Cluj-Napoca; Unchartered Territory Part 2
May 22, 2024
Cluj-Napoca; Unchartered Territory Part 4 (the Sinaia edit)
May 28, 2024Cluj-Napoca's architecture is primarily Renaissance, Baroque, and Gothic, with an infusion of mid-century style.
More Sights
A rather intriguing museum full of trinkets, Steampunk Transilvania had enthusiastic staff that create an interactive experience for a whimsical experience in to the realms of steampunk. Being the childish woman I am, I pressed every button and pulled all the levers. Although small, it was a quirky and enjoyable stop. I’d popped in on an off chance one afternoon and had the place to myself. Don’t climb the ladder to take a drunk selfie in the infinity mirror though…
Another morning, I went to Muzeul National De Istor which cost 20 lei - £3.46 to enter. I perused this with a perfect stranger. Having met at the entrance waiting for it to open, we just stepped forward in unison. After watching him struggle to roll a poster, my attempts to converse in Romanian whilst helping him led to a full-blown conversation. We discussed history together as we walked through, and time flew.
Gallery
We bought coffee afterwards, ambling along in the same direction until they were drunk, then parted ways. No need to exchange names, we just enjoyed each other’s company for an hour with no expectations. This is the side of solo travel I enjoy – the interactions with people where there are no judgements, no pre-conceived ideas. Social standing means nothing in a foreign land as you’re accepted at face value.
A quick Google search of Cluj shows you everything in the vicinity; I guarantee you, you’ll find your days jam-packed if you visit all the churches, museums, and bars. I visited different restaurants every time I had a meal. With Historic Monuments dotted around every corner, and trendy bars on every other street, Cluj-Napoca offers the best of both worlds. From churches, to tarot, I found a great variety to entertain me, though I’d like to go back with company and experience the party side.
Roadtrip
Another day, another adventure. This time I was leaving Cluj for Sinaia to meet an old friend of mine that I had met on my first visit to Romania in 2022. Having downloaded the BlaBlaCar app, I had booked the 300km ride at 1pm for a mere 60 lei - £10.36.
At Midday, my ride cancelled. Having missed the 11 hour slow train that morning, time was ticking to make it to Sinaia before nightfall. Last minute, another option appeared on BlaBlaCar; with just 30 minutes to spare, but a 40 min walk to the pick-up point, I hastily booked the new ride whilst simultaneously booking a Bolt ride to the pick-up point. I arrived with 10 minutes to spare. Living life on the edge!
Finding myself waiting outside of Cluj hospital for a random man, I was soon accompanied by a 2nd passenger, a lovely uni student. We chuckled when the 3.5t white van pulled up, complete with “emergency vehicle” signage in the window. After checking the registration plate, we bundled ourselves in along with our backpacks. Destination; Brașov.
Thanks to roadworks, the trip ended up taking 8 hours. We had a good laugh between us, swapping tales in mixed Romanian and English as some of us were less fluent in the other language. It’s surprising how much you can learn just by immersing yourself. Bidding goodbye to my newfound friends, I still needed to get to Sinaia as this ride wasn’t going quite as far as I needed.
Having already been to Brașov on my Interrail tour, I kept this visit short so I could make the most of Sinaia. Recognising the streets, I made my way to the train station and took one last look back before boarding.
Part 4 up next - time for the mountains!
