Back in Black : photos of a Journey to TRANSYLVANIAN MUSEUMS

[Radu Transylvanicus]

As some of you might now by now, last two weeks I left California to journey back into my whereabouts homeland, Romania, more precisely Transylvania.
I did not mean to do much of a cultural visit but you cant avoid that neither, old school museums and Old World fashioned architecture are everywhere so I choused two museums , one in Oradea ( Hung. Nagyvarad / Germ. Grosswardein ) and one in Timisoara ( Hung. Temeschwar / Germ. Temesvar ). They are the city museums not arms and armor oriented so they are not the most representative but it will do for now until a further visit to the military museums or the former royal chateaux.
The main drawback in the museums of Romania remains the fact that you are forbidden to photograph exhibited artifacts in most museums as it was the case here which along with the fact I did not had a circular polarizing lens ( a ,,see trough glass window,, lens ) are the main factors that resulted into the almost disastrous pictures from inside as I was hiding my camera from any security guy and only some exhibit halls permitted that without risks.
Both cities of Oradea and Timisoara, like most places in Transylvania, besides Romanian, they have a strong if not equal historical influence of local Hungarian ( Szekely or Secui ) and German ( Sashi or Sachsen ) nations. Worth mentioning is the Turkish interference (no Turk minority ever) but as the omnipresent enemy and at times the conqueror they left their marks in social or material culture (certain weapons, pipe and tobacco, coffee and others). As you will see plenty of Ottoman blades lurking around the Austro-Hungarian ones.
As space permits I will do this photo-montage in two or more episodes due to the large number of photos. I hope you enjoy the architecture and statues too, I know I did ...
Mare Rosu, since you don’t travel much these days but I am sure you miss seeing the world outside the Georgian shell, its for you my kind friend :