The Lady's Rocks of the Carpathians
Traveling to new places in different countries is not just an opportunity to escape from daily workload and exercise your body and mind. It opens your eyes and develops your knowledge of customs and traditions you may never otherwise experience in person, if not outside of the World Showcase in Epcot Disney World. Epcot may be ideal for young children to travel the world in a single day walking tour, but it cannot substitute for an epic immersion away from home in a different country. Having a passport and using it singularly fosters personal growth in understanding the diversity of world cultures. Moreover, traveling allows you to experience world history you may have only studied in books, to meet people who speak other languages, to make new friends and enjoy authentic cuisine, and positively shift your social paradigm.
In Romania, Bukovina is located on the northern slopes of the central Eastern Carpathian Mountains and the adjoining plains. The region is divided between Romania and Ukraine and is often called the "Switzerland of the East," well known in Europe for its beautiful forested and mountainous landscapes.
The Rarău massif dominates in northern Romania (Suceava County), in the historical region of Bukovina. It lies between the valleys of the Moldova and Bistrița rivers near the towns of Câmpulung Moldovenesc and Vatra Dornei and the commune of Pojorâta. The massif is a tourist attraction well known for its Mesozoic limestone rock formations. Pietrele Doamnei the Lady's Rocks in Romanian, is a group of three large pillars 1400 meters above sea level and close to the peak.
Climbing to the top of Rarău is not difficult and can be easily a day trip. Ropes and other safety equipment are not required in order to enjoy a walking tour around the top to view the valley and the limestone peaks. A good pair of hiking boots, a bottle of water, a camera and strong legs and arms are needed to carefully reach the best viewing areas. The views are stunning. In this photo that I took with my son after a morning hike up from the Hotel Alpin Rarău, the entire valley opens like pages in a fairy tale. The morning mist gently blankets the valley as sunbeams radiate through to warm the cool mountain air.
After a day's hike around the peaks, stopping at a local restaurant named Hanul Pastravarului for a small appetizer of fresh cheeses and Grasă de Cotnari wine, finished with a trout dinner, polenta, and conversations mixed in English and Romanian concluded a refreshing day away.
