Romania is a land of a thousand faces.
The crossing point between the Occident and the Orient,
and a melting pot of different cultures
and is also a country unlike any other in Europe.
Within the half of Carpathian mountains range living through it,
Romania is the custodian of Europe's greatest surviving mixed forests
and two thirds of its apex predators.
As well as native Romanians, is home to Hungarian,
Saxon,
Roma,
Serbian,
Greek and many more diverse peoples,
united by the borders of a nation
that stretches to the mouth of the Danube.
Here, Europe's largest wetland fans out into the Black Sea
creating its own vast, priceless and fragile ecosystem.
Inland, Romania is rich, with historic cities and villages
majestic national parks,
ruined castles,
medieval monasteries
and a legacy that dates back thousands of years.
However, Romania's natural and built heritage
is under threat from reckless development
and a race to modernize which often destroys
the very things that could ensure prosperity for generations to come.
The next leg of our journey takes us to Moldova,
an ancient region covering the eastern part of the country.
Originally twice its current size,
it included northern Bucovina and Basarabia,
now part of the entirely separated Republic of Moldova.
But before leaving Transylvania behind us,
we needed to stop at the border beside the not so eponymous Red Lake
in order to make alternative travel arrangements.
Our first destination is so remote
that I'm having to swap the bike for the crew car to get there.
It's 45 minutes down a mountainous dirt road
and we're going to see how people survive out there
almost cut off from civilization.
I'm heading to the village of Three Fountains,
a little Shangri La cradled by hay meadows,
steep hills and thick forests.
This is a place worth visiting just for the drive
which takes you past secret waterfalls, through dark ravines
and along winding tracks that lead you deeper and deeper into the wild.
I think this is the right place. We are here to meet madam Zsuzsanna
who's lived all of her life in this village.
On one side of the river are Hungarians, on the other side are Romanians
and it's very, very pretty here but extremely cut off.
Madam Zsuzsanna.
I'm Charlie. Nice to meet you.
Must be very tough living here.
We must have stock here.
We have flour, oil, rice, sugar,
lard, animals.
We milk the cow, we have milk, butter, cheese... Look.
If not, there's no shop here. We can't have a shop with no money.
For instance I don't even have a pension.
- No? Not even a pension? - I have no pension.
- Really? - Really. As I tell you.
I worked a lot together with my husband, we worked with animals.
- Do you speak Hungarian? - Yes.
So in the village you have Hungarians on one side of the river
and Romanians on the other side of the river.
Are they getting along?
- People? - Yes.
They have got along very well so far, they didn't quarrel or fight.
Now there are not many Romanians left because the old men have died
and the young ones have left each one where they could.
During summer more of them come for the hay,
they make the hay and then go abroad.
When I was young, 15-16 up to 20 years old,
many people were coming here, in the village,
each house had many children, ten, nine, eight,
for instance we were eight brothers but now I was left alone.
- They are all dead. - I am sorry.
My life is very hard because I can't do anything.
I have grown old here and, with God's mercy, I'll die here as well.
On the return journey we drove by pastoral pursuits,
both moving and hitherto, timeless in their necessity.
But with so few young people choosing to remain here,
the hard work is left to an increasingly aging population
forced to collaborate in order to survive
in this beautiful but unforgiving environment.
All too soon seems like this one they become a distant memory.
Reunited with the bike, I was glad to be back on the tarmac
and ready to embark on one of Romania's most spectacular drives.
As the road descends down into Moldova it follows an alpine stream
which has carved a monstrous crevasse through miles of Jurassic limestone
offering a regal vantage point for eagles and mountain goats
inured to the steady parade of tourists that pass beneath them.
The Bicaz Gorge is the deepest in Romania
and nothing short of breathtaking.
At its most vertiginous point
a group of brave souls has set up tourist stores
with assorted merchandise,
both traditional and manufactured in the Orient.
Despite the occasional rock falling from above,
many tourists seem undaunted in their determination
to stop here and take an obligatory selfie.
That was pretty awe inspiring.
I come from a country
where the Cheddar Gorge is one of our major landmarks.
Looks like a small indentation compared to that.
It's hardly surprising,
that this is also a superb destination for rock climbing.
And some locals have become particularly good at it,
most notably famous international alpinist Constantin Lăcătușu,
the first and only Romanian
to successfully complete the seven summit challenge.
I arranged to meet him at an alpine chalet
which he organizes and help to build.
I noticed the route going along the side there
that looks like a kind of an all purpose beginners route, right?
Yes, there are different choices.
this is the longest via ferrata in Romania,
we made it in 2016, we don't have many projects like this in Romania,
maybe ten or 15, because it's something different,
it's different, it's not trekking, it's not rock climbing,
- it's something in between. - You think Romania has the potential
to become one of the top climbing destinations.
For sure. In many seasons, any kind of trekking or climbing
I think we have very, very good mountains for this.
I think this kind of experience that people can have
is a much deeper connection with the landscape
than just traveling round in a bus.
This example is very good here in Bicaz Gorges
when you go by car and you cross the gorges,
you are down if you take a picture you see almost nothing,
but if you want more to discover,
you have to go upstreams, laterally or climbing,
but there are also trekking routes and you can see everything from higher
so it's much different, you have a much better idea about how the place is.
Do you think you'll always be climbing?
You know we do get older and things get obviously a bit harder.
This is life. Life is a little bit about going higher. High and down.
Always after a top you have to go down
and then you see another top, even if it's smaller,
you want to climb it and then down.
Somebody said... what is climbing.
He said it's like a philosophy, it's a way of life,
but also life sometimes it's a way of alpinism.
As I was leaving,
I noticed one of the climbers had a familiar sounding accent.
Stu, what brings you to Romania? I've seen you climbing
and it's unusual for fellow Brits to be out here.
Yes it's not specific on major climbing routes and things
but there are, I think, 7.000 routes all across Romania.
It's the best way to see the landscape, isn't it?
Yes. The thing is if you visit a country to climb
and it takes you to these little villages that you never see,
that's the biggest thing.
I've been to Cluj and I was really surprised
it's just like any other European city, I felt like I was in Amsterdam...
Were you surprised by that?
Yes, about how modern it was with modern transportation system,
clean streets and clean...
It's funny, it's nothing like people expect.
No.
We all got preconceptions of Romania. But when you get here
and it's nothing like that, it's really beautiful, isn't it?
Yes, I think that people living in villages here
are more laid back, simple lifestyle,
more people cycling and walking or by horse and in carts...
- Healthy way to live. - Yes.
- Well, thank you. Safe climbing. - OK, thanks.
Back on the road we head up towards the Bicaz Lake,
a man-made reservoir with pebble shores and gentle waves
that lap against the steep sides of the Carpathian hills.
This is an unlikely place for a holiday
but the whole microculture has sprung up here
with restaurants,
houseboats
and a private beach club
only accessible by water.
That was a beautiful ride around the Bicaz Lake,
and look at what we found, what a secluded spot.
Over there is Ceahlău and the hills that we drove through earlier on.
When you've been on the bike for about six hours in a stifling heat
there's no better way to cool off than this.
I can't tell you how good that feels
but what I lovely sensation,
cool water in a hot day, absolute bliss.
You can imagine what it must be like
to watch the sunset over the mountains here,
with a cold beer or a glass of palinka.
This is a landscape Hollywood could easily employ
as a backdrop for the constant stream of fantasy sagas
that grace our screens on a weekly basis.
No surprise then that one enterprising couple
has built their own hobbit village just outside Dobreni
which is uncoincidentally our next stop.
Mihaela, what was the inspiration behind this extraordinary place?
We wished to restore moments of the past, bring them back to present,
to make a place where each of us could reunite with the nature,
experience a simple life, things that make us happy,
but little things that make us happy.
It feels like there's quite a talking influence here.
Would that be fair to say?
I think there are probably influences from that movie too.
Every house has a story doesn't it?
Yes, there is a story behind each house.
Ionuț has designed and built them, most of the time alone,
while I wrote the story behind the village.
We like the stories. I think we all like the stories
and when we were small kids we all wanted to be
either the knight or the Prince Charming, the princess
and then of course we want to transpose them.
You got a gallows over there.
Don't children find it a bit shocking when they come here?
- No. - No?
First of all it's like an insight into history.
The torture devices are a part of the history of each country, I think.
No, they are really interested about them and ask what they were used for,
what do they stand for and why those people were punished.
And then I think there are things they learn from the past,
they aren't shocked.
And maybe it also puts guests off for misbehaving too much.
- Ah, yes, of course! - Watch out!
The attention to detail I like as well
because you've actually got the trap door in the floor,
it's not just like a model, it looks like it could probably work.
Yes, they could also work, should we want it.
And this is a bit low.
I guess this must be a gallows for hobbits.
Bad hobbit!
This is so cute!
Memory fine mattress,
just imagine lying here
reading a copy of the Two Towers or The Fellowship of the Ring
by candlelight.
Maybe in the winter time you've got logs burning merrily in your stove
and the flames flickering off the walls.
Yes, I get it, kids would go mad for this place.
Just imagine you're stepping into the pages of the book.
I have a slightly easy job getting in and out of the door as well.
This next room is where they put the naughty guests.
This is where you put the kids,
maybe not just kids.
A dungeon! Don't get any ideas!
- Please let me out! - No!
Please, let me out!
No! You must stay the whole night because you have been very, very bad!
This is fun too.
It doesn't actually support the bed
but it could definitely support a pair of handcuffs.
Refreshed and suitably chastened, it was time to embark on a grand tour
on some of Moldova's most pulchritudinous orthodox monasteries.
There is a large cluster of them in the wild forests of Neamț county
and it's possible to make a circuit of some of the most dramatic,
although I was wounded by the road.
Away from towns and villages it's slowly deteriorates
as we cross dry riverbeds and wind through ancient woodland.
During the summertime one thing remains the same:
Wherever you are in the country,
if there's water and a bit of pasture you'll find Romanians camping out,
enjoying a picnic or cooking pork related products over a small fire.
First stop is a sacred monastery built in 1602.
The church typifies Moldavian architecture
of the end of the XVI century, albeit with Valachian influences.
It was completely burnt to the ground in 1821 by the Ottomans,
after which the whole complex was rebuilt.
- Situated upstairs in the cloisters - is the sacred chapel of St. - Mary
which contains several holy relics
and some useful idioms for visiting pilgrims,
as I find out from its curator, Father Cleopa Sturzu.
- God bless. - God bless.
- Welcome to us. - Thank you.
These are all words of advice.
Anger is a short madness. Pain is a lesson.
During the years of pain I learned how to pray.
You will be judged according to your deeds.
Always forgive the others, never yourself.
Laziness is the mother of all sins.
Slandering others is the biggest crime.
A room without books is like a soulless body.
He who knows to soften souls, knows it all.
Nothing is freer than thought.
These are all.
This is very practical advice.
The sort of thing if you live your daily life by, you won't go far on.
This was the author of these sayings, correct?
Father Vichentie Mălău from Sfințișoara village
wrote these sayings on the pew.
You can actually see the skull of the saint here beneath the glass,
but they have left a small opening
for people who would like to obviously kiss the holy relic.
The father was very merciful, he was giving all the time.
And because he was very merciful,
after he passed away, his right hand, up to the elbow,
he used to bless and offer with, did not rot and now smells of lilies.
The father's head has a special smell. Get closer to see for yourself.
That's very unusual.
It actually does... the skull does smell of flowers.
Extraordinary.
Thank you very much.
- God bless. - God bless.
You are welcome. God bless. We'll be waiting for you again.
Ten minutes further down the road and we reach Sihăstria
which according to church historians
was founded during the reign of Steven the Great.
Happily I arrived just in time for lunch
which is also being offered to devout members of the public.
I snack in for a bowl of thin but delicious vegetable broth.
It's just a thought but perhaps most parishioners in the UK
would pay attention to the sermon if they were being fed at the same time.
Following an obligatory visit to the gift shop,
we leave the tarmac behind once more...
and journey upwards through the forest on an increasingly precarious dirt track
that was clearly not designed for having motorcycles.
The third monastery on our circuit lies high in the Sihla mountains,
famed as an area for religious hermits from the XIII century AD
and you can see why.
Stories tell that Stephen the Great
once took a shortcut through here on his way to Neamț monastery,
chancing upon an old hermit who lived in a cottage under a rock.
Being deeply impressed by his piousness,
the prince had a church built from the wood of a single fir tree
in which the hermit could pray for him.
But this area achieved even greater spiritual importance
when in the XVII century a nun by the name of Teodora
turned her back on society and lived here in a cave,
making prophecies and performing miracles.
With some relief we arrived safe at Sihla monastery
which is dedicated to her memory...
and huddles beneath a cliff
with panoramic views across the surrounding hills.
- I am here to learn more - about the life of St. - Teodora
and find out why she is one of Romania's most revered spiritual figures.
I was joined by father Casian who kindly agreed
to take me see her cave, now a holy site for visiting pilgrims.
The monastery was made because she lived here
and she was like a model to us
and we try to follow her life...
- But you don't live in a cave. - No, we don't.
It's very hard to live in the cave.
Only the ones that have holy spirit can live in a cave.
You're telling me that some scientists tried to work out how long you could live...
Yes, they tried to find out how much a person can live here in the cave
and they had the conclusion that no matter if you are a man or a woman
you can't live more than two years in a cave.
- Because you also have brutal winters. - The terms are very rough.
- How long did she spend here? - Like 20 years, only in the cave.
- This is the place we call - "The Fountain of St. - Teodora"
because this is the place where she drank water.
When she was old, she couldn't go in the forest
to go to a river to drink water
so God always give rain for her to drink water.
So she was up on that rock, made a hole
and when the rain comes the water...
It could pour for her... And she was drinking from over there.
In this time that water is holy water
because people, if they drink from that water, they get cured of diseases.
This is the place where many hermits live here.
In this time now there are hermits, they live here
- but we don't know about them. - So you're saying in these mountains...
there are currently hermits living in these mountains right now.
Yes.
- But we're not sure where. - No.
And they are out there, with the bears and the wild bison...
- Every day. - Every day.
And this was her home.
- For years. - Twenty years.
This rock might be dry.
Yes it's dry now, but most of the time it rains.
Yes, because these rocks are really damp. It's so peaceful here.
You feel her blessing, you feel her presence here,
so people come here get the blessing and they go home peaceful.
- Do the monks come here every day? - Yes, we change.
Some times monks come in the morning, in the evening, in the night...
And you have services here as well.
We have a priest called Father Alexie and he makes holy liturgy here.
Usually they make it until four-five in the morning.
So you have a lot of interaction with the outside world.
Yes, all the time.
People, all kind of people from all over the world.
I spoke to one of your brothers before coming here
and he was living in Bristol till a year ago.
- Yes. - Yes, where I went to university.
He knew about you.
He knew about...
- He said... - He was... "follow me on the channel."
He said: "you were a Bristol" and I said: "Yeah".
And he was a delivery guy and now he is here in this monastery.
- He found God also and studied... - Even a Bristol.
So everyone follows her dream, his dream...
like Saint Teodora did.
Having given father Casian a lift back to the monastery
I was amused to hear
that this was the first Harley they had seen on the premises.
And I received a flurry of questions from the monks.
My hand is fatter than yours, I am fatter than you.
Aside from being deeply spiritual, are also very down to earth
as able to debate culinary tips or the merits of the new iPhone
as they are totally passionate about God.
Armed with two bottles of home made holy wine, courtesy of the monks,
I wound and slide my way down the other side of the mountains
towards the fourth and final monastery on our circuit.
Agapia is more beautiful and decorative
than many of Moldova's other monasteries
not least because it's home
of the second largest population of nuns in Romania.
The buildings are architecturally complex
combining byzantine, neoclassic and Romanian styles.
Courtyards and walk ways are lined with bright flowers
and the monastery's museum guards a collection
of historic tools and artifacts,
medieval art,
manuscripts and religious objects.
But what makes Agapia unmissable is its interior frescoes
painted in 1858 by celebrated Romanian artist Nicolae Grigorescu.
The sisters are also committed to the creative aspect of spiritual life.
And there are several workshops
dedicated to traditional crafts like carpet making.
As times marches on,
isolated monastic orders like Sihla and Agapia
are subject to more contact with secular society.
For many this assimilation provides an opportunity
to share their spiritual life with outsiders
as is the case of our next location,
the stunning Sturdza estate around 70 km from Iași.
Built on the site of a preexisting manor house,
Sturdza palace was designed to emulate the feudal castles of the west,
as well as the Palace of Culture in Iași as seen in season one.
The last heir Elena Cantacuzino, who became a nun in later life,
donated the estate to the church.
Today, Sturdza is the only castle in Romania owned and run by nuns
and is open to the public for day trips,
with rooms on the estate for those wanting to over night.
I was met by manager Elena Ionescu and resident chef Marcela Crisu
who would gone to the trouble of arranging a culinary demonstration
featuring a popular local recipe of chicken broth or soup.
Elena tell me what's cooking.
This is a rooster borsch.
We have here all the ingredients, and our natural and funny looking rooster
and our home made borsch.
- You're cooking with the claws? - Yes.
This is a delicacy for some people including my dog.
- We are actually eating it here. - You are eating it here as well.
And of course the main ingredient,
the thing that makes it unique is the borsch, which is home made, isn't it?
Yes, actually we are making it from scratch.
- So we are ready to go. - Yes.
I mean we can't wait any longer, that rooster is gonna cook itself in this heat.
While the broth was simmering, I had a quick nose around the palace
which was built by newly wed landowner George Sturdza
in honor of his beloved wife Maria.
It was a wedding present that took over 24 years to complete
and during that entire time she was responsible for all the decoration,
the art, the paintings and the mirrors that adorn these walls and ceilings.
Have a look at this, mythical creatures, dragon, gryphon.
The attention to detail is really quite breathtaking
and a fitting tribute to a family whose motto was
"in a beauty shines forth everywhere",
and literally did create beauty in every single room,
in every space in this building.
This central nave, because the house is laid out much like a church,
contained one of the biggest libraries of its day.
There were bookshelves all the way down this entire room.
What's very sad is not only the books but everything else
was taken systematically by numerous people.
So, first the Germans occupied this area
and they helped themselves with the best bits.
Then the Russians came and evicted the Germans
and reclaimed the territory and they helped themselves as well
with whatever the Germans had not taken, then the locals came
and took what that Germans and Russians had not taken
and with anything left, communists had it
when they appropriated this building
and turned it into a hospital for children with disabilities,
which it remained for many years,
until the 90s, when it was restituted back to the church.
After browsing the palace
I joined Mother Superior Parascheva Calmațuianu
for lunch at the adjacent restaurant.
I never come across this before in Romania.
You have an incredible building that you are restoring and looking after
as well as having the monastery
in a day to day existence of monastic life.
Yes, it has its challenges
because you want to give the monument its proper status
and its proper way of developing but also you have to respect our way of...
- Of living as well. - Yes.
And that is the plan, to fully restore the castle in time?
Absolutely. Yes.
And that will require I imagine quite a lot of help and funds to do.
It is much more expensive to restore a building
than to build a new one so that is also a challenge
and of course the castle is a monument and with a lot of details
the interior paintings and the exterior decorations
which will involve a lot of work for them to be restored properly.
I can't believe how colorful it was inside
and every space every aspect every wall and ceiling
was covered in prints and designs and murals and art.
What I want you to understand is that George and Maria Sturdza
who built the castle, were people wanting to make this place
a cultural place not just a place to enjoy life.
So you would like to see in the future the house back to its former glory.
I want to see it as a living museum
where people could come and experience
what would be like to live in the past.
I want you to be immersed in the history
as was one hundred years ago.
Superb!
I can really taste the borsch.
- It's not too sour, I hope. - No, it's just right.
It's delicious. Really good. You feel healthy when you eat it.
It's an acquired taste. You have to grow into it.
It's slightly pungent, but in a good way.
An hours drive brings us to Iași,
the country's second largest city and widely held as its cultural capital.
In fact, famous historian Nicolae Iorga once declared
that it should be no Romanian who does not know of it.
My base of the night is the Grand Hotel Traian in the central square.
Built in 1882, this is among the best examples
of neoclassical architecture in the city.
But what it makes it unique is that this hotel is designed by Gustave Eiffel
and it's hosted a firmament of VIPs during its long and illustrious life.
Apparently, Greta Garbo stayed here in 1934 under a false name.
For centuries, Iași has been a playground for writers, artists,
poets and musicians.
The next morning I was back on the trail on one of them
which required a visit to historic Copou park,
the oldest in Moldavia.
Lurking within ten acres of wooded groves
and flowers interspersed by ornate statues,
stands one of Romania's most important natural monuments.
EMINESCU'S LINDEN TREE
Last time I was in Bucovina we visited Mihai Eminescu's house,
but it was here, beneath this silver lime,
that he wrote some of his greatest poems.
It's hardly surprising really because the silver lime or linden tree
has remedial properties.
You can take the flowers and make them into a herbal tea...
This one is 500 years old.
You can still imagine Eminescu sitting beneath it,
scribbling away on his notepad.
Days go past and days come still All is old and all is new
What is well and what is ill we imagine and construe
Do not hope and do not fear Waves that leap by waves must fall
Should they praise or should they jeer Look but coldly on it all.
As well as artists and writers like Ion Creangă and Mihai Eminescu,
Iași has also been a seat of learning for more practical academic pursuits.
If you have the chance it's worth dropping in
the Gheorghe Asachi technical university a few minutes walk from the park.
Aside from being the first university to teach engineering in Romania,
it boasts what has been widely voted
the second most beautiful library in the world,
designed in 1860 by French architect Louis Blanc.
This came as a surprise for local management
as until recently few people were even aware of its existence.
Today you can saunter bookishly beneath its hollowed eves,
even if you don't have time to peruse any of its one million or so volumes.
This library presents yet another example
of the level of sophistication and grandeur that Romania possessed
and still in many cases possesses to this day
and it's very fortunate that it's still with us.
It was bombed heavily in the WWII and due to be condemned,
but thanks to efforts of the local teachers
and students of the Polytechnic,
they came together, raised the funds
to have it stabilized and gradually restored to its former glory.
Being a Mecca of Academia, doesn't mean Iași is in any way stuffy.
As the sun goes down, hundreds of bars and restaurants
open their doors to locals, tourists
and a burgeoning population of students eager for another night on the tiles.
What I love about Iași is it's got a cool layback vibe
and being the original city of learning in Romania
and in fact one of the largest university cities today,
it feels it has a youthful progressive feel to it,
bars and clubs are open late, it's packed, it's humming
and the Christmas lights are still on in the middle of summer.
Before leaving Iași, I took a quick stroll through the old town
passed the stunning national theater down on the boulevard Stephen the Great
framed by the Palace of Culture at the far end, as seen in season one.
It's ironic that a country that still has a reputation
for communist cold war construction
is so replete with architectural marvels.
A few miles from the city, down a horrendously pitted road
on the edge of a town called Ungheni
lies one of the least well known and unassuming.
Spanning the river Prut,
between the Moldova the region and Moldova the state
lies a rather ordinary looking iron bridge
of a provenance extraordinaire.
France may have the Eiffel tower, but Romania has got the Eiffel bridge,
and it's unmistakable if you look at the rivets and the bolts
you can see it's a mark of Gustave Eiffel
in the way it is structured.
And the bridge is opened by him in 1877 on 21st of April.
Three days later the Russians declared war on the Ottoman empire
and troops came pouring through Ungheni presumably across this very bridge.
It does need a bit of TLC though. If you see, the paint is peeling off
and the iron work is starting to rust.
Look at this wonderful structure. This is a piece of Romania's heritage
and sitting here like a secret hidden in the trees.
A little north of Iași is an expansive countryside
and sleepy communities
that are largely undiscovered in terms of tourism.
I have come here to the village of Ten Poles
to meet friend and resident folk music expert Bogdan Simion
to learn about a unique take on a traditional brass band.
Costică has quite the hysterical dog.
Small dogs and large motorcycles.
- Welcome to Ten Poles. - Have you ever had déjà vu?
- Good to see you, man. - Good to see you Charlie.
- This is Costică Panțîru. - Nice to meet you. Many thanks.
Thank you so much.
- And let's meet the the gang. - Of course.
- Hello! - Ciprian.
- This is the flugel horn soprano. - Nice to meet you.
Glad to meet you.
- And this is the baritone. - Sorin.
Nice to meet you.
What is so unique about the village here?
The village before 1860 it was called "Ursari"
which translates as "bear tamers"
so their parents and grand parents would tame bears from the forests around here.
Alexandru Ioan Cuza, the famous ruler of Romania,
gave them ten poles or ten rods of land.
This is why is called Zece Prăjini, so they would count ten of these...
- And that was their patch. - Their patch of land.
It was the first project coming from the Romanian state
to give land and to encourage the Roma from here to practice agriculture.
They still raise pigs to this day.
So this was really the first attempt by anyone in Romania
to make an itinerant population a sedentary one.
Exactly, that was nine years after the Roma were liberated from slavery
so that was very early.
- It's quite progressive really. - It is because he was a freemason
and because he was very much in contact with western circles.
So these guys they play across he country or locally or where?
More locally but they collaborated in very funky fusion projects,
like they collaborated for a long time
with the famous 60s drummer, Ovidiu Lipan Ţăndărică,
from the original band Phoenix.
Their brass music is known across the world.
They played in Japan, they played in the United States...
And they had no music teachers except their parents.
No, they learned from generation to generation,
their parents taught them,
their grandparents taught their parents and so on.
This whole street, only brass musicians.
Do they sing?
Most brass bands were purely instrumental
and in the rare instances when they sing with their voice,
which we are going to do today,
the songs were of course for the Romanian majority.
It's kind of like the lăutar back in Oltenia.
Exactly.
They are the custodians of the musical tradition of Romania.
And very old wedding rituals, very old funeral rituals
that they know better than the Romanian counterpart
even if the traditions are Romanian.
And what was that song about?
The first one was the classic Bid farewell, bride,
but what is very particular of this interpretation
is that it sounds like a funeral march.
This is probably the oldest version of the bride's song that I could find
because it seems that the girl when she becomes a wife
she is practically dead.
- She is going to her doom. - Exactly.
So the song sounds like a funeral song
and the text is about the bride leaving home.
It has that ominous imminence of an incoming train.
Exactly, look at it. As for the second song...
The baseline obviously doesn't change every time they play,
but I am guessing there's a bit of extemporization
it's a bit like The Grateful Dead, you never hear the same song twice.
And they cannot play it exactly twice and there is this battle
between the piccolo clarinet in E and the flugelhorn soprano
they always battle each other.
- So there is like a... - Yes, exactly.
You couldn't write this down, could you?
No. It's very hard. It would be close to impossible.
- It's a lot of freestyling. - Of course, improvisation.
They are basically a taraf
but with a very special combination of the instruments.
One thing that the Republic
and the historic province of Moldova have in common is viticulture.
As far back as the ancient Greeks and Romans
it was widely acknowledged
that Romanian soils produce superior quality grapes.
And archeological evidence suggests
that wine making actually began in this region over 4000 years ago.
Within the greater wine regions of Moldova
there are specific areas that yield exceptional cuvees,
like the hills and valleys around the town of Huși.
Here an aspirational new winery in the village of Averești
is gaining international recognition for its stable of world winning blends.
The higher altitude combined with cooler temperatures and mineral rich soils
is perfectly suited for varieties like Busuioaca,
Zghihara, Royal Fetească Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet.
Averești also hosts group tastings and tours of this historic cellar
which still houses an impressive haul of vintage bottles
ordered, laid down and stored in vain for the late Nicolae Ceaușescu.
There are also a growing number of wineries
that offer overnight accommodation
for those who want to sample the merchandise in situ
without the inconvenience of falling prey to Romanians "zero alcohol" policy.
One of this is Panciu, on the edge of the Carpathian foot hills near Focșani.
I dropped in for dinner with complimentary wine pairing
and a night of luxury in Panciu's new designer hotel.
This is my kind of room.
Stylish, understated, plenty of light, views on both sides,
large bed, large television and...
Yes! A large bath! Sometimes people just get it right.
- Cheers, Alex. - Thank you.
This is how I envisage wine tourism, you know, to happen in Romania.
Thanks that you have accepted our invitation.
It feels a bit like Tuscany.
Right on time may I say. Thanks John.
- Is that a tomahawk? - It's like a one kilo t-bone.
- Black Fetească to go with it. - The pairing is perfect.
Thank you.
Enjoy.
Blue.
- That's a very rich Fetească. - Yes. Have six years old.
I guess sunrises and sunsets here must be fabulous.
Yes. Something else. Just like in Tuscany.
Just like Tuscany as I said.
- I do for you something special. - Thanks, John.
I made for you like Romanian papanași.
Is like Romanian doughnut, fermented yoghurt,
homemade gelato here, ice cream, and forest fruit jelly.
Everything is in our garden is my vision of papanași.
You know from being in England the jam doughnut.
That's always something that surprises me
that that don't put jam on doughnuts in Romania
so you cannot have done that here.
Really all I need is a glass of wine
The following day we arranged to meet the local motorcycle club from Focșani
who kindly invited me to accompany them for their regular Sunday ride
through the adjacent country side.
Waiting on the front patio, I could hear the arrival of the Gentlemen Bikers
several minutes before they thundered into view,
roaring down the long avenue of trees.
Good morning, Charlie!
- How are you? - I am very good.
- What a collection of bikes you got here! - Thank you very much, man.
How many are you, in the Gentlemen Bikers?
We're 16, now we're less than 16, because it's a short notice.
Thanks for coming up I really appreciate it.
You all just sort of know each other, you are locals right?
Yes. All from the same town, is called Focșani.
Is the capital of the province Vrancea, is a province of wine.
I know, I've experienced. How did you all meet?
So we started to get together in the town,
we see each other driving, "nice to meet you, man", "how are you",
that is how we started everything.
So we are going to go for a ride around the area
because I don't know the area very well, hopefully you guys can show me around.
Yes we can show you a part of this countryside.
Fantastic. So, let's hit the road.
- See you on the road. - See you on the road.
- Coffee? - Yes! Let's take a coffee.
Tell me, why "Gentlemen Bikers"?
Because we are business owners,
we have to give a bit of example to the community,
so we say first of all we are gentlemen, after that we love to ride,
so the name became Gentlemen Bikers.
You know the word "gentleman" in English is very indicative of patience,
consideration, thoughtfulness, good manners, all that kind of thing.
- That's why you see the white collars. - Of course.
And what are you doing? So you came to a decision,
we want to put something back to the community.
What did you decide to do?
This year we launched the first program
the anti-drug program for children in high school
because it's a real problem.
- In this area? - Yes.
Because in Romania in the last ten years
the drugs started to grow
and started to affect the children.
The children, they are our future, without the future we are nothing.
So we started the program called the anti-drug campaign
the first was a pilot. We hoped to have next year and another year,
eventually, if we are lucky, catch the whole country.
I am so impressed by all the things you guys do
and still making the time, as you said, to have fun
but try to make a difference as well.
This is the important thing,
leave the world a little better than it was when you came into it.
Thank you very much. We appreciate it.
Another thing, we talked about with my colleagues.
We would like to become our baptiser.
Ambassador?
Yes. For Gentlemen Bikers. This is your first present.
Oh my God.
It's going to be a shirt.
That is super cool! I love it, thank you so much!
- I just hope it fits. - It's extra large.
I don't know, you have to lose some weight.
I may have to lose a lot of weight but let me see.
- I have an eye for that. - That's cool.
- Yes. - Yes.
I'm going to leave it like that.
The next one it's going to be bigger, I promise.
Or I may be smaller, we'll see.
You have to turn your back to the camera.
Thanks so much, guys. Here we go. Look.
So you have a first ambassador, it's a pleasure.
It will be a great honour and well done for everything you do.
And thanks for taking me out today, it has been fun.
After bidding the Gentlemen Bikers a polite farewell,
we ride back towards Focșani
and a new the eco resort that's earning a reputation
for tranquil wetland holidays
without the bother of having to drive to the Danube Delta.
A few years ago, Zaga Zaga resort was a stagnant mosquito infested swamp
until an enterprising local family dredged the lakes,
set up the sturgeon farm and converted the rest of its 82 hectares
into a maze of embankments and motorways
populated by tree houses, lake side cabins, and designer yurts.
The resort has two main restaurants, Cherhana which sits right on the lake
and serves fish and local recipes,
and one specialized in more international cuisine.
Further out from the center winding trails and wooded paths
lead guests to their preferred choice of accommodation,
although many of the chalets are also accessible by boat.
Camping. Or rather clamping.
Yurts has a sofa in it or a cafetière.
It's nice staying here.
At night when it's quiet you can hear the wind in the willows
and sound of the rushes. Very peaceful.
It's got a comfortable bed and air conditioning, should you required.
My residence for the night was even ritzier.
An island retreat with a little trimmings, including a wood-fired hot-tub,
a palatial sitting room and a well stocked minibar.
What more could you need?
Except perhaps a gourmet breakfast
which you can choose to take in the main restaurant
or have delivered to your door.
Actually not much of a choice at all.
This is the height of decadence.
It might not be the Caribbean but you can still have breakfast
on your own private island, delivered by boat.
Look at that. Sturgeon caviar. Smoked trout. Smoked sturgeon.
Amazing fruits, fresh croissants, omelets...
We got four plates here and only so much caviar.
Besides their warmth and hospitality
the people of Moldova like a good excuse to party.
Annual celebrations are intertwined with rituals and traditions
some of which predated Christianity.
A common thing is the iconic masks that they wear at carnivals, weddings
and occasionally even funerals.
For my final stop I am driving to the town of Şivița
to visit folk historian Paul Buța who set up its own museum
and makes masks out of commission for all kinds of people
including the cast of hit Netflix show Lucifer.
- Hello. - Hello and welcome.
- Amazing! - Yes.
This is the mask workshop.
They are very frightening actually, but in a beautiful way.
But they have a beautiful story. No matter how ugly they are,
they are also funny, make one laugh, they don't scare you,
although their ancient meaning was to scare the evil spirits away.
They weren't only used for the winter holidays
but especially for the winter holidays. They were also used in funerals.
Here in Vrancea county
a tradition called Chipărușul has been kept until very late
or they were used even in wedding
and they actually represent characters of the popular theater
each mask is either an ugly, beautiful, goddamn, stingy,
old man, old woman, drunkard, grumpy, ragpicker or scabby,
names given by the people, by His Highness the People
and they are made of traditional stuff, that is what they found in their yards.
There were these corn husks mesh,
they took the corn husk and braided them,
and after that, the circuit started.
Then they would put a mask, made it half-rounded
giving it a shape, so it could stay on the face
and then they would add different objects on it.
You had to be basically uglier than the demons, didn't you?
Including the word "demon" that you are using
was used about us as well, not "devil", but "demon",
because they would do these masks with horns
and the Romanian peasant wouldn't accept the devil in his house,
but he was waiting for these ugly demons instead,
to actually scare the devil who could exist in a household,
hidden somewhere in the cattle stable, or in the attic of the house.
That was why the masks were even going up to the attic,
playing an extraordinary popular theater.
They are all operational and that's why I make them,
to be played by the children, the youngsters and not only.
Not the masks were playing, but the whistle. Or...
The instrument was changing according to the play they were improvising.
Sometimes they used to take... Perfect! Well done!
They would also put the drum around their neck
for a job well done,
they would take the hammer from there
and the nail too and they would start...
Like this. The horn works as well.
Up here... like this... Listen!
That's right!
That's it!
I am happy, because Charlie had the instrument on.
This is a great thing and a big surprise for me. Well done.
Exactly, how many whistling at the same time, that's the skill.
One question.
So this is obviously
the original tradition, tradition from Moldova,
but how did these masks and these traditions get on Lucifer?
The fact that people abroad were also interested in my masks
and saw in them characters which really convey a message,
maybe from the old times or they simply liked their expression,
also determined the Lucifer people to take them and play with them.
There's so much imagination that's got into creating this.
The characters are... I don't know, the masks of old women and old men
but there was the gendarme as well.
- We have a policeman! - Exactly.
Brilliant! Extra-scary!
It's a very good way of taking the piss out of the people in your community.
So you create the mask of the mayor or the local police chief
and so, when you got to do the dance, you are actually teasing them.
We are now in the harvest season and I would like to show you a local recipe
called "peppers with cream" with a very quick and easy preparation
because it was made on the run. Let's go.
- Local recipe. - Yes, traditional cuisine.
We make a nice fire and put the peppers to cook.
These are chiperi or peppers how they are called nowadays,
but we used to call them chiperi, chilly pepper and bell pepper.
And we are going to cook them there on the stove.
We'll place them here, where the flame is bigger
and we'll also put the tomatoes to cook a little on the stove
so that we could peel them easily, then we'll chop and put them in the cauldron.
So far, so simple.
It's very easy and quick. But if it's good too... we'll see.
You should know that here, in Moldova, I don't know if other areas too,
but here generally, men didn't cook, it was a shame if men cooked.
If they helped around the house, they would do so the neighbours didn't see
because otherwise they would say that he was staying in the kitchen,
which meant he was effeminate and that wasn't good.
But today, if the man does not cook, the woman says the food isn't good.
Everything changed. I don't know whether it's good or bad, but that's that.
Well, look here... look.
What I love is that the tomatoes, the peppers even the chillies,
everything comes from his garden, it just have been picked.
So it doesn't really get any fresher than this.
And now, Charlie, the last step: Adding the peppers.
We stir a little bit for them leave their flavors in the food
and also draw the flavor from the onion.
I will take a little
and you will see the wisdom of our peasant, the cook.
Look how she was doing it.
I saw an old woman doing that, one who was cooking for commemorations
so she was famous.
Careful not to be hot... and see how she was doing it.
This was how she tasted it to see if it was good,
she wouldn’t stick the spoon in there.
The last ingredient, the cream.
Of course. Otherwise they wouldn't be peppers with cream.
May I?
Yes, you have priority. Help yourself.
That looks so good, gorgeous.
Sour, a little bit sweet, creamy, healthy.
We use to pick it from the stem, because we didn't have forks before.
OK.
- This is going to end very badly for me. - They had wooden spoons but not forks.
- Rather good. - Very delicious.
That's it.
Thank you very much.
I am happy because the weather was good.
This means that kind-hearted people get along
and God takes care of us all and helped us to prepare this,
which I recommend to everyone, it's easy to make and tasty.
- I'll visit you again. - I'll be waiting for you.
With the storm still gathering in the west,
it was time to leave Moldova behind
and head towards the historic region of Dobrogea.
Join us next time, when we'll be visiting the famous Danube Delta,
Europe's largest wetland.
I'll be swapping the bike for various aquatic modes of transport,
as we explore over 3.000 square km of reeds, lakes and waterways.
We will also be traveling down the Black Sea coast
visiting aspirational beach resorts,
subterranean temples
and uncovering a secret necropolis buried deep in a remote cliff.
All this and much more, only on Flavors of Romania.