A weekend to Rumania, to visit the Bucovina monasteries

On Friday the 1st of April, with a rented car, a Dacia Logan (made by Renault) with 200.000 km on the clock we set out for a 200 km trip to Iasi in Rumania. First the  road (which is actually vey good!) went over higher plateau west of Chisinau, partly through woods with a subtle first layer of yellow flowering Kornoelje (in dutch) shrubs. At times the forest ground was covered with a carpet of very small purple or yellow flowers, or a green 'carpet' of wild garlic.

The valley of the river Prut is very wide and we dive right into it.  

A very strange experience to cross the border of the European Union here, coming from the east, and over a  a long bridge over the river Prut.

From the border up tot the north to the city of Iasi, pronounce Yash. It is a universty town, has been the capital of Moldavia at some point in history, but the frst impression we now get is that it is huge, like Paris, or Vienna! From the top of a hotel in the main square, we have -according to the lonely planet - a splendid view over the town, the hills.

Before it gets dark we roam the centre of the city which has magnificent monasteries and churches, but they are closed or are being restored. Also there's a beautiful building looking like the peace-palace in the Hague, with a statue of Stefan cel Mare, the famous ruler of the Moldavias, who defeated the Turks when they invaded Rumania/ Moldavia..  

There are hardly any tourists yet and we can easily park in front of the posh hotel Traian, built in 1882 by Eiffel, yes, the same architect that built the Eiffel tower. We get a room there and dine very stylish, including a nice conversation with the waiter, who speaks english, and told us he once wanted to go to Cambridge but never managed as it was too expensive. 

The photo's  left and right show details of the Eiffel-built hotel interieur, all in messing and glass.

The next day, saturday, we have planned to visit 5 Bucuva monasteries; they are special, as the are all painted outdside and inside. So we set out early.