided to move on to the small campsite in the village of Carta, a place we have stayed before and is called De Oude Wilg [the old Willow]. We decided it would be best to stay here for a few days, get our bedding washed in the washing machine and give Ewout’s hip a proper rest. We will then be heading south on the Transfagarasan Road. This a well-known road on many people’s bucket list to drive on. This amazing road passes over the Fagaras mountains in Transylvania, Romania at 2000 metres with many twists and turns and sheer drops. Hope the Bunyip can make it.