RO: Despre Vatra Dornei nu se vorbeste prea mult. Se stie ca e undeva la capatul pamantului, acolo unde se atarna harta-n cui, si cam atat. Confuzia totala vine cand se ajunge la localizarea exacta, pentru ca surpriza… Dorna nu e in Moldova, e in Bucovina! Si vai si-amar de cel care spune unui bucovinean ca e moldovean, ca tare n-o sa-i ticneasca si tare o sa se mai otarasca, ca sa folosim si noi dialectul local. Cert e ca da, Vatra Dornei ne e draga de nu se poate si chiar daca n-am mai ajuns aici de mai bine de zece ani, toata zona are o insemnatate aparte pentru noi. Pai nu aici veneam noi an de an, la inceput de august, si nu aici ne petreceam vacantele de vara intr-o casuta mica tare din varf de deal la Dorna Arini? Si nu din curtea bunicii vedeam noi Barnarelul impanzit de paduri? Si nu bateam noi in lung si-n lat strazile din Saru Dornei, din Iacobeni sau Dorna Candrenilor? Si nu ne luam noi “apa tamaduitoare” de la izvor de la Poiana Negri? Asa ca da, ne leaga amintiri frumoase si sinceri sa fim, nu degeaba ii spune Dornei “Perla Bucovinei”! Pe cuvant de jumatate bucovineni ce suntem ca nu indrugam verzi si uscate! Vatra Dornei chiar merita o vizita si tare am vrea sa va convinga pozele de mai jos sa va incumetati la un drum de noua ore (mari si late) din Bucuresti 😀

EN: People don’t talk too much about Vatra Dornei. It is known that it is somewhere at the end of the Earth, where we pin the map on the wall, but that’s about it. Total confusion when it comes to precise location, because surprise… Dorna is not in Moldavia, but in Bukovina! And if someone dares to tell a person from Bukovina that he is a Moldavian, then please God have mercy on the poor bastard’s soul! One thing is for certain, we simply love Vatra Dornei and even though we haven’t been here for more than ten years, all this region has a really special meaning for us. We used to come here year by year, at the beginning of August, and we used to spend our summer vacations in a small house on top of the hill at Dorna Arini. Seeing the crest of Barnarel from our grandmother’s courtyard, wandering the streets of Saru Dornei, Iacobeni or Dorna Candrenilor or drinking mineral water from the spring at Poiana Negri. So yes, we have beautiful memories and honestly, there is no wonder why Vatra Dornei is called “The Perl of Bukovina”! Trust our word of half-Bukovinian that we’re telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth! Vatra Dornei is really worth a visit and we really hope that the pictures below will make you venture out for a nine hours drive from Bucharest 😀

RO: Si uite cum ne napadesc amintirile si vin toate buluc de nu stim cum sa le ordonam intai si-ntai. Padurea din spatele casei, de unde ne culegeam galeti intregi de fragi si zmeura, pe care apoi le mancam cu smantana grasa de nu cadea cand intorceai castronul si-o lingura generoasa de zahar. Bunica venind din varf de deal cu bidoanele de lapte taraite prin iarba inalta. Trezitul de dimineata ca sa facem fanul la Dosu’ Ulmului, cu mamaliga tare in traista si o bucata mare de cas proaspat, cu ceapa verde si apa adusa de la fantana. Datul la sapa la cartofii din gradina si dansul de balerina printre brazde, ca sa ne ferim de gandacii Colorado cei fiorosi. Beciul de sub bucataria de vara, plin de muraturi si vin de casa. Coacazele mov si grase din gradina, paltineii mititei cu care ne umpleam burtile in loc de pranz, usturoiul proaspat din gradina. Martoaga alba ce ducea caruta pana in varf de deal, urechelnitele din capitele de fan, greblele de lemn sprijinite de claile de fan, vacile inghesuite in grajd, gainile din cotet, oile din spatele casei. Gateala de duminica pentru mers la biserica, cu straie traditionale brodate manual de bunica, bundite si opinci. Iar iarna sumane calduroase. Pai cum sa nu cazi in borcanul cu melancolie si cum sa nu-ti lipseasca ulita mica si ingusta pe care abia-abia urcam Dacia 1310 pana-n curte?

EN: And look how the memories strike back and we simply don’t know how to put them in order. The forest from behind the house, where we used to pick up buckets full of wild strawberries and raspberries, which we then ate with such a thick sour cream that it did not fall when we were turning the bowl upside down and on top of that a generous spoon of sugar. Our grandmother coming from uphill carrying the milk cans through the high grass. Waking up in the morning to cut the grass from Dosu’ Ulmului, with crusty polenta in our bag and a big chunk of cow cheese, fresh green onion and water brought from the fountain. Plowing the potatoes from the courtyard and our ballet dancing through the lines, trying to stay away from the fiercely Colorado bugs. The cellar from underneath the summer kitchen, full of pickles and homemade wine. Purple cranberries from the garden which filled our bellies instead of lunch, the fresh garlic from the back yard. The white mare which took our carriage till the top of the hill, the earwigs from the haystacks, the wooden rakes backed on the grass reeks, the cows crammed in the barn, the chicken from the hen-coop, the sheep from behind the house. Getting fancy on Sunday mornings to go to the church, wearing traditional clothes manually embroidered by our grandmother, waistcoats and foot plates. And during winter some warmly coats. How not to feel blue and how not to miss the small and narrow alley where we could barely get into the courtyard with our ancient Dacia 1310? 

 

RO: Aaah, si mirosul acela de foc si trosnitul lemnelor in soba. Si linistea deplina din Vatra, si Bistrita involburata mergand la vale printre “chietroaiele” de rau. Si mandria oamenilor cand vine vorba de pamant, costumele traditionale purtate cu fala, gospodariile ingrijite ale oamenilor, mirosul de paine proaspata si colaci impletiti, abia scosi din cuptor in diminetile de iarna. Muntii acoperiti de paduri, cerul albastru, ninsorile ca in povesti, aerul curat de munte. Iarna e nebunie curata in Bucovina. Toate datinile si obiceiurile traditionale, mersul cu colindul si cu Plugusorul, festivalul de datini si obiceiuri din Vatra Dornei, uratul de Anu’ Nou, Sorcova de dupa revelion, Boboteaza. Unde mai pui ca poti si schia in Vatra Dornei, mai ieftin si mai putin aglomerat ca pe arhi-cunoscuta vale a Prahovei. Ba mai mult chiar, cica aici ar fi si cea de-a doua cea mai lunga partie din Romania, Dealu Negru, de 3000 de metri lungime. Sau Veverita, sau cele doua partii de la Parc. Si de ajungi aici pe timp de vara, te poti indura sa dai o tura pe Transrarau, un fel de Transfagarasean bucovinean, cu peisaje ca scoase din revista. Sau o plimbare cu mocanita Hutulca de la Moldovita. Sau manastirile din jur. O saptamana nu-i de-ajuns in Tinutul Dornelor si de-ar fi dupa noi, ne-am lua o luna intreaga sa batem in lung si-n lat toata Bucovina si-apoi si Maramuresul! Si de ne-o ramane un pic de timp, sa dam o fuga si pana la Iasi 🙂

EN: Aaaah, and that smell of fire and wood cracking in the stove. And the absolute tranquility from Vatra and the churning Bistrita river passing by the rolling stones. And the people’s pride when it comes to land, the traditional costumes worn with so much self-respect, the neat households, the morning smell of freshly baked bread and just taken out of the oven braided bagels. The mountains covered by forests, the blue sky, the fairy tale snowfalls, the fresh mountain air. Total madness in Bukovina during wintertime. All the customs and traditions, going to carol-singing at our neighbors, the customs and traditions Festival from Vatra Dornei, wishing from New Year’s Eve. Not to mention that you can also go skiing in Vatra Dornei, cheaper and less crowded than the way too crowded Prahova Valley. And even more than that, people say that here is the second longest skiing slide in Romania, Dealu Negru, having 3000m length. Or The Squirrel, or the two slides from the Park. And if you get here during summertime, you can try a tour on Transraraul, a kind of Bukovinian Transfagarasan, with taken out of a postcard landscapes. Or a ride with the narrow gauge railway Hutulca from Moldovita. Or the monasteries from around. One week is not enough the see the Land of Dorna and if you ask us, we would stay one entire month to wander around Bukovina and then Maramures! And if we would have some more time, we would for sure go to Iasi as well 🙂