These are pictures I made during a commissioned project where I walked for 400 Km across 18 days on Via Transilvanica, a 1400 km long trail that cuts deep into the Romanian rural areas.
90 years old Marta, selling raspberries home made cookies and jam, outside the Cell of Saint Daniil the Hermit, in Putna village.
Albertina, Nicu and their middle sister, greeting travelers somewhere between Sucevița and Vatra Moldoviței.
Group of cow herders climbing from Vatra Moldoviței towards their cattle fold, carrying a big speaker for the after work party.
Woman returning from the the groceries store in Vatra Moldoviței
74 years old cow herder Vasile, giving travelers directions, somwhere between Vatra Moldoviței and Sadova.
Somewhere between Vatra Moldoviței and Sadova, Dorin and his helper Ilie, run the biggest cattle fold in the area.
Dorin, welcoming travelers on Via Trasnilvanica with fresh cheese.
Nicolae is visiting his friends and taking a lunch break after picking up blueberries.
Dorin, Nicolae and Ilie, finishing their coffee break.
Ilie, preparing a blueberry, sugar and milk snak
Nicolae, holding his bluberry picking comb and getting ready to leave towards his cattle fold
Young cow hearder at the outskirts of Sadova village.
Young man cutting fire wood in his yard. Fundu Moldovei, Suceava.
Ion, taking a break after mowing the lawn on his property. Sadova, Suceava.
Women waiting for the bus. Fundu Moldovei, Suceava.
Man sweeping the road in front of his house. Fundu Moldovei, Suceava.
Man carrying firewood he gathered in the woods around Fundu Moldovei village.
Young man chopping firewood while beeing assisted by his grandpa. Fundu Moldovei, Suceava.
Vasile Napoleon, returning from a funeral where he was giving a helping hand. Poiana Stampei, Suceava.
Woman carrying groceries and waiting for the bus. Poiana Stampei, Suceava.
Woman and child smiling at travelers on Via Transilvanica. Poiana Negri, Suceava.
Man, greeting travelers on Via Transilvanica while moving haystacks with his tractor, somwhere between Lunca Ilvei and Piatra Fântânele, Bistrița-Năsăud.
Dancs abc grocery store owner in Inlăceni village, Hargita.
Ulke and Kovacks posing with Ulke's horse. Inlăceni, Harghita.
Group of cow herders and their cows returning from the hills near Atia village in Harghita.
Man greeting travelers on Via Transilvanica trail in Firtușu, Harghita.
Familly in Firtușu village, Hargita.
Woman resting in her yard in Firtușu village, Hargita.
Woman greeting travelers on Via Transilvanica. Firtușu, Hargita.
Dad having fun with his kids on the streets of Lupeni village in Harghita.
Ana lives with her husband at the edge of Dealu village in Harghita. They moved here 20 years ago, coming from Gorj, after the coal mines got closed. Life was hard for them ever sice, but now as Via Transilvanica trail passes right near their house they hope to build a guest house for the travelers and make a better life for themselfs.
Bernat, lives alone at the edge of Tămașu village in Harghita. He is of hungarian decent, but he prefers the company of his romanian friends as he sais his comunity does not treat him very well. He's holding in his hand the military booklet he obtained in 1978, when he was recruited to serve in the security forces of comunist Romania.
Women walking in Sânpaul, Harghita.
Lotzi lives in his trailer over the summer, taking care of cows somwhere between Mărtiniș and Dârjiu in Hargita county.
Group of kids hanging out on the side of the main road in Iașu village, Harghita.
Kid cycling on the main road in Iașu, Harghita.
Father and son resting in the shade, outside of their house in Ulieș, Mureș.
Girl smiling at travelers on Via Transilvainca outside her house in Ulieș, Mureș.
On the hills around Dârjiu village in Mureș county, Cristina and her brother Chobi are hearding the cows of their comunity.
Before 1989, Constantin had a better life and did not miss anything, as he was the keeper of the local Agricultural Production Cooperative in Archita, Mureș. After the comunism regime fell, he lost his job and started drinking alot. His wife left him as he became violent and his daughter emigrated in Spain, but she still visits him once a year. Now at age 78, he lives alone struggling with everyday life and feelings of regret.
Group of people hanging out outside the local store in Roadeș village, Brașov.
Marcela is the local store owner in Roadeș, Brașov.
Woman chatting with her niece on the phone, outside her house in Cloașterf, Mureș.
Lucian and Irimia are best friends and local handymen in Saschiz village, Mureș
Marinel, posing in his pottery workshop in Saschiz, Mureș
Anca and Charlie met in 2005, in Sibiu, when they were both studens. She was tasked by one of her teachers to help Charlie accomodate as he was coming from France with an Erasmus scholarship. They fell in love and, a year before finishing their studies, they decided to move to Saschiz, where Anca was born, to rebuild the house she inherited from her grandparents. Now Charlie has a woodwork shop in Saschiz and togheter they run a guesthouse and a dog shelter, while beeing very involved in the Saschiz comunity.
Matilda left Romania in the 90's with most of the saxons that lived in Daia village. She couldn't adapt in Germany so she soon came back as she was missing her home. Although she loves her house, now she regrets coming back as Daia is mostly depopulated and she is the last living saxon in the village.
80 years old Brândus, resting in the shade at one of few the local stores in Daia, Mures. She was on her way home, to feed the saw that just gave birth to piglets. Asked about the saxons in the village she said she admired them as they were hard working people but they would get along as cats and mice.
AND THESE ARE PICTURES I MADE
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