1 00:00:03,320 --> 00:00:06,440 Romania is a land of a thousand faces. 2 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,120 The crossing point between the Occident and the Orient, 3 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:19,920 and a melting pot of different cultures. 4 00:00:21,920 --> 00:00:25,720 It is also a country unlike any other in Europe. 5 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:30,680 With over 60 percent of the Carpathian Mountains weaving through it, 6 00:00:30,760 --> 00:00:36,800 Romania is the custodian of Europe's last great wilderness area, 7 00:00:36,160 --> 00:00:39,800 its largest remaining forest, 8 00:00:39,160 --> 00:00:42,200 and two thirds of its surviving alpha predators. 9 00:00:45,600 --> 00:00:50,320 But increasingly this unique country's natural and cultural heritage 10 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:53,920 is under threat from reckless development 11 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:55,520 and a race to modernize, 12 00:00:55,600 --> 00:01:00,200 which is often destroying the very things that could ensure prosperity 13 00:01:00,280 --> 00:01:03,480 and a sustainable livelihood for generations to come. 14 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:11,520 Welcome back to our eight part road trip of Romania's historic regions, 15 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:17,800 in which we discover fabulous treasures, natural wonders, medieval marvels, 16 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:18,680 mouthwatering dishes, 17 00:01:18,760 --> 00:01:20,480 and meet the people that make this 18 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:23,800 one of the warmest and most hospitable nations in the world. 19 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:30,160 We will also be finding out how this hugely misunderstood country 20 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:33,280 is emerging from post Communist chaos 21 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:36,480 and identifying some of the challenges it faces 22 00:01:36,560 --> 00:01:40,520 and how tourism could provide one of its best hopes for the future. 23 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:10,400 We start are journey in the far south of Romania 24 00:02:10,480 --> 00:02:14,240 on the natural border, offered by the mighty Danube river. 25 00:02:14,760 --> 00:02:19,400 Here Europe's largest riparian artery winds through a series of gorges, 26 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:22,240 known rather grandly as the Iron Gates. 27 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:24,600 To see them in the full glory, 28 00:02:24,680 --> 00:02:28,320 it's necessary to catch a boat from the town of Orsova. 29 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:55,320 Highlights include a plaque known as Trajan's tablet, 30 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:57,000 which marked Trajan's road, 31 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:00,800 one of the routes by which the Roman Emperor mobilized troops, 32 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:02,400 during the invasion of Dacia. 33 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:06,400 It was moved further up the cliff prior to the flooding of the gorge, 34 00:03:06,480 --> 00:03:08,400 to accommodate Hydro Electric Power, 35 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:11,360 and can still be seen today above the high water mark, 36 00:03:11,440 --> 00:03:14,280 a testament to this region's historic legacy. 37 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:21,560 Further up the gorge and a fitting balance to the might of Rome, 38 00:03:21,640 --> 00:03:23,280 is a more recent carving. 39 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:28,800 The giant head of Dacian King Decebal presides over passing shipping, 40 00:03:28,160 --> 00:03:31,280 demonstrating to all who fall beneath his stony gaze, 41 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:35,680 the tremendous pride Romanians still have for their ancient heritage. 42 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:51,880 Driving north from Orsova, 43 00:03:51,960 --> 00:03:55,000 you pass a little town with enormous cultural importance. 44 00:03:56,200 --> 00:04:01,520 Baile Herculane or the Baths of Hercules was founded by Emperor Trajan's troops, 45 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:03,280 during the Dacian conquest, 46 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:07,600 but human occupation of this spot can be traced back to Paleolithic times. 47 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:10,320 And why wouldn't it, 48 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:14,000 with an unquenchable supply of boiling hot mineral water, 49 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:15,480 bubbling up out of the ground, 50 00:04:15,560 --> 00:04:19,600 such a place must have seemed like a garden of Eden to early settlers. 51 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:22,640 In more recent times, 52 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:25,680 this small community, sandwiched between the mountains, 53 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:29,800 grew under the Hapsburgs to become a luxury resort, 54 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:30,360 unique in the whole of Europe. 55 00:04:31,160 --> 00:04:32,760 During the Austro Hungarian empire, 56 00:04:32,840 --> 00:04:35,640 this was the most illustrious spa resort in the whole of Europe. 57 00:04:35,720 --> 00:04:38,320 People came from all over to take the waters here. 58 00:04:38,400 --> 00:04:42,240 In fact it was part of the grand tour where ladies of society, 59 00:04:42,320 --> 00:04:45,360 who wanted to educate themselves on the hoof would travel to Rome, 60 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:48,160 they'd go to Venice, to Florence and they'd came here. 61 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:51,120 A lot has changed since then and not much of it good, 62 00:04:51,200 --> 00:04:52,280 as I'm about to show you. 63 00:04:53,800 --> 00:04:55,560 DO NOT ENTER 64 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:07,400 To try and understand 65 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:10,320 how such a magnificent building came to be in this condition, 66 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:11,960 I took a look around 67 00:05:12,400 --> 00:05:15,560 with the Head of the County Department for Culture and National Patrimony, 68 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:16,640 Sorin Predescu. 69 00:05:51,240 --> 00:05:54,840 So, Sorin, when did the decay set in? 70 00:05:55,360 --> 00:06:00,920 In the 80's. In the 80's because the Communists built a new Herculane, 71 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:02,840 in the front of the old Herculaneum. 72 00:06:02,920 --> 00:06:07,280 They've moved all their activity in that part 73 00:06:07,360 --> 00:06:09,960 and left this building to decay. 74 00:06:10,400 --> 00:06:12,640 So they wanted to basically obliterate 75 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:15,880 everything that smacked of imperialism or history. 76 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:18,400 Yes, obliterate the history. 77 00:06:18,120 --> 00:06:21,400 I've noticed that some of the tiles here they've painted over. 78 00:06:21,480 --> 00:06:23,360 Over the marble, yes. 79 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:25,720 -Marble tiles. It's crazy. -Absolutely crazy. 80 00:06:25,800 --> 00:06:31,360 It wasn't a very deliberate action it was in the spirit of time, 81 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:33,200 not just in Herculane, 82 00:06:33,280 --> 00:06:37,520 but in the spirit of time it was too much, too ornate. 83 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:38,760 -Too grand. -Yes. 84 00:06:38,840 --> 00:06:43,160 And after the revolution, all over Romania, 85 00:06:43,240 --> 00:06:47,960 they sell the old tourist companies, 86 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:50,160 with all the buildings, 87 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:52,680 to some local investors. 88 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:57,280 And now these buildings are in the private property, 89 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:02,720 and our Romanian state, I don't know why, 90 00:07:02,800 --> 00:07:07,160 they don't expropriate these buildings to make something with them. 91 00:07:07,240 --> 00:07:08,880 Well, it's heart breaking, 92 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:12,160 I mean, how does it make you feel doing the job that you do? 93 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:14,920 I mean you haven't been inside this building before, have you? 94 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:17,160 Unfortunately, 95 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:23,520 I see a lot of that and we don't respect this building that means history, 96 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:26,720 and not just history, it's our soul somehow, 97 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:29,760 and we don't respect our soul, 98 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:31,640 I don't know why. 99 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:46,680 Look at this. Welcome to the hell. 100 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:48,800 Yeah. 101 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:52,920 This is just so sad, nobody loves this building, 102 00:07:53,560 --> 00:07:54,560 no one respects it! 103 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:57,560 It's a sign of respect. 104 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:02,960 I guess the kids do it their way, 'cause they are expressing their sadness, 105 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:04,360 by spraying it. 106 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:20,400 It's been few years since I've seen this building, 107 00:08:20,920 --> 00:08:22,600 and it's even worse than it was. 108 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:24,360 Yeah. 109 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:30,200 What would you do about this, Sorin? 110 00:08:30,960 --> 00:08:34,960 It's the time for the Romanian state to express their right 111 00:08:35,400 --> 00:08:40,360 and their duty about these historical monuments in the whole of Romania. 112 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:41,240 Yeah. 113 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,320 We have the law, but we don't have this habit, 114 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:51,880 we just give to the private property all our monuments, 115 00:08:51,960 --> 00:08:58,560 and now we must buy them back for a fair price, but we had it before. 116 00:08:58,640 --> 00:09:03,160 So if the people who own the land, privately, won't sell, 117 00:09:03,240 --> 00:09:06,000 the government expropriate it at a fair price. 118 00:09:06,560 --> 00:09:07,360 Yes. 119 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:08,760 -For the nation. -Yes. 120 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:14,520 But is the time to not let all this heritage to be lost, 121 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:19,400 because it's the last moment when it's possible to do something 122 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:21,720 for this building, for example. 123 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:22,720 For me it's important 124 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:28,440 for my children to see that buildings renovated and functional. 125 00:09:28,520 --> 00:09:32,880 It's going to ensure prosperity for the community here if they protect it. 126 00:09:32,960 --> 00:09:37,600 Yeah, absolutely, it's about tourism. The patrimony is a resource. 127 00:09:38,240 --> 00:09:40,560 Well, thank you, Sorin for coming all the way down from Timisoara. 128 00:09:41,280 --> 00:09:44,960 If everyone cared as much as you do then we would have this building saved. 129 00:09:45,800 --> 00:09:46,600 I hope. 130 00:09:46,680 --> 00:09:48,160 We just have to raise awareness. 131 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:51,120 We all need to do something about this together. 132 00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:52,520 Yes. 133 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:55,200 You know for the country and for Europe. 134 00:09:55,280 --> 00:09:58,800 This is one of the grandest buildings in Europe not just in Romania, isn't it? 135 00:09:58,880 --> 00:09:59,680 Absolutely. 136 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:14,000 So this part of the tower is falling down completely, 137 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:16,720 I am taking a bit of a risk walking here. 138 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:23,560 The roof here is in a really bad state, really terrible. 139 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:29,840 It's just waiting to come down over there and part of it has fallen here, 140 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:31,800 that's part of the wall. 141 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:34,640 Romania, this is your patrimony, no one is doing anything, 142 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:38,600 it's been over 20 years, maybe you need a march or a petition. 143 00:10:38,680 --> 00:10:43,840 Certainly lobbying the powers that be to take this building back, 144 00:10:43,920 --> 00:10:45,800 and the land it sits on, 145 00:10:45,160 --> 00:10:47,120 before it falls into the ground 146 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:50,720 and a vital part of Romania's history is going to be lost. 147 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:52,800 Not just Romania's history, but the history of Europe. 148 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:56,720 We've almost run out of time, so, please, can we sort this out, 149 00:10:56,800 --> 00:10:58,160 we have to do something now. 150 00:11:07,440 --> 00:11:08,880 Despite the fact that 151 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:12,160 the old town of Baile Herculane has become rather dwarfed 152 00:11:12,240 --> 00:11:14,680 by more modern '70s and '80s architecture, 153 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:18,280 it is still a fascinating and enchanting place. 154 00:11:18,360 --> 00:11:20,240 But with the right investment, 155 00:11:20,320 --> 00:11:23,880 this town could once again become the pride of Romania, 156 00:11:23,960 --> 00:11:27,320 and a compelling addition to the must-see list of attractions 157 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:29,760 that draw tourists from all over the world 158 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:33,600 to experience the timeless beauty of its rural landscapes. 159 00:11:45,960 --> 00:11:49,840 Turning North again we head up through forests and lush valleys, 160 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:51,680 towards the Serbian border. 161 00:11:51,760 --> 00:11:53,920 My next stop is Cheile Nerei, 162 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:56,640 one of the most remote National Parks in the country. 163 00:11:58,560 --> 00:12:01,840 This is a magical and unspoiled region 164 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:04,480 dissected by wild gorges, 165 00:12:04,560 --> 00:12:08,680 pristine rivers and aquamarine lakes. 166 00:12:08,760 --> 00:12:10,920 It is also a place of mysteries, 167 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:14,520 one of the most compelling being a set of interconnected tunnels, 168 00:12:14,600 --> 00:12:16,680 that run deep into the mountains. 169 00:12:16,760 --> 00:12:21,800 To find out more I hiked into the hills above Sasca Montana, 170 00:12:21,160 --> 00:12:25,320 with national tourist guide and local expert Mircea Jumanca. 171 00:12:48,200 --> 00:12:50,800 There are a lot of theories as to who built these, aren't there? 172 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:54,400 Yeah, some say the Romans built it, the Roman Empire. 173 00:12:54,480 --> 00:12:57,840 Others say the Austrian Hungarians built them. 174 00:12:57,920 --> 00:12:59,600 But why, why did they built this? 175 00:12:59,680 --> 00:13:05,280 My guess is the tunnels were made for logging and it was a pony pass. 176 00:13:05,360 --> 00:13:07,480 So right, OK, so they dragged the logs with ropes? 177 00:13:07,560 --> 00:13:08,560 Yeah, with ropes. 178 00:13:08,640 --> 00:13:10,760 That seems like a reasonably plausible explanation, 179 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:12,440 'cause it follows the river, doesn't it? 180 00:13:12,520 --> 00:13:13,400 Yeah, exactly. 181 00:13:13,480 --> 00:13:16,240 Still it's a lot of work to create this, isn't it? 182 00:13:16,320 --> 00:13:18,440 I mean there wasn't any dynamite in those days so... 183 00:13:18,520 --> 00:13:23,200 No, they would heat up the rock and then poor cold water on it, 184 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:24,480 and it would crack. 185 00:13:24,560 --> 00:13:26,600 So like a freeze thaw. That's very clever. 186 00:13:26,680 --> 00:13:27,480 Yeah. 187 00:13:27,560 --> 00:13:30,920 -But it's still a monumental task. -Yeah, it's hard work. 188 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:33,200 I mean you would need hundreds of people just working along here to create this. 189 00:13:33,280 --> 00:13:34,320 For sure, yeah. 190 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:35,320 Yeah. And how far does it go? 191 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:39,880 Like 25 km to the entrance to the Nera gorges. 192 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:41,800 That's incredible. 193 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:44,400 So you can almost go through the mountains following this track? 194 00:13:44,120 --> 00:13:46,000 Well, let's go a bit further, 195 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:50,600 I'm not sure 25 km is particularly an option, but we'll see. 196 00:13:51,200 --> 00:13:52,000 Let's go. 197 00:14:14,240 --> 00:14:16,120 This is the first tunnel, it is the shortest one. 198 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:17,200 More of an arch, really. 199 00:14:17,280 --> 00:14:18,400 Yes, it is more like an arch, 200 00:14:18,480 --> 00:14:22,320 and we will have another one, 44 meters long. 201 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:39,800 I think I found a flaw with your towpath theory. 202 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:42,320 Obviously, you are not going to be towing logs through here. 203 00:14:42,400 --> 00:14:45,600 No, but the old path was near the river, 204 00:14:45,680 --> 00:14:49,480 there's a path that goes down the river and crosses the rock face. 205 00:14:49,560 --> 00:14:51,720 But it still doesn't explain why they've built this, does it? 206 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:53,360 Yeah, and it's the longest. 207 00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:56,600 That's what I love about this area because there are so many mysteries, 208 00:14:56,680 --> 00:15:00,480 and we just don't know and we'll never know some of the answers. 209 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:02,560 Yeah, for sure. 210 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:22,280 Back into the sweltering heat. It's nice and cool here. 211 00:15:23,000 --> 00:15:23,800 Perfect. 212 00:15:26,000 --> 00:15:27,120 You can see why the snakes like it. 213 00:16:08,880 --> 00:16:13,480 -Well, the colour is spectacular. -Yeah, it's an incredible colour. 214 00:16:13,560 --> 00:16:17,000 And a magical spot. And it's a spring of course. 215 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:18,840 Yeah, on the bottom of the lake there are some springs, 216 00:16:19,600 --> 00:16:21,840 you can see them over there where the sand is, 217 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:25,120 and it never freezes, even during the winter. 218 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:27,640 It looks so inviting, it's a shame you can't jump in, 219 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:28,560 but it's a national park. 220 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:30,280 It's a national park and swimming is forbidden. 221 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:33,480 And the water is really cold, it's like four or six degrees. 222 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,640 Like many other spots I've seen in Romania it requires an extended visit. 223 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:38,960 Well, you have to come back another time. 224 00:16:39,760 --> 00:16:40,880 -Thank you. -You're welcome. 225 00:16:42,560 --> 00:16:46,160 As mentioned you need more than a few days to explore Cheile Nerei, 226 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:50,880 so a good place stay while you do is Pensiunea Dora, in Sasca Montana. 227 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:54,280 Visitors are assured of a warm welcome, 228 00:16:54,360 --> 00:16:57,360 and a glass or two of delicious homemade wine or palinca. 229 00:17:06,760 --> 00:17:07,680 The next morning, 230 00:17:07,760 --> 00:17:11,760 I set out on a brief, but precarious drive to my next destination, 231 00:17:11,840 --> 00:17:14,240 a small house on the edge of the village, 232 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:18,680 that in a few short years has become one of this region's worst kept secrets. 233 00:17:19,360 --> 00:17:22,880 Last week we visited a cob castle in Transylvania, 234 00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:27,360 but the woman who helped design and create it evolved her expertise here, 235 00:17:27,440 --> 00:17:29,280 on the banks of the river Nera. 236 00:17:29,360 --> 00:17:32,280 The result is a dwelling, unique in the whole of Europe. 237 00:17:32,960 --> 00:17:34,840 -Good afternoon! -Good afternoon! 238 00:17:35,720 --> 00:17:36,520 Hi! 239 00:17:37,360 --> 00:17:39,880 So these are the raw ingredients for the cob? 240 00:17:39,960 --> 00:17:43,360 Yes, it's just a mixture of clay, sand and straw. 241 00:17:43,440 --> 00:17:46,480 -OK. -It's all from this place. 242 00:17:46,560 --> 00:17:49,800 -And your clay pit is just there. -It's right there. 243 00:17:49,160 --> 00:17:52,320 I was just on a holiday here and by walking here, 244 00:17:52,400 --> 00:17:55,880 I saw the perfect place for a cob house. 245 00:17:55,960 --> 00:17:59,560 And you've already become almost a national monument with this house. 246 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:03,480 By accident, because I started it as a personal project, 247 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:07,840 I did it for myself, it was something that I felt I had to do. 248 00:18:07,920 --> 00:18:10,400 -It was a change of values. -Yes. 249 00:18:10,120 --> 00:18:12,640 And I just felt that this is what I want to do. 250 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:13,920 -And you've never looked back? -No. 251 00:18:14,880 --> 00:18:17,440 Fantastic. Please show me around I'd love to see the house. 252 00:18:17,520 --> 00:18:18,320 Yes. 253 00:18:34,360 --> 00:18:36,560 It feels like I've stepped into the set of The Hobbit. 254 00:18:37,600 --> 00:18:39,800 It's really beautiful. 255 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:41,280 Lots of people say that. 256 00:18:41,360 --> 00:18:45,680 Cob is a wonderful material that goes very well for sculpture, 257 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:49,200 for a sculptured house and I like to say that I live in a sculpture, 258 00:18:49,280 --> 00:18:52,320 and it's a very much caressed building. 259 00:18:52,400 --> 00:18:56,320 Of course. I have to ask how much did it cost to put this together, 260 00:18:56,400 --> 00:18:58,360 'cause you are recycling a lot of things, 261 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:00,800 but there's a lot of work that goes into it as well. 262 00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:02,760 I started it with 2,000 dollars, 263 00:19:03,760 --> 00:19:08,400 but it's really little money, because all the materials are here, 264 00:19:08,120 --> 00:19:11,480 and it's just lots of physical work and lots of love. 265 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:16,000 So can we expect a spate of cob houses to pop up around Romania, 266 00:19:16,800 --> 00:19:17,880 in the next ten years? 267 00:19:17,960 --> 00:19:19,000 Some, some yes. 268 00:19:19,800 --> 00:19:23,720 From when I started, in 2004, and now, 14 years later, 269 00:19:23,800 --> 00:19:26,200 it's a huge change. 270 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:28,800 Well, of course it's nothing new, is it, 271 00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:32,280 we are really going back to traditions that are thousands of years old. 272 00:19:32,360 --> 00:19:34,600 Yes, and values that we've forgot. 273 00:19:34,680 --> 00:19:38,800 You take the soil with the plants and everything, you put it aside, 274 00:19:38,880 --> 00:19:42,360 and when the building is ready, you put everything on the roof, 275 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:45,560 and the house is just a little layer in the environment. 276 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:47,800 Well that's extremely encouraging to know. 277 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:50,880 -Can we have a look inside? Thank you. -Yes, come and look inside. 278 00:19:52,640 --> 00:19:54,400 Oh, look at this! 279 00:19:54,480 --> 00:19:57,600 It is as beautiful or more beautiful than I've imagined. 280 00:19:57,680 --> 00:20:00,320 -Nice and cool. -Really cool, absolutely. 281 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:02,000 I guess warm in the winter, cool in the summer. 282 00:20:02,680 --> 00:20:06,000 Actually, this house started as an experiment, 283 00:20:06,800 --> 00:20:10,800 and I just drew a line, it only has four meters in diameter, 284 00:20:10,880 --> 00:20:14,640 and slowly it got all the functions that a house would have. 285 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:16,200 So you are completely off the grid here? 286 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:21,000 Totally self-contained, with all the mod cons, a shower, a loo. 287 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:23,440 A loo, a shower, everything, yes. 288 00:20:23,520 --> 00:20:24,920 In a house made of mud. 289 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:27,440 Can I have a look upstairs please? 290 00:20:27,520 --> 00:20:28,320 Sure. 291 00:20:29,120 --> 00:20:32,800 It's ingenious that I'm climbing the chimney and the staircase, 292 00:20:32,160 --> 00:20:33,840 it's just perfect, I love it. 293 00:20:33,920 --> 00:20:35,600 No space is wasted. 294 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,720 It's so cosy, you see the greenery through the window, 295 00:20:38,800 --> 00:20:40,680 it's almost as if you are sleeping in a tree. 296 00:20:40,760 --> 00:20:42,400 Exactly. 297 00:20:42,680 --> 00:20:43,520 I want one. 298 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:47,480 I'm hearing the distant rumble of thunder so I think I better head, 299 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:51,800 but thank you so much for showing me, that is a great inspiration. 300 00:20:51,880 --> 00:20:53,440 I may well come back, 301 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:54,960 I would quite like to know how to do this myself. 302 00:20:55,400 --> 00:20:55,840 Excellent. 303 00:20:59,760 --> 00:21:01,600 Luckily, the storm cleared, 304 00:21:01,680 --> 00:21:05,400 but the drive out of Sasca Montana was still treacherous, 305 00:21:05,120 --> 00:21:08,600 for a much more man-made reason and one which is, unfortunately, 306 00:21:08,680 --> 00:21:11,680 typical of many country roads in this part of Romania. 307 00:21:12,360 --> 00:21:15,640 Seems they've decided on this stretch to repair half the road, 308 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:18,520 to maximize the chances of a head on collision. 309 00:21:19,120 --> 00:21:21,920 And then in other places they've repaired some of the potholes, 310 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:25,800 obviously not all of them, and then, next year, when they are more, 311 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:29,280 they can come back and have more chances to earn more money. 312 00:21:29,360 --> 00:21:32,560 So you have employment year in year out, in perpetuity, 313 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:34,160 because if someone had the foresight 314 00:21:34,240 --> 00:21:36,880 to come and repair the entire road, heaven forbid, 315 00:21:36,960 --> 00:21:38,680 then it might be good for ten years. 316 00:21:39,360 --> 00:21:41,480 It's just really annoying 317 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:43,880 and also dangerous when you are on a motorcycle. 318 00:22:06,640 --> 00:22:09,800 The Banat region borders on Serbia and Hungary, 319 00:22:09,160 --> 00:22:10,680 so its capital, Timisoara, 320 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:13,920 is a very multi-cultural, cosmopolitan city, 321 00:22:14,560 --> 00:22:18,160 and provides the main social and economic hub for western Romania. 322 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:22,280 Its old town is also remarkably beautiful, 323 00:22:22,360 --> 00:22:25,680 and has been the beneficiary of a huge clean-up operation, 324 00:22:25,760 --> 00:22:30,000 that has transformed grotty car parks and crumbling urban spaces 325 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:33,160 back to picturesque squares and pedestrian plazas. 326 00:22:33,960 --> 00:22:37,480 The historic centre has a light airy feel to it, 327 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:39,200 with architectural epochs, 328 00:22:39,280 --> 00:22:42,560 packed together like trees in a forest, competing for sunlight. 329 00:22:44,160 --> 00:22:48,680 The net effect creates a wonderful collage of different colours and styles, 330 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:52,560 punctuated by wide open spaces, complete with fountains, 331 00:22:52,640 --> 00:22:58,160 modern art sculptures, live performers, music, cafes, 332 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:00,680 and plenty of benches where you can just sit 333 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:03,200 and watch the world wander past. 334 00:23:03,280 --> 00:23:07,120 I wanted to see Timisoara since I've first arrived in Romania in 2011. 335 00:23:07,200 --> 00:23:09,880 I'm sorry it's taken me so long, but here we are. 336 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:12,360 And I'm really looking forward to exploring the city. 337 00:23:15,160 --> 00:23:20,440 I caught up with vice-mayor Dan Diaconu on the eve of the annual jazz festival, 338 00:23:20,520 --> 00:23:24,720 to find how his team are helping Timisoara live up to its nomination, 339 00:23:24,800 --> 00:23:27,000 for city of culture 2021. 340 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:29,360 So there must be a lot of changes going on right now. 341 00:23:29,440 --> 00:23:32,960 -Well, it's true. -How do you prioritise? 342 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:35,960 Well, it's pretty hard because Timisoara 343 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:39,240 has the largest historical patrimony in the country. 344 00:23:39,320 --> 00:23:43,440 This means almost 14,000 buildings, so the process is a huge one. 345 00:23:43,520 --> 00:23:46,920 We started with big interventions on the public space. 346 00:23:47,000 --> 00:23:51,840 Just imagine that a few years ago we had only one hectare of pedestrian centre, 347 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:53,640 now we have 28, 348 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:57,440 so we've really tried to regain the public space for the people. 349 00:23:57,520 --> 00:23:59,000 It's quite a transformation. 350 00:23:59,800 --> 00:24:02,400 It's like giving back the city centre to the people. 351 00:24:02,120 --> 00:24:06,720 It's not only about tourism, it's about the entire neighbourhoods of Timisoara. 352 00:24:06,800 --> 00:24:09,560 There's a lot of fun, there's a lot of festivals and activities, 353 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:10,840 and things for people to come and see. 354 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:12,440 I mean that's a big part of it, isn't it? 355 00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:15,440 It is, when you're holding this kind of title 356 00:24:15,520 --> 00:24:17,800 everybody wants to do something. 357 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:18,440 Yeah, you've got to put on a good show. 358 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:19,880 That is good. 359 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:25,880 A better comfort for all the people in the city. Yeah. 360 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:34,320 I'm sorry, I don't normally laugh at clowns, but that was a good one. 361 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:35,840 Well, I can hear the bands warming up, 362 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:38,920 so the jazz festival looks like it's about to kick off again. 363 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:41,680 In fact, today we are going to have jazz 364 00:24:41,760 --> 00:24:45,000 with influences of Romanian folklore and hip hop. 365 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:47,600 There's a thing that is called The Spirit of Timisoara, 366 00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:49,920 that means freedom, 367 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:53,800 that means inter-culturality, it means tolerance, diversity. 368 00:24:53,880 --> 00:24:58,520 These are all our values and cultural music for sure. 369 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:00,920 With the first bands of the night warming up, 370 00:25:01,000 --> 00:25:06,320 I sallied forth to sample some harmonious discords and cool tunes. 371 00:25:44,800 --> 00:25:47,960 I think that was the grand finale of the evening, 372 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:51,160 but you can never be sure because it's jazz. 373 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:55,600 It's like a big jamming session and you never know when is going to end. 374 00:25:55,680 --> 00:25:59,160 Anyway what a fantastic night and we are going to leave it there, 375 00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:02,000 because we've got an awful lot to show you tomorrow, 376 00:26:02,800 --> 00:26:05,440 and I need my sleep. 377 00:26:06,520 --> 00:26:07,600 That was amazing. 378 00:26:10,240 --> 00:26:13,640 If as a tourist you ever find yourself waking up in Timisoara, 379 00:26:14,320 --> 00:26:16,400 after a long Friday or Saturday night, 380 00:26:16,120 --> 00:26:18,440 then one of the most relaxing ways to see the city, 381 00:26:19,120 --> 00:26:22,920 is to take a tram on the circle line around some of its scenic attractions. 382 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:36,880 This is the Bega river, it used to be a big trade route to the Danube. 383 00:26:36,960 --> 00:26:40,680 In the old days they would manufacture an awful lot of things. 384 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:43,400 When Timisoara was part of the Hasburg empire, 385 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:46,400 it would supply Europe and things would go down this channel, 386 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:51,680 and up the Danube as a central artery to everywhere really, in those days. 387 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:58,400 There is a plan to restore it so tourists and maybe even goods once again 388 00:26:58,120 --> 00:27:01,600 would be able to go up and down all the way to the Danube. 389 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:03,720 It's a great idea. 390 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:12,400 This is the Piata Maria where the Revolution started. 391 00:27:12,480 --> 00:27:15,720 This is the spot where the first protest took place, 392 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:18,360 that subsequently gathered enough momentum 393 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:20,840 to overthrow the Communist regime. 394 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:21,960 A lot of history here. 395 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:34,360 Travelling by tram on a hot day is thirsty work, 396 00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:36,960 and puts you in mind of having a cold beer. 397 00:27:37,400 --> 00:27:40,640 Luckily, that's something that Timisoara is not short of. 398 00:27:42,400 --> 00:27:46,720 You might even feel the need to have what we English call a "Hair of the Dog", 399 00:27:47,720 --> 00:27:50,520 or as they say in Romania, Sa ma dreg cu o bere. 400 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:52,280 In which case, 401 00:27:52,360 --> 00:27:55,880 why not stop off along the way for a tour of the country's oldest brewery, 402 00:27:55,960 --> 00:27:56,840 Timisoreana. 403 00:27:57,880 --> 00:28:01,680 With much of it now open to the public and a nice en-suite restaurant and bar, 404 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:04,240 this is a great way to spend a couple of hours, 405 00:28:04,320 --> 00:28:07,760 as I found out from resident expert brewer, Zolly. 406 00:28:07,840 --> 00:28:09,680 -Hello, Charlie -Good afternoon. 407 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:12,160 -Good afternoon, good to see you. -Just got off a tram. 408 00:28:12,240 --> 00:28:16,120 Yeah, it's been here for a long time, but the brewery has been here for longer. 409 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:18,920 The brewery was built in 1718. 410 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:21,280 Initially it was a strategic necessity. 411 00:28:21,360 --> 00:28:25,640 It was built because the Austrians, when they first conquered the city, 412 00:28:25,720 --> 00:28:28,880 had a lot of health issues because of the low quality of the water, 413 00:28:28,960 --> 00:28:32,400 and the easiest way to purify that water was... 414 00:28:32,120 --> 00:28:33,320 -To ferment it. -Yeah. 415 00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:35,680 Well, they've been doing this for thousands of years. 416 00:28:35,760 --> 00:28:38,360 Yes. Well, beer has been around for at least 6,000 years, 417 00:28:38,440 --> 00:28:43,160 from what we know today, and the reason why it survived so long, 418 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:46,960 well, it was always the poor's man alternative to a safe drink. 419 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:48,280 The rich man's was wine. 420 00:28:48,960 --> 00:28:51,240 Why it was produced for the military, of course, 421 00:28:51,320 --> 00:28:54,480 you didn't want your soldiers to be too drunk. 422 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:56,960 No, you must understand that, in case of a siege, 423 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:00,600 one of the ways to defeat the city 424 00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:04,560 was to either starve it out or contaminate their water source. 425 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:10,600 This brewery was responsible to supply that city with fresh drinkable water 426 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:11,480 or beer. 427 00:29:11,560 --> 00:29:13,760 And, of course, to keep morale at a certain level. 428 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:15,880 Exactly. Especially during a siege that's crucial. 429 00:29:15,960 --> 00:29:17,800 -Drip feeding them beer, of course. -Yeah. 430 00:29:18,760 --> 00:29:20,720 -There's so much history here. -It is. 431 00:29:21,560 --> 00:29:24,680 This, for example, is locally known as Muki. 432 00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:26,800 I found out later on that 433 00:29:26,880 --> 00:29:30,880 it's the name of the guy who drove this for about 42 years of his life. 434 00:29:30,960 --> 00:29:32,400 -Muki? -Muki, yeah. 435 00:29:32,480 --> 00:29:37,640 This was basically our distribution system up until the mid 70's. 436 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:40,640 It delivered the beer barrels to the city, 437 00:29:40,720 --> 00:29:44,240 also recovered the empty barrels to take them back to be refilled again. 438 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:46,160 -So it's basically the beer train? -Yeah. 439 00:29:46,240 --> 00:29:48,520 It's no wonder that the people gave it a name, 440 00:29:48,600 --> 00:29:50,840 because they must have grown very fond of the beer train. 441 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:55,560 Yeah, because whenever this was seen through the city they knew the beer... 442 00:29:55,640 --> 00:29:57,800 -That beer was on its way. -Yeah. 443 00:29:57,880 --> 00:30:03,800 So before the train you had the horses and now of course you've got the lorries, 444 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:04,520 so the method of transportation has changed, 445 00:30:04,600 --> 00:30:08,480 but the way in which you make the beer is still basically the same, isn't it? 446 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:09,480 Yes, it is. 447 00:30:09,560 --> 00:30:11,400 But why talk about it when you can see it. 448 00:30:11,120 --> 00:30:12,520 Let me just demonstrate it. Come on. 449 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:19,240 So this is the old cellars. 450 00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:22,200 In the old days this is where they used to maturate the beer. 451 00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:24,400 You need a cold environment, don't you? 452 00:30:24,720 --> 00:30:27,840 Yes. The beer maturation has to take place in a low temperature. 453 00:30:27,920 --> 00:30:28,720 For that reason, 454 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:32,400 they maturated underground where they could keep the temperature steady. 455 00:30:32,120 --> 00:30:36,440 For about 280 years this is where they produced the beer. 456 00:30:36,520 --> 00:30:38,400 This is where the production happened here. 457 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:40,600 It's riveting, quite literally. 458 00:30:40,680 --> 00:30:44,440 Yes, well as you can see this is end of the 19th century, 459 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:46,560 beginning of the 20th century technology. 460 00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:48,120 You can see all the rivets there. 461 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:51,440 But this is one thing we pride ourselves here in this brewery. 462 00:30:51,520 --> 00:30:55,400 We always implemented cutting edge technologies. 463 00:30:55,120 --> 00:30:56,360 We have several examples, 464 00:30:56,440 --> 00:31:01,360 like in 1921 they built the first refrigeration plant in Europe, 465 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:03,160 and the second one of its kind in the world, 466 00:31:03,240 --> 00:31:06,840 that was able to produce ice during the summer and that was a big thing. 467 00:31:06,920 --> 00:31:11,640 In 1964 they implemented the second semi-automated brewery line in the world. 468 00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:13,480 It ran on punch cards, 469 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:17,720 but for 1964 I imagine that would be like using holograms today. 470 00:31:18,520 --> 00:31:19,440 It's beautiful to see it 471 00:31:19,520 --> 00:31:24,240 and it's also slightly a shame that is sitting here you know gathering, 472 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:25,720 well, bats and cobwebs. 473 00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:30,400 For now. But since you've seen how they used to do things, 474 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:32,800 I would much like for you to see how we do things today. 475 00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:34,400 Yeah, I'm sure that's quite a contrast. 476 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:53,400 This is the nerve centre of the brewery where the whole process 477 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:55,640 is carefully monitored by a team of experts. 478 00:31:56,720 --> 00:32:00,680 Zoly talked me through the fermentation process starting with the malted barley. 479 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:04,880 The grain is soaked to kick start the germination process, 480 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:09,880 release starch and enzymes after which it is either dried or roasted, 481 00:32:09,960 --> 00:32:11,320 depending on the desired finish. 482 00:32:12,120 --> 00:32:15,840 Water is added to create wort, which is then boiled with hops, 483 00:32:15,920 --> 00:32:17,640 to obtain the correct flavour. 484 00:32:18,360 --> 00:32:21,280 Whilst beer has been made for 6,000 years, 485 00:32:21,360 --> 00:32:23,880 hops is a relatively new addition. 486 00:32:23,960 --> 00:32:29,480 In about 570 A.D. some monks in a Belgium monastery added hops to their beers, 487 00:32:29,560 --> 00:32:31,360 and they observed two elements. 488 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:33,800 One, beer that had hops in it, 489 00:32:33,880 --> 00:32:37,680 the bitterness from the hops with the sweetness from the malt, 490 00:32:37,760 --> 00:32:40,800 they balanced each other very, very nicely. 491 00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:41,720 And the second most important element, 492 00:32:42,360 --> 00:32:46,480 the beer that had hops in it can be held for longer periods of time. 493 00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:48,320 Hops is a preservative. 494 00:32:48,400 --> 00:32:51,680 So this is the final product of the brew house area. 495 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:52,800 The next part of the story, 496 00:32:52,880 --> 00:32:55,240 I'll tell you more about it in the fermentation area. 497 00:32:55,320 --> 00:32:56,800 I was going to say it's the fermentation, isn't it. 498 00:32:56,880 --> 00:32:58,400 -Exactly. Okay. 499 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:02,800 So this is the fermentation area. 500 00:33:03,560 --> 00:33:06,720 This is where actually that bitter wort you tasted in the brew house 501 00:33:07,280 --> 00:33:10,280 gets transformed into beer by yeast. 502 00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:12,280 Basically, during the course of three to four weeks, 503 00:33:12,360 --> 00:33:13,280 depending on brand, 504 00:33:13,960 --> 00:33:18,680 yeast transforms sugars into alcohol, carbon dioxide, 505 00:33:18,760 --> 00:33:22,800 and thus after three or four weeks you have your final product, beer. 506 00:33:22,960 --> 00:33:26,680 And just for you to have a fresh taste of it... 507 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:28,360 This is like drinking milk straight from the cow. 508 00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:29,520 Exactly. 509 00:33:30,400 --> 00:33:32,720 So this is the final product, here in the fermentation, 510 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:34,280 this is the maturated beer. 511 00:33:34,360 --> 00:33:35,600 Have a taste! 512 00:33:36,880 --> 00:33:39,320 Believe me, you won't find it any fresher than this. 513 00:33:41,280 --> 00:33:42,520 Well that's one way. 514 00:33:43,680 --> 00:33:47,880 -Well that's got a good head on it. -Yeah. 515 00:33:47,960 --> 00:33:50,320 -And actually it's very nice. -Yes. 516 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:53,400 So you have like a tasting room, don't you? 517 00:33:53,120 --> 00:33:57,320 Yes, a tasting room where a tasting panel gets together almost every day. 518 00:33:57,400 --> 00:33:59,800 So you are paid to drink beer on an almost daily basis? 519 00:33:59,880 --> 00:34:02,520 -At work, yes. -Right, that's not a bad job. 520 00:34:02,600 --> 00:34:04,800 No, no, I would say quite the opposite. 521 00:34:04,880 --> 00:34:06,120 And you are not sick of the taste of beer yet? 522 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:09,720 I don't think you have that effect with beer, at least in my experience. 523 00:34:09,800 --> 00:34:12,640 -As long as you pace yourself. -Yeah, of course. 524 00:34:13,360 --> 00:34:16,320 So you've tasted our intermediate products, 525 00:34:16,840 --> 00:34:21,800 it's only fair that we go to a restaurant and you get a sample of the final thing. 526 00:34:21,160 --> 00:34:23,160 Final result. Absolutely. 527 00:34:31,160 --> 00:34:32,520 -Thank you very much. -Have a seat. 528 00:34:34,520 --> 00:34:35,960 So this is open all year around? 529 00:34:36,400 --> 00:34:38,400 Yeah. Just to give you some short information. 530 00:34:38,120 --> 00:34:41,120 Inside this restaurant, this was the first place, 531 00:34:41,200 --> 00:34:44,720 where Johannes Strauss the son had his first concert outside Vienna. 532 00:34:44,800 --> 00:34:46,880 -So a lot of provenance. -Yeah. 533 00:34:46,960 --> 00:34:51,880 Like the rest of the city, really. Big changes are afoot for Timisoara. 534 00:34:51,960 --> 00:34:53,440 -Yes. -Well it's exciting, 535 00:34:53,520 --> 00:34:56,120 it's exciting that you've got your anniversary next year, 536 00:34:56,200 --> 00:35:01,120 and it's exciting that Timisoara itself may become the city of culture 2021. 537 00:35:01,200 --> 00:35:02,800 Yeah, it's a great honour. 538 00:35:02,880 --> 00:35:06,680 But we, as brewers, have to contribute to this event as well. 539 00:35:06,760 --> 00:35:08,880 Well, I mean it's a community effort, isn't it? 540 00:35:08,960 --> 00:35:10,120 Exactly. 541 00:35:10,760 --> 00:35:12,480 Best of luck with it all. Thank you so much. 542 00:35:12,560 --> 00:35:14,800 -Cheers! -Cheers! Good luck and good health! 543 00:35:16,160 --> 00:35:19,880 Leaving Timisoara behind it was time to hit the open road, 544 00:35:19,960 --> 00:35:22,880 and head north again towards Arad and beyond. 545 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:25,160 On the way, I wanted to check in briefly 546 00:35:25,240 --> 00:35:28,680 at a charming eco-lodge, close to the village of Bogda. 547 00:36:02,920 --> 00:36:04,400 Raw palinca. 548 00:36:07,120 --> 00:36:12,440 Casa Altringen offers a peaceful rural getaway for weekenders from Timisoara. 549 00:36:12,520 --> 00:36:16,200 But more importantly it has helped to reinvigorate and provide employment 550 00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:20,200 for the community, as I found out from owner, Ovidiu Sandor. 551 00:36:20,280 --> 00:36:24,920 This area around Timisoara, which is the historical Banat area. 552 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:30,800 It is an area with a very blended ethnical population 553 00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:33,120 due to its history. 554 00:36:33,200 --> 00:36:36,320 Various populations were brought into this region, 555 00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:40,720 because the population was depleted by wars and diseases and so forth. 556 00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:46,280 The most important group that settled in in this area has been a German group, 557 00:36:46,360 --> 00:36:52,320 called the Schwaben and they settled a number of either existing villages, 558 00:36:52,400 --> 00:36:56,520 or villages newly built specially for them. 559 00:36:56,600 --> 00:36:59,320 Charlotta or Charlottenburg in German, 560 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:03,720 a lovely village built on an urban plan in the 18th century, 561 00:37:03,800 --> 00:37:08,800 having a very round shape is definitely one of the first villages 562 00:37:08,160 --> 00:37:09,960 built on an urban plan in Romania. 563 00:37:13,400 --> 00:37:16,520 Tell me about the food, because you actually made a point, haven't you, 564 00:37:16,600 --> 00:37:18,280 of insuring that the people eat 565 00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:20,840 the same recipes that the German population used to cook? 566 00:37:20,920 --> 00:37:22,960 What we've tried to do from the beginning 567 00:37:23,400 --> 00:37:26,520 is actually preserving the character of the area in a sense, 568 00:37:26,600 --> 00:37:30,400 both in the way in which the rooms are decorated, 569 00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:34,800 but then also in terms of food, which has its German influence of course, 570 00:37:34,160 --> 00:37:40,400 with an Romanian input, but also Hungarian influences or Serbian influences, 571 00:37:40,120 --> 00:37:45,920 and we've been taking a very conscious decision not to hire a trained cook, 572 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:51,200 but to try to find local people that are skilled in cooking at home, 573 00:37:51,280 --> 00:37:55,320 and a lot of people coming here, when they taste the food, 574 00:37:55,400 --> 00:37:58,120 they say "oh, it tastes exactly like the food that I had when I was..." 575 00:37:58,200 --> 00:37:59,000 When I was a child. 576 00:37:59,800 --> 00:38:01,920 "When I was visiting my grandmother in the countryside." 577 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:04,640 And that's actually what we are trying to do. 578 00:38:04,720 --> 00:38:07,520 So talking about employing the local people, 579 00:38:07,600 --> 00:38:10,400 what is the influence of the guest house being on the local community? 580 00:38:10,120 --> 00:38:13,840 I think that's a very interesting question that you raise. 581 00:38:13,920 --> 00:38:17,920 It is an area that basically has almost no employers, 582 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:22,120 so we thought it should be extremely easy to find people in the villages. 583 00:38:22,200 --> 00:38:24,000 Well, it actually turned out to be quite difficult. 584 00:38:24,800 --> 00:38:28,960 Because everything works in an almost medieval barter system. 585 00:38:29,400 --> 00:38:33,320 I will help you in your garden, you will help me painting my house, 586 00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:39,440 so basically there's no need for money as a tool of exchange. 587 00:38:39,520 --> 00:38:41,320 How extraordinary. I mean that's rather lovely, isn't it? 588 00:38:41,400 --> 00:38:46,480 Well, I do think that while it might sound nostalgic and lovely, 589 00:38:46,560 --> 00:38:51,400 I think it is something that is hindering the development of these communities. 590 00:38:51,120 --> 00:38:54,200 I think it was very nice when one of our ladies 591 00:38:54,280 --> 00:38:56,280 previously she was in a sense, you know, 592 00:38:56,360 --> 00:39:00,800 "My neighbours tell me that I'm stupid that I'm working and that..." 593 00:39:00,160 --> 00:39:01,440 They were criticising her for having a job, yeah. 594 00:39:01,520 --> 00:39:03,320 But one day she came here very proud, 595 00:39:03,400 --> 00:39:05,800 because being employed she could go to a bank, 596 00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:08,920 could borrow money from a bank and redo her house, 597 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:10,920 and now she has one of the nicest houses in the village. 598 00:39:11,000 --> 00:39:12,120 Right, so she's having the last laugh. 599 00:39:12,200 --> 00:39:13,480 So she's having the last laugh, 600 00:39:13,560 --> 00:39:15,960 but I think if these places would be better known, 601 00:39:16,400 --> 00:39:18,920 and it's great what you do with these documentaries, 602 00:39:19,600 --> 00:39:22,360 I think people in Europe, and across the world, 603 00:39:22,440 --> 00:39:24,440 would discover something that is unique. 604 00:39:24,520 --> 00:39:29,320 The Banat region has its own very special type of history within Romania, 605 00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:33,720 and it's an additional maybe flavour to what Romania can offer. 606 00:39:33,800 --> 00:39:36,520 -That looks "wow"! -Enjoy your meal! 607 00:39:36,600 --> 00:39:37,920 Thank you so much. 608 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:39,960 Can I serve? Et voila! 609 00:39:40,480 --> 00:39:42,160 Enjoy your meal! 610 00:39:42,680 --> 00:39:45,880 We are in yet another achingly beautiful place, 611 00:39:45,960 --> 00:39:47,000 eating delicious food. 612 00:39:47,640 --> 00:39:49,400 You shouldn't be able to do this for a living, 613 00:39:49,480 --> 00:39:53,120 but we needed to show it to you so what can I say! 614 00:39:53,200 --> 00:39:55,520 Cheers, everyone! Good job! 615 00:39:55,600 --> 00:39:57,280 -Good health! -Good health! 616 00:40:04,320 --> 00:40:06,840 The following morning I continued driving North, 617 00:40:06,920 --> 00:40:10,200 leaving Banat behind and entering the province of Crisana. 618 00:40:16,240 --> 00:40:20,120 Our next port of call is close to Chiscau in Bihor country, 619 00:40:20,200 --> 00:40:22,400 on the Eastern edge of the Apuseni range. 620 00:40:22,880 --> 00:40:28,000 This far from modern attraction was only discovered by accident in 1975, 621 00:40:28,800 --> 00:40:30,000 when miners working on a hillside 622 00:40:30,800 --> 00:40:33,680 dynamited open a collapsed vent to an underground grotto. 623 00:40:35,160 --> 00:40:39,480 Exploration revealed a kilometre and a half of vast caverns, 624 00:40:39,560 --> 00:40:44,720 littered with the bones of a species of cave bear that date back 17,000 years. 625 00:40:46,120 --> 00:40:47,440 Half a decade later, 626 00:40:47,520 --> 00:40:51,920 the Bear Cave in Chiscau opened its rather '70s doors to the public, 627 00:40:52,000 --> 00:40:56,000 and is widely held to be the most beautiful cave in Romania. 628 00:41:31,680 --> 00:41:34,800 I'm very torn by this place because when you arrive, 629 00:41:34,880 --> 00:41:38,520 the development that they created to meet the demand is, well, 630 00:41:38,600 --> 00:41:41,760 ill-conceived, but then you come into the cave, 631 00:41:41,840 --> 00:41:45,360 and you see these caverns and they are breath taking, 632 00:41:45,440 --> 00:41:48,520 they are so beautiful but more and more people want to come here, 633 00:41:49,200 --> 00:41:52,520 and, of course, places like this can become victims of their own success. 634 00:41:52,600 --> 00:41:54,200 So you have to be careful, 635 00:41:54,280 --> 00:41:57,720 and the development that surrounds them has to be done very sensitively, 636 00:41:57,800 --> 00:42:02,840 in order to not ruin the beauty and integrity of the location itself. 637 00:42:25,800 --> 00:42:30,520 My final stop on our tour of Banat and Crisana is Vadul Crisului, 638 00:42:30,600 --> 00:42:32,400 a small village near Oradea. 639 00:42:32,720 --> 00:42:33,720 This region is famous 640 00:42:33,800 --> 00:42:36,720 for what friend and musical consultant Bogdan Simeon 641 00:42:36,800 --> 00:42:40,400 described as a hybrid string and brass instrument, 642 00:42:40,480 --> 00:42:43,640 the likes of which you cannot find anywhere else in the world. 643 00:42:43,720 --> 00:42:44,520 Good afternoon! 644 00:42:44,600 --> 00:42:46,640 Welcome to Nelu Petru Jolt's house. 645 00:42:47,440 --> 00:42:51,360 This is Nelu, this is his wife and his children. 646 00:42:53,280 --> 00:42:54,360 Here you go! 647 00:42:55,800 --> 00:42:56,880 -Good health! -Good health! 648 00:42:56,960 --> 00:43:01,240 -Health and virtue and music! -Exactly! Health, virtue and music! 649 00:43:01,320 --> 00:43:02,120 Shot! 650 00:43:04,280 --> 00:43:08,600 Yeah, that will put hairs on your chest, definitely. How strong is that? 651 00:43:08,680 --> 00:43:09,640 52 degrees. 652 00:43:09,720 --> 00:43:13,640 52 percent? Well, I'm very glad that I'm not driving after this. 653 00:43:23,800 --> 00:43:24,560 Fantastic sarmale, 654 00:43:24,640 --> 00:43:27,120 slightly different from the ones I've had before, actually. 655 00:43:27,200 --> 00:43:28,680 Is it a regional recipe? 656 00:43:28,760 --> 00:43:31,600 This is the general Transylvanian way to do it, 657 00:43:31,680 --> 00:43:35,800 but also to be found in Crisana, where we are, and in Banat. 658 00:43:35,160 --> 00:43:37,400 Besides minced pork, 659 00:43:37,120 --> 00:43:41,200 you also have lard in it which gives you that extra pork feeling. 660 00:43:41,280 --> 00:43:43,120 -Gives you more of a flavour. -Exactly. 661 00:43:43,200 --> 00:43:47,200 Just in case you needed reminding that pork is Romania's favourite vegetable. 662 00:43:47,280 --> 00:43:48,480 Inside a cabbage roll. 663 00:43:50,800 --> 00:43:53,800 Tell me a bit more about this area, in fact how you found it? 664 00:43:53,880 --> 00:43:57,560 This region is very interesting because it has a very unique sound, 665 00:43:57,640 --> 00:44:01,600 and it has a few people playing a very special instrument, 666 00:44:01,680 --> 00:44:03,800 which is only to be found in this particular region. 667 00:44:03,880 --> 00:44:07,840 So, in your odyssey of musical exploration you came here, 668 00:44:07,920 --> 00:44:09,800 because you heard about it and you wanted to learn? 669 00:44:09,880 --> 00:44:14,400 Of course. I wanted to discover the stroke violin from Bihor. 670 00:44:14,480 --> 00:44:20,200 It was developed by an Austrian Jew in London, in 1901. 671 00:44:20,280 --> 00:44:25,160 It was first described by the English ethno-musicologist Dick Donovan, in 1902. 672 00:44:25,240 --> 00:44:26,800 It gradually became an instrument 673 00:44:26,880 --> 00:44:29,600 that the gypsies played for the Hungarians in this region, 674 00:44:29,680 --> 00:44:32,200 and in the end it became a Romanian peasant instrument. 675 00:44:32,880 --> 00:44:36,120 If that is not multiculturalism I don't know what multiculturalism is. 676 00:44:36,200 --> 00:44:39,360 I know, it's good. But it's also a bit steam punk, isn't it? 677 00:45:00,240 --> 00:45:02,600 Charlie, you can have the violin, 678 00:45:02,680 --> 00:45:06,720 but Nelu's son is going to accompany you with the drum. 679 00:45:06,800 --> 00:45:08,120 -OK, so we have a new band. -Yeah. 680 00:45:08,200 --> 00:45:09,920 There's a new band in town! 681 00:45:10,640 --> 00:45:14,160 He will start the beat and you have to follow him. 682 00:45:26,560 --> 00:45:28,840 -Bravo, that was Rares. -Bravo, Rares. 683 00:45:39,640 --> 00:45:42,760 Most importantly, not to spill the palinca. 684 00:45:42,840 --> 00:45:44,520 Like that. Just like that. 685 00:45:44,600 --> 00:45:46,760 I think we need to... 686 00:45:46,840 --> 00:45:48,520 You know, this is so strong, 687 00:45:48,600 --> 00:45:54,120 this is evaporating off my hand as quickly as it's been poured almost. 688 00:45:54,200 --> 00:45:55,680 -Cheers! -Cheers! 689 00:45:56,800 --> 00:45:57,600 Have a... 690 00:45:57,680 --> 00:46:00,280 No, he's driving, he's not allowed a drink. 691 00:46:00,360 --> 00:46:01,440 I was just checking. 692 00:46:02,200 --> 00:46:03,480 To the hotel, please. 693 00:46:04,160 --> 00:46:07,200 Taxi, come on, let's go, Mr. Jolt. 694 00:46:19,600 --> 00:46:21,200 As the sun sets in Crisana, 695 00:46:21,280 --> 00:46:23,840 we reach the end of our journey through western Romania. 696 00:46:24,800 --> 00:46:29,120 Join us next week as we cross the timeless hills of the Maramures, 697 00:46:29,200 --> 00:46:33,120 and uncover secrets, both wonderful and terrifying, 698 00:46:33,200 --> 00:46:35,920 as we take you down more roads less travelled, 699 00:46:36,000 --> 00:46:38,760 only in Flavours Of Romania.