Along the Enchanted Way – living in Romania

Tuesday, 14 January 2014

William Blacker heads off to Romania soon after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the fall of the Berlin Wall and the violently ignominious end of the Ceaușescus. It’s often speculated that North Korea’s dynastic dictatorship may come to an equally surprising and rapid conclusion.

The author falls in love with the place and has been a regular visitor and resident ever since, spending his time in the northern Transylvanian region. This area of Romania, described as ‘the last medieval landscape in Europe,’ is in danger of losing its timeless villages with their fortress churches as the German-speaking Saxons depart for Germany. I’m on the board of Global Heritage Fund and they’re working to protect the region, I hope to visit Romania later this year.

 

Blacker’s book is indeed enchanted, one of those books about a place I knew nothing about and, as a result, instantly wanted to go there.