Today I'm telling you about an adventure that started with big plans and ended, well, a little differently. We slept on the outskirts of Biertan, a fairytale village in Romania, famous for its fortified church, a UNESCO World Heritage site. This church is not just any church, you know? It's a medieval fortress with walls, towers, and a gate that looks like it's straight out of a knights and dragons movie. In the old days, Biertan was one of the most important centers of the Saxon community in Transylvania. The church, built in the 15th century, stands on a hill, dominating the landscape, and is known for its reconciliation chamber. They locked couples in crisis in there for two weeks with only a bed, a table, a chair, and a plate. And watch out, they say the system worked.
We, super early risers, for a change, arrived at 10 o'clock sharp. My dad and my uncle were proud to start the day early, but surprise, it didn't open until 11. An hour's wait. So, like good adventurers, they set about filling water from a nearby fountain while I supervised the operation. Then we found a cafeteria where, to my delight, I could also enter. They accepted me on the condition that I didn't cause a scene. And as you know, I am a canine gentleman. We stayed warm there until it was time. We returned to the entrance with great enthusiasm and boom, it was closed. It turns out that the church doesn't open on Mondays. My dad couldn't believe it and started to read the sign carefully, but it was true. The fortified church of Biertan remained on our to-do list.
Without getting too discouraged, we set off for Sighișoara. This city is a medieval jewel and to give you an idea, it is the birthplace of Vlad the Impaler, yes, the one who inspired the legend of Dracula. We parked below and climbed a steep path. What views, friends. At the top, the historic center awaited us, which looks like it came straight out of a fantasy book. We started with the covered passage, a wooden tunnel that leads to the upper part of the city. There we visited the old Saxon cemetery, full of tombstones with centuries of history, and the church on the hill that dominates the whole place. Then we went down to explore the cobbled streets, full of colorful houses and balconies decorated with flowers. There was a stop at the clock tower, one of the most emblematic points of Sighișoara, with its mechanical clock that has figurines representing the days of the week. The town left us fascinated. It has a special charm, the kind that makes you forget the clock, although ironic considering the tower.
After several hours of exploration, we went back to the car and looked for a place to sleep nearby. We ended up in the middle of the countryside, surrounded by wide views with no trace of humans. Everything was perfect until a stray dog appeared. And here I have to confess something. From my experience in Greece last year, these dogs give me a little respect. What do you want? I'm a small dog and I don't like to tempt fate. Luckily, the intruder didn't get too close and I think I can sleep with one eye open, but relaxed.