Snow in Romania: a white dream

Forget about Dracula. If there’s something that leaves deep-rooted memories to anyone visiting Romania, that’s the natural landscapes (check this post!)

And when the snow falls, the sceneries change altogether. It’s this magic happening when a white mantle covers the surroundings and turns Romanians happy. At least that’s how the Romanians that I know are. I have met no exception.

There is this craving for snow. I know someone craving for four meters high snow, just for the thought of retreating home with her husband to cuddle together next to the fireplace while watching the snow fall outside the window (this image is warmer than a hot tea, isn’t it?).

Romanians can always compare the current days with those days, the ones when it used to snow so much that every day was a fairytale. Back then there was a lot of community work – each resident was responsible with one day of removing the snow in front of the apartment building. My father would use a broom each morning to take off the snow that had fallen on the car during the night. Speaking of whom (my father), every winter when I go home he recalls the five-km road trip he made with his grandpa pulling him on a sled through the snow. He remembers it was during a cold harsh night. His grandpa was cheerfully singing and whistling all the way. Only when they arrived home did his grandpa tell him that he was afraid of the wolves that would often climb down to the main road, that’s why the “careless” singing and whistling – to conceal his fear.

Snow revives the child within. I remember walking with my mouth opened to catch snowflakes when I was thirsty of too much playing in the playground. We’d go visiting and always take the sled with us. Sometimes ice would form under the layer of snow and that was a signal the cool kids could take out their ice skates. We’d build little snowmen on cars. We’d build big snowmen in the parks. We’d play a game of building snow bunkers and divided in teams we’d cast snow balls at one another. The only time I hated snow was when I went to school and boys would eagerly wait to rub snow into the girls’ faces. I’m sure that in the back of their minds it was more of a playful tease. But boys, you should know that hurt a lot sometimes…

Dreaming of snow. During our one week stay in Romania, we checked the weather forecast every day. Not to mention Edgar had been very impatient too since he’s not used to it in Portugal. Snow is for some what sea is to others. I woke up every morning with the first sunrise just to glance through the window to check if it snowed, then went back to sleep. Every day. All I could see was a patch of snow on the mountains in the far. The fifth day a silent heavy snow was falling outside the window. I woke up and found myself yelling uncontrollably: “Ningeee!” (It’s snowiiing!). Edgar said it was his best morning wake-up call.

Those smoking chimneys with clouds of black smoke contrasting the white snow…And the sound of snow under the boots: crunch crunch crunch, and the unmistakable smell of dry cold…These unique memories we retain would not happen if it wasn’t for this crazy white thing called snow.

Then there are all the beautiful mountain resorts that we will talk about in another chapter=another winter.

Go to Romania during winter, to experience by yourself the magic of one moment being in one world and the next moment in another one. Make sure you stay long enough! These days are not those days. 🙂 For now, we leave you with some white rural sceneries…