Author name: Michael

orlando fall festivals
Florida, NORTH AMERICA, USA

Orlando Fall Festivals

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As the weather cools and autumn sets in the Orlando fall festivals begin, much like spring time in a northern state. Beginning mid-September the outdoor concerts, food and wine, and Oktoberfest type festivals commence. Some free, some not, Orlando fall festivals large and small continue nearly every weekend, merging in a seamless transition to holiday festivals through year end. While the 2013 WMMO Downtown Concert Series wound to a close, it could be said the final concert of the year sort of kicked off the festival season. Still a little warm, the last concert with Eddie Money on September 21st had a full crowd singing along with I Wanna Go Back and many other well-known favorites. The following weekend spawned a pattern of fall festivals throughout Orlando and the Central Florida region that continue into the Spring. September 28th hosted one of the earlier Oktoberfest celebrations of the season at the Bahia Shrine Fairgrounds in Orlando, while Real Radio 104.1 simultaneously held their Monsters Beertoberfest  at Fort Mellon Park in Sanford. Multiple versions of Oktoberfest celebrations ensued, sponsored by communities, local businesses, and/or organizations. The German American Society organized two celebrations, one on October 5th (also Oktoberfest at Wall Street Plaza) and again on the 26th. Sanford held their Oktoberfest on Thursday, October 11, and there were many others. Following the Monsters Beertoberfest came Baconfest October 5th, celebrating everything bacon: Bacon beer, bacon covered chocolate, bacon ice cream . . you name it, someone baconed it. Then, combining the theme of two popular calorie packed festivals into one for a balanced combination of protein, fat, and carbs, a Beer and Bacon Festival followed on November 2nd. On the lighter side of the calories looking to things different, the Church Street District Jazz Festival was held the same evening, November 2nd. The 43rd Annual Fall Festival in the Park at Lake Eola also took place November 1-2. The 40th Annual Winter Park Autumn Arts Festival was in full swing the weekend of October 12-13. For those who may be unaware, Winter Park has been expanding its brick street, old style lantern ambiance. In one part of the “extended” section of Winter Park named Hannibal Square it is a little easier to find parking, and provides a nice setting to wind down the day at one of the restaurants. Or enjoy a gelato and coffee at the italia euro café and gelato, said by many to be the only gelato in the area resembling that which they had in Italy.  November 8th to 10th combined the Disney’s Festival of the Masters  with the House of Blues Folk Art Festival at Downtown Disney. Back to Winter Park November 10th, the streets were packed with people and cars for the Concours d’Elegance. A little north, the 30th Annual Mount Dora Craft Fair took place over the weekend of October 25-26. Deland held it’s Craft Beer Festival November 22nd, followed immediately on the 23rd and 24th by the DeLand Fall Festival of the Arts, noted on their website as being voted Best Florida Outdoor Fine Arts Festival by Florida Living. Several fall festivals take place through the cooler season in Orlando and throughout all of Central Florida – too many to mention without simply providing a long, long list. From city and community sponsored events to smaller organizations,  niche groups and churches, new to established, from large to small, welcoming all. For example the Armenian Food Fest & Bazarre on November 16th. put on by the church with a public invitation to everyone, or the Loch Haven Park 3rd Annual Pottery Festival. The Loch Haven Park 3rd Annual Orlando Pottery Festival was a smaller, one day affair housed primarily in a community center banquet room on Saturday, December 2nd. Smaller events with a lighter crowd provide a better opportunity to meet the local artists and learn about their work than those the size of the Winter Park or Disney festivals. Simply walking past the colorful crafts amisdst the crowds associated with the larger festivals, interesting nuances and styles are surely missed. For example one local artist, Fabian, owner of Fabu Pottery, was able to take the time and explain his unique works to small groups without alienating anyone. Passing by one would notice Fabian’s works are decorative and unique, as are most artist’s works on display. However in speaking with him he explains the dishes are oven, microwave, and dishwasher safe and can be used for cooking, made with organic non-toxic material safe for food. Additionally, he creates custom designs and patterns with a unique tie to something personal. Bring him that doily from your grandmother and he will carefully imprint the pattern into the piece, without damaging the doily. The potters wrapped it up at 5 pm,  just in time for festival goers to make their way downtown and grab a bite during the Holiday Lights Orlando (which comes just the day after the Friday, December 6 official lighting of the Orlando Christmas Tree at Lake Eola). Beginning with the Orlando fall festivals kicking into gear around mid-September, they continue well into spring with something to do outdoors almost every weekend and many weeknights. Humidity levels are lower, temperatures are down, the days are more comfortable, and the evening mosquito population reduces their attack. Afternoons and early evenings often reveal the feint smell of a charcoal grills, and those favorite long sleeved shirts can come out of the closet. Some like it hot, some like it cool. It’s the fall and winter weather in Orlando that reiterates to transplant Floridians why they followed Mother Nature and migrated south like the birds.  While northerners prepare to bundle up and enjoy the snow or hunker down, Floridians take their turn outside enjoying the many festivals season(s).

italia euro café and gelato winter park fl
Florida, NORTH AMERICA, USA

italia euro café and gelato

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Vistors to Italy will remark that finding gelato with the same texture and flavor outside of Italy is a rare treat, not so easy to find. Lucky for Orlando area residents and visitors there exists italia euro café and gelato, said to hit the mark. Located in Hannibal Square at the corner of Hannibal and New England Avenue in Winter Park, FL, patrons regularly claim italia euro café and gelato makes the only gelato they have found that accurately replicates this frozen treat they had in Italy. Gelato is different than ice cream, different than yogurt, and not as easily duplicated. Gelato has a unique, creamy texture and flavor “intensely flavored and gently frozen.” Described by La Cucina Italian Magazine’s The Scoop About Gelato, it is the result of “a careful balance of sugar, fat, solids and liquids claculated by weight… Perfect consistency, with the absence of fat, depends on a precise percentage of total sugar… Gelato doesn’t travel well and is at its very best when freshly made, sold within hours of production…All gelato made on-site in Italy is defined, by law, as artigianale (artisanal)…” While the texture of gelato may be slightly different throughout regions of Italy, the history, rules, and origins of gelato artisans dates back centuries, finding deep roots in the island of Sicily. (See travelswithmiha post Italian Cooking Class… to read about a favorite gelateria in Taormina she frequented while spending a month in Sicily). The gelato at  italia euro café and gelato is made by an artisan (gelato chef) originally from Milan. 200 flavors are made by the chef on a machine in Miami and brought in to rotate through the menu weekly. Although not hand made on-site in Winter Park as in the traditional sense, the gelato is the product of an expensive machine that accurately imitates the traditional process, noted to be one of only 7 in the world in use today, and one of only 2 in the US. italia euro café and gelato makes a wonderfully creamy and flavorful variety of vegan gelatos from fruits such as mango, blueberry, pineapple and banana. Dairy based gelato flavors such as coconut cream, pistaccio, dulce de leche and blueberry cheesecake are examples of some that move through the menu. In addition, a variety of uniquely Italian favorites will be found certain days, such as Cassata Siciliana, made with ricotta and marzipan dotted with dried fruit and a little chocolate chip. One such uniquely Italian favorite, labeled “Best Seller” on the italia euro café and gelato menu is the Affogato, and old tradition of gelato with a shot of espresso poured over it (the cappuccino gelato actually works quite well with the espresso over it). Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of each week are Date Night at the italia euro café and gelato, whereby Italian coffee based drinks are, for the most part, approximately two for the price of one. For example, Macchiato for two on Date Night is currently on the menu for $2.89. So for those in the Orlando area missing the traditional gelato of  Italy, having a hankering for Italian cakes or coffee – or for those who have never been to Italy and want to “warm up” to that someday trip, head to Winter Park. Located at 470 W New England Avenue, Winter Park, FL (corner of New England and Hannibal)  italia euro café and gelato serves up that rare treat not so easy to find: Gelato with the correct flavor and texture of that found in Italy.

ecuador jewelry for sale
ECUADOR, SOUTH AMERICA

Jewelry for Sale: Organic, Handcrafted, Direct from Ecuador

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Sometimes we get carried away and buy too much. Once in a while it is nice to offer some of the local, maybe exotic, always unique, items we purchased in far away places for sale. Let others enjoy a little of the flavor of those places. In this case it is mostly jewelry for sale: Organic, handcrafted, direct from Ecuador. Making our way through the northern villages of Otavalo and Cotacachi on a trip through Ecuador a few months back, we picked up a fair amount of interesting tagua seed and orange peel jewelry from the colorful local markets. Hand made by the indigenous Ecuadorians, these unique pieces are of natural, organic material: necklaces made from colored and dried citrus peels, bracelets made of native woods and/or seeds taken from the large fruit of the tagua palms. We bought more than enough to go around for personal purposes and are therefore selling the rest. All of the Ecuador jewelry for sale that we are listing is new, unused, and in great condition. In addition to jewelry, we are also selling a few scarves and leather goods, also authentic, handmade, unused, and purchased in either Otavalo or Cotacachi during our last visit through the Andean cities and villages of Ecuador. Travels With Miha is not a retail sales or commerce site. The citrus peel necklaces, earrings, tagua seed bracelets, and leather items for sale are simply a personal overstock. Therefore, we have listed the following items (and more) for sale on E-Bay, for less than what we have seen the same or similar selling for on-line (1/2 to 1/3 of what we have seen in the very few stores that carry similar organic jewelry from Ecuador and South America). To purchase any of the jewelry for sale and/or other items, simply click on the photo below for redirection to E-Bay (or click here to see all, which may additional items not shown below). Citrus Peel Necklace / Earring Sets and Tagua Seed Necklaces: Handmade Scarves with 4 or 8 piece Leather Inserts: Tagua Seed and Wood Bracelets:  

FAQ, New York, North America

Planning a trip to the Thousand Islands

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Q: Planning a trip to the Thousand Islands… Can you offer any info? I’m planning a trip to the Thousand Islands region of New York and I’ve never been there. Basically what I’m wondering is which islands are full of fun touristy things to do, and which hotels are affordable but nice. Thanks. Response: There is an island with the large Boldt Castle, which has a sad but interesting story behind it. On the American side in Alexandria Bay there is also an old hotel / restaurant where it is said the salad dressing by the same name was invented. If you do venture across the bridge to Canada, which provides a great view of the Thousand Islands, many go over to Kingston, ON for the day. Back on the American side, about 30 miles or so south (along the water through Clayton or down the freeway to Watertown then west) is a cute little town called Sackets Harbor, right on Lake Ontario Bay. Small but nice, hip little village. Most restaurants are open Memorial Day through Labor Day except for the occasional festival. The cobblestone buildings (now apartments and hotels) were once the military barracks during the war of 1812. One of the buildings provided quarters to the famous General Grant, although at that time he was Lieutenant Grant. (I once lived in the brick building, right next door to stone building that was Grant’s quarters – many, many years later, of course. I had the option to rent Grant’s quarters for the winter, but the electric bills were unbelievable!). A little further down the road from Sackets is a little beach and park – and the water is warmer than you would expect. Additional drives and scenic places could include Whiteface Mountain in the Adirondacks, Lake Placid and Saranac Lake . . .

ECUADOR, FAQ, PERU, South America

Best way to travel from Lima, Peru to Vilcabamba, Ecuador?

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Q: What is the best way to travel from Lima, Peru to Vilcabamba, Ecuador? Response: Just spent a little time in Vilcabamba, Ecuador this past April. We stayed with a new friend through the Couchsurfing program, and he had friends from Lima arrive the following night. They came by bus, and apparently make the trip often. We have not made that exact journey ourselves, but bus is the method our friend chooses when going to Lima and what his friend’s choose when coming to Vilcabamba. A note about flying in – we did that from Guayaquil: The airport is an hour and a half from Vilcabamba, out in a field in the middle of nowhere farm country outside a town called Catamayo. Although I would think they exist, I did not see a bus or option for one from the airport to the town of Catamayo. Here are your options: (1) Take a 45 minute taxi ride from the airport in Catamayo to a company called Ruta de Taxi located at Once de Mayo (11th of May -name of the street) in Loja ($20). You will then get in a shared taxi for another 45 minute ride (nice drive) to a central drop off location in Vilcabamba, about 2 blocks from town square / central park. The shared taxi was $1.75 total vs $15 if you wanted a normal, private taxi. The company “Ruta de Taxi” runs back and forth all day. You may just have to wait a few minutes to gather a few more passengers. We never waited more than about 2-3 minutes. (2) If you can get from the airport to the bus stop in Catamayo, the bus would probably cost about 50 cents to get to the bus stop in Loja. we made a day trip to Loja, and from Loja took the bus back to that same drop off location in Vilcabamba for 45 cents each.

Europe, FAQ, ROMANIA

Romanian Currency: Where to Exchange?

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I’m travelling to Romania in a few weeks and I normally just grab whatever currency I need from the Travelex booth before I get on my flight somewhere (yes, I know it’s not always the most cost effective). Anyway, Romanian Lei is not available from the Travelex booth. So what do you recommend – change in Bucharest airport, or find an ATM? Presumably there will be an awful lot of people all trying to do the same thing? Response: There are also Money Exchange offices all over along the streets. We normally use these, as they tend to have the better rates. Like gas stations in the US, where there is one, there is usually three or four within close proximity. Just compare the rates and choose the one that is best. Not only will ATMs have fees, but your banking / credit institution may charge an additional “foreign transaction fee.” Between the two, these fees combined usually come out to more than what you will give up at one of the exchange offices.

Netherlands
Europe, EUROPE, FAQ, Netherlands

Netherlands: A Country or Group of Countries? Is Holland one of them?

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Q: Does The Netherlands refer to one country or a group of countries, and is Holland one of them? Response: Good one. Yes and No, but yes. Borrowing the line from a popular song “…this is the land of confusion” this is probably a good trivia game question. For those who prefer the short, quick answer: Netherlands is a country. There is NO country called Holland. Holland is a province of Netherlands (actually two provinces: North Holland and South Holland). For those who possess a little more intrigue: The confusion over The Netherlands and the common misconception that Holland is a country, or that it is one and the same place, has some historic roots. Commonly referred to by some as Holland, and yet others as The Netherlands, they are referring to same place, sort of. To start with the basics: Netherlands is a European country that is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, ruled by the Dutch royal family. The country itself, Netherlands, is comprised of  12 local provinces (Brabant, Drenthe, Flevoland, Friesland, Gelderland, Groningen, Noord (North) Holland, Zuid (South) Holland, Limburg, Overijssel, Utrecht, and Zeeland). The confusion extends into the Caribbean islands as well; Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba are cities of the country of Netherlands, while Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint Maarten are self-governing countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Summarized on the blog by cgpgrey: So in the end, there are 6 Caribbean islands, four countries, twelve provinces, two Hollands, two Netherlands and one kingdom, all Dutch. Quite simply, Holland makes up two provinces of the country, Netherlands. So why the confusion? Why do people say “Amsterdam, Holland” but “Rotterdam, Netherlands” when both cities are located in the province of Holland in the country of Netherlands? It is like saying one is going to Seattle, Washington or Arad, Transylvania versus Seattle, USA or Arad, Romania, respectively. Looking into the the history of this common reference, a few excerpts below give a little insight regarding origins and advice,  taken from the site internationalstudents.nl: When the Dutch went out into the world … starting in the 17th century… to establish trading routes, most ships came from the two provinces now called North Holland and South Holland… The Netherlands did not exist at that time yet, so when you would ask the sailor where they were from they would respond with the name of their city-state (province). Most of the time the sailor response would be that he was from Holland. Ever since Holland has been an synonym for the area that would later be called The Netherlands. . . … since there are ten other provinces with each having their own proud history, I would not recommend saying Holland when you are actually trying to refer to The Netherlands. It is just not correct and can even be seen as offensive or insulting, . . . There are many other sources which add to the confusion, including the country itself choosing to use the name Holland on their official sites for promoting tourism (www.holland.com, www.lekkerweg.nl). And many countries have the use of Holland rather than Netherlands historically ingrained into their languages and unchanged to this day. For example; Holandés in Spanish, Olandese in Italian, Hollandais in French, Olanda in Romanian, and Holländisch in German. So a bit of history follows us through the ages and makes for interesting discussion. Speaking of which, why are Netherlanders referred to as Dutch (or are they?), and the Germans as Deutsche? Another post for another day. In the meantime, below are a few [somewhat contrasting] references to get you warmed up: Why are people from the Netherlands called Dutch? Why are the Dutch called Dutch? First of all, we do not call… Dutch People Names of Germany

FAQ

Is it realistic to want to move abroad?

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I have wanted to move abroad for a couple of years. I am believer in “you only have one life”. Although I don’t have much money to work with. I am from the UK and thinking of Turkey or Spain. How do-able is this and what kind of money would I need? Response: Anything is do-able. Why not? Like you said, you only have one life. Depending on what you want to do and how much money you want to have, there are a few options. I personally do not know the rules between these countries as far as being from the UK and living in one of them, but there are usually ways. For example, if you have a skill set that allows you to get a job with a corporation doing business in one of those countries. Or volunteer work to get you started . .. I do not know your preferences, but for low cost trying out an area, maybe look into things like staying at a hostel in exchange for working X number of hours per week. There are also a couple of links below for things like staying at someone’s house in exchange for helping them so many hours per week. Granted, volunteer and/or low pay may not be what you are after, but it may provide for a quick, temporary solution, and you never know what opportunities will find you through the people you meet. These are just a few options. I have heard stories that range from great experiences to poor accommodations with owners just looking to take advantage of free labor. Sometimes you just have to move on. http://www.staydu.com http://www.workaway.info/ http://www.wwoofinternational.org/ This site lists some ideas, however with the agenda of selling a product: http://matadornetwork.com/abroad/10-travel-jobs-within-your-reach/ Here’s how one blogger did it: http://www.aroundtheworldin80jobs.com/These sites will give you a list of hostels in the areas of interest to you, that you could contact for volunteer / exchange agreements if you wish: www.hostelbookers.com www.hostelworld.com www.hostelz.com  

Vilcabamba Ecuador
ECUADOR, SOUTH AMERICA

Vilcabamba Ecuador: Wild Wild West?

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Wild, wild west. That’s the phrase that popped into my head as we walked into Vilcabamba, bags in tow. I was not sure where it came from but just acknowledged it with an internal smile, assuming it to be a relic from the archives of childhood memories watching westerns with my grandfather. Maybe it was from the directions we had received from our Couchsurfing host: “From the airport in Catamayo, take a taxi to Ruta de Taxi at Once de Mayo in Loja. When you get to Vilcabamba, find Charlito’s and have Charlie call me.” Whenever “find a bar and have them call me”, are the extent of directions, you know there is an air of small town camaraderie and laid back adventure. Not exactly wild, but more like welcome back to “south of the border.” Relax, take it easy, it will all come together. (See Getting to Vilcabamba for information on getting there). We stepped out of the shared taxi in the parking lot, the single point where buses and taxi’s from Loja pick up and drop off. Apparently these driver’s do not venture out much from this point, as no one knew of Charlito’s. However it only took a few short steps down the road to get a few different Spanish versions of “2 blocks that way, 1/2 block on the right.” We stumbled upon Charlito’s in a moment and almost passed it. Charlie was unaware of our directions to find him and request the call, but nevertheless greeted it with a friendly “not surprised” chuckle and attempted to make the call. Our planned host’s phone was not picking up at the moment. We were hungry and Charlie was already great company. An expat who had resided in Vilcabamba for some time, witnessed a lot of change, seen many come and go, and was interesting to speak with. Good food at a good price: 2 soups, 2 burritos, 2 beers and a water + a little local education =$11 w/tax & tip. We were told the pizza was great but did not make it back to try. Walking through the park across the town square of Vilcabamba, the “wild, wild west” phrase popped into my head again. I noticed a few men wearing wide brimmed hats, but don’t think that is what set it off. Vilcabamba town square is small and easy to walk around in a few minutes, a few times even. Seemingly every restaurant, bar, and pastry shop we passed was occupied with expats, of all ages. We were told that Vilcabamba is one of the world’s few Blue Zone’s, where people live healthier and longer than average. However looking at the official Blue Zone site, as well as that of National Geographic, Vilcabamba is not on the list. Our gracious host and new friend told us there were people from over 30 countries living in and around Vilcabamba, many of whom, himself included, have experienced significant improvements in health after living there a short time. By the frequent odor detected in the air walking the neighborhoods of Vilcabamba in the evening, it very well could have been called a green zone for some as well. Vilcabamba appeared on the surface to be clean, relaxed, friendly community of locals and expats a like. Not much wild about it, just people doing their own thing. In the mornings there were young expats in the central park feeling one with nature and displaying their interest in yoga and meditation for all to see. Not sure why they would choose to come into the most populated part of town for their morning ritual, but maybe they were looking to be noticed or find something other than morning solitude. We were told the Internet’s self-proclaimed raw foods expert lived in the hills of Vilcabamba, as well as a few growing permaculture communities. A local cork board displayed ads with earthbag homes for sale. We were told there were some Cob homes in the hills, which we would have liked to have seen but did not make it. Again, not “wild”, but more of “free.” We were told the story of a real estate deal with a tragic ending. The story varies a bit as the tale grows, but basically somebody gained a lot of money while someone else missed out on it. Something to the effect of the expat agent buying it low from a local and selling it high to a foreigner. Either somebody was miffed about paying too much, or somebody upset about receiving too little. Whatever the case, a fight later ensued that resulted in the death of the agent, with some questionable circumstances, and no arrests. Now that would fall into the category of “wild, wild west,” but this is not a tale we knew of at first arrival. On the topic of real estate, being a community highly populated with expats, the prices have of course been driven higher. Unfortunately, foreigners typically contribute to the epidemic by getting involved in real estate and raising prices on incoming foreigners, until prices cap. Even after the bubble bursts, prices are normally still too high for locals, nudging  them out of the market in their own native land. Some foreign owned homes in the Vilcabamba hills were for sale around the million dollar mark. A nice, 2-story house off town square rented for $600 month, while a house similar in size but different in style just outside of Baños was rented by another kind and interesting Couchsurfing participant for $150 month. Out on an evening walk with our Couchsurfing host and new friend, he made the comment, unprovoked and right out of nowhere, “wild, wild west.” Surprised and now intrigued, I had to give this phrase a little more thought and pay more attention to the surroundings. The construction consisted of block long buildings divided into shops or homes, with wide, full length, covered stone walkways. Wooden posts supported a covered overhang attached to the buildings, like something out of Bonanza or

Timișoara
EUROPE, ROMANIA

Timisoara

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Like many major university cities around the world Timișoara exudes a vibrant atmosphere with a clean, green, and well maintained landscape in the areas surrounding the campus. Home to Universitatea Politehnica Timisoara (University of Timisoara), like most university cities, Timișoara comes complete with scenic streets and plazas with the usual restaurants and outdoor café dining areas. Timișoara has a modern downtown with a shopping mall that rivals that of any in the world. Impressively progressive yet significantly historic, Timișoara’s beauty and heritage place it among an elite league of university towns, holding rights to more than one “Europe’s first” and “Romania’s first” claims. It is said Timișoara was the first mainland European city to utilize electric street lamps, and the second in the world after New York. Timișoara was the first city in Romania, and second in Europe, to use the horse drawn trams; Romania’s first city to develop international routes through the train system; and home of Romania’s first canal, channeled out of the Bega River, that would create access to the Black Sea and foster increased commercial trade with other parts of Europe. Timișoara also played a significant role in the long overdue December, 1989 revolution, that finally liberated the people of Romania. Spend a day walking  Timișoara and you will discover plazas and streets lined with ornate, historic architecture dating back to the 1200’s. Paying close attention to surroundings will reveal a unique, interesting and tasteful blending of centuries old structures with modern day uses. As an example, Timișoara was also once a fortified city, and where the thick wall still stands today, modern roads pass through it arches. Stores and cafés are even built into some of the archways. See a large brick wall in Timișoara? Take a closer look and let your eyes settle in on what is going on. Admiring exclusive old European architecture from one of the historic plazas? Take a closer look and notice the very distinct detail in the designs that adorn the turrets and roof edges, and entrance doors. We took the morning train from Arad to Timișoara, started with some fresh breads and pastries, and began with a visit to the historic church. We then walked the plazas, the twon, took photos, and met a friend for an extended lunch at an outdoor Italian café next to the fortification wall. The weather was beautiful. For the remainder of the afternoon we walked the University campus where I was given a first hand account of life before, during, and after the revolution, and what it was like to be a student here when it broke out. A walk through the market and another plaza rounded out just in time to meet family for a chauffered visit through more of the city and a dinner of authentic Romanian cuisine at local favorite on the outskirts of town. Timișoara is located in western Romania in the Transylvania region, a fist stop for some visitors en route from Belgrade. There is an airport in Timișoara, however the typical entrance for international travelers into Romania is usually either through the south central capitol city of Bucharest, or via train after flights into Budapest, Hungary. Whatever the entry and departure route, be sure to make a stop over if possible in the progressive-throughout-the-centuries university city of Timișoara . Photos from Timișoara, Romania:

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