Transylvania Itinerary (October 12-15, 2007)

EXCURSION TO TRANSYLVANIA
CIEE STUDY CENTER - BUDAPEST
October 12-15, 2007

This is our most significant excursion of the semester. Traveling to Transylvania will be a long trip, so please bring along your good cheer and patience.

Transylvania is 99 00 km2 out of Romania's 237 500 km2. (Hungary's territory is 93 000 km2; Transylvania is about the size of the state of Indiana.) Transylvania was awarded to Romania at the Trianon peace treaty in 1920, following World War I. Still today, over 1.5 million Hungarians live in Transylvania. We will be able to visit only a small portion of this former Hungarian territory - Kalotaszeg region - showing you representative historical monuments and sites, and more importantly, traditional way of rural life.

Excursions on this field trip will concentrate on the so-called Kalotaszeg region, which is one of the most famous ethnographic regions of Transylvania.

Kalotaszeg is a 50-km long region between Bánffyhunyad (Huedin) and Kolozsvár (Cluj), west of Kolozsvár, where some 40 Presbyterian (Calvinist) villages can be found. Mostly on the edges there are mixed Rumanian-Hungarian and Rumanian villages as well. The area has been one of the most famous ethnographic regions of Hungarian peasantry with rich distinctive folk traditions, which was discovered by high society at the end of the 19th century.

DEPARTURE: FRIDAY, 6:30 A.M. , Heroes’ Square PLEASE BE ON TIME!
(This is a very early departure, so ask for a wake-up call from a friend, if necessary.)

PRACTICAL INFORMATION:
Lodging and food: We will be staying with families where you will be given warm breakfasts and dinners each day. Bring cold food for 2 lunches, and snacks. You will be able to buy some food in Kolozsvár on Sunday, and in a small village store in Kalotaszentkiraly. Do not count on buying film while in Transylvania, with the exception of Kolozsvár (Cluj).

Profs. Attila Lengyel will be joining us for the excursion.
Please be tidy and neat on the bus.

Clothing: Weather has been relatively warm during the day, but nights have been cool. We will be near high mountains, therefore, nights will be cold there; temperatures can drop to freezing. In general, temperatures in Transylvania can be a bit cooler than here in Budapest, but dressing in layers always works. If it is raining, we will be “ankle-deep” in mud. Have an extra pair of shoes and jeans in case you get wet. Just plan on having trying weather, and this is camping in the wilderness. Anything less dramatic will make us very-very happy. (IT WAS COOOOLD)

Your personal care package: You will have the possibility of using a bathroom with limited warm running water. (Remember, we will have 4-6 people staying per family, with one bathroom.) Bring your own towel and whatever you use. In some houses you might need to use „romantically” cold outhouses. (THE OUTHOUSE...NOT SO ROMANTIC)

Small gifts: I would like to suggest you bring some small gifts that you can give to your host families: chocolate bars, bubble gum, candies, a bag of coffee or tea, or some souvenirs from home. Your host housewife, but especially children in the families will be happy to receive something. Also, plan on having small kids running around you when you get off the bus (a tour bus will be an attraction in most cases), and you will feel happy to be able to give small pieces of chocolate or candy to those children.

Money: Bring money (HUF, USD or EURO) in smaller denominations. The sky is the limit when buying gifts of embroidered linens, wooden toys, wool sweaters, traditional clothing, pottery, hand-made dolls, carved chess sets, etc. You do NOT need to get lei (RON - Romanian currency) in Budapest. You will be able to change forint (or dollars, or euro) in Transylvania, and we will organize it for you. At the border, you can only exchange western currency to lei. Forint cannot be exchanged to lei at the border.

Drinks: Water is safe to drink in all the places where we will be, but you might want to bring your favorite brand of bottled water. Please remember, responsible drinking is expected from all of you. If you are offered palinka, or anything else, it is also OK to decline it, but it is definitely imperative that you do not abuse it. This will be especially crucial in the local village bar.

Food: If you have dietary restrictions, or just do not feel like trying new flavors, bring extra food or snacks with you, especially for the long ride on Friday. Please keep the bus tidy, though. There is no smoking on the bus.

Extra life-saving items: Toilet paper -- by all means, do not forget it. There will be outhouses to use in the villages and, very likely, only nature while traveling. If you have a flash-light, it will come handy in the dark to find the outhouse. If you are taking medication, bring it with you. If you wear contact lenses at home, you might want to switch to your glasses. Johnson and Johnson's baby wipes are available in supermakets, and they are handy to wipe your hands when there is no water nearby. Imagine that we are going camping. Well, almost.

One last word. Try to be very practical when you pack so that you can carry your own bag. Have a smaller bag (book bag) to take along during the day, as you will be able to leave all your other belongings in the house.

You will receive a map on which you may mark our travel route. Please note, that this is an ambitious plan but, as always, we need to be flexible should weather and/or local road conditions warrant adjustments.

Below is a tentative plan of our excursion.

FRIDAY:
It will take us approximately 8 hours to drive to Transylvania.

Királyhágó: (King’s Crossing or Royal Pass) At 582 m (about 1800 feet), we will cross into Transylvania proper.

Körösfeketetó (Negreni): The biggest and most famous one-week long country fair of Transylvania is held here during the time of our visit, and we will stop to spend a few hours to explore. You will be in the middle of huge crowds, so watch your belongings (money, camera, purse, and passport). (IT WAS COLD AND RAINY AND MUDDY)

You are on your own for late lunch or snacks here.

Kalotaszentkirály
By the evening, we will arrive to Kalotaszentkirály (Sincraiu), a Hungarian reformed Presbyterian (Calvinist) village of about 1300 people, including 200 orthodox Rumanians.

Dinner in Kalotaszentkirály.

SATURDAY: breakfast with your host family

Panyik (Paniceni): Orthodox Rumanian wooden church from the 18th century with 19th century frescoes. (Vadu Crisului) On the way back to our home village, we will stop at one of the most famous folk-art market center along the main road of the Kalotaszeg region.

Magyarléta or Felsőléta (Litenii-de-Sus) If weather permits, we will try to hike to the Fortress of Léta. Built in the 13th century after the Mongol invasion; the ruins are a sight to behold. (WEATHER DIDN'T PERMIT. WE VISITED A MUSEUM INSTEAD. AND THEN WE DRANK BEER)

Kőrösfő (Crisului) A Hungarian village famous for its folk-art markets. There are several small shops on the main road of the village, and it will be a good opportunity to buy gifts. It also has a picturesque church on a hillside, which is often marked as a symbol of Kalotaszeg.

Dinner in Kalotaszentkirály.

SUNDAY: Breakfast with your host family

Magyarvista (Vistea) In Magyarvista we visit the home of a family which has a rich Kalotaszeg-style decorated room and lots of traditional costumes typical of the Kalotaszeg area. By visiting two communities of the Kalotaszeg region, we will see the different style of costumes of the Kalotaszeg region. The embroidery of this village is probably the richest and most spectacular of all of Kalotaszeg. A sweet old woman, Kati néni still deals with embroidery, doll-making, and bead-jewellery (You may purchase souvenirs from her.) The men in the village deal with stone-carving, and you will see many houses decorated with sculptures of naïve artists.

Kolozsvár (Cluj): The multiethnic historic capital of Transylvania with nice architecture and splendid churches. Some of the highlights:

Saint Michael Roman Catholic Church: possibly the most beautiful gothic style church from the 14th century, place of many important historic events.

Equastrian Statue of King Matthias: Janos Fadrusz’ masterpiece from 1902.

Birthplace of King Matthias: a simple house with a gothic gate where King Matthias was born.

Reformed Presbyterian Church of Farkas Street: King Matthias had the church construction started in 1486 as his gift to the city. It was finished only in the 16th century. In front of it stands the copy of the Kolozsvári brothers’ (sculptors) statue of „Saint George killing the dragon.” The original is in the castle of Prague.

Dinner in Kalotaszentkirály.

MONDAY: Breakfast with your hosts, and saying good-bye.

Magyarvalkó (Valeni): Medieval gothic fortified reformed Presbyterian church in a beautiful landscape. The church is surrounded by a cemetery with special wooden carved grave posts.

On the last day there is always a huge animal market at the famous fair of Kőrösfeketetó. We will stop to see it.

Sebesvár: (Bologa) Transylvania and the Kalotaszeg regions’s frontier fortress built in the 13th century. Stopping here will be a fitting place to say „good-bye” to the Kalotaszeg region.

Estimated arrival in Budapest is around 9 p.m.

You will receive a map on which you may mark our travel route. Please note that this is an ambitious plan, but as always, we need to be flexible should weather and/or local road conditions warrant adjustments.

One final note: Please be cognizant of the fact that we are staying with families and not in commercial lodging facilities. Everything you will find in their homes is the fruit of their hard work of a lifetime. Therefore, please be tidy, be careful with their belongings, pick up after yourself upon leaving, and leave your shoes outside the door. Your behavior will definitely reflect on their opinion about Americans.

DO NOT FORGET YOUR PASSPORT!!!