Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The
Tatras
are the highest mountains
between the Alps and the Caucasus and
the range's rocky peaks are covered with
snow year-round. About 250km (150
miles) of trails and ski slopes delight hik-
ers and skiers.
In spite of a turbulent history and dra-
matic changes in its world standing,
Poland has maintained its culture, its
faith, and its sense of humor. Coupled
with the country's considerable natural
wonders, historical sites, and hospitality,
these elements are a potent combination
for tourists.
ROMANIA
Romania's history is marked by a legacy
of bloodthirsty leaders, one of whom
inspired the Count Dracula legend (Vlad
the Impaler) because of Vlad's cruel
method of killing his enemies, and
another (Nicolae Ceau
@
escu) who par-
layed personal excesses, repressive poli-
cies, and economic miscues to suck a
different sort of life force from the people
he governed. But the cold-blooded nature
of Romania's political leaders has never
been able to dull the beauty of the coun-
try and the warmth of its people.
Breathtaking scenery and traditional
values mark the rural heartland, while
Bucharest
boasts broad boulevards and a
sophistication that demonstrate why it
was once called the “Paris of the East.”
The contrasts between the lavish
architecture of the past and the ugly, util-
itarian face of the Ceau
@
escu era are per-
vasive throughout Bucharest.
Orthodox
churches
and
18th-century monasteries
are neighbors to concrete high-rises, a
dichotomy that also symbolizes Roma-
nia's current state of mind, an attitude
that still straddles the chasm between the
country's iron curtain past and its 21st-
century future.
Hotels in Bucharest are upgrading to
accommodate an expected influx of inter-
national guests; tour operators are plan-
ning ski trips and other excursions to
Romania's mountains for 2007 (Poiana
Brasov); and budget carrier Wizz Air is
planning service to Bucharest from Lon-
don-Luton three times per week starting
in 2007. At the same time, the country's
economy is struggling; some of its leaders
are under suspicion for war crimes; and
the European Union is nervous about the
politics of its Balkan member.
Romania's tourism board says the
country realized a 40% increase in visitor
traffic in 2005. But despite that positive
sign, the country has a long way to go to
catch up with industry accommodations
and service standards appropriate for an
international destination.
Romania's modern capital represents
just a small portion of this country that
covers about the same acreage as the state
of Oregon. Actually, most of Romania is
a “wild” country, terrain that has pockets
of primitive roads that can be difficult to
navigate, especially in winter.
Attractions include
Transylvania,
a
name that's recognizable to any horror-
movie fan because it is the birthplace of
the infamous Vlad, and by association the
home of filmdom's most famous vampire.
The
“Dracula Castle”
there is a popular
stop.
Romania is also home to the rugged
Carpathian Mountains,
the
Danube
Delta wetland ecosystem,
the amazing
painted monasteries of Bucovina,
countless
rural villages
untouched by
time for centuries, and a string of
Black
Sea resorts
that have always attracted a
crowd.
RUSSIAN FEDERATION
(MOSCOW & ST. PETERSBURG)
The Russian landscape depicted in the
film
Doctor Zhivago
was characterized by
vast expanses of snow-covered land dot-
ted with opulent palaces inhabited by
aristocrats and humble homes where
ordinary people lived. The discrepancy
between the haves and the have-nots in
Russia may not be as visual today, but an
