Blacksmiths, and dancers and bears, oh my!
Today was probably our most photo rich of the trip. After our third class we departed for a family style lunch at Count Kalmoky's House. Hearty country food, the meal would keep us going through our many afternoon and evening activities.
Next to our lunch destination, we met the local blacksmith, Gheorghe, for the first shoot of the day. He was quite willing to pose for us outside, inside by his forge and with his horse in the barn. I'm sure the gift of cash he received for his time was a big supplement to his normal income. He's 77 and has been doing this job since he was 16. With carts and horses still in use in the countryside, Gheorghe is a major contributor to the agrarian economy.
Next, we went to a place down the road where we would get to spend time with a local group of young dancers and also weavers. There's a desire to pass on the local customs now that communism is gone, so older children teach the younger ones folk dances. We also took portraits practicing with flashes. There was lots of activity for us to focus on.
The group that had not gone bear watching when we first arrived left the dancers to go off into the woods with a local forest ranger to look bear. The road to the site was quite worn and bumpy but we made it in one piece. The ranger, accompanied by a rifle, met us at the car to lead us to the bear hide. We were instructed to remain silent so as not to scare off the bears.
Once in the small wooden structure, we were immediately greeted by the site of two bears foraging for food and wondering around the open field in front of us. Various groups of bears came and went during our time there with a high of 5 in front of us at one time. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience.
After dinner, we gathered around a bonfire to share wine and stories. While I'm not a storyteller, many in the group are and shared some of their funnier life experiences. It made for a late night, but the next day would mostly be spent on the bus which would leave plenty of time for napping.
Tomorrow: Back to Bucharest
Next to our lunch destination, we met the local blacksmith, Gheorghe, for the first shoot of the day. He was quite willing to pose for us outside, inside by his forge and with his horse in the barn. I'm sure the gift of cash he received for his time was a big supplement to his normal income. He's 77 and has been doing this job since he was 16. With carts and horses still in use in the countryside, Gheorghe is a major contributor to the agrarian economy.
Next, we went to a place down the road where we would get to spend time with a local group of young dancers and also weavers. There's a desire to pass on the local customs now that communism is gone, so older children teach the younger ones folk dances. We also took portraits practicing with flashes. There was lots of activity for us to focus on.
The group that had not gone bear watching when we first arrived left the dancers to go off into the woods with a local forest ranger to look bear. The road to the site was quite worn and bumpy but we made it in one piece. The ranger, accompanied by a rifle, met us at the car to lead us to the bear hide. We were instructed to remain silent so as not to scare off the bears.
Once in the small wooden structure, we were immediately greeted by the site of two bears foraging for food and wondering around the open field in front of us. Various groups of bears came and went during our time there with a high of 5 in front of us at one time. It was truly a once in a lifetime experience.
After dinner, we gathered around a bonfire to share wine and stories. While I'm not a storyteller, many in the group are and shared some of their funnier life experiences. It made for a late night, but the next day would mostly be spent on the bus which would leave plenty of time for napping.
Tomorrow: Back to Bucharest
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