1 00:00:06,840 --> 00:00:10,240 Romania is a land of a thousand faces. 2 00:00:13,520 --> 00:00:16,880 The crossing point between the Occident and the Orient. 3 00:00:19,200 --> 00:00:21,200 And a melting pot of different cultures. 4 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:27,200 It is also a country unlike any other in Europe. 5 00:00:29,360 --> 00:00:33,160 With over half the Carpathian Mountain Range weaving through it, 6 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:39,280 Romania is the custodian of Europe's greatest surviving mixed forest 7 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:43,720 and two thirds of its apex predators. 8 00:00:46,960 --> 00:00:49,120 As well as native Romanians, 9 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:50,680 it is home to Hungarian... 10 00:00:51,640 --> 00:00:53,200 Saxon... 11 00:00:54,400 --> 00:00:56,520 Roma, Serbian... 12 00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:00,920 Greek, and many more diverse peoples. 13 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:05,360 United by the borders of a nation 14 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,240 that stretches to the mouth of the Danube. 15 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:15,680 Here, Europe's largest wetland fans out into the Black Sea, 16 00:01:17,360 --> 00:01:21,840 creating its own vast, priceless and fragile ecosystem. 17 00:01:25,800 --> 00:01:29,960 Inland, Romania is rich with historic cities and villages. 18 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:34,960 Majestic national parks. 19 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:37,960 Ruined castles. 20 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:42,440 Medieval monasteries. 21 00:01:44,880 --> 00:01:48,280 And a legacy that dates back thousands of years. 22 00:01:51,760 --> 00:01:57,000 However, this unique country's natural and built heritage is under threat 23 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:00,560 from reckless development and a race to modernize, 24 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,400 which often destroys the very things 25 00:02:03,480 --> 00:02:07,120 that could ensure prosperity for generations to come. 26 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,080 In season two of Flavours of Romania, 27 00:02:13,960 --> 00:02:18,600 we will again embark on a journey through Romania's nine historic regions, 28 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:23,600 discovering magical landscapes, 29 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:27,760 mouthwatering recipes, 30 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:30,560 music, 31 00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:35,120 crafts and local traditions. 32 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:38,360 Meeting the people that make this 33 00:02:38,440 --> 00:02:42,760 one of the warmest and most hospitable countries in the world. 34 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:50,840 We will also find out how Romania has evolved in the last five years, 35 00:02:52,800 --> 00:02:56,120 and identify some of the challenges it now faces. 36 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:03,120 And how tourism could still provide one of its best hopes for the future. 37 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:38,160 In the last section of our Romanian odyssey, we traveled from the banks 38 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:41,240 of the Danube across Banat, finishing in Timiș County. 39 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:47,520 We now continue north into Crișana, 40 00:03:47,600 --> 00:03:51,240 possibly the least well known historic region in the country, 41 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:53,760 and heavily influenced by its neighbor, Hungary, 42 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:55,920 which forms its western border. 43 00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:05,040 It's a little surprise when you consider the closest geographical capital 44 00:04:05,120 --> 00:04:09,920 for its 1.25 million population is Budapest rather than Bucharest. 45 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:18,279 This is supremely evident in the architectural style of its towns 46 00:04:18,360 --> 00:04:19,959 of its towns and cities. 47 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:29,080 Take Arad, about 35 miles north of Timișoara. 48 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:33,320 An enchanting, colorful city which dates back to the Dacians. 49 00:04:36,680 --> 00:04:39,160 And clusters on either side of the Mureș River, 50 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:42,400 which forms the natural boundary line between Banat and Crișana. 51 00:04:48,720 --> 00:04:52,120 Arad has preserved many of its important historic monuments. 52 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:55,520 Like the Palace of Culture. 53 00:04:58,720 --> 00:05:03,120 Displaying Gothic elements taken from Corvin Castle in Hunedoara. 54 00:05:11,840 --> 00:05:13,800 Combined with Romanian Baroque 55 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:17,760 and Italian Renaissance styles. 56 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:31,280 Along with the city hall, another grand Habsburg palaces. 57 00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:33,880 Arad has some impressive monuments, 58 00:05:33,960 --> 00:05:38,240 like the collection of faintly familiar looking memorial sculptures 59 00:05:38,320 --> 00:05:41,800 in the Romanian-Hungarian Reconciliation Park. 60 00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:50,560 I'm standing in the Romanian-Hungarian Reconciliation Park, 61 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:53,240 which was inaugurated in 2004, 62 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:57,240 and symbolizes the reconciliation between Romania and Hungary, 63 00:05:57,320 --> 00:05:58,840 at least for the most part. 64 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:01,320 Over there is an Arc de Triomphe, 65 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:04,000 just like the one in Bucharest or Paris even. 66 00:06:04,080 --> 00:06:06,200 And behind me is a Statue of Liberty. 67 00:06:06,280 --> 00:06:08,040 Yes, we've got one of those, too. 68 00:06:08,120 --> 00:06:12,440 At her feet are four statues entitled The Awakening of Freedom, 69 00:06:12,520 --> 00:06:17,200 The Fighting Spirit, The Spirit of Sacrifice and the Dying Warrior. 70 00:06:17,840 --> 00:06:22,680 Isn't it a sad testament to human nature that the concept of freedom 71 00:06:22,760 --> 00:06:24,800 is that inextricably intertwined 72 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:28,560 with that of sacrifice, bloodshed, warfare and bereavement? 73 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:37,160 Leaving the Statue of Liberty and the Arc de Triomphe behind 74 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:39,120 and heading deeper into Crișana, 75 00:06:41,640 --> 00:06:44,600 it came as little surprise that I soon found myself 76 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:47,240 driving past the Sydney Opera House. 77 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:02,160 Once ruled over by Dacian King Burebista, 78 00:07:03,240 --> 00:07:06,440 this contested and previously much larger region 79 00:07:06,520 --> 00:07:12,400 was at various times presided over by the Bulgarian, Hunnic, Hungarian, 80 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:14,760 Ottoman and Habsburg empires. 81 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:24,760 After the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, 82 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:27,360 it was divided between Romania and Hungary. 83 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:35,600 Having experienced so much conflict, Crișana is also littered 84 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:39,720 with ruined castles and fortifications like Cetatea Șiriei, 85 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:51,840 which crouches defiantly on a hill overlooking the Aradului plains. 86 00:07:56,480 --> 00:07:58,240 Dating back to 1169, 87 00:07:58,320 --> 00:08:01,920 it was an administrative and defensive outpost for the area. 88 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:10,800 Until it was destroyed by the Habsburgs in 1784. 89 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:17,680 Clambering between its shattered walls, 90 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:21,760 one is overcome by a profound sense of melancholy and awe. 91 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:28,200 There can be no record of the lives that were lost here 92 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:32,039 or the pivotal fragments in history that this place has witnessed. 93 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:35,360 The battle cries. 94 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:37,919 The screams. 95 00:08:38,840 --> 00:08:40,360 The moments of triumph. 96 00:08:42,039 --> 00:08:44,400 The nights of carousing and celebration. 97 00:08:45,880 --> 00:08:48,440 Reduced to the soft lament of the wind 98 00:08:48,520 --> 00:08:51,560 as it curls and blusters around ruined towers 99 00:08:52,480 --> 00:08:55,160 and howls through gaping cracks in the walls. 100 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:09,320 Abandoning the castle to its lonely and decaying vigil, 101 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,680 we continue northwest towards the village of Ginta 102 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:14,960 and our stop for the night, Conacu Iancu, 103 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:19,880 an eco lodge that claims to offer 104 00:09:19,960 --> 00:09:24,320 a fascinating fusion of rustic charm and cutting edge technology. 105 00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:33,320 I'm here to find out just how smart a traditional guest house can really be. 106 00:09:36,560 --> 00:09:37,720 - Hi! - Hey! 107 00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:40,800 - Welcome to our house! Come in. - Thank you very much! 108 00:09:40,880 --> 00:09:42,840 It's been an adventure finding you. 109 00:09:42,920 --> 00:09:44,120 - My wife. - Charlie. 110 00:09:44,720 --> 00:09:48,280 - Nice to meet you. - And, of course, Jackie and Tasha. 111 00:09:48,360 --> 00:09:49,720 Oh, nice. 112 00:09:49,800 --> 00:09:52,960 - How beautiful! - Thank you. Come in the back, please. 113 00:09:53,040 --> 00:09:56,760 It's very unexpected in this maze of rustic backstreets, you know? 114 00:09:56,840 --> 00:09:58,560 I'm loving the house. 115 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:01,160 But what's so smart about it? 116 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:04,600 Well, I can show you a few interesting things. 117 00:10:04,680 --> 00:10:07,240 {\an8}I'm seeing on the wall there something that looks like... 118 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:09,880 I don't know if it's a windmill or a clock. How does that work? 119 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:12,320 Actually, that's a wind wheel. 120 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:15,240 It has a hologram. And when I turn it on... 121 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:18,640 Yeah, you can find recipes that you can cook here in this terrace. 122 00:10:18,720 --> 00:10:20,840 And I don't know if you can see this from the camera, 123 00:10:20,920 --> 00:10:25,240 it does feel like it's coming out at you like a 3D cinema image. 124 00:10:25,320 --> 00:10:30,520 To the untrained eye, the smart aspect of this house is a bit elusive. 125 00:10:30,600 --> 00:10:35,640 So show me some of the features I'm trying to see. 126 00:10:35,720 --> 00:10:41,240 I feel like I'm stepping into kind of the combination of a grandma's house 127 00:10:41,320 --> 00:10:43,880 and James Bond villain lair. 128 00:10:43,960 --> 00:10:45,120 Is this a well? 129 00:10:45,200 --> 00:10:47,520 Yeah. A see through well. 130 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:48,640 - Cool. - Very. 131 00:10:48,720 --> 00:10:51,160 - So you know where your water comes from? - Indeed. 132 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:53,320 And right to the ciubăr. 133 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:56,800 So was there a lot of this stuff here when you bought the house? 134 00:10:56,880 --> 00:11:01,120 Actually, for the past few years, we've been collecting from our neighbors, 135 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:04,320 from our parents, from everybody. 136 00:11:04,400 --> 00:11:06,000 Everybody is calling us. 137 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:08,880 If they want to clean their attic, they just call us, you know. 138 00:11:08,960 --> 00:11:11,280 - This is good. - We have something for you. 139 00:11:11,360 --> 00:11:15,160 These crazy people up the road, with old stuff they're throwing away. 140 00:11:15,240 --> 00:11:18,560 And I want to show you how we're bringing them to life. 141 00:11:18,640 --> 00:11:21,400 A screen in the table... That's unusual. 142 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:23,640 Well, actually, this is a project of mine. 143 00:11:23,720 --> 00:11:27,800 It contains a 400 years old ash wood. 144 00:11:27,880 --> 00:11:32,080 And which I integrated a smart table, a wireless charger and a... 145 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:33,720 Wow. What is this? 146 00:11:33,800 --> 00:11:35,880 - What do you think it is? - It's a bit cold... 147 00:11:35,960 --> 00:11:38,720 Is it a little bit cold? 148 00:11:38,800 --> 00:11:40,600 Yeah. That's a hint, isn't it? 149 00:11:40,680 --> 00:11:43,440 No problem, we'll manage it. Yeah. 150 00:11:43,520 --> 00:11:45,720 Natural fire in your table. 151 00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:50,000 You're waking up in the morning. Sorry. You're checking your email. 152 00:11:50,080 --> 00:11:52,280 - Yeah. - Perfect coffee near it. 153 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:55,760 Warm yourself on the floor. The idea behind the whole house... 154 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:57,080 How did it all start? 155 00:11:57,160 --> 00:12:03,680 I think it was that I wanted to inspire young people to move in the countryside 156 00:12:03,760 --> 00:12:07,000 in other conditions that we all know, right? 157 00:12:07,080 --> 00:12:11,440 So with all the amenities and technology that they'd be used to in the city. 158 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:12,720 Yeah, exactly. 159 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:16,160 So this is a smart mirror which you can use as a laptop. 160 00:12:16,880 --> 00:12:20,120 Actually you can hear the news while you're in the shower 161 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:21,880 or while you're shaving. 162 00:12:21,960 --> 00:12:24,200 It actually turns into a television if you want it to. 163 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:29,440 If you want it, yeah. And the old objects, like this old loom, 164 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:32,480 you can scan them through here, just like this. 165 00:12:33,040 --> 00:12:34,520 You put your phone here. 166 00:12:35,480 --> 00:12:38,240 See? And it shows you how it was made. 167 00:12:38,320 --> 00:12:40,760 How it was made and what it is. 168 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:43,200 Fabulous. So you can kind of explore the house... 169 00:12:43,280 --> 00:12:44,360 A learning lesson. 170 00:12:44,440 --> 00:12:46,240 You can explore the house by phone. 171 00:12:46,320 --> 00:12:47,600 Yeah, exactly. 172 00:12:47,680 --> 00:12:51,640 And you've got a camera option here. You can take a photo while you're shaving. 173 00:12:51,720 --> 00:12:54,720 - Should we take a photo? - Let's have a selfie! 174 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:56,680 That's hilarious. 175 00:12:56,760 --> 00:12:58,360 I get the mirror. 176 00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:02,840 But... and this is a big but. 177 00:13:03,800 --> 00:13:05,920 What's with the under-arse lighting? 178 00:13:06,800 --> 00:13:10,760 Actually this is ultraviolet disinfection. 179 00:13:10,840 --> 00:13:12,880 So it sanitizes the loo. 180 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:14,800 - The loo. And you. - And you. 181 00:13:14,880 --> 00:13:15,960 - And you. - Yeah. 182 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:18,280 That's very important. Good. 183 00:13:18,360 --> 00:13:20,360 That's useful to know. 184 00:13:20,440 --> 00:13:22,400 Moving very swiftly on. 185 00:13:22,480 --> 00:13:23,600 Yes, please. 186 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:28,520 If we rewind, how did this all start? How did you even come to be here? 187 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:31,520 Well, actually, I was a city boy. 188 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:35,400 Yeah? I was working in marketing in Oradea, 189 00:13:35,480 --> 00:13:38,080 and I was wearing a suit all day, 190 00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,880 and meeting my clients, and I just wanted to... 191 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:44,560 - To get away, right? - To get away, yeah. 192 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:48,760 To get away and to change the quality of my life. 193 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:52,400 Do you think that's the future for the villages in Romania? 194 00:13:52,480 --> 00:13:56,840 Because obviously now we're seeing more and more villages emptying of young people 195 00:13:56,920 --> 00:14:01,480 and kids and everyone's going away and it's leaving just the old people. 196 00:14:01,560 --> 00:14:04,880 And then they die and the house gets vacant and falls down. 197 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:09,560 This may be an inspiration to bring people back to the countryside. 198 00:14:09,640 --> 00:14:13,200 Yes, I really think that's going to change in the years to come. 199 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:16,080 Now, I know you've got a very high tech kitchen. 200 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:19,640 I know, and I'll tell you what we're going to do with that. 201 00:14:19,720 --> 00:14:22,640 I'm going to cook you guy an English breakfast tomorrow. 202 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:26,240 That is my benchmark for testing a kitchen, 203 00:14:26,320 --> 00:14:29,120 so we can explore the capabilities in the morning. 204 00:14:29,200 --> 00:14:31,440 Meantime, I did notice you had a bottle of Palinka out there. 205 00:14:31,520 --> 00:14:33,000 - Oh, yeah. - May we? 206 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:34,200 - Shall we? - Shall we? 207 00:14:34,280 --> 00:14:35,240 Please. 208 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:38,160 - Cheers! - Cheers! 209 00:14:38,240 --> 00:14:39,840 To your health! God bless! 210 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:42,560 Thank you very much. How do you like this Palinka? 211 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:45,320 - It's very fine. - Actually, it's made by my father. 212 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:46,640 - Your dad made this? - Yeah. 213 00:14:46,720 --> 00:14:48,080 For her wedding. 214 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:49,960 Presumably with you? 215 00:14:50,040 --> 00:14:53,640 For her wedding, right? It takes two to tango. 216 00:14:53,720 --> 00:14:57,000 Her wedding... Our wedding took place like one month ago. 217 00:14:57,080 --> 00:14:58,760 You were married a month ago? 218 00:14:58,840 --> 00:15:01,800 Guys, are you only just back from your honeymoon? 219 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:03,760 And this palinka is 30 years old. 220 00:15:03,840 --> 00:15:07,240 - This was laid down when you were born? - Yeah. Exactly. 221 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:10,040 I feel very privileged and honored. Thank you so much. 222 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:13,040 - And congratulations! - Thank you so much! Cheers! 223 00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:15,040 Cheers! 224 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:34,640 Very often when you go down for breakfast, 225 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:38,080 you find a bit of bread from the local supermarket. 226 00:15:38,160 --> 00:15:40,880 The one that's dry and resembles cardboard. 227 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:44,280 If you put it in a toaster, if you're lucky to have a toaster, 228 00:15:44,360 --> 00:15:46,880 you get a piece of cheese, you get a hard boiled egg, 229 00:15:46,960 --> 00:15:50,000 which is also cold and some processed ham. 230 00:15:50,080 --> 00:15:53,800 And yet in your village and your local town, there's probably a butcher 231 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:57,080 that has gorgeous bacon. 232 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:00,280 We have porcini because it's that time of year. 233 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:02,240 I've taken these from the forest. 234 00:16:02,320 --> 00:16:07,640 You leave the base in the soil, which gives the spores a chance to regenerate. 235 00:16:07,720 --> 00:16:08,640 That's important. 236 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:11,600 And eggs laid next door. 237 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:14,800 If they've got a bit of poo on them, they're more likely to be fresh. 238 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:18,440 Because if you clean an egg, then you take away the protective layer 239 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:21,600 and they go off twice as fast. 240 00:16:21,680 --> 00:16:23,880 I've got butter, which is often forgotten as well. 241 00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:26,440 So we have some local unt 242 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:31,160 and I've got some garlic to fry these mushrooms with the butter. 243 00:16:31,240 --> 00:16:34,480 And then here we've got English baked beans. 244 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:37,520 It doesn't cost much money to have these ingredients. 245 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:41,560 Most Western travelers will pay an extra five EUR 246 00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:43,680 for the privilege of having a good breakfast. 247 00:16:43,760 --> 00:16:47,160 After all, this is the last thing you experience 248 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:48,960 when you're checking out of a hotel. 249 00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:52,440 It's the final memory, so why not spend a bit of extra money 250 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:55,680 and give tourists a really nice meal before they go? 251 00:16:55,760 --> 00:16:57,760 Now, breakfast is all about timing, 252 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:00,320 so to help me Lorin is going to do the bread bit. 253 00:17:00,400 --> 00:17:01,560 - Is that okay? - Yeah. 254 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:04,200 Let's check the bread. 255 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:06,079 - Which button? This one? - Yeah. 256 00:17:06,160 --> 00:17:09,040 We have a video camera, folks, in the oven. 257 00:17:09,119 --> 00:17:11,880 And you can access this from different points around the house. 258 00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:14,240 So if you're presumably in the shower or something, 259 00:17:14,319 --> 00:17:17,400 you can just look at the mirror and see if the bread is ready. 260 00:17:34,120 --> 00:17:36,840 Bacon should be semi crispy like this. 261 00:17:36,920 --> 00:17:38,160 So you've got texture. 262 00:17:38,240 --> 00:17:42,080 Now it's time for the eggs. You can fry them, but it's not as healthy. 263 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:43,440 So I poach them. 264 00:17:43,520 --> 00:17:46,880 And if they're fresh, it should be quite easy, 265 00:17:46,960 --> 00:17:48,680 because they keep their form in the water. 266 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:50,600 So we'll just drop that in. 267 00:17:50,680 --> 00:17:53,600 Look at that. That's a sign of a super fresh egg 268 00:17:53,680 --> 00:17:57,280 where the whites, the albumin accrues to the yolk 269 00:17:57,360 --> 00:18:01,000 and it stays almost in that oval shape when you drop it into the hot water. 270 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:05,720 For me, cooking an English breakfast, whatever ingredients you choose, 271 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:09,720 because you can also have sausages, you can use field mushrooms, 272 00:18:09,800 --> 00:18:12,800 you can have black pudding if that's your thing. 273 00:18:12,880 --> 00:18:14,840 The Scottish really often use black pudding, 274 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:19,640 but whatever you assemble, it's like conducting an orchestra. 275 00:18:19,720 --> 00:18:22,760 All the component parts have to finish at the same time. 276 00:18:22,840 --> 00:18:25,560 So the toast isn't cold, the bacon isn't cold, 277 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:28,160 the beans are hot, the eggs aren't overcooked. 278 00:18:28,240 --> 00:18:30,320 So... toast. 279 00:18:31,880 --> 00:18:32,720 Bacon. 280 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:34,880 Porcini. 281 00:18:35,960 --> 00:18:37,640 And baked beans. 282 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:41,560 A pinch of pepper. 283 00:18:41,640 --> 00:18:45,080 Et voilà! Just have to do this another three times. 284 00:18:45,160 --> 00:18:47,200 - Ladies and gentlemen. - Wow! 285 00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:51,560 There you go. Here. 286 00:18:52,360 --> 00:18:54,160 - And enjoy! - Thank you very much! 287 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:55,960 Start cause it's gonna get cold. 288 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:57,600 I'll just get mine. Okay? 289 00:18:57,680 --> 00:18:58,840 Thank you! 290 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:02,240 It's always an adventure cooking in someone else's kitchen, 291 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:03,400 but I think it worked out. 292 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:07,400 We do have one vital ingredient that is coming. 293 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:09,160 The kettle is on. 294 00:19:09,240 --> 00:19:12,120 You need black tea with an English breakfast. 295 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:17,400 Really simple. 296 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:22,880 Proper Earl Grey tea with real oil of bergamot. 297 00:19:22,960 --> 00:19:24,760 So we just need some milk. 298 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:26,200 - Milk? - Milk. 299 00:19:26,720 --> 00:19:29,200 I think we ran out of milk. Sorry. 300 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:31,360 We might have a plan B. 301 00:19:32,240 --> 00:19:34,880 Actually, make that a plan G. 302 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:38,520 - A plan G? - Yeah. I double dare you. 303 00:19:38,600 --> 00:19:41,160 - Yeah. Okay. - Of that. 304 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:43,600 - Are you kidding me? - I kid you not. 305 00:19:44,200 --> 00:19:46,480 - Okay. - Let's do this. 306 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:49,480 - I accept the challenge. - Challenge extended. 307 00:19:49,560 --> 00:19:51,800 All right, let's get around here. 308 00:19:52,560 --> 00:19:53,400 No, stay. 309 00:20:01,560 --> 00:20:04,320 Right. That's one. Who wants some milk with their tea? 310 00:20:04,400 --> 00:20:06,280 I do. Hit me. 311 00:20:06,360 --> 00:20:08,400 - Alright. - Hit me. 312 00:20:08,480 --> 00:20:09,840 Come on. 313 00:20:09,920 --> 00:20:12,960 It's not as easy as it looks actually. 314 00:20:17,040 --> 00:20:18,760 There we go. That's another one. 315 00:20:20,400 --> 00:20:23,360 Quick, before they run out of corn. Thank you very much. 316 00:20:25,960 --> 00:20:28,760 How am I going to do this if you keep moving? 317 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:30,040 Don't. 318 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:36,520 Managed it. 319 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:40,480 Cheers! 320 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:43,200 - Cheers! - Fresh goat's milk. 321 00:20:54,360 --> 00:20:59,200 An hour's drive from Ginta brings us to the famous spa town of Băile Felix, 322 00:20:59,280 --> 00:21:00,640 close to Oradea. 323 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:07,080 Named after a monk called Felix Helcher, 324 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:10,920 who organized the first thermal treatments here in the early 18th century. 325 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:18,680 The nationality of the town has been passed back and forth like a hot potato. 326 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:21,880 In 1920, it became part of Romania. 327 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:24,680 In 1940, it was given back to Hungary, 328 00:21:24,760 --> 00:21:28,680 becoming part of Romania again after World War II. 329 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:34,800 Today, it is full of modern spa hotels 330 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:38,200 and retains little of its original character. 331 00:21:38,280 --> 00:21:42,440 But this does nothing to dissuade the hordes of tourists that come here 332 00:21:42,520 --> 00:21:46,680 that come here for its healing waters, sapropelic mud and associated treatments. 333 00:21:50,360 --> 00:21:53,880 The popularity of what is Romania's largest geothermal resort 334 00:21:53,960 --> 00:21:56,560 has led to some unfortunate consequences 335 00:21:56,640 --> 00:22:00,960 for the local ecosystem, particularly one small nature reserve. 336 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:04,880 Previously a piping hot thermal lake, 337 00:22:04,960 --> 00:22:07,840 which hosted some completely unique species 338 00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:10,520 as I found out from biologist Diana Cupșa. 339 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:18,040 It's amazing that this lake exists surrounded by all that development. 340 00:22:18,120 --> 00:22:21,200 Yes. Here is the entrance. 341 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:23,240 And anyone can come in here. Obviously. 342 00:22:23,320 --> 00:22:25,040 Yes, anyone. 343 00:22:25,120 --> 00:22:27,760 - Chuck their rubbish everywhere. - Yes. 344 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:29,880 Nice. This is... 345 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:32,160 This is a protected area, isn't it? 346 00:22:32,240 --> 00:22:35,680 - Yes, it is. It is. - Protected from what? 347 00:22:36,520 --> 00:22:42,360 The level of the lake began to drop down in 2014. 348 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:47,880 {\an8}Specialists analysed the problem and they found out there are two reasons. 349 00:22:47,960 --> 00:22:52,720 The hotels and all the developments here use the thermal water. 350 00:22:52,800 --> 00:22:56,960 And the second one, the droughts of the area. 351 00:22:57,040 --> 00:23:01,800 I noticed there's a number of charities that were involved with the lake. 352 00:23:01,880 --> 00:23:05,480 - They're not involved anymore, are they? - No, they are not involved. 353 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:12,480 In 2018, the National Agency for Protected Areas 354 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:18,400 took all the Natura 2000 sites from the former administrators 355 00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:24,160 who were NGOs, universities, museums and other institutions. 356 00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:26,120 They thought they could do a better job themselves. 357 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:32,360 Yes, they abandoned this area after the water disappeared from the lake. 358 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:34,640 There's no point anymore. Let's just give up. 359 00:23:34,720 --> 00:23:38,680 Don't have any species to protect here and... 360 00:23:38,760 --> 00:23:40,040 Because we've killed them all. 361 00:23:40,120 --> 00:23:41,880 Yes, more or less. 362 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:44,440 I mean, let's be blunt about this. 363 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:50,040 There was a species of snail here that existed nowhere else on the planet, 364 00:23:50,120 --> 00:23:56,280 and due, at least in part, to development and exploitation of these waters, 365 00:23:56,360 --> 00:23:58,240 that species is now extinct. 366 00:23:58,320 --> 00:24:00,480 It doesn't look like there's much left. 367 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:01,400 No. 368 00:24:02,600 --> 00:24:04,680 - Is there any water at all? - Any water. 369 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:08,400 There was the spring in the middle. 370 00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:10,800 - And now there's a bin. - Yes, there's a bin... 371 00:24:10,880 --> 00:24:15,760 Someone's chucked a bin in there. I can't believe this was all a big lake. 372 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:20,400 Yes. So we are under the level of the former lake now. 373 00:24:20,480 --> 00:24:22,320 - So we'd be under water. - Yes. 374 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:24,200 How hot was it? 375 00:24:24,280 --> 00:24:27,280 Around 40 degrees. 376 00:24:27,360 --> 00:24:30,000 Not near the spring. Near the spring, hotter. 377 00:24:30,080 --> 00:24:34,160 - But in the lake in general? - The lake, around 40 degrees. 378 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:36,520 So that's like a super hot bath. 379 00:24:36,600 --> 00:24:38,040 Yes, like a hot bath. 380 00:24:38,120 --> 00:24:43,200 It's amazing hat these species managed to exist in such high temperatures. 381 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:48,040 Yes. They adapted to very low oxygen content 382 00:24:48,120 --> 00:24:51,680 because the amount of the oxygen depends on the temperature. 383 00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:54,480 Temperature of the water. It's a physical property. 384 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:57,080 There's a tiny, tiny bit of water. 385 00:24:57,160 --> 00:24:58,480 Yeah, it's flowing in. 386 00:24:59,280 --> 00:25:01,160 Okay. I'm going to check. 387 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:02,640 - Let's see. - Let's try. 388 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:06,480 Nope. Cold. 389 00:25:07,760 --> 00:25:13,600 It's cold. No thermal water here at all. 390 00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:15,160 It's completely gone. 391 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:16,600 And this... 392 00:25:17,320 --> 00:25:23,040 This is down to us, to people, as much as it is down to climate change and drought. 393 00:25:23,120 --> 00:25:27,320 And it's terribly sad that unique species 394 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:32,440 that only existed in this tiny hectare of land, only place on the planet, 395 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:35,440 have now gone forever because of greed, 396 00:25:35,520 --> 00:25:37,840 overuse of resources, 397 00:25:37,920 --> 00:25:43,400 and zero amounts of regulation. Really. 398 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:46,880 This is depressing. People should see this. 399 00:25:46,960 --> 00:25:51,000 I think it's important that you guys see this. That everyone sees this. 400 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:55,200 Because, you know, Romania has got a lot of very precious resources. 401 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:59,080 I mean, it's the most biodiverse country in Europe, isn't it? 402 00:25:59,160 --> 00:26:00,680 It is. I know. 403 00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:04,560 But not for long at this rate. 404 00:26:04,640 --> 00:26:09,080 We hope we will keep some of the biodiversity. 405 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:12,760 But it does depend on management. 406 00:26:12,840 --> 00:26:15,320 This is not a good sign. 407 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:20,640 It's not a good sign. But we hope we will manage to raise awareness 408 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:23,080 of people that it is important. 409 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:26,600 We can't live without biodiversity. 410 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:30,400 With the light fading once more, 411 00:26:30,480 --> 00:26:33,120 it was time to find somewhere to stop for the night. 412 00:26:34,320 --> 00:26:37,760 Rather than one of Băile Felix's many four star hotels, 413 00:26:37,840 --> 00:26:41,280 I've opted for an alternative style of accommodation 414 00:26:41,360 --> 00:26:43,400 which balances economy of scale 415 00:26:43,480 --> 00:26:46,160 with bucket loads of eccentricity and charm. 416 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:57,280 - Nathan. - Yeah. Hello, Charlie. 417 00:26:57,360 --> 00:26:59,000 {\an8}- Loving the design. - Yeah. 418 00:26:59,080 --> 00:27:01,880 {\an8}- How would you describe this? - Well, it's a baroque style building. 419 00:27:01,960 --> 00:27:05,480 Baroque style. And actually, I love baroque music. 420 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:09,000 Yeah, I heard that you were a musician. You play in an orchestra? 421 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:12,000 Yeah, I play in Oradea State Philharmonic. 422 00:27:12,080 --> 00:27:14,280 - Cello? - Yeah. Cello. 423 00:27:14,360 --> 00:27:17,560 So may we potentially get a rendition before I leave? 424 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:20,520 Tonight I'll have a gig. I have a concert tonight. 425 00:27:20,600 --> 00:27:23,400 So how about a little Bach for breakfast? 426 00:27:23,480 --> 00:27:24,600 - Yeah, maybe. - Yeah. 427 00:27:24,680 --> 00:27:26,040 - That sounds like fun. - Definitely. 428 00:27:26,120 --> 00:27:28,160 Good. Thank you very much. Let me get the key. 429 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:29,120 Yeah, sure. 430 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:31,720 Yeah. So you have rooms two and three. 431 00:27:31,800 --> 00:27:35,120 - Rooms two and three. Thanks very much. - No problem. Thank you! 432 00:27:41,880 --> 00:27:45,480 I have not been in a room with so much gold 433 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:48,600 since I visited the Taj Mahal. 434 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:54,880 This is hilariously opulent. 435 00:27:54,960 --> 00:27:56,200 I love it. I love it. 436 00:27:56,280 --> 00:28:02,560 It's kind of very kitsch, but it's fun in a kitsch way. 437 00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:08,880 I think I'm going to sleep like a king tonight. 438 00:29:07,480 --> 00:29:09,440 Nathan. Bravo! 439 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:10,800 - Thank you. - Maestro. 440 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:12,800 - That was intense. - Yeah, thanks. 441 00:29:12,880 --> 00:29:16,160 And it's interesting because you think it's going to finish and then it doesn't. 442 00:29:16,240 --> 00:29:18,880 And Bach loved that, didn't he? 443 00:29:18,960 --> 00:29:21,440 Loved those false endings. 444 00:29:21,520 --> 00:29:23,760 What's the word for that in musical terms? 445 00:29:23,840 --> 00:29:26,320 - Semi cadenza. - Semi cadenza? 446 00:29:26,400 --> 00:29:27,840 - False ending. - Yeah, false ending. 447 00:29:27,920 --> 00:29:31,440 So you think it's finished and then it goes again. 448 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:36,080 It's a bit like the actors of the day when they were doing Shakespeare. 449 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:38,960 They just reveled in the death scene. 450 00:29:39,040 --> 00:29:42,040 So they'd be like "Oh!", and then I'm still alive. 451 00:29:42,120 --> 00:29:45,840 And then, oh, and then they'd wriggle around some more 452 00:29:45,920 --> 00:29:48,440 and just really eke it out for the performance. 453 00:29:48,520 --> 00:29:52,160 And you can see that showmanship in the music as well. 454 00:29:52,240 --> 00:29:54,240 Yes. That is Bach. 455 00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:56,880 Yeah. And it's fitting for the setting. 456 00:29:59,320 --> 00:30:00,520 From Băile Felix, 457 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:04,400 it's just half an hour to Oradea, the capital of Crișana, 458 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:06,480 and famed for its stunning architecture. 459 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:14,440 Situated on the banks of the river Crișul Repede, 460 00:30:14,520 --> 00:30:17,560 Oradea dates back to the start of the 12th century. 461 00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:25,560 For an impressive visual depiction of its origin, 462 00:30:25,640 --> 00:30:28,480 I've come to the imposing Baroque palace, 463 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:32,520 also known as the Roman Catholic Episcopal Palace of Oradea. 464 00:30:38,160 --> 00:30:43,200 These murals depict scenes from the life of Saint Ladislaus, 465 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:48,120 a Hungarian king in the 11th century and the founder of Oradea. 466 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:53,240 He was hunting in this area and spent the night out in the forest. 467 00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:58,880 He had a dream. When he woke, he decided, I need to build a church right here. 468 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:00,640 You can see one of the murals. 469 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:04,640 He's instructing the architects for the construction of the church, 470 00:31:04,720 --> 00:31:08,640 and fortified walls were built surrounding the church. 471 00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:13,800 And later those walls were extended and became the bastion 472 00:31:13,880 --> 00:31:15,920 that we see the remains of to this day. 473 00:31:19,480 --> 00:31:24,440 In 1619, the Transylvanian prince Gabriel Bethlen commenced 474 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:27,280 the construction within the fortress of a unique palace. 475 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:34,400 With walls that run parallel to the exterior walls of the stronghold 476 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:36,880 and a tower in each of its five corners. 477 00:31:38,960 --> 00:31:40,560 The construction was carried out 478 00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:44,280 based on the project of Italian architect Giacomo Resti of Verona. 479 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:50,520 And was finally completed in 1650, 480 00:31:52,080 --> 00:31:55,680 ten years before the palace, and the fortress that surrounded it, 481 00:31:55,760 --> 00:31:57,360 was conquered by the Ottomans. 482 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:13,880 This is the famous Griffin Room. 483 00:32:13,960 --> 00:32:18,720 When the then prince of Transylvania, Gabriel Bethlen, 484 00:32:18,800 --> 00:32:22,400 ruled here in the early 1600s, he commissioned artists 485 00:32:22,480 --> 00:32:28,160 to portray murals that depicted his power and authority. 486 00:32:28,240 --> 00:32:31,400 So they chose Griffins, which are mythical beasts 487 00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:35,880 with the head of an eagle, the body of a lion and the tail of a snake, 488 00:32:35,960 --> 00:32:41,320 which symbolizes foresight and wisdom, strength and cunning. 489 00:32:41,400 --> 00:32:47,320 This pair of creatures here have the whole arrangement in reverse. 490 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:51,080 So you've actually got the head of a lion, the feet of a bird 491 00:32:51,160 --> 00:32:53,560 and the tail, again of a snake. 492 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:58,360 What's very interesting is he also wanted to clearly give the impression 493 00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:00,240 that he was a well travelled man. 494 00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:04,200 So the artist depicted an elephant on the wall here. 495 00:33:04,280 --> 00:33:08,920 But if you look closely, the elephant actually has the hooves of a horse. 496 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:12,120 So they didn't really know what an elephant looked like. 497 00:33:12,200 --> 00:33:16,080 And here we have a cheetah that looks more like a dog. 498 00:33:17,800 --> 00:33:20,720 So this means either the artist 499 00:33:20,800 --> 00:33:25,120 was having a bit of a laugh 500 00:33:25,200 --> 00:33:27,480 at his expense and he didn't pick up on it 501 00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:30,280 or nobody had actually seen these creatures for real 502 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:34,840 and was just imagining from drawings how they must have looked. 503 00:33:36,680 --> 00:33:39,720 One of the key defensive features of the fortress is the moat 504 00:33:39,800 --> 00:33:42,640 that ran all the way along the foot of the bastion 505 00:33:42,720 --> 00:33:46,840 and provided a defense against the Turks for 46 days, 506 00:33:46,920 --> 00:33:52,040 when 850 people held out against 45,000 Turkish troops 507 00:33:52,120 --> 00:33:56,280 until they found a way to drain off the water, surge across the ground, 508 00:33:56,360 --> 00:33:59,600 climb the walls and take the city, take the fortress. 509 00:33:59,680 --> 00:34:01,760 As a commander in chief wrote at the time, 510 00:34:01,840 --> 00:34:05,760 "Oradea has fallen, so has the heart of Transylvania". 511 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:12,560 The subsequent period of Ottoman dominance lasted until 1692. 512 00:34:12,639 --> 00:34:15,840 When the Habsburg Imperial Forces recaptured the city 513 00:34:15,920 --> 00:34:17,159 after another long siege. 514 00:34:20,960 --> 00:34:26,840 By then, much of Oradea lay in ruins with only 114 houses still standing. 515 00:34:29,760 --> 00:34:34,639 It was the subsequent rebuild during the 18th century, which gave birth 516 00:34:34,719 --> 00:34:37,080 to many of the iconic landmarks we see today. 517 00:34:37,960 --> 00:34:41,560 Like the Baroque Palace and the State Theater. 518 00:34:44,880 --> 00:34:47,000 The city has done a commendable job 519 00:34:47,080 --> 00:34:50,239 at preserving and restoring its historic buildings. 520 00:34:52,679 --> 00:34:55,600 Walking around its regal squares and thoroughfares, 521 00:34:55,679 --> 00:34:58,520 one feels transported back in time. 522 00:35:04,200 --> 00:35:08,480 Like Timișoara, Oradea has undergone a major facelift in the last ten years, 523 00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:09,840 and this is the result. 524 00:35:09,920 --> 00:35:14,040 You can see why this was voted the prettiest Art Nouveau town in Europe. 525 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:15,880 This is hardly surprising, however, 526 00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:19,360 because the Hungarian border is only ten kilometres at Borș, 527 00:35:19,440 --> 00:35:23,360 and it's a matter of a few hours drive to get to Vienna and Budapest, 528 00:35:23,440 --> 00:35:27,520 as opposed to a day in the car to travel all the way down to Bucharest. 529 00:35:31,440 --> 00:35:34,880 Oradea's continuing cultural renaissance has also attracted 530 00:35:34,960 --> 00:35:37,520 some pioneers in the field of gastronomy. 531 00:35:40,120 --> 00:35:43,640 And tucked away in the courtyard of the fortress is Corsarul, 532 00:35:43,720 --> 00:35:45,680 one of the best restaurants in Crișana, 533 00:35:48,880 --> 00:35:52,960 featuring French and Italian style cuisine combined with Romanian produce. 534 00:35:56,080 --> 00:35:57,600 Hello. Welcome. 535 00:35:57,680 --> 00:36:00,600 - Thank you very much. Charlie. - Ciprian. Nice to meet you. 536 00:36:00,680 --> 00:36:01,840 Please. 537 00:36:02,360 --> 00:36:04,800 We're in the castle walls, aren't we? 538 00:36:04,880 --> 00:36:07,760 {\an8}Yes. It was the stalls of horses. 539 00:36:07,840 --> 00:36:10,040 - So it used to be the stables. - The stables, yes. 540 00:36:10,120 --> 00:36:14,320 So I'm looking for something light. Like a tapas. What would you recommend? 541 00:36:14,400 --> 00:36:17,560 I can make a selection if you want of our starters. 542 00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:20,880 And then we will see for the main course. 543 00:36:20,960 --> 00:36:23,680 We'll see, exactly. Maybe starters are enough. 544 00:36:23,760 --> 00:36:28,960 It's a strange feeling being in a Mediterranean restaurant 545 00:36:30,040 --> 00:36:32,280 in a medieval citadel. 546 00:36:32,880 --> 00:36:36,680 And you can see the arches of the stables. 547 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:40,720 Imagine this filled with horses smelling, well, as stables do 548 00:36:40,800 --> 00:36:43,520 and the sound of clattering hooves. 549 00:36:43,600 --> 00:36:45,960 And now we hear the sound of clinking glasses. 550 00:36:47,600 --> 00:36:51,800 I noticed you have as well as the wood fired pizza oven. 551 00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:52,880 Yes. 552 00:36:52,960 --> 00:36:56,200 On the other end of the spectrum, we have fresh oysters, yes? 553 00:36:56,280 --> 00:37:01,240 Fresh oysters from France, Gillardeau, the best oysters of the world. 554 00:37:01,320 --> 00:37:05,880 We have fresh shrimps with celery, a little bit spicy, good oil, 555 00:37:05,960 --> 00:37:09,600 raw tuna in sashimi way. 556 00:37:09,680 --> 00:37:13,880 Then we have fresh burrata with some Tuscan ham on the side, 557 00:37:13,960 --> 00:37:20,440 of course, some anchovies with some garlic, fresh parsley, 558 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:23,200 pine nuts and cherry tomatoes. 559 00:37:23,280 --> 00:37:27,480 All our vegetables are from nearby Oradea. 560 00:37:27,560 --> 00:37:31,600 This is... Yes, more than I can ever manage. 561 00:37:31,680 --> 00:37:34,360 But I'll just, if you'll forgive me, pick a little bit. 562 00:37:34,440 --> 00:37:35,400 Yes, of course. 563 00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:39,720 It's quite a wake up call that there are such amazing restaurants now 564 00:37:39,800 --> 00:37:44,360 in far-flung towns like Oradea, which I've never been to. 565 00:37:44,440 --> 00:37:49,520 So for me, this is an education and it's exciting to see 566 00:37:49,600 --> 00:37:53,520 this level of culinary sophistication in Romania. 567 00:37:53,600 --> 00:37:58,080 I don't think so many people in Western Europe truly understand 568 00:37:58,160 --> 00:38:01,360 that many chefs in Romania have come back from Italy, 569 00:38:01,440 --> 00:38:04,000 they've come back from France or Germany, 570 00:38:04,080 --> 00:38:07,880 and they've brought their skills, their traditions and recipes with them, 571 00:38:07,960 --> 00:38:11,640 many of whom have studied and trained in some of the best restaurants 572 00:38:11,720 --> 00:38:12,680 in those countries. 573 00:38:19,280 --> 00:38:20,120 Oh, my God. 574 00:38:22,080 --> 00:38:23,760 That is so good. 575 00:38:24,640 --> 00:38:25,880 I feel guilty. 576 00:38:25,960 --> 00:38:28,680 I know that these oysters have travelled a long way, 577 00:38:28,760 --> 00:38:32,120 and I'm an advocate of locally sourced food. 578 00:38:32,200 --> 00:38:33,160 But now and again... 579 00:38:35,200 --> 00:38:39,600 I can't get to France, but I feel like France has just come to me. 580 00:38:40,160 --> 00:38:41,480 Guilty as charged. 581 00:38:41,560 --> 00:38:43,960 I'm just going to make the most of it. Cheers. 582 00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:53,880 The pristine condition of Oradea's old town may or may not owe something 583 00:38:53,960 --> 00:38:57,800 to the fact it's also a historically important centre for the Freemasons. 584 00:38:59,040 --> 00:39:04,360 In 1902, architects from the Masonic Lodge in Budapest built an Art Nouveau temple 585 00:39:04,440 --> 00:39:05,520 here in the city. 586 00:39:07,680 --> 00:39:11,320 Although it closed in 1920 and was later repurposed, 587 00:39:11,400 --> 00:39:15,960 it has now been restored and reopened as a museum to Freemasonry 588 00:39:16,040 --> 00:39:20,600 and offers an intriguing view into the workings of this clandestine order. 589 00:39:30,040 --> 00:39:32,800 I'm loving the Egyptian heads. 590 00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:35,960 - The sphinxes. - Yes, they are beautiful. Interesting. 591 00:39:36,520 --> 00:39:39,800 There's so much symbolism in Masonic lore, isn't there? 592 00:39:39,880 --> 00:39:40,760 Absolutely. 593 00:39:43,560 --> 00:39:46,800 I can't help noticing this depiction looks very like Jesus. 594 00:39:48,040 --> 00:39:49,000 It's not Jesus. 595 00:39:49,080 --> 00:39:54,520 {\an8}In fact, the Masons consider this picture representing the great architect 596 00:39:54,600 --> 00:39:57,200 {\an8}of the universe, because they are not talking about God. 597 00:39:57,280 --> 00:39:59,680 They are not identifying God with a name. 598 00:39:59,760 --> 00:40:04,000 In Masonry, in Freemasonry, we can identify a lot of religions. 599 00:40:04,080 --> 00:40:06,960 - So it encompasses other religions. - Absolutely. 600 00:40:07,040 --> 00:40:08,800 Whilst being one in its own right. 601 00:40:08,880 --> 00:40:11,040 Would you say it was a religion? 602 00:40:11,120 --> 00:40:14,680 In Freemasonry, nobody is talking about religion. 603 00:40:14,760 --> 00:40:20,160 Religion and politics are not allowed to be discussed inside the lodge. 604 00:40:20,240 --> 00:40:25,640 Is that because originally Masons worked for... 605 00:40:25,720 --> 00:40:29,640 all sorts of of of nationalities and belief systems? 606 00:40:29,720 --> 00:40:33,640 If you go back to the Egyptians or the Jews 607 00:40:33,720 --> 00:40:38,680 or the Christians or the Muslims, you know, they were working as masons, 608 00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:43,640 as stone masons in lots of different geopolitical environments. 609 00:40:43,720 --> 00:40:46,480 I think your approach may be correct, 610 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:51,120 but the Freemasonry is above all these kind of elements. 611 00:40:51,880 --> 00:40:53,480 It's above the politics, as I said. 612 00:40:53,560 --> 00:40:57,600 So you could be a Muslim, you could be a Christian and still be a freemason. 613 00:40:57,680 --> 00:41:03,200 Absolutely. With no problem. Because inside the lodge, never, 614 00:41:03,280 --> 00:41:06,640 anybody will talk about religion, politics... 615 00:41:06,720 --> 00:41:11,120 always the great disputes, wars, problems 616 00:41:11,200 --> 00:41:14,040 starts from religion and politics. 617 00:41:14,120 --> 00:41:18,000 Isn't that interesting? That's how I was brought up. My my father always believed 618 00:41:18,080 --> 00:41:20,560 there were three things you didn't talk about at dinner. 619 00:41:20,640 --> 00:41:24,200 One was politics, the other one was religion. And the third one was sex. 620 00:41:26,120 --> 00:41:30,200 - Yes, the same problem. - Avoid animated discussions. 621 00:41:30,280 --> 00:41:32,720 - For sure your father... - Was onto something. 622 00:41:32,800 --> 00:41:35,120 Probably undercover mason. 623 00:41:35,200 --> 00:41:40,000 It's funny that you're at one level saying that it's above religion 624 00:41:40,080 --> 00:41:44,240 and it doesn't incorporate religion because you leave that all outside. 625 00:41:44,320 --> 00:41:49,360 And yet it's still described as a temple, which is a religious building. 626 00:41:49,440 --> 00:41:53,320 Not necessarily, because when you're talking about the temple, 627 00:41:53,400 --> 00:41:59,440 you have to identify this temple with your personal temple. 628 00:41:59,520 --> 00:42:01,680 Every person has a temple. 629 00:42:01,760 --> 00:42:06,040 That's why when we are going to enter the temple, 630 00:42:06,120 --> 00:42:09,080 we can see in this lobby the footprints. 631 00:42:09,160 --> 00:42:11,480 The footprints disappear. 632 00:42:11,560 --> 00:42:12,520 Yeah. 633 00:42:13,200 --> 00:42:14,200 That's fascinating. 634 00:42:14,280 --> 00:42:19,840 So I guess that symbolizes the shedding of the weight of your troubles. 635 00:42:19,920 --> 00:42:25,000 Absolutely. All your worries must stay outside the temple. 636 00:42:25,080 --> 00:42:30,480 Because in the temple, you must enter clean and humble. 637 00:42:30,560 --> 00:42:31,560 Very good. 638 00:42:32,400 --> 00:42:36,840 So the signs of the zodiac and the all seeing eye. 639 00:42:36,920 --> 00:42:39,160 - Which is... - The God is here. 640 00:42:39,240 --> 00:42:41,360 God is watching us. So wherever you are... 641 00:42:42,080 --> 00:42:44,800 - The God. - Sees you. 642 00:42:44,880 --> 00:42:47,040 - But the God is with us. - Yeah. 643 00:42:47,120 --> 00:42:48,400 It's a good approach. 644 00:42:48,480 --> 00:42:52,800 Also, you can see the sun and the moon. It's the duality. 645 00:42:52,880 --> 00:42:55,600 So night and day, male and female. 646 00:42:55,680 --> 00:42:59,040 - All the yin and yang. - Exactly. 647 00:42:59,120 --> 00:43:03,960 I'm presuming that this goes right back to the time when the Freemasons 648 00:43:04,040 --> 00:43:07,080 were stone masons and builders and architects. 649 00:43:07,160 --> 00:43:11,120 At the beginning yes, they were all builders. 650 00:43:11,200 --> 00:43:17,840 But during the time the operative aspects of the Freemasonry disappeared, 651 00:43:17,920 --> 00:43:21,400 and inside the Brotherhood 652 00:43:21,480 --> 00:43:25,280 were accepted other persons, other trades. 653 00:43:25,360 --> 00:43:30,880 But the tools, the compass and the square 654 00:43:30,960 --> 00:43:32,800 are builder's tools. 655 00:43:32,880 --> 00:43:38,480 So they, I suppose, have acquired a symbolic... 656 00:43:38,560 --> 00:43:40,880 status since then, in the intervening years. 657 00:43:40,960 --> 00:43:46,880 Yes, but you have to use all these tools on you because the square 658 00:43:46,960 --> 00:43:52,160 is to have a measure in everything you are doing, 659 00:43:52,240 --> 00:43:55,640 no matter how much flavours of Romania you are eating. 660 00:43:56,600 --> 00:43:59,560 So to be measured. So it's restraint. 661 00:43:59,640 --> 00:44:01,480 Exactly. And to be right. 662 00:44:02,640 --> 00:44:05,280 Of course, literally to be correct. 663 00:44:05,360 --> 00:44:08,040 To be correct, honest and respectful. 664 00:44:08,120 --> 00:44:09,880 - And virtuous. - Yeah, absolutely. 665 00:44:09,960 --> 00:44:14,600 Isn't that fascinating how two simple implements 666 00:44:14,680 --> 00:44:16,800 that were originally used for construction 667 00:44:16,880 --> 00:44:20,960 have now become symbols for a spiritual way of looking at the world? 668 00:44:21,040 --> 00:44:23,880 Let me show you something else. Look at this rock. 669 00:44:23,960 --> 00:44:26,280 I was wondering if that was there deliberately. 670 00:44:27,600 --> 00:44:30,520 - Everything is happening with a reason. - In this room. 671 00:44:30,600 --> 00:44:34,880 Absolutely. It's not perfect because it's the human being. 672 00:44:34,960 --> 00:44:38,680 Always you have to work on you using these tools. 673 00:44:38,760 --> 00:44:41,720 - You have to... - Shape yourself, to own yourself. 674 00:44:41,800 --> 00:44:43,040 Shine yourself too. 675 00:44:43,600 --> 00:44:47,040 Again, another metaphor that only a builder would use. 676 00:44:48,320 --> 00:44:52,800 Tell me about these pillars and the checkered board below it. 677 00:44:52,880 --> 00:44:54,760 Yes, the three pillars. 678 00:44:54,840 --> 00:44:57,840 As you can see, the capitals are different. 679 00:44:57,920 --> 00:45:02,040 We can identify three styles, Ionic, Doric and Corinthian, 680 00:45:02,880 --> 00:45:06,640 which means... one is the wisdom. 681 00:45:06,720 --> 00:45:10,560 - The second is the, you know... - Strength. 682 00:45:10,640 --> 00:45:13,200 And the third one is beauty. 683 00:45:13,280 --> 00:45:14,600 Beauty. 684 00:45:14,680 --> 00:45:17,080 Because all must be... 685 00:45:17,160 --> 00:45:19,200 Striving for strength, beauty and wisdom. 686 00:45:19,760 --> 00:45:24,560 - Or to be able to find out inside of you... - All these characteristics. 687 00:45:24,640 --> 00:45:25,480 Absolutely. 688 00:45:50,600 --> 00:45:53,880 Moving on from Oradea, we're riding an hour northeast, 689 00:45:53,960 --> 00:45:57,040 to the community of Sălacea in Bihor County, 690 00:45:57,120 --> 00:46:02,000 which rejoices in the claim of having the most cellars of any village anywhere, 691 00:46:02,080 --> 00:46:03,960 according to the World Record Academy. 692 00:46:08,920 --> 00:46:13,400 Due to the area's propensity for flooding and high levels of groundwater, 693 00:46:13,480 --> 00:46:17,760 the local people constructed over a thousand cellars on the adjacent hills 694 00:46:17,840 --> 00:46:21,520 to be able to store their produce in cool temperatures throughout the year. 695 00:46:28,880 --> 00:46:32,560 The result is a stunning collection of hobbit like streets. 696 00:46:35,440 --> 00:46:37,840 There are doors leading back into the hillside. 697 00:46:37,920 --> 00:46:39,480 - Hi! - Hello! 698 00:46:39,560 --> 00:46:40,960 Now let's see. 699 00:46:41,520 --> 00:46:43,720 There, and in the back. 700 00:46:43,800 --> 00:46:46,160 We can find even longer ones. 701 00:46:46,920 --> 00:46:49,080 Longer, shorter. 702 00:46:50,840 --> 00:46:55,200 - This is amazing. - We put potatoes here... 703 00:46:56,240 --> 00:46:58,400 We store them until spring here. 704 00:46:58,480 --> 00:47:00,960 Temperature stays the same during winter and summer. 705 00:47:01,040 --> 00:47:02,320 And the onion? 706 00:47:02,400 --> 00:47:05,240 Potatoes... Perfect. 707 00:47:06,800 --> 00:47:09,440 - It has no gas. - You have for sale? 708 00:47:09,520 --> 00:47:11,680 I'm thinking about it. Maybe. 709 00:47:12,720 --> 00:47:14,120 It's amazing that these... 710 00:47:14,200 --> 00:47:16,200 These cellars, some of them are abandoned. 711 00:47:16,280 --> 00:47:17,680 It's really sad. I would... 712 00:47:18,320 --> 00:47:21,960 I would happily occupy one and make wine, but it's quite a long way to travel 713 00:47:22,040 --> 00:47:23,800 from Brașov to get up here. 714 00:47:23,880 --> 00:47:25,800 We could sell that one too. 715 00:47:27,120 --> 00:47:31,360 This is one of the most remarkable things I've seen so far on my travels. 716 00:47:49,040 --> 00:47:51,440 It's the right time of year to be here. 717 00:47:51,520 --> 00:47:54,360 They've started the process. They've harvested the grapes. 718 00:47:55,080 --> 00:47:58,200 And what's happening now is they're creating must, 719 00:47:58,880 --> 00:48:01,240 which then ferments and turns into wine. 720 00:48:01,320 --> 00:48:03,760 So this is the first stage of the process. 721 00:48:04,720 --> 00:48:05,720 Thanks! 722 00:48:07,640 --> 00:48:10,160 Now you can taste the yeast in this. It's... 723 00:48:12,400 --> 00:48:13,320 It's beautiful. 724 00:48:13,400 --> 00:48:17,520 So the crushed grapes sit here in the barrel. 725 00:48:17,600 --> 00:48:19,960 And go through this wine press like this. 726 00:48:20,920 --> 00:48:21,960 Smashes them up. 727 00:48:23,160 --> 00:48:29,000 He then simply siphons off the juice with this hosepipe 728 00:48:29,080 --> 00:48:32,560 into the bucket, and then they start to ferment. 729 00:48:38,600 --> 00:48:42,080 As with most aspects of country life, nothing is wasted. 730 00:48:43,720 --> 00:48:47,160 Even the leftover residue from the wine is reused 731 00:48:47,240 --> 00:48:49,760 to create something a little stronger. 732 00:48:50,960 --> 00:48:54,600 The pure grape juice has been taken off, and that's going to ferment into wine. 733 00:48:54,680 --> 00:48:57,760 And then the rough skins and the remaining liquid 734 00:48:58,520 --> 00:49:01,280 will be fermented with yeast and that will create țuică. 735 00:49:02,360 --> 00:49:05,520 So the harvest is bountiful. 736 00:49:05,600 --> 00:49:09,360 You get țuică for the cold winter nights and you get... 737 00:49:09,440 --> 00:49:11,680 You get wine as well to drink next year. 738 00:49:20,040 --> 00:49:21,560 Veering east from Bihor, 739 00:49:21,640 --> 00:49:25,120 we drive towards Sălaj County and my next destination. 740 00:49:28,680 --> 00:49:32,440 This region of Romania is little known by the outside world 741 00:49:32,520 --> 00:49:37,720 and consists of gentle hills and downs with wide open valleys and floodplains, 742 00:49:39,320 --> 00:49:43,440 a landscape ideal for the cultivation of fruit and vegetables. 743 00:49:46,520 --> 00:49:50,680 And once inhabited by dragons, according to the legends of old. 744 00:49:59,560 --> 00:50:03,320 On the way, I passed through the town of Șimleu Silvaniei, 745 00:50:03,400 --> 00:50:07,040 where I happened to catch the tail end of a medieval festival 746 00:50:07,120 --> 00:50:08,960 in the ruins of Bathory Castle. 747 00:50:13,680 --> 00:50:16,640 Which featured the local equivalent of polo. 748 00:50:25,600 --> 00:50:26,800 Horse rugby. 749 00:50:27,960 --> 00:50:32,120 I'm not sure of the rules, but the two baskets are obviously the goals, 750 00:50:32,200 --> 00:50:36,160 and they've got to wrestle the bundled sheepskin 751 00:50:36,240 --> 00:50:39,720 from the opposing team and chuck it in their opponent's basket. 752 00:50:55,720 --> 00:50:59,680 Like many other parts of the country, especially those close to the border, 753 00:50:59,760 --> 00:51:02,640 Sălaj has a mixed ethnic population. 754 00:51:04,960 --> 00:51:09,320 Among the nationalities that live here is a sizable number of Slovakians 755 00:51:09,400 --> 00:51:13,240 who came to work as foresters in the second part of the 19th century 756 00:51:15,680 --> 00:51:19,280 and set up communities like Făgetu in the hills above Sălaj. 757 00:51:20,680 --> 00:51:23,800 I have an appointment in the nearby village of Plopiș 758 00:51:23,880 --> 00:51:26,120 with a woman who has built an eco village 759 00:51:26,200 --> 00:51:30,960 featuring Romanian, Slovakian and Hungarian style traditional houses. 760 00:51:31,920 --> 00:51:33,640 - Good morning. - Good day. 761 00:51:34,280 --> 00:51:37,400 Thank you. Charlie. Nice to meet you. So you created all of this yourself? 762 00:51:37,480 --> 00:51:42,200 {\an8}Not by myself. My family has helped me. 763 00:51:42,280 --> 00:51:47,280 {\an8}Because I was a child, I was only 12 years old, 764 00:51:47,360 --> 00:51:50,360 when my grandma left this world, 765 00:51:50,440 --> 00:51:53,560 and out of love and respect, 766 00:51:53,640 --> 00:51:57,520 we decided to keep her house, 767 00:51:57,600 --> 00:52:03,040 a very old house, built in 1880 by my great-great-grandfather, 768 00:52:03,120 --> 00:52:07,040 an emblematic house for Valea Barcăului, 769 00:52:07,120 --> 00:52:10,480 in which I tried to keep 770 00:52:10,560 --> 00:52:15,200 all the objects that reminded me of my grandma. 771 00:52:15,280 --> 00:52:19,440 From the bed with pillows to plates, traditional clothing, 772 00:52:19,520 --> 00:52:21,720 everything they had in their home. 773 00:52:21,800 --> 00:52:24,960 The idea wasn't to create a museum. 774 00:52:25,040 --> 00:52:29,840 We made it out of love and respect for my grandma. 775 00:52:29,920 --> 00:52:35,640 I wanted to express these feelings by keeping her house. 776 00:52:35,720 --> 00:52:40,120 My parents let me do it, considering it a summer hobby, 777 00:52:40,200 --> 00:52:46,720 but then, when they saw me continuing, they decided to support me. 778 00:52:46,800 --> 00:52:53,320 Thus we decided to bring here, in our backyard, 779 00:52:53,400 --> 00:52:56,080 as you can see on this village street, 780 00:52:56,160 --> 00:53:00,520 other houses emblematic for our area. 781 00:53:00,600 --> 00:53:04,320 A mayor's house, as you can see to my right, 782 00:53:04,400 --> 00:53:06,720 a traditional Slovak house, 783 00:53:07,560 --> 00:53:11,960 from the close village of Făgetu, 784 00:53:12,040 --> 00:53:15,880 and up here, we will have a guest house 785 00:53:15,960 --> 00:53:21,200 for people who want to spend a few days in the countryside, 786 00:53:21,280 --> 00:53:25,320 to feel the tranquility and the energy of countryside life. 787 00:53:25,400 --> 00:53:27,200 Of course. 788 00:53:27,280 --> 00:53:31,440 So, these houses were derelict. 789 00:53:31,520 --> 00:53:33,520 You rescued them, didn't you? 790 00:53:33,600 --> 00:53:39,840 The majority of them were uninhabited, they were getting demolished 791 00:53:39,920 --> 00:53:42,320 and they were replaced by a new construction. 792 00:53:42,400 --> 00:53:45,320 Of course, it would have been better to keep them in situ, 793 00:53:45,400 --> 00:53:47,720 so that we didn't have to dismantle and bring them here. 794 00:53:47,800 --> 00:53:51,400 But rather than leave them in the past, 795 00:53:51,480 --> 00:53:54,120 because we couldn't keep them and maintain them there, 796 00:53:54,960 --> 00:54:01,320 we bought them, we brought workers to help us dismantle them. 797 00:54:01,880 --> 00:54:08,280 They were built with wood beams, on a stone foundation, glued with clay. 798 00:54:08,360 --> 00:54:12,400 It was a lot of work, it's not easy. 799 00:54:12,480 --> 00:54:19,160 The process would last two or three years for a house, with all stages. 800 00:54:19,240 --> 00:54:23,680 Some people would do the carpentry, others the clay part, 801 00:54:23,760 --> 00:54:29,240 others the roof, if it were made out of reed or other materials. 802 00:54:29,320 --> 00:54:34,320 It's not necessarily something made for profit. 803 00:54:34,400 --> 00:54:38,240 We did that from our hearts, out of respect for our predecessors, 804 00:54:38,320 --> 00:54:42,440 our traditions and the area where I was born, I grew up 805 00:54:42,520 --> 00:54:44,120 and where I still am today. 806 00:54:44,200 --> 00:54:49,440 I noticed the design of the Slovak house is quite different. 807 00:54:49,520 --> 00:54:53,680 You've got thatch on the roof, for instance. 808 00:54:53,760 --> 00:54:58,600 Yes, initially, it had a straw roof, 809 00:54:58,680 --> 00:55:03,760 but we couldn't find the right thatchers at that time, in 2015, 810 00:55:03,840 --> 00:55:07,720 who could do the straw roof, which was called with jupi. 811 00:55:07,800 --> 00:55:12,760 It was a roofing technique in our area. 812 00:55:12,840 --> 00:55:18,520 Slovaks settled in our area as woodcutters. 813 00:55:18,600 --> 00:55:25,160 The house was initially built in 1860, and it had only one room. 814 00:55:25,960 --> 00:55:31,120 As they were clearing the land, they would dismantle their house 815 00:55:31,200 --> 00:55:35,520 and move it where they were working. 816 00:55:35,600 --> 00:55:38,680 And we arranged it the same way, with their objects 817 00:55:38,760 --> 00:55:44,120 and their things from Făgetu village. 818 00:55:44,200 --> 00:55:45,280 I know you're really busy, 819 00:55:45,360 --> 00:55:49,680 but I've heard there's a Slovak chef waiting for me somewhere here. 820 00:55:49,760 --> 00:55:52,120 Can you point me in the right direction? 821 00:55:52,200 --> 00:55:53,640 - There? - Yes. 822 00:55:53,720 --> 00:55:57,080 Thank you very much. I shall go and investigate. Thanks a lot! 823 00:56:00,760 --> 00:56:02,960 I can't believe what an amazing job 824 00:56:03,040 --> 00:56:05,440 Ligia and her family have done with these houses. 825 00:56:05,520 --> 00:56:10,680 I found one like this up in Toplița or near Toplița with this blue. 826 00:56:10,760 --> 00:56:14,480 Which is a color traditionally used because it keeps flies away. 827 00:56:14,560 --> 00:56:18,680 But sadly, we couldn't save it. And it got demolished. It got bulldozed. 828 00:56:18,760 --> 00:56:22,320 And many, many more houses like this are lost every single year. 829 00:56:22,400 --> 00:56:26,240 People don't want them, but this is what they look like when they're pristine. 830 00:56:26,320 --> 00:56:28,120 Absolutely beautiful. 831 00:56:28,720 --> 00:56:30,320 - Hello! - Hello! 832 00:56:30,400 --> 00:56:32,280 It's so warm in here. Lovely. 833 00:56:32,360 --> 00:56:33,520 - Charlie. - Anca. 834 00:56:33,600 --> 00:56:34,560 - Nice to meet you. - You too. 835 00:56:34,640 --> 00:56:35,960 What are we making today? 836 00:56:36,040 --> 00:56:42,720 {\an8}We are making potato pancakes, podlesniki in Slovak. 837 00:56:42,800 --> 00:56:48,320 We need potatoes, flour, eggs, salt, pepper and oil. 838 00:56:48,400 --> 00:56:52,600 Because the soil is poor, 839 00:56:52,680 --> 00:56:57,520 we mostly grow potatoes, oats and rye. 840 00:56:57,600 --> 00:57:03,600 This is why most of our recipes contain potatoes. 841 00:57:03,680 --> 00:57:07,840 Do you all have a lot of contact still with the Slovak Republic? 842 00:57:08,440 --> 00:57:10,360 Yes, we still keep in touch. 843 00:57:10,440 --> 00:57:15,400 Recently, we had the Slovak Festival in Oradea. 844 00:57:15,480 --> 00:57:21,840 A traditional band came from Slovakia, 845 00:57:21,920 --> 00:57:23,120 Kollárovci. 846 00:57:23,200 --> 00:57:28,080 And do the do the children learn to speak Slovak? 847 00:57:28,160 --> 00:57:33,560 Yes. The primary school classes are held in Slovak. 848 00:57:33,640 --> 00:57:40,200 We are approximately 700 Slovaks 849 00:57:40,280 --> 00:57:41,600 in Făgetu 850 00:57:41,680 --> 00:57:46,640 who speak Slovak and hold on to traditions and religion. 851 00:57:46,720 --> 00:57:51,160 After we grate the potatoes, we put in an egg, 852 00:57:52,120 --> 00:57:53,920 flour, 853 00:57:55,480 --> 00:57:58,160 salt and pepper, 854 00:57:59,080 --> 00:58:01,040 and then we mix the ingredients. 855 00:58:01,120 --> 00:58:03,960 Now we fry the pancake. 856 00:58:06,520 --> 00:58:09,960 It smells very nice and it's very delicious. 857 00:58:10,040 --> 00:58:13,600 How do Slovak traditions differ from Romanian ones? 858 00:58:13,680 --> 00:58:17,840 During holidays, we have the Viflaim and Dracul traditions. 859 00:58:17,920 --> 00:58:22,880 On Easter Monday, boys throw water on girls, 860 00:58:22,960 --> 00:58:26,280 like in the Bible. 861 00:58:26,360 --> 00:58:31,680 The story is that, when Jesus Christ has risen, 862 00:58:31,760 --> 00:58:36,560 soldiers, in order to stop women from sharing the news, 863 00:58:36,640 --> 00:58:40,080 chased them with water. 864 00:58:40,160 --> 00:58:45,080 I guess this makes a lot of sense because when Christ was risen, 865 00:58:45,160 --> 00:58:51,240 they didn't want the soldiers to come and find him and maybe crucify him again. 866 00:58:51,320 --> 00:58:55,840 So the women were told, "Just don't tell anybody". 867 00:58:56,640 --> 00:59:01,240 For some reason they thought that women talk and gossip a bit more than men. 868 00:59:01,320 --> 00:59:03,120 That's not my opinion. 869 00:59:03,200 --> 00:59:05,880 That is just the observation. 870 00:59:05,960 --> 00:59:11,960 So the men the day after Easter chucked water on the women. 871 00:59:12,040 --> 00:59:17,640 It wasn't, of course, so the boys can see the women in wet clothes. 872 00:59:17,720 --> 00:59:20,280 They're ready now. 873 00:59:22,240 --> 00:59:25,280 We can prepare mujdei. 874 00:59:25,360 --> 00:59:28,320 We have the crushed garlic here. 875 00:59:28,400 --> 00:59:30,240 We put sour cream on them. 876 00:59:30,320 --> 00:59:31,880 With cream, salt and pepper. 877 00:59:31,960 --> 00:59:33,200 And that's our garnish. 878 00:59:33,920 --> 00:59:35,280 May I? Yes? 879 00:59:36,960 --> 00:59:38,120 A little bit on there. 880 00:59:38,200 --> 00:59:39,200 Like that. 881 00:59:39,880 --> 00:59:42,520 - That's it? - More. As much as you like. 882 00:59:44,840 --> 00:59:49,800 Very tangy. Lots of garlic, as I said, but works beautifully. 883 00:59:49,880 --> 00:59:53,360 The crispy potato held together with the egg. 884 00:59:56,560 --> 01:00:01,600 It's gorgeous. I think that is the nicest version of fried potatoes I've ever had. 885 01:00:01,680 --> 01:00:07,080 It beats chips. It beats French fries. 886 01:00:07,960 --> 01:00:10,240 - Much tastier. - Thank you. 887 01:00:12,880 --> 01:00:18,280 Around 100 years after the birth of Jesus, the region comprising Sălaj County 888 01:00:18,360 --> 01:00:22,240 had become the northwest perimeter for the Roman occupation of Dacia. 889 01:00:24,600 --> 01:00:27,480 The tribes beyond remaining unconquered. 890 01:00:27,560 --> 01:00:33,440 Not surprisingly, this area required constant supervision and reinforcements 891 01:00:33,520 --> 01:00:36,960 with numerous legions stationed here to protect the border. 892 01:00:40,840 --> 01:00:44,760 Most important military center was the Roman fort of Porolissum, 893 01:00:44,840 --> 01:00:47,400 just outside the modern city of Sălaj, 894 01:00:47,480 --> 01:00:50,840 which grew to become the administrative hub for the province. 895 01:00:53,840 --> 01:00:58,160 I've come here to meet the president of Sălaj County, Dinu Sălăjanu, 896 01:00:58,240 --> 01:01:01,880 for a quick tour of what is one of the largest and best preserved 897 01:01:01,960 --> 01:01:03,920 archaeological sites in Romania. 898 01:01:07,480 --> 01:01:11,320 - Welcome, Charlie! - Thank you very much! 899 01:01:11,400 --> 01:01:16,160 {\an8}Welcome to the land of Silvania, Sălaj County, at the Porolissum castrum. 900 01:01:16,680 --> 01:01:18,000 - This is all Roman. - Yeah. 901 01:01:18,080 --> 01:01:22,360 The northernmost point of Dacia Porolissensis, of Roman Dacia. 902 01:01:22,440 --> 01:01:27,240 Here we have the most important castrum from this northern area. 903 01:01:27,320 --> 01:01:29,600 Starting from here, you could find the Free Dacians. 904 01:01:29,680 --> 01:01:31,560 It's much larger than I expected. 905 01:01:31,640 --> 01:01:35,480 It's very beautiful. Here we have the Pretoria Gate. 906 01:01:35,560 --> 01:01:41,640 Through this gate passed the only emperor who visited Porolissum, Caracalla, 907 01:01:41,720 --> 01:01:43,480 who went to Vienna and Budapest, 908 01:01:43,560 --> 01:01:47,480 then he came here too, because we found some writings, 909 01:01:47,560 --> 01:01:50,600 and he was invited and expected to come 910 01:01:50,680 --> 01:01:53,840 to this very important castrum for the Northern Roman Empire. 911 01:01:53,920 --> 01:01:56,120 Presumably a lot of this has been rebuilt. 912 01:01:56,760 --> 01:02:01,520 They started rebuilding this gate in the 80s. 913 01:02:01,600 --> 01:02:06,960 We have the original Roman road here. The stones are 2000 years old. 914 01:02:07,040 --> 01:02:09,320 The road started here, in Porolissum, 915 01:02:09,400 --> 01:02:11,440 and it ended in Rome. 916 01:02:11,520 --> 01:02:17,480 - So this is the Roman... - Yes, these are the stones. 917 01:02:17,560 --> 01:02:20,880 Based on recent studies, the gate looked a bit different, 918 01:02:20,960 --> 01:02:23,640 so we want to rebuilt it with European funding. 919 01:02:23,720 --> 01:02:25,880 It has been rebuilt in the 80s, 920 01:02:26,600 --> 01:02:30,800 we want to do it like the original one, the way we believe it was. 921 01:02:30,880 --> 01:02:32,960 There were a lot of discoveries made in Dacia. 922 01:02:33,040 --> 01:02:36,240 We could see who the architects who built this castrum were, 923 01:02:36,320 --> 01:02:40,080 and we will rebuild it with the help of specialists. 924 01:02:40,160 --> 01:02:44,880 It's remarkable to think that this road went all the way to Drobeta-Turnu Severin. 925 01:02:44,960 --> 01:02:47,160 And then straight on to Rome. 926 01:02:47,240 --> 01:02:50,440 It's even more impressive that we found out 927 01:02:50,520 --> 01:02:52,640 it has been built in only two years. 928 01:02:52,720 --> 01:02:56,880 When they were building the highway, they made a discovery. 929 01:02:56,960 --> 01:03:01,520 They discovered a junction in Sutor village, Sălaj County, 930 01:03:01,600 --> 01:03:05,080 where there was another castrum. 931 01:03:05,160 --> 01:03:07,160 They discovered the junction in Bologa 932 01:03:07,240 --> 01:03:10,080 and this road right here, at the Porolissum castrum. 933 01:03:10,160 --> 01:03:12,480 And we can see exactly how this road was made. 934 01:03:12,560 --> 01:03:16,760 Impressive! The technology, the engineers and the durability. 935 01:03:16,840 --> 01:03:20,720 - Even today we can step on a Roman road. - And in very short space of time. 936 01:03:20,800 --> 01:03:21,960 Yes, very short time. 937 01:03:22,040 --> 01:03:24,320 Today we build highways in ten years, 938 01:03:24,400 --> 01:03:27,760 but they made a road to Rome in two years. 939 01:03:27,840 --> 01:03:30,000 The way to Rome in a matter of a couple of years. 940 01:03:30,080 --> 01:03:34,880 It means they had engineers, technology and very good specialists. 941 01:03:34,960 --> 01:03:41,000 It is said to be the most beautiful Roman castrum in Europe for its position, 942 01:03:41,080 --> 01:03:44,960 because, if you noticed, we can see from up here 943 01:03:45,480 --> 01:03:50,880 the Maramureș County, Gutin Mountains, and the Vlădeasa summit. 944 01:03:50,960 --> 01:03:56,400 When it's sunny and clear, we can also see the Turda Gorge. 945 01:03:56,480 --> 01:04:00,280 You know, everywhere I go is beautiful in this country. 946 01:04:00,360 --> 01:04:03,560 And it's still amazes me that so many people abroad 947 01:04:03,640 --> 01:04:07,160 have these preconceptions about Romania. How do we address those? 948 01:04:07,240 --> 01:04:10,400 How do we promote this country in a way that makes people think, 949 01:04:10,480 --> 01:04:12,000 "Wow, I've got to come here"? 950 01:04:12,920 --> 01:04:16,960 We, the Romanian people, have to stop victimizing ourselves. 951 01:04:17,040 --> 01:04:19,680 We have to start from the actual reality. 952 01:04:19,760 --> 01:04:24,680 If we keep portraying abroad the image of a victim, 953 01:04:24,760 --> 01:04:27,080 this is how people will see us. 954 01:04:27,160 --> 01:04:28,680 We have to be more united 955 01:04:28,760 --> 01:04:32,480 and to promote the real values that we have. 956 01:04:32,960 --> 01:04:39,520 We are not that united yet and we don't promote the same idea. 957 01:04:39,600 --> 01:04:40,960 Each area is important, 958 01:04:41,040 --> 01:04:44,040 but the most important thing is that we have a beautiful country. 959 01:04:44,120 --> 01:04:47,240 We are Europeans, we have the same values as the others, 960 01:04:47,320 --> 01:04:53,840 but we also have our own personal values. 961 01:04:53,920 --> 01:04:55,760 We need to hold on to our identity. 962 01:04:55,840 --> 01:04:58,000 We were born with it and we have hold on to it. 963 01:04:58,080 --> 01:05:02,840 I hate to hear that we are all lazy people or thieves. 964 01:05:02,920 --> 01:05:05,760 No. My parents and my grandparents worked very hard, 965 01:05:05,840 --> 01:05:11,000 from morning until night, built a family, built a home, 966 01:05:11,080 --> 01:05:15,880 had a culture, loved each other, 967 01:05:15,960 --> 01:05:17,360 they were Christian... 968 01:05:17,440 --> 01:05:22,440 We need to refresh these values and keep moving forward. 969 01:05:23,480 --> 01:05:26,560 And so we reached the end of our travels across Crișana. 970 01:05:28,480 --> 01:05:31,480 Join us next time when we head east 971 01:05:31,560 --> 01:05:34,840 into the wild and wooded region of the Maramureș, 972 01:05:37,120 --> 01:05:40,120 where I will be learning some important lessons in symbolism, 973 01:05:41,720 --> 01:05:43,880 galloping across the hills, 974 01:05:45,960 --> 01:05:48,760 exploring painted wooden churches, 975 01:05:50,960 --> 01:05:53,320 pristine forests 976 01:05:55,160 --> 01:05:56,680 and "happy" cemeteries. 977 01:06:02,560 --> 01:06:05,680 And celebrating another successful harvest, 978 01:06:06,360 --> 01:06:10,360 with the ritualistic burial of a slow roasted lamb. 979 01:06:16,280 --> 01:06:19,920 All this and much more in Flavours of Romania.