... that is the famous Transfăgărășan - a mountain road crossing the southern section of the Carpathian Mountains of Romania.
It is the second-highest paved road in the country after the Transalpina. It stretches 90 kilometres between the highest peaks in the country with over 2500 metres. The road, built in the early 1970s as a strategic military route, connects the historic regions of Transylvania and Walachia. When the navigation showed us we would need nearly 8 hours for the 235 km to get to our next camping we couldn't believe it, but it was the truth!
Coming from the north the road winds up through a beautiful valley. At first the hairpins are in a forest but when we passed the last trees the street was visible and a great sight, meandering up through the valley.
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| Bâlea Lake at 2000 metres |
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| Taking the plunge? |
Before the road dives under the peaks through a tunnel, lake Bâlea is surrounded by restaurants and stalls for all the people who drive up here to experience this road and the beautiful mountains.
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| Corn is sold everywhere |
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| Mamâligâ (polenta) filled with cheese - very delicious!! |
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| Luckily we are just 3,60 high, there was no warning before |
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| "Dangerous" curves everywhere |
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| Families were having their lunch brakes along the road |
Did you ever have seabuk thorn in honey? I found out it is a great anti aging food (according to the internet), just not very sweet, hence the honey ;-)
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| On the southern side we passed a very high dam |
On YouTube you can watch the episode of Top Gear where the guys are driving up this road:
https://youtu.be/PhSanuvCrOA They for sure had blocked the road for them. On this weekend its was quite busy as many Rumanians and tourists where driving up to the pass to enjoy the mountains.
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| Chapels typical for this area |
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| Finally we reached Dracula's Castle |
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| Flower of the Day |
