Day 68 | Dracula's Castle
Day 68, Brasov—Today we took a day trip to see Dracula’s Castle...officially named Bran Castle. This castle is said to be the one described in Bram Stoker’s book, Dracula, which is the story of a Transylvanian Count that lives in a castle perched on the side of a hill.
After an hour long bus ride, we arrived at a small touristy site that reminded us of Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. The smells of smoked meat, sounds of mountain music, and the sights of a market run by locals made us feel a little like we were in the Ozark mountains of America. That feeling went away as the path took us further up the hill past a scenic view of Bran, then up to Dracula’s Castle.
The castle wasn’t as eerie as I expected it to be. It actually seemed quite homey compared to the fancy palaces we’ve seen. I loved the small doorways, narrow staircases, and views outside the windows. This medieval castle has a long history of being used for protecting the people and being a residence for royal people (including the Hapsburgs from Austria). It was also used as a hospital during World War II. It was really neat to see this unique piece of history and legend.
After visiting the castle we walked around the town (until we got scared by a dog) then headed into a restaurant for a small lunch. We were again brought back to America as we listened to Garth Brooks while eating our pizza. It was kind of a strange experience. Haha!
It’s kind of funny to think that many people from around the world come see these unique sites. But to the people that live there, these places seem normal and probably are the way they make a living. It makes me think of the unique places that we all live in. We may not have Dracula’s Castle at our back door, but we all have something unique that we could explore and learn about. Maybe the history of a statue we walk by everyday. Or a historical landmark an hour away that we’ve heard about but never taken the time to see. Or maybe there is a lake or a trail or a mountain or a view that could be explored. Or just admire the beauty of old rundown buildings.
It’s easy for us to overlook what seems normal to us. I know I do not take advantage of what I have at home enough...but I hope to do better when we get back:)
