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August 21, 2019  |  By Dan Chitila In Photography, Travel

Locals and crafts in Romania

Locals in Maramures

In this blog post we will talk about locals and crafts in Romania.

If you travel in Romania you will be surprised to see that this is a country where you can still meet craftsmen. Meeting locals, interacting with them, and watching them do their work, is worth it.

Traditions always played a big part in Romania’s history and culture. From early days, locals did pottery, knitting, spinning wool, designed carpets, wooden gates, and all kids of items necessary for the everyday life.

Why are traditions so important?

Life started in the rural areas and it was pretty basic. From there, it developed continuously and with it, local crafts started to grow slowly. In the rural areas in Romania, everybody knew how to do something; and locals still do. For instance, spinning wool, designing clothes and carpets, making pottery, making local brandy. All these have been passed from generation to generation. This is the basis for the culture of a country.

Locals and crafts go well hand in hand. The locals who know how to do stuff can be found everywhere in Romania. You just have to know how to look for them.

Locals and crafts in Maramures

If you travel in Maramures for instance, you will find craftsmen who make wooden gates and palinca (plum brandy). But that is not all. You will also meet the woman who is spinning wool, Floarea (she is 85 years old). Or, you will meet locals who can tell you stories about how they worked in the coal mine for years and years. Everything is very captivating.

One thing worth doing in Maramures is going to the local fair in Sugatag. There you will see how people meet and talk and sell, and negociate, clothes…and animals. Everything is very lively and it is a true experience. You might even buy some handmade clothes from the locals. The custom says that after you buy, as a thank you, the seller will offer you some money for coffee :).

Book our tour in Maramures here!

The local fair is a real treat for any photographer. The locals will usually wear traditional clothes (it is a fair, right?) and they will try to get the best price for almost anything. This is also a social thing. People from the area of Maramures meet there for a drink and some grilled pork. Sounds good, right?

One thing you definitely should not miss in Maramures is the food! There are plenty of good places to eat in Maramures but it is always good to know the right people. Like this lady here :).

A good meal deserves a good drink too. Plumb brandy is on every table, in Maramures. Some people, like this old man, will challenge you for a palinca roulette!

To be continued!

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Dan

 

My name is Dan, full-time tour and mountain guide and owner of Outdoor Activities in Romania.
A long time ago I heard that if you really want something and you strongly believe in this, the whole Universe starts to conspire in your favour. My dream was to become a guide and have the privilege of showing other people the beautiful places that I’ve seen in Romania.
Now, I do what I like and I like what I do. For me, this is as good as it gets.
The plan for Outdoor Activities in Romania started in 2012, as an idea meant to bring memorable travel experiences to the people who want to discover the authentic Romania. The idea turned into a spark, and the spark turned into a flame.
I started my story with an old backpack, too small for the dreams and plans I wanted to fulfill, and with a pair of mountain boots too tired for the trips I had in mind.
Over the next three years, my backpack changed a few times and my mountain boots took different sizes. Some things though, remained the same, and those are my passion for hiking, climbing, photography, visiting and discovering the traditional Romanian villages, meeting new people and having a drink at the local pub.
In 2015, I founded Outdoor Activities in Romania, a company that offers guided tours in Romania….with an active twist! Before that, I guided groups around the country, advocating for the varied and stunning landscapes my country has to offer.
I met and served tourists from the UK, USA, Thailand, Japan, Australia, Israel, Belgium, Holland, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, Hong Kong, Jordan, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia.

I am Cristina and I own a degree in French and German Philology. I consider myself a good communicator, so I quickly realized that languages are a means of exchanging ideas and knowledge with people visiting Romania. I love my country so that’s why I invested time and energy in studying art, history and geography. Ever since I was little, I would interact with foreign visitors in my hometown or just friends who came from other places, and I took a lot of pleasure in showing them around and telling them stories and legends about the region.
Later on, I understood I had to put all these passions in practice and building something more valuable so I completed two courses – one four a tour guide and one for a mountain guide. I have always believed that travelling around the world helps you understand life and people better and become more empathetic. During my studies and previous work, I had a lot of contact with foreigners so whenever I accompany them to visit my country, it fills me up with joy to see how much they enjoy it and the fact that they discover us from a new perspective. Romania is beautiful in many ways, and I am not saying you should visit it just because it’s my country; I strongly believe that whatever your interests and curiosities are, – mountains, birds, waters, fish, wine, monasteries, villages off the beaten track, craft art – you will find it here.
I can’t wait to meet you and show all that!

Jessica

 

I’m an adventurer at heart. It doesn’t matter if you drop me in a forest, jungle, mountain or at the beach. When I’m surrounded by nature I’m the best version of myself. Originally I’m from the Netherlands, but I feel more like a world citizen since I lived in a lot of other countries as well. I studied journalism and since 2014 I work as a content creator, mainly in the travel and leisure industry. I’m capturing stories with interviews, writing, photography and video – or a combination of that all!

 

 

Alexandra

 

Passionate about beautifulness, the internet and communities. I have been on-line for 20 years. We will do beautiful things together, and everything will run like clock-work!

Carmina

 

With an experience of over 14 years in tourism field, Carmina worked in different travel agencies and in the last 7 years she has dedicated her time to work with various travel companies(travel agencies, accommodation units, equitation centres and tour companies) on developing business and marketing strategies as well as organizing different events for them. 

Besides her work as a consultant for travel companies, Carmina is a travel writer, has a travel blog – TravelwithaSmile.net – and works on marketing campaigns for promoting different countries like Romania, Austria and Thailand. Also you may find some of her work in National Geographic Traveler (Romania) magazine.

Manu

 

When I’m not in the mountains with the tourists you can find me teaching yoga, running marathons, doing fitness and basically…living healthy. Till the age of 27, I have traveled over 50 countries and visited more than 250 cities/places all over the world. It is part of my professional culture to be very close to the tourist and pay attention to details. I am always looking forward to adapt the tours for an unforgettable experience.  

Romania is a very beautiful country. By working in collaboration with Outdoor Activities, I have the chance to discover and promote the hidden treasures.  

Looking forward to meeting you on our tours!