Brasov, Romania – Charming Town in the Carpathian Mountains

On June 18, 2020June 18, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Romania12 Comments

When visiting Transylvania in Romania, Brasov is the perfect city to stay while touring the surrounding area. It is only a few hours by train from the capital of Bucharest and the people are friendly, there are plenty of local restaurants, and the town has a few wonderful sightseeing options. Although we visited in the winter, it is perfect place to go during the summer when you can go hiking in the surrounding mountains. One of our favorite things about Brasov is the unique architecture that you can find throughout the historic city. Whether it is the town hall, the Black Church, the White Tower, or Saint Nicholas Church, it is almost as if you can find a different architectural style around every corner.

Historic Area with Saint Nicholas Church

Town Square with the Black Church in the Distance

The hotel that we stayed at during our visit was located right in the central square where the town hall is located. We arrived just shortly after Christmas and the market had just ended, but the large tree in the square was still lit at night creating an almost magical atmosphere. The Biserica Neagră, or Black Church, dominates the skyline of the town and is definitely not your typical gothic cathedral. Built in the 14th century by the German community that lived in the area at the time, it is one of the largest churches in the country. Most striking is the bell tower with colorful clocks on two of its sides.

To see some truly interesting architecture, you should definitely go to Catherine’s Gate and Saint Nicholas Church. Catherine’s Gate was built as part of the town’s fortification in 1559 after the original gate was destroyed by a flood in 1529. It is named after a monastery that existed in the area and is one of the many medieval structures that still exist in Brasov today. Although not as large as the Black Church, Saint Nicholas Church is truly fascinating to see. Built in the 15th century and then later decorated in the Baroque style, it looks as if it could have come directly out of a fairy tale.

In addition to enjoying the charm of Brasov, there are plenty of things to do in the surrounding area. From Bran Castle, which is reportedly associated with Vlad the Impaler, to the Church Fortifications, and the mountain resorts with skiing and hiking, Brasov is the perfect location to use to explore Transylvania. Be sure to go to a local restaurant and enjoy some of the cabbage rolls that the region is known for. Our time in Brasov was definitely the highlight of our trip to Romania.

Hummingbird Moths in Colorado

On June 15, 2020June 15, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Colorado8 Comments

Generally speaking, we are not a fan of moths as they are not usually as colorful or pretty as butterflies. That doesn’t mean that we haven’t seen some that are quite interesting, even if still a little disturbing. Perhaps it is because moths often fly out of dark places when disturbed that make them even more freaky in addition to their furry bodies. We did, however, have a visitor come to our patio this past week that was both a little creepy and yet interesting, it was a hummingbird moth. We had never heard of such a thing until we saw one in our yard and looked it up on the internet.

After a long day of working on our yard, we sat out on our patio to relax at the end of the day. We have a couple of honeysuckle plants at the edge of our patio that will often attract hummingbirds to our yard. As it had gotten dark, we were preparing to go inside when we saw what looked like a hummingbird buzzing around one of the honeysuckle plants, but we knew that a hummingbird wouldn’t be at out in the dark. We took our phones a took a couple of photographs, but the pictures weren’t able to capture any detail. It was clear that it was a moth, but that was all that we could discern.

Photograph from Our Phone. It Looks Like an Alien and You Can See How Long the Tongue Is.

Later in the week, we had a couple more hummingbird moths show up and drink nectar from the honeysuckle plants, so we grabbed our actual camera. We were able to capture the moths and actually see their colorful wings. That doesn’t mean that they aren’t still a little creepy when you see them buzzing around in the dark, but at least we know that they aren’t as ugly as we had first thought when all we had were shadowy images. Have you ever seen a hummingbird moth before and, if so, what did it look like?

It Looks Like It Is Going to Give the Flower a Hug

Beer and Wine Around the World

On May 22, 2020 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes, Travel Tips, Wine_Beer_CocktailsLeave a comment

We have always been advocates for eating local foods when traveling, but we equally believe in trying the local wines and beers. Wine tastings are a great way to try a variety of wines and get a true sense of what the region has to offer. Likewise, many cities have their own beer varieties which are specific to that location or are brewed just for the season. Some places are obvious locations to try certain things, like beer in Germany or wine in France, but you can find local varieties in places that might surprise you, such as Iceland or Egypt.

Wine Purchased from a Wine Tasting in Strasbourg, France

It isn’t just about trying different varieties of beer and wine, it is also about going to the places where locals like to gather with friends and family to relax and have a drink or two. There is something special about the atmosphere of a historic pub that is just warm and welcoming. Going to places like the Brazen Head in Dublin, Ireland’s oldest pub, can be as interesting of an experience as visiting the famous sights in a city. If you take the time to chat with the owners, you just might find yourself having a drink with them while learning more about the city and the best of the local wine and beer to try.

We don’t believe that there are set rules about what pairs well with certain types of food as we think that it all depends upon your taste. As long as you choose something that you enjoy, it will likely taste good with your meal. There isn’t anything wrong with having a red wine or beer with fish or white wine with something with a robust flavor such as duck. The one exception might be for desserts where a sweeter wine certainly makes some sense, but on the rare occasions that we eat dessert, we usually just have a normal glass of wine.

If you add in the different festivals that happen throughout the year, but especially around the holidays, there are even more opportunities to taste local favorites. You don’t have to be in Munich to celebrate Oktoberfest and you can probably find someplace close to you to enjoy this annual celebration. Wherever you travel, you should take advantage of the local libations, including specialty drinks in addition to the local beers and wines. We enjoyed so many different drinks during our travels, but Apfelwein in Frankfurt might be close to the top of our list. Do you have a favorite beer, wine, or drink experience?