The center is full of locals, instead of tourists, green area felt multidimensional and interactive. Unfortunately, I was not able to capture the spirit I felt, so you'll have to find satisfaction in architectural details #acrossRomania :)

Things were not given to the current generation of people living there on a silver platter. They did not have medieval squares, cobblestone streets... yet they turned a boring city core surrounded by brutalist buildings into a living and breathing promenade.#acrossRomania 2/3

Forgive me fathers of architecture, for I have sinned #acrossRomania. I said that I liked Piteșt, an industrial city, with nothing much that stands out, more than Sibiu, a medieval town with rich cultural and historic life. The thing is, Pitești had to work on its city center.1/2

Not to rain on your parade, but insisting on the point of view of one religion only never brought good to the whole world. #balance

Good point actually, didn't see that much plastic thrown in those parts.
Further south-southeast, where part of population is nomadic-like, you can see much more trash around.

This is an accumulation lake on Argeș river, just outside of Pitești. There's another one, right after the city. It looked like a great resource and community asset. Places such as these add so much to the quality of life.
#acrossRomania

Another one for @cyan and @bevan 😁
Ion Mincu, an architect who was the main promoter of the neoromanian style #acrossRomania, was inspired by the traditional arch. of central Romania.

Nice summary for architecture buffs at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanian_architecture

I stopped to take a photo, peek into the well, but haven't tried the water though. This well is open, which means a lot of dust and specs floating around. Other wells are mostly closed with a lid and they are in front of people's houses.
I ate the plums though ☺️
#acrossRomania

looking almost shed-like, with the walls inside decorated with icons (think of frescoes, not My Computer), candles, little bench and so on. Families erect them to honor their ancestors and the church blesses them. Often, they would have a well dug next to it.
#acrossRomania

On the stretch of 40km, that's how much Pitești, the county capital, is away from Curtea de Argeș, one can find numerous shrines. This one is a bit specific, hence the photo. Unlike the other ones, this one is open towards the road. Other shrines #acrossRomania are more closed...

No traffic whatsoever. 3 guys from Austria passed me by on their motorcycles on my way up and that's it. The road is not really for any traffic, unless 2 wheels or a high-clearance SUV. I got impression that in this county of Argeș every 3rd vehicle is Suzuki Jimny 😁

I might be misleading a bit here, because I'm very fond of this neoromanian style. However, I found this style really present in central Romania & not that much in western parts,where secession styles (typical for Austro-Hungary) prevail. And cities have brutalism in abundance 😅

I'm no stranger to hand-washing my clothes, but when it's not sunny and when there's no public tap (with a bit of privacy added, so no city centers...yet). And the kind lady said she'd wash it even though they don't have that service for their guests ☺️

Welcome 🤗

Couple of hours later I was in a clean and dry room of a pension in a town called Curtea de Argeș, after arranging with the landlady in my broken Romanian for my clothes to be washed. This will give me a chance to recharge all the devices as well.
#acrossRomania

After this tree, that is torn and unsure which way to grow, the track started going downhill. Muddy, rainy, had to hold the brake very often on my way down, but I was over the mountain. If it wasn't for the rain, I wouldn't find the climb #acrossRomania challenging at all.

The narrow mountain road led me by the monument of battle of Posada (1330), in which Wallachian (Romanian) army defeated much larger army of a Hungarian king. A little bit more and I should be at the top of the pass.
#acrossRomania

It's raining constantly, so I have rain gear on, which makes me steam up easily. At least the scenery is wonderful #acrossRomania

Slow climb to the lowest pass over Carpathians took me by some wonderful houses.To quote @cyan
It's a style invented by Ion Mincu, after the union in 1918, and it wasn't continued after WW2 (communists #acrossRomania tried to distance themselves from the "bad" interbelic trends).

I was stuck in the same spot because of the rain for a day longer than I planned to or liked. I need it to stop so I can dry and pack up the tent and move on.
When it finally stopped I knew it'll start as soon as I'm packed and ready to go #acrossRomania. I wasn't mistaken 😅

Definitely a combination of skill and luck for me and no accidents so far.
Many others were not that lucky. Numerous crosses along the road mark where people lost their lives #acrossRomania. A daily reminder to pay attention while on the road.

I really felt saved. I doubt that anything will be able to compare to psychological challenge of this stage. The next one will be climbing the lowest pass over Carpathians, but from today's perspective, it will be a piece of cake #acrossRomania

Monastery is in the background.

The finish line was just after the monastery of Cornel (named after a plant), and every 5km of sprint I'd stop for a break, seriously thinking to give up, stop someone to give me a ride for those 15 remaining km, then 10km, then I saw a monastery and a nun reading #acrossRomania

I'm running for it. I have 25km in front of me, one eye on the road, one at a rearview mirror, looking for the approaching headlights,then anticipate the first gust of wind trying to push you off the road,then the next one, after the truck whizes by,to suck you in.
#acrossRomania

The sign said that the road ahead is forbidden for slow vehicles and cyclists. I was stuck. I cannot go back, yet I'm risking a lot if I continue. The road is crawling with road cruisers in both directions, going around me is not an option most of the time.
#acrossRomania

Reaching the Red Tower fortress, built in 1360 by Saxons was easy, although I had to share the road with vehicles, but I'm used to it. What came afterwards, fortified with what's written on the sign on the side of the road just under the fortress, was a nightmare #acrossRomania.

Leaving Sibiu one can see a wooden cross erected to commemorate 1599 battle, after which Wallachian ruler Michael the Brave became ruler of Wallachia, Moldavia, and Transylvania. Victims of the battle were buried in a mass-grave under this mound. #acrossRomania

With the pattern like this, I believe it was a marketing miss not calling the drink "Snake Piss".
I would definitely take Snake Piss off the shelf sooner than Colossus.

It seems that Here maps are doing street view filming #acrossRomania. I've been passed by their car twice on my way out of Sibiu, medieval city on the northern side of the Carpathian mountains.

Snobbery is present in anything that has any history. You'll always have people who moved somewhere first, who bought something first, etc.

Thanks Randy, I'll have a look :)

Some dogs #acrossRomania have no shame 😂

Transferwise removed same-currency transfer fees, as per an email I just received from them.

One of my favorite Russian songs, of which this photo reminded me. It starts with a man riding his horse through an endless field, just before the break of dawn.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlrFEL0ZTMM

https://lyricstranslate.com/en/kon039-kon-horse.html#songtranslation

😂

Tried feeding this dog, but she was afraid to come closer. I thought I'll split my meat with her and take a risk by leaving it on the side of the road. I was happy to see her found it once I cycled 50 meters away #acrossRomania.

This is how I imagine eastern Russia in summer. Fields, mountains in the distance and grandmas on quads.
#acrossRomania

Hmm, that TV show, is it related in any way to Not Going Out, which I started watching two weeks ago?

Reminded me of the verse
"They built the pyramids, they built the wall.
Math, science, history,
Unraveling the mystery,
That all started with the Big bang...hey!"
😅
#tbbt

Haha, this is the piece of info I was looking for! 😂
@abcoathup was the godfather with a hashtag Peepeth couldn't refuse 😂

Arigato! 🤗

I'm listening to this piece
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzTQ9fjforY
when this appears before my eyes #acrossRomania.
My moment of Zen.

The voice that peepeth, shall be heard forever.

or

The voice that peepeth, shall echo forever.

And voice can be replaced with "thought" also.

Today it is, but back in the day it was a verb form of 3rd person singular, as in "The chick peepeth and is all gay to see mother". Today we add -s, not -eth. And gay also moved on.

Looking forward to it! 🤗

In Sankt Petersburg I've seen an old graveyard that was riddled with WW2 bullet holes, as the fight was going on in and around the graveyard. It turned into the forest covered with thick layers of moss, looking eerie and breathtaking at the same time.

Thanks 🤗

But not everyone is like that #acrossRomania.
On an unrelated note, I believe that most people are inherently good.

On the other hand, also #acrossRomania Roma population (not to be confused with Romanian, as I was recently asked about it) when they get into money, they do these.

And around Saxon churches #acrossRomania Saxon people built Saxon houses and made them distinguishingly ornate. This detail is at the eye level, so every passerby will see it. They had money and they knew what they're doing.