Bucharest and the Painted Monasteries

After hugs (and a few tears) for all the children, aides and our volunteers, Sonya and I headed north to Suceava and the painted monasteries.  Two trains and about 5 hours later, Monica, our helpful hostel owner, picked us up at the train station and we settled in after a long emotional day.  After a good nights rest, we set off with Monica as our guide to the monasteries.  We visited four of these amazing places - Humor (1530), Voroneţ (1488), Moldoviţa (1532), Suceviţa (1585) monasteries and the Marginea Black Pottery Center.  Black pottery is unique to this area in Romania and created by using very high temperatures in the kiln. (I think - I got a lot of information that day!)  On our way Monica filled us in on the monasteries, Romania culture and pointed out several stork nests. All the monasteries are run by the nuns, many of whom Monica knows personally.  In fact we stopped about one of the nun's mother's houses to pick up some things she wanted to send to her daugher.  The frescoes cover the churches completely inside and out.  The plaster is only 1cm thick and it has never been repainted, only cleaned - to remove the soot from using candles inside the church.  They are amazingly peaceful places with extraordinay beauty.  At one of the monestaries we witnessed a nun walking around the church beating on a wooden board about 6 feet long with a mallet, signaling the start of prayer and cleansing the church of evil spirits.  Upon returning to Suceava, we had a delicious dinner of Monica's homemade potatoe soup, bread, zacusca (a fantastic vegetable spread made by the nuns) and pickled green tomatoes.   Monica's knowledge and kindness really made the weekend extraordinary.  I can't say enough good things about the High Class Hostel!

A view from the front of the Suceviţa monastery.  It is the largest of the four I saw.

The battle of Constantinople depicted on the Moldoviţa monestary.

More frescoes on the outside of the Moldoviţa  monastery.  There is so much detail in every picture.   Unfortunatelyy, no pictures were allowed of the insides. 

Sonya admiring Moldoviţa.  The dedication of the monks who painted them is awe-inspiring.  Because they were painting on wet plaster they had to paint quickly and could not make any mistakes.   

My day in Bucharest was a little slower.  I have caught the cold that the childent at the clinic and some of my fellow volunteers had.  So I took it easy, but I did feel well enough to wander around old town for a bit and then took a tour of the Palace of the Parliament.  It is the second largest goverment building - the Pentagon is the first.  All the materials to build it came from Romania.  Started in 1984 and still not finished today - about 95%.