Romania

Bucharest, Romania. Another bad-guy lair: these webpages are full of 'em. This one belonged to (note the past tense) Nicolae Ceausescu. He was a brutal communist dictator that ruled Romania as a puppet state under the USSR. This massive building was going to be his home and his office. It has 1,100 rooms and is the largest civilian building in the world. And it's mostly empty. Projects like this bankrupted a nation and put Nicolae in front of a firing squad.

A dictator's-eye view from the main balcony of the building shown above. This is where Ceausescu had planned to give speeches to his "adoring" masses in the huge plaza below. He never lived long enough to do it.

Bucharest today. Much more peaceful, I'm sure, than back in the communist days. It's still a weird mix of plain/ugly Soviet-style buildings and more elaborate classic European architecture. Graffiti adds some color to what was once a gray city.

Out of the city and into the Romanian countryside. There are ancient fortresses like this one on mountaintops all over the region.

Brasov, Romania. Brasov is a cute little village, great for cafe-hopping. It's out in the Transylvanian Alps. But these Alps are not scary at all, in spite of the name.

"Dracula's Castle", Romania. The proper name of this place is "Bran Castle" and the ties to Dracula are mostly imaginary. But the locals don't let those inconvenient facts get in the way of a good story and a few $$$.

This is a very historic and interesting castle to tour, Dracula aside. Just beware of all the touristy kitsch that surrounds it!

Enter if you dare!!

Poiana Tapului, Romania. Peles Castle is another interesting sight in the Transylvanian Alps.

Above: If the castle looks a little German that's because it is. So what's it doing here? Go find out!

Right: They start their "princesses" out a little young.

Bucharest, Romania. One way to save money on a roof, along a row of bars & restaurants in Bucharest.

Rural Romania. A castle-eye view of the Romanian countryside through a cannon portal.