12 Jun 2025
Bogdan patiently and comfortably drove us all over beautiful Romania to fulfill our list of fascinating sights. In hindsight, I wish we had skipped Bucharest and gone immediately to Brasov after Bogdan picked us up at OTP. Such a walkable charming city! I think he hinted this suggestion during our planning, but would never have pushed us to do something we didn't think we wanted to. He was very considerate of our wishes. We didn't understand just how much time it would take to travel between locations within our 5 days in Romania! As we learned about each other during those car rides through such lush countryside and mountains, we greatly appreciated Bogdan's gentle, subtle nudging from one amazing sight to the next to keep us on track. He also had obviously made long-standing relationships with fellow travel guides and local inn keepers and all seemed to greet each other warmly. He provided a local perspective of both Romania and Vlad Dracula, architecture and traditions, along with plenty of authentic pride in his country. At one point, I asked him when the Renaissance came to Romania, and his response was that, "Romania was the front line for invaders from the East, so it took longer for them to have time to appreciate the arts." I hadn't thought about it that way. And if there was anything he didn't know, he would always research the answer. Because of Bogdan, we had a relaxing, no-stress Romania experience and I highly recommend his tours!