Peles Castle & travel from Brasov to Bucharest, Romania

Aug 8

After breakfast we boarded our last bus on this trip for the ride back to Bucharest. On the way we stopped to visit Peles Castle.

The clouds didn’t let us see the tops of the Carpathian Mountains on the way to Transylvania, but they were kind to us for our return visit to Bucharest. We could clearly see the tops and the cross on top. The Commemorative Cross to the Romanian Heroes of the First World War (AKA Heroes' Cross) is a monument built between 1926 and 1928 on Caraiman Peak. (near the town of Azuga)

views from the bus

first glimpse of the Carpathian Mountains & Hero's Cross without being enshrouded in clouds

pretty normal traffic that pile up to slow down for the small towns

the slow traffic gave us plenty views of the mountains and the Hero's Cross

probably our best look at it

selling small fruits - even the guide didn't know what one of them was

Peles Castle, a 19th-century fortification in Sinaia was commissioned by King Carol I in 1873 and completed in 1883, it served as the summer residence of Romania's royal family, until 1947. 

We visited some of its 170 rooms, adorned with lavish furnishings and intricate details. Unlike Bran Castle we didn’t have a long line to get in. (just a long line for the 3-stall bathroom.  LOL) Finally, we made it through the bathroom line and entered the beautiful castle. Unlike Bran Castle where we weren’t rushed past everything, we were at Peles. When our group entered, they closed the door behind us like we would have some space between groups, but soon we were all crowded in the rooms together. It really is an awesome castle and beautifully restored and some believe it’s the most beautiful castle in Europe. It would have been nice to have time to really take it all in but of course it is a tourist attraction and it's busy.

arrival at the castle

now we are inside the castle

skylight

weapons room was interesting

horribly dark shot but it shows how large the rooms are

employee dusting

this room had a lot of beautiful stained glass

she chairs had cherubs on the arms

dining room

music room

all of the doors were beautifully ornate

Murano glass chandeliers (they were shipped from Italy)

matching Murano glass candle holders & mirrors

looking up at the chandelier

really bad photo of me taking my reflection in the mirror 

from an upper level taking the rooms where we came in

back outside in the gardens

the castle was under renovation, so outside shots weren't great

walking back to the bus

Bear Fountain

Vilele Lucia 

We stopped in Sinaia for lunch & free time. We had a great lunch (despite so many negative reviews online). If we hadn’t been so full we would have ordered the Romanian Donut to see how it compared to the ones we had last night. (they bake them fresh, and you had to let the waiter know when you ordered your main course) We opted to seek out gelato for the rest of our free time. Only one place we could find for gelato, and it was mediocre. I tracked down my magnet and we found a bathroom in the mall before the bus ride to Bucharest.

monastery

arrival in Sinaia

La Cerdac Restaurant

Moldavian Stew - smoked pork, pork fillet, sausages, polenta fried egg & grated cheese

Mountain meatballs rolled in cabbage & boiled with wine with ham & polenta

back in the bus

magnet

magnet

Back at the hotel we decided to stay at the hotel and have steak. When we were in Quito, Ecuador and stayed at the JW Marriott, it was some of the best steak we had ever tasted. This one was good, but not wow. Our waiter was interesting to talk with. He asked where we were from, and we said Florida, and he asked specifically where and we told him saying he’d probably never heard of it. He knew exactly where it is as he was a waiter on Carnival cruise ships and went out of Ft. Lauderdale. When he started his family, he gave up the long months away from home to work on land. We wanted ice cream, and they didn’t serve any at the steakhouse so we stopped at a counter that had pastries in the hotel and asked where the closest place to get some ice cream and he said, “Let me see if I can order some and you can have it here”. We had a seat, and he brought us some very delicious chocolate ice cream. Now that is service!

Time to pack up our things to fly in the wee hours tomorrow. We have a pickup time 2:00 A.M. to be at the airport by 3:00. Oddly, the airport was quite busy at that hour. Viking had the hotel make bagged breakfasts for everyone with flights before breakfast was open.

I will have one more post with our travel home & final thoughts on the itinerary, Viking River Cruises, and fellow passengers.

For larger photos: Peles Castle & Travel from Brasov to Bucharest, Romania https://photos.app.goo.gl/MRSBrVG3nnu95E6T6