Moldova 2023 Project
Impromptuishly,we headed across the Prut River again! I’m gathering the feelings, joy, andsuggestions here!
On the way there
Naturally,we stopped.
We visited friends
Itwas lovely and recharging to seeIza, Sebi, and Casi.
Podul Înalt
Accordingto mainstream history, Ştefan cel Mare [Stephen the Great] defeated the Turkisharmy here on 10.01.1475. The battle memorialis under construction, but we enjoyed the overall energy of the place and thefluffy dogs around.
Don’t forget
- thatLeuşeni-Albiṭa, for instance, has joint customs as of14.04.2023 (we experienced both the separate and the joint process)
- topay for the vignette
Selemet
Itbecame my favourite village in Moldova. It has so much soul and I am happy thatwe chose to stay here for two nights.
Where to sleep?
Atthe B&B of lovely mother and daughter – Larisa and Mădălina – team, La Mădălina. Traditional, colourful,trailblazer.
Around—
The old church inSelemet– one of the oldest in Moldova; it was magical, especially at Easter time
Beşalma Village, with itsmuseum and old wooden mill
Not to miss!
The food at La Mădălina, where a team of verytalented women create wonders!
Gura Galbenei, where luthier Nicolae Dron and his sons makeart. Marcel ordered a cobza.
Chişcăreni
Oneof the most beautiful views in Moldova was in Chişcăreni. In the rain. It willalways stay in my heart.
Around—
Stephen’s Oak – a scenic area nearScoreni, with dense forest and a countryside feeling... plus a new cat friend
Divin – fine brandy madein Călăraşi; while you can’t tour the factory at the moment, the official storeis a nice experience!
Not to miss!
The house of potterZaharia Triboiand his wonderful wife Eugenia – youcan buy rare black pottery in Cioreşti,as well as have pottery classes. You’ll love the jokes and wise words of yourhosts.
Chişinău
Myfirst time in Chişinău was back in 2012; my second – in 2019. Did it change?Yes, but its energy felt the same.
Where to sleep?
Ourtrip wasn’t supposed to include a stopover in Chişinău. Our plans changed,however, and we chose to sleep at TulipResidence & Spa Hotel. The spa wasn’t working, but we loved the staff[they even made kind suggestions on where to have dessert], the welcome, andthe location of the hotel.
Where to eat?
Korjik was nice for dinner– and you can also find vegetarian dishes.
Tucano was my first lovein Chişinău. I am happy to have drinks or grab a bite at one of the cafés inthe chain whenever I’m in the city. This time around, it was lunch at Tucano Brazil and it was splendid –from the dessert to the friendliness of the guy who took care of us. J
Around—
Ifinally took my friend Eugenia’sadvice and went to stroll around Valea Morilor; it was raining and cold, but it felt cosy, even though it’s amuch larger version of Lake Noua, where I live. Marcel and I finally found the Little Prince, the smallest public statue in Moldova, had a hotbeverage from Bonjour Café, and madea dog friend.
Aswe were set to see and paddle the Dniester River, we ended up driving to Vadul lui Vodă, a peaceful place withgreat river beaches. The rain came, but we’ll return.
Souvenirs, anyone?
Ilove local products. It’s how we encourage people to go on doing what theylove, at home.
Sweetsfrom Bucuria are simply joy – as thename goes. My favourite treats? Sufleu and Chişinăul de Seară with sourcherries.
Thecosmetics from Viorica are fabulous!Yes, I can order them to Braşov, too, but I found many more products inChişinău (and I knew about them!).
Not to miss!
Ceramica Triboi is a place full of tranquillity, colours, and creativity. Violetta andAdrian are delightful artists; wecould have talked for hours. Their son Ştefanis very playful and cute and I’m sure that he’d follow in their footsteps.
Ifyou have friends in Chişinău, takeyour time and visit them. I finally met Natalia face to face and was able tohug her.
Purcari
Farin the east, you’ll find hills and joy packaged in bottles. J
Where to sleep?
Ina barrel, of course! It’s one of thefew places in the world where you can do that.
Where to eat?
Thewinery’s restaurant offers exquisitefood, both international and traditional.
Not to miss!
Takethe tour and book it ahead. We chosethe Classic package – and I fell in love with the sparkling wine.
Note: 1 night wasspent in Tiraspol, but I wish to deal with it in a separate article becausethere are many things to say and the energy of that specific stay wouldn’t bein line with the energy of this article.
On the way back
Wegot accustomed to breaks. Even in the rain, we decided to stop in—
Zaim
Itis where the memorial house of AlexeiMateevici is situated. Its guided tour is a whirlwind of culture.
Bârlad
Coffeeroute581 serves someextraordinary coffees and hot chocolates. With a smile. And you need not take adetour.
Thistrip has a special place in my heart. I understood so many things! It was myfavourite time over a river that doesn’t separate but unites.
