B

Most of Europe has a mixed up national history and Bras0v rates right up there when complex past is considered. Until recently, until the fall of communism opened the way to mass emmigration, Brasov (pronounced as if it were Brashov) was essentially a German town. A German town, that without once being geographically displaced, was once part of Hungary and then part of Romania, once again part of Hungary, and again, and maybe finally in Romania.

While we were there the town was holding a two-day beer festival, called Brasov Days, and so the main square was quite filled with people. It was here that we had one of our few encounters with beggars. An old lady approached us and asked if we spoke German.  When Jan replied yes, she went on to beg money saying that she was of German origin and was in an old folk’s home because her husband and children had died. She claimed that the home didn’t give her anything to eat and obviously hoped that as Germans, we would feel impelled to help her out. She didn’t look ill or underfed, so it was hard to know if it was true. In the end Jan didn’t give her anything, suggestng gently instead that she go to the church nearby to ask for help. 
 

It's rare these days that we come across some food that is so novel that we don't even know what it is. Before reading on look at the photo and see if you can guess what is being made (that is just to throw you off; it is being cooked).  At first we didn't know if it was animal, vegetable or mineral. But some watching showed it was made by wrapping a flour pancake or crepe around a wooden roller and then dipping it in sugar. It was slowly rotated over a charcoal fire and in a few minutes cooked. There were great lines of people waiting for them. We guess that it is a "once a year" treat very closely associated with the festival. 
 
 

On our last day we took a hike up to the White Tower and got an especially good view of the 15th century church that dominates the center of town. In fact, until just over 100 years ago the town hardly extended beyond the immediate vicinity of the church.