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.

307-VBSR8155_6
308-VBSR8027_5_1
309-VBSR8291_2_1
Woman returning from the the groceries store in Vatra Moldoviței
310-VBSR8226_1

 

316-VBSR8361_2
312-VBSR8348_3
311-VBSR8600_1
74 years old cow herder Vasile, somwhere between Vatra Moldoviței and Sadova.
304-VBSR8623_1
 
354-VBSR8758_6
Somewhere between Vatra Moldoviței and Sadova, Dorin and his helper Ilie, run the biggest cattle fold in the area.
VBSR8682_4-3

Dorin, welcoming travelers on Via Transilvanica with fresh cheese.

315-VBSR8711_2

Nicolae, holding his bluberry picking comb and getting ready to leave towards his cattle fold

317-VBSR9066_3

Young man cutting fire wood in his yard. Fundu Moldovei, Suceava.

356-VBSR8935_4

Ion, taking a break after mowing the lawn on his property. Sadova, Suceava.

273-VBSR9078_1

Women waiting for the bus. Fundu Moldovei, Suceava.

274-VBSR9108_3

Man sweeping the road in front of his house. Fundu Moldovei, Suceava.

275-VBSR9104_4
Man carrying firewood he gathered in the woods around Fundu Moldovei village.
322-VBSR9111_5
Young man chopping firewood while beeing assisted by his grandpa. Fundu Moldovei, Suceava.
301-DSCF1105_3
280-DSCF0262_3

Vasile Napoleon, returning from a funeral where he was giving a helping hand. Poiana Stampei, Suceava.

282-DSCF2675_1
Ulke and Kovacks posing with Ulke's horse. Inlăceni, Harghita.
283-DSCF2581_1
Group of cow herders and their cows returning from the hills near Atia village in Harghita.
285-DSCF2736_2
Man greeting travelers on Via Transilvanica trail in Firtușu, Harghita.
284-DSCF2732_1
Woman greeting travelers on Via Transilvanica. Firtușu, Hargita.
357-DSCF2731_2
358-DSCF3064_2
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.
287-DSCF3588_1
Women walking in Sânpaul, Harghita.
288-DSCF3737_1
 
290-DSCF3843_3
Lotzi lives in his trailer over the summer, taking care of cows somwhere between Mărtiniș and Dârjiu in Hargita county.
289-DSCF3740_3
Kid cycling on the main road in Iașu, Harghita.
294-DSCF4098_4
Father and son resting in the shade, outside of their house in Ulieș, Mureș.
291-DSCF3975_2
On the hills around Dârjiu village in Mureș county, Cristina and her brother Chobi are hearding the cows of their comunity. 
292-DSCF4185_4
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.  
296-DSCF4322_2
Marcela is the local store owner in Roadeș, Brașov.
297-DSCF5022_5
Woman chatting with her niece on the phone, outside her house in Cloașterf, Mureș.
298-DSCF5168_2
Lucian and Irimia are best friends and local handymen in Saschiz village, Mureș
299-DSCF5291_1
Marinel, posing in his pottery workshop in Saschiz, Mureș
303-DSCF5449_4
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.
300-DSCF5428_8
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.
302-VBSR8382_1