Coffee and Wi-Fi

All I need is coffee and free wi-fi

3 Feb 2015 | From Edi of Romania 

POSTCROSSING FRIEND

This postcard arrived along with Edi's Christmas greeting card. I couldn't fully agree with what's written in front of the postcard in two ways. First, I am not an avid coffee aficionado - though I often drink a cup before heading for work. And second, I strongly believe that I don't need wi-fi in the everyday of my life. I can do other things besides surfing the internet or checking my e-mails or the Facebook newsfeed.  I can just read books, draw, listen to music, hang-out with friends, write postcards, or sleep. There are a hundred and one things to do other that browsing the internet.

But for the sake of it, I think Starbucks is the best fit for this postcard. They have some of good coffee plus free wi-fi. But I guess most people go to Starbucks for the latter - and of course the brand.

Merry Christmas from Romania

 

Christmas in Romania

3 Feb 2015 | From Edi of Romania 

POSTCROSSING FRIEND

'Craciun fericit ?i un An Nou Fericit!'

Christmas is popularly known as 'Craciun' in Romania. The observance of Christmas was introduced once with the Christianization of Romania but it was then interrupted during the Communist period (1948—1989), as concepts as religion, Jesus Christ or the Church were banned. In the post-communist Romania, Christmas started being celebrated again more festively.

Christmas and mid-winter celebrations last from 20th December to 7th January. The 20th is when people celebrate St. Ignatius's Day. A very important Christmas custom practiced in Romanian villages is 'Ignatius', the sacrifice of a pig in every house in the honor of Saint Ignatius. It is traditional that if the family keep pigs, one is killed on this day. The meat from the pig is used in the Christmas meals.

The Christmas celebrations really begin on Christmas Eve, 24th, when it's time to decorate the Christmas Tree. This is done in the evening of Christmas Eve. In Romanian, Christmas Eve is called 'Ajunul Craciunului'. Fir trees happen to be the main Christmas trees here. Gift exchanges take place in Romania in the evening of Christmas Eve, same here in our country and contrary to the American way of opening gifts on Christmas morning.

In Romanian familes, all the women cook for three days leading up to 'Craciun'. Christmas dinner in Romania is a rich, multi-course meal. On the top of the menu comes various kinds of pork sausages, along with plum brandy and home made pickles. All the members of the extended family enjoy the feast together.

My first official postcard from Romania

Romanian wood carver

18 Mar, 2014 | From Daniela of Romania

OFFICIAL POSTCROSSING

The postcard shows an old photo of a wood-carver in Romania circa 1900. Wood carving is one of the traditional Romanian folk arts. Wooden masterpieces and churches are just some of the attractions that make up Romania's exceptional cultural heritage.

Rivers and Castles

Delta Dunării

10 Jan, 2014 | From Eduard of Romania

POSTCROSSING FRIEND

Edi sent me this postcard and bookmark along with the Christmas cards he sent me in an envelope. 

The Danube Delta (Romanian: Delta Dunării) is the second largest river delta in Europe, after Volga Delta, and is the best preserved on the continent. The greater part of the Danube Delta lies in Romania (Tulcea county), while its northern part, on the left bank of the Chilia arm, is situated in Ukraine (Odessa Oblast). The approximate surface is 4,152 km², 3,446 km² are in Romania. If we include the lagoons of Razim-Sinoe (1,015 km² with 865 km² water surface), located south to main delta, the total area of the Danube Delta reaches 5,165 km². The Razelm - Sinoe lagoon complex is geologically and ecologically related to the delta proper and their combined territory is part of the World Heritage Sites.

The Danube River is the most international river on the planet - its course runs across — or forms a part of the borders of  several countries: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, and four capitals: Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Belgrade.

The bookmark shows the castles of Romania: Peles Castle, Bran Castle, and Corvin Castle. Peleș Castle is a Neo-Renaissance castle in the Carpathian Mountains, near Sinaia, in Prahova County, Romania, on an existing medieval route linking Transylvania and Wallachia, built between 1873 and 1914. Its inauguration was held in 1883. Bran Castle, situated near Bran and in the immediate vicinity of Braşov, is a national monument and landmark in Romania. Commonly known as "Dracula's Castle", it is marketed as the home of the titular character in Bram Stoker's Dracula. And Corvin Castle is a Gothic-Renaissance castle in Hunedoara, in the region of Transylvania, Romania.

Sources: Wikipedia, Romania Tourism

Romanian Christmas

Christmas in Romania

10 Jan, 2014 | From Eduard of Romania

POSTCROSSING FRIEND

Christmas Day (Crăciun) is an annual public holiday in Romania on December 25, along with the second day of Christmas (December 26). It is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus.

Many Romanians start celebrating Christmas weeks before December 25. Fun Christmas activities include decorating Christmas trees, caroling songs from home to home, and giving presents to one another on Christmas Eve (Ajunul Crăciunului). The Christmas dinners often include different types of pork dishes, Ciorba de perisoare (vegetable soup with bran and pork meatballs), Sarmale (cabbage leaves stuffed with pork), and Cozonac (fruit bread). Gogosi (Romanian doughnuts) and cheesecakes are also eaten. People traditionally wish each other a Merry Christmas, or “Crặciun Fericit”.

Source: Time and Date

Christmas Greetings from Romania

 

Crặciun Fericit!

10 Jan, 2014 | From Eduard of Romania

POSTCROSSING FRIEND

In Romanian, Merry Christmas is 'Crặciun Fericit'. The topmost picture is a handmade Christmas card Edi crafted for me from paper cutouts and colored pens. Inside he wrote Christmas Poem by Ronald Doe.

Christmas and mid-winter celebrations last from 20th December to 7th January in Romania. The 20th is when people celebrate St. Ignatius's Day. It is traditional that if the family keep pigs, one is killed on this day. The meat from the pig is used in the Christmas meals.

The Christmas celebrations really begin on Christmas Eve, 24th, when it's time to decorate the Christmas Tree. This is done in the evening of Christmas Eve. In Romanian, Christmas Eve is called 'Ajunul Craciunului'.

Sources: Why Christmas

Fortified Churches of Romania

Medieval art monuments in Transylvania

18 Sept, 2013 | From Eduard of Romania

POSTCROSSING FRIEND

Here's another postcard I received from Edi today. It features some of the fortified churches from Transylvania. Clockwise from top, they are: Biertan, Cincșor, Carta, Cincu, Prejmer, and Strei.

With its more than 150 well preserved fortified churches of a great variety of architectural styles (out of an original 300 fortified churches), south-eastern Transylvania region in Romania currently has one of the highest numbers of existing fortified churches from the 13th to 16th centuries.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania are seven villages (six Saxon and one Székely) founded by the Transylvanian Saxons. They are dominated by fortified churches and characterized by a specific settlement pattern that has been preserved since the late Middle Ages.

A Historical Casino

The Constanta Casino

18 Sept, 2013 | From Eduard of Romania

POSTCROSSING SWAP

Edi sent me this card during his trip to the Black Sea. He spent a week there with his friends for his summer vacation. The postcard features The Casino from Constanta. It is a historical building built in 1909 and is one of the main symbols of Constanta town.

Situated at the crossroads of several commercial routes, Constanta lies on the western coast of the Black Sea, 185 miles from the Bosphorus Strait. An ancient metropolis and Romania's largest sea port, Constanta traces its history some 2,500 years. Originally called Tomis, legend has it that Jason landed here with the Argonauts after finding the Golden Fleece.

Constanta is more than just the entry point to the Black Sea coast. It is a place with a long and interesting past, attested by its many Roman vestiges, historic buildings, facades and mosques that color the Old City Centre.

My first postcard from Romania

Romanian Architectures

7 Aug, 2013 | From Eduard of Romania

POSTCROSSING SWAP

(clockwise from upper-right top: Piaţa Sfatului, Brașov; Castelul Bran; Biserica fortificată Biertan; Turnul cu Ceas, Sighișoara; Mănăstirile Rozavlea, Maramureș; and Piata Mică, Sibiu)

Romania, in southeast Europe, is mountainous in the north while the main feature in the south is the vast Danube valley. The river forms a delta as it approaches the Black Sea, which is a wildlife reserve for countless native and migratory birds. Eduard wrote that his country is filled with beautiful castles and mountains. Their primary religion is Christianity, they have colorful national costumes, and plenty of holidays.

Eduard lives in a small town in North Fălticeni. He likes to read, travel, listen to music, cycling, and do extreme sports. He is also fond of chocolate cakes, biscuits, and ice cream.