Photo credit: (c) Ioan ROSCA / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

The Voinesti inhabitants boast of this variety and of the fact there are foreigners, especially Hungarian and Polish people, expressing interest in this variety.

Although the “Frumosul de Voinesti” is appreciated and famous, the locals often complain that it’s a difficult apple to grow, which is why many of them have opted for disease-resistant varieties.

”It is a medium to large fruit, bearing red stripes over a yellow background. It’s a tasty and fragrant fruit. It ripens in early September. Unfortunately it is very sensitive, especially to scab, which is the biggest problem in apple plantations that is why this variety became less popular. For the same reason, the locals gave up growing this variety. It is a scab-sensitive variety, it is necessary to apply a large number of treatments, which are expensive, financially speaking, it’s no longer cost effective,” Director of the Voinesti Fruit Tree Growing Research and Development Station, Daniel Comanescu said.

Neither the station cultivates the Frumosul de Voinesti anymore, it can be found only in the variety collection. The Voinesti tree growing unit includes a collection of over 70 apple varieties, being Romania’s most important genetic base for fruit varieties.

”Frumosul de Voinesti is no longer used either in our plantations, because there is no interest, it’s not cost—effective. And because of climate change, the scab spreads widely due to humidity. Given the high rainfall amounts this year, believe me, tress are very affected. There are a few who remained nostalgic, me included, I still have about 100 apple trees of this variety, I like them a lot, these apples are really flavoured and tasty. I don’t believe the name Frumosul de Voinesti was registered with the Romanian State Office for Inventions and Trademarks. The station deals with big financial problems, so we cannot do much about it. We were not able either to register the apple varieties developed by the tree growing station after 2000,” Comanescu also said.

He argues that many fruit growers have replaced the Frumosul de Voinesti with new disease-resistant varieties.

”It was replaced by the locals with new varieties, such as Florina, Golden, Real, which are developed at the same station, Remar, other Golden varieties. The Ionatan variety is also near extinction, because it’s a difficult to grow variety,” says Comanescu.

To promote the Frumosul de Voinesti and their organic apple juices, each year the locals organize the Apple Fair in the autumn. They put up for sale fruit varieties, cars and agricultural equipment, organic apple juices and traditional products.

The local producers tried to promote the Frumosul de Voinesti in partnership with a retail chain interested in selling the apple varieties grown in the region. Talks have so far concluded with no clear outcome.

The Voinesti fruit growers are known for their products in the big agri-food markets across the country. They sell their apples especially in markets from Targoviste, Bucharest and Brasov.

Photo credit: (c) Ioan ROSCA / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

Fruit growing made Voinesti stand out for decades, especially apple cultivation. Almost every household in Voinesti includes an apple orchard.

Last year, the Voinesti fruit tree growing station got an ownership title for a 91 ha area. When founded, the area stretched over 580 ha, but a large part of the land was returned to its rightful owners.

More than 60 years ago, when it was founded, the Voinesti fruit tree growing station covered an area of about 580 hectares, but in 2000 a large part of the land was given back to the former landowners. Last year, the property title of the Station was drawn up for an area of 91 ha. AGERPRES

Chindiei Tower
Photo credit: (c) Cristian NISTOR / AGERPRES ARCHIVE




Under Voivode Mircea the Elder, the first buildings of the Princely Court were erected — a residence and a church with a chapel.

A controversy persists over the Chindiei Tower. One version says it was built by Tepes’s father Vlad Dracul (1436-1448) around 1440. Another one dates it from Vlad Tepes second reign (he had three, in 1448, 1456-1462, and 1476).

Princely Court in Targoviste
Photo credit: (c) Mihai ALEXE / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

It evolved from a bell tower during the first half of 15th century to a sentry tower, refuge, and defence over the 15th and 16th century, then to clock tower in the 17th century; the later use gave its name.

Architect J. Schlatter of Vienna changed the tower’s features in the 19th century, when he restored it on a commission of ruling prince Gheorghe Bibescu (1840 — 1848).

It is a cylindrical brick building supported by a truncated pyramid based finished with wrought stone. It is 27 meters high, with an 8.5-meter diameter. Three wooden floors divide it inside; climbing is possible on a spiral stair to the top terrace bordered by crenels.

The tower is located inside the princely court of Targoviste, a complex of buildings and medieval fortifications used as residence by 33 Voivodes of Wallachia.

The tower now hosts an exhibition dedicated to the two Voivodes of the Draculesti family, Vlad ‘the Dragon’ and his son Tepes (the Impaler). ‘The Chindiei Tower of the Princely Court of Targoviste monumental complex is an emblem for Dambovita County locals; it’s the most visited tourist attraction in Targoviste. The number of visiting tourists was higher this year, more than 71,000, allowing us to hope for 140,000 by the end of the year,’ museum director Ovidiu Carstina told AGERPRES.

Several promotional items were created for the branding operation, including the Chindiei Tower chocolate and a ‘Voivodes’ wine’ marketed as Princeps Valachiae.

The first edition of the Dracula Medieval Festival was held at the Princely Court of Targoviste in 2014. It featured the re-enactment of the nighttime attack of Vlad Tepes on a Turks’ camp by 100 volunteers, stuntmen and actors, performing among the ruins.

Dracula Medieval Festival — 2014
Photo credit: (c) Cornelia DUMITRU / AGERPRES PHOTO

Local authorities voiced their satisfaction about the event held between June 13 and 16 and announced a second edition in 2015, to attract tourists to the town and the county. Several thousands of visitors attended over the four days of the festival, both in the court and in the Chindia Park. They could visit medieval craft shops, see a parade, shop at the Merchants at Citadel Gate fair, go to theatre and concerts, and witness the re-enactment of Tepes’s exploit.

The organizers want to turn the event into a hallmark of Targoviste.

‘I am happy about the first edition. (…) I want it to become a traditional festival to lead us where we want, that is to promoting tourism in Targoviste and Dambovita,’ said County Council Chairman Adrian Tutuianu.

Local authorities want as many events as possible organized at Chindiei Tower to attract tourists; in August and September, Kemal Basar will direct a performance of Shakespeare’s Hamlet there — the same already seen during the medieval festival.

A sound sculpture show premiered at the tower in June; a Swedish artist created it using a multichannel audio system installed inside the tower to play sounds recorded at the polar circle, including snowdrops falling, rain, bells, and reindeer herds.

Last year, the Targoviste Municipal Council discussed the need for a town’s brand, and the Chindiei Tower was considered the best symbol for the purpose. AGERPRES

The Sphinx on plateau of Bucegi Mountains 
Photo credit: (c) Paul BUCIUTA / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

Monuments of nature, the Babele and the Sphinx in the Bucegi mountain range have been for long a source of legends and myths, sparking various explanations in the minds of people.

One legend regarding the Babele’s origin is the legend of Baba Dochia that says that Dochia was an old woman, who spiting her daughter-in-law sent her to the river to wash black wool until it turned white. With her hands bleeding, the young woman saw a magic flower falling in the river and turning the wool white. Seeing the flower, Baba Dochia mistakenly drove her sheep to the mountain believing spring had come and shed her numerous coats along the way, eventually freezing and turning to stone. Other explanations for the formations are that they are in fact the resting place of Dacian god Zamolxe, an energy field or earthly proof of an alien civilization.

It is said that the Bucegi Mountains are host to “areas of universal energy”, or more specifically areas of 1 square kilometer in which the body does not tire and is suddenly reinvigorated. Believers of this theory often wander in search of these areas in order to assimilate said energies. Dambovita County Mountain Rescue personnel, in June, were alerted by a group of 20 tourists that visited the Bucegi Mountains in search of these areas, but were surprised by thick fog and snowfall.

In reality, the Babele and the Sphinx are witnesses to a centuries-long process of erosion, powerful winds being responsible for their forming.

The Sphinx in Bucegi, which, according to unofficial sources, was first photographed in 1900 from the front, and not from the side, as the famous photographs now depict it, is situated at 2,216 meters altitude and resembles a human face. It earned its current name in 1936 when the rock, now 8 meters tall and 12 meters wide, was viewed from a specific angle.

“The rock, resembling a human face, looks toward the precession of equinoxes. Just as interesting is the fact that the Sphinx is contoured perfectly at dusk on December 21 [the Winter Solstice]. Some researchers believed it was carved by human hand and it represents a supreme divine figure of olden Indo-European tribes (N. Densusianu). Another curious thing is the observation made that the Sphinx in Bucegi is the same height as the Sphinx in Giza, Egypt (also resembling a human face), and is similar in appearance to a statue of Zeus found in Italy”, states hellodambovita.ro, a tourism website maintained by the Dambovita County Council.

The Babele, Bucegi Mountains 
Photo credit: (c) Paul BUCIUTA / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

Close to the Sphinx are the rock formations known as the Babele.

In keeping with the legends surrounding the Sphinx, they were also named the Caraiman Cyclopean Altars, dedicated to the Earth and the Sky, the Sun and the Moon, as well as to Mars, Roman god of war and agriculture. The legends regarding these rock formations are in constant development, bringing together reality with the supernatural. As such, several theories regarding their appearance have been developed, some researchers believing that water and wind were the main factors in their formation, while others do not exclude the possibility that they were shaped by human hand.

The two monuments at the moment are a matter of dispute due to their proximity to the County demarcation line between Prahova and Dambovita County. AGERPRES

Photographs by Angelo BREZOIANU / AGERPRES PHOTO

At the wisent reserve of Bucsani there are 48 wisents living in a pen that covers 162 hectares. The reserve is located less than 80 kilometers from Bucharest City.

The animals were given names starting with RO, the indicative of Romania: Rosia, the red-haired female; Rotunda, the round female; Rococo, Robokap, Romario, Romela, Rocarita, the rocker female, and Rosactu, the red-haired male. Born in June 1986, Rociu is the oldest one. At the end of last year, the reserve got bigger as five more wisents were born.

‘This is an oasis 8-10 km away from the commune of Bucsani, inside the Neagra Forest, hence the name of the reserve. It was established in 1978, and it is currently the largest breeding ground for wisents in Romania. There are 48 individuals in a pan in a reserve that covers 162 hectares. There is a visitor centre, a cottage and a landscaped area where guests can sit and drink water. I can tell you that on May 1 hundreds of hikers came to the reserve. Mornings and afternoons are the best times of the day to watch the wisents. In summertime, there are 20 to 30 hectares of pasture and the wisents seek food and shelter from the sun in the forest. October to March we bring them to the mill, where we place their food and they come and eat. Travellers here can see the wisents. Older individuals — their lifespan is 25-30 years — isolate themselves from the herd. Wisents are generally gregarious animals that gather in herds. The area of our reserve can accommodate about 30 individuals, but there are some orders for wisents from Vanator Neamt and we hope to deliver to other parks as well. In conclusion, I urge everyone to come to the wisent reserve for an unforgettable experience,’ head of the Dambovita Forestry Directorate Costel Preda told Agerpres.

At maturity, seven, eight years of age, a wisent male can weigh about a tonne, and a female around 600 kilograms. A wisent can live up to 28 years in captivity, with its lifespan reduced in the wild. Wisents feed in the early morning, after which they seek shelter in the upper third part of the slopes to ruminate. The best time to visit is in the morning, at 10:00hrs, when the wisents come for food supplements. In wintertime, the wisents can no longer fully feed by themselves, and here is where the reserve carers step in to help.

Wisents are gregarious animals, seemingly peaceful around humans and tolerant of other animals. However, they may be surprisingly aggressive with unpredictable outbursts, displaying great agility and nimbleness despite their bodily massiveness.

‘In the ancient forests of Romania, aurochs and wisents seemed to have coexisted. In those days, no one would mistake them, as any of them would be admired for their own skills. Then, in the 16th century, the aurochs vanished from Romania. In Western Europe, the wisents disappeared from the local fauna as back as the 11th century. They survived until later in Eastern Europe, with the last killed wisent being reported in 1927 in the Caucasus. Back then, there were only 50 wisents in captivity. The species was in great danger. Aurochs had disappeared as a distinct species 400 years previously and history seemed to have reserved the same fate to the wisents. Some say the confusion between aurochs and wisents has been going on for hundreds of years. Others, however, consider that on the contrary, aurochs and wisents are one and the same,’ reads a post on the official website of the Bucsani wisent reserve zimbrarianeagra.ro.

For 169 years, there were no wisents left in Romania. The last wisent of Moldavia was killed in 1762, and Transylvania’s last in 1970. The wisents reappeared in Romania in the autumn of 1958, when a male and a female were imported from Poland to a game park near the town of Hateg, Hunedoara County.

Tickets for the reserve cost 4 lei for adults and 2 lei for children. Tours are unlimited. Visitors who want to spend more than a day at the reserve have a nearby cabin to stay. AGERPRES

Photo credit: (c) Cornelia DUMITRU/ AGERPRES ARCHIVE

The centre was built in 1991, and two years later, it started operating under the auspices of the UNESCO — the National Commission of Romania. Located 20 kilometers from the city of Targoviste, the interfaith settlement of Vulcana Bai is a place of pilgrimage for Christians, Jews and Muslims. Access is from the national road DN 71 Targoviste — Sinaia, continuing west on County Road DJ 712 B.

The synagogue, mosque and church are built on three hills in an area called Braneasca of Vulcana Bai to stand for the world’s three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Islam and Christianity.

Photo credit: (c) Cornelia DUMITRU / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

‘Church services are currently held at the Orthodox church only. The synagogue and mosque have remained only symbolic, but church services may be held if there are believers who want to come to pray here. The Orthodox church was declared monastery in 2000. It was founded on the highest hill and is larger than the other two churches, built in a traditional style in the form of a cross, with an open porch in the Brancovenesc style. The fresco paintings are by painter Emil Stoica of Sotanga, while the interior sculptures are made of linden wood by the Dobra family of Vulcana Bai. Some small relics of St. John the Baptist are kept inside the church that were donated by Patriarch Diodorus I of Jerusalem,’ says spokesman for the Targoviste Archbishopric Marian Puiescu.

Judaism at the International Ecumenical Centre is represented by a Hebrew synagogue. The building is a simple one fitted with 12 windows representing the 12 tribes of Israel. There is also the Star of David and a seven-arm menorah.

The mosque at the International Ecumenical Centre is different from the other buildings in that it faces towards Mecca, instead of the East.

Helping with the construction of these houses of worship were a Christian called Ion Popescu, two Hebrews, brothers Rubi and Michael Zimmerman, and a Muslim family, Leila and Omar Akill.

‘The International Ecumenical Centre is not intended to be a parliament of religious denominations, or some religious authority, and it has not set to create a fusion between the denominations or to practice religious syncretism. It is simply designed to impart knowledge, to achieve rapprochement and understanding that ultimately determine vivid, dynamic and harmonious collaboration between ethnicities and religions,’ reads a description posted on the website of the Vulcana Bai’s Mayor’s Office vulcanabai.ro.

Photo credit: (c) Cornelia DUMITRU / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

At the Ecumenical Centre in Vulcana Bai, tourists come from all over the world, especially on weekends. They may pause for prayer and relax watching the unspoiled beauty of the place. Entrance to the centre is free. AGERPRES

Photo credit: www.crestinortodox.ro

It was dug by the Horoaba Stream, a tributary of the Ialomita River, in Late Jurassic, in the limestone of the southeastern ridge of Mt. Batrana. It is still one of the tourist landmarks of Mt. Bucegi and even Romania.

Photo credit:ontheroad.ro

The cave has always been a tourist attraction. The first bibliographic record of it dates back to 1793, in a book on Transylvanian caves by I. Kleinlauf. In 1897, it was considered the largest underground cave in the Romanian Principalities. In 1953, a detailed plan of it was drawn up by a team led by Mihai Serban and Iosif Viehman and published in 1974 in the bulletin of the Emil Racovita Speleology Club.

The Ialomitei Cave has both galleries and halls, and its unfoldment is mixed going on for about 480 m on a single level, of which 400 m are accessible to tourists to the point called Altar, followed upstream by a portion of another 80 m, galleries and halls. Among the halls, there are the Mihnea Voda, Decebal, St. Mary, At Crossroads, At the Altar halls, the Hidden Grotto and the Bear Grotto, where skeletons of cave bears were found.

Photo credit: www.crestinortodox.ro

Upon entering the Ialomitei Cave, visitors are greeted by the Ialomitei Monastery, dedicated to Saint Apostles Peter and Paul, built in the sixteenth century, by ruler of Wallachia Mihnea Voda the Evil. Legend has it that the ruler took shelter here for a while, on his way to exile in Transylvania (1510) and founded this place of worship to thank God for having escaped the Ottomans. The monastery burned down several times (four times in four hundred years), but it was rebuilt each time and a wing of monk cells was added, which cornerstone was laid by Archbishop Vasile Costin of Targoviste in 1993. The story of the monastery goes back in time to ancient times, with legend having it that St. Andrew himself, the founder of the Romanian Orthodox faith, took shelter here for a time.

Entrance to the cave is above an old cemetery of the local monks that lived here centuries ago. The gravestone on one of the tombs is always hot. Dowsers have found the place imbued with energy, but they cannot tell the nature of the energy or what generates the vibrations detected inside the cave.

The semi-elliptical mouth of the cave opens to a horizontal terrace 18 m above the valley floor. The first hall of the cave called Mihnea Voda is 115 meters long, 15 metres wide and 10-25 meters high. Before 1924, the Pesterii River would flow through the cave. Today, the river goes underground before reaching the grotto and flows far below into the Ialomita.

Photo credit: magiamuntelui.blogspot.ro

Next is the Passage Gallery, 20 meters long and 1-8m wide. At the entrance to this gallery there is a metal gate, beyond which unguided access is forbidden. It is a wide corridor 1-2 m wide and 1.5 — 2 m high that leads to the dome-shaped Decebal Halls, which open to several galleries, including the St. Mary Grotto thus named because of the likeness of its stalagmites with a statute of the Virgin Mary.

St. Mary Grotto
Photo credit: magiamuntelui.blogspot.ro

The largest and most spectacular part of the cave is the Bears’ Hall, devoid of water and having a rocky soil. When it was discovered, bones were found in the soil proving that about 10,000 years before, this was probably the last refuge of Ursus Spelacus Blum cave bear. From the Bears’ Hall, a 2-m high gallery opens up to the Bottom of the Cave, which once contained columns joining the roof to the soil. Next is the Water Gallery that runs to the Altar.

Grotă în Peștera Ialomiței
Foto: magiamuntelui.blogspot.ro

Legend has it that the Altar was used by monks in ancient times for religious services. The positioning of the stalactites creates the illusion of a church altar. A cave stream called the ‘fountain of living water’ that is said to be Dacian holy water without bacteria or nitrates flows here. It is assumed that the underground spring flows over massive silver deposits that give the water maximum purity, while scientists argue purity is due to geo-magnetic anomalies. Also here there is a wish-fulfilling rock about which legend has it that it was given by god Zamolxe to humans.

As far as the local fauna is concerned, there are representatives of almost all groups of fauna living in Romania’s caves, notably a species of troglomorphic coleopterans, Duvalius (Duvaliotes) procerus, which spreads outside to the mountains around Brasov.

Air temperature in galleries ranges between 9 to 12 ° C, and humidity is 85 — 100%.

The cave has wooden walkways and stairs, and it is partially electrified. It is open to visitors all year long in guided tours. AGERPRES

Photo credit: (c) Cristian NISTOR / AGERPRES ARCHIVE

The legend says that Vlad the Impaler tried to punish several Turkish soldiers who had dared to set foot on Romanian territory by putting them in brine. The Ottoman troops have been kept prisoners in the salty waters of the lake for an entire week, and when Vlad Tepes ordered his soldiers to impale them in the forest nearby the lake, according to the costume, the Turks resisted unexpectedly well to the torture. This showed that the brine treatment has strengthened the Ottoman troops and since then, the Prince ordered his troops to heal their battle-stricken horses in the lake’s waters.

The Salt Lake resort is located in the Chiscani rural town, only 5 km from the Braila municipality, with a tram line built as early as 1900 and a bus line being permanently available.

The lake, formed on an old Danube river course, which is now completely isolated, is surrounded by 70 forest hectares that mitigate the steppe climate. The water depth varies between 0.6 and 1.80 meters, and the bottom of the lake is entirely covered by healing sludge highly mineralized. The lake stretches on an area of 1.72 square km; due to the high content of iodine, caused by the anaerobic digestion of invertebrate species (artemia salinas), the resulted sludge alleviates dozens of diseases, for which reason sick people from all over the world have been visiting this place to get treated.

The therapeutic properties of the Salt Lake water and sludge have been highlighted as early as 1879. I. C. Apostolescu, in his work ‘The Salt Lake Baths’ released in 1884, wrote about a patient who was unable to get out of the carriage when arriving to the resort, and after about 15 baths, he managed to take long walks on foot.

It’s said that one of the country’s most values types of sapropelic mud and waters with the highest salt contents are found here, proved by the fact that the majority of patients are in a better health condition at the end of their spa treatment. After a stay at the Salt Lake resort, Nicolae Iorga wrote about “the picturesque location and ancient park stretching far away, with narrow alleys and thickets filled with charming mystery on summer nights.”

A century ago, the resort was known in Romania and in Europe as one of Romania’s luxury resorts, visited by the country’s aristocracy. In 1875, the spa complex included rooms for cold and hot baths, freshwater showers, individual or shared baths, “hydrotherapy, physiotherapy cabinets, massage rooms, electric baths and midwife for gynecological treatments.” In late 19th century, the resort could boast a modern casino, an English park where a fanfare used to sing, a room for “bowling and croquet”, chic villas such as the Royal Villa, Popescu Villa, Nisipianu Villa, and modern restaurants such as Untaru and Cazacu.

The spa complex includes its own treatment unit equipped with basin for hydro-kinetotherapy, sauna and gymnastics room, sun and mud baths facilities. The resort can receive up to 250 patients and is open the entire year.

Access to the private beach costs 5.5 lei for adults and 2.5 lei for children; a chaise-longue can be rented for 9 lei.

Tourists can also rent one of the 23 wooden little houses, with 2 beds, for 45 lei per night.

The resort also offers therapy for the tourist’ souls, as it hosts the Lacu Sarat Monastery dedicated to Saint Pantaleon. The Maramures-style wooden monastery was built in 1996, at the initiative of the Lower Danube Archdiocese, being an oasis of tranquility and greenery for the patients of the spa complex.

The lake contains significant reserves of sapropelic mud and hypertonic mineral water, with sulfur, chlorine, magnesium and bromine compounds, mineralization of 70-84 grams per liter. Patients come here to be treated for degenerative rheumatic diseases, inflammatory diseases, gynecological, dermatological, endocrine diseases, peripheral nervous system diseases, post-traumatic disorder, respiratory affections.

The main natural curing factors of the resort are: the lake’s water with high contents of sulfate, chloride, sodium, magnesium, a mineralization of 83.955 mg/liter, sapropelic mud that contains 41 percent mineral substances and 39 percent organic substances rich in hydrogen sulfide.

Patients have available procedures for the following groups of diseases: degenerative rheumatic disorders — cervical, dorsal and lumbar spondylosis, arthrosis and polyarthrosis; inflammatory rheumatic diseases; abarticulaire rheumatic diseases — tendonitis, periarthritis; post-traumatic disorders — traumatic joint stiffness, recovery after immobilization in a cast, after surgeries on muscles, joints and bones, twists and sprains; skin damage — some forms of psoriasis, neurodermatitis; peripheral neurological diseases; gynecological diseases — ovarian failure, chronic cervicitis; endocrine diseases; musculoskeletal impairments — rheumatic, inflammatory, post-traumatic after fractures, strains, sprains.

Among the procedures used to treat these diseases, there are: hot baths with sulfur water, warm mud body wraps, galvanic baths, heat therapy, aerosols, electrotherapy with low, medium and high tension frequency, with shortwave and ultrasounds, laser therapy, procedures with low frequency magnetic fields, massage therapy, physiotherapy and medical gymnastics.

In recent years, Lacu Sarat has experienced two extreme phenomena: in the summer of 2009, 90 percent of its surface dried, and since 2010 it turns into a natural ice rink every winter.

According to the manager of the treatment unit and beach in Lacu Sarat, Ion Tanase, the curative properties of the lake are the same also during drought periods, because in the areas where water withdraws, the salt forms a crust that protects the mud layer. “The lake is fed by the underground waters and totally depends upon their condition. It’s similar to fountains, they have water when the ground water rises and they run out of water when the ground water decreases. In 1947, it dried up completely, but the lake returned to its initial water level afterwards,” Ion Tanase said.

The elderly claim they heard about an alleged spring of the lake that if cleared of obstructions, it would allow the return to the lake’s initial water level.

However, SC Traian SA Director Sorin Bosneag argues that this is only a legend, there is no spring, the lake being fed only by the region-based ground water, which is currently very low.

He explained that the lake cannot be fed with water brought from elsewhere because the salt of the lake is a mineral deposit that has to be surrounded by anaerobic environment and have minimum 50 cm of water, in order to preserve its qualities. “If we got water from any other source, either industrial, from the Danube or elsewhere, we would damage the qualities of the lake, we would knowingly kill those little worms in the water,” said Bosneag.

Another phenomenon facing the Salt Lake in recent years is frost, with the ice layer on the lake measuring over 10 cm, although water has a salinity of 300 grams per liter.

Sorin Bosneag told AGERPRES the employees of the Braila-based complex are forced to clasp the healing mud, because there are many patients who cannot interrupt their treatment.

In 2008, the Chiscani Town Hall sued SC “Unita Turism” SA, the company that operates the Salt Lake beach and the therapeutic mud, requesting the collection of taxes and fees, because the Salt Lake resorts would belong to the rural town.

The Braila City Hall was called party to the suit, for SC “Unita Turism” to be given back the money paid to the municipality, if the Chiscani Town Hall was granted a favourable ruling.

After several terms and adjournments, the Galati Court of Appeal ruled in favour of the Chiscani Town Hall, but the Braila City Hall and SC “Unita Turism” appealed and in April 2014 they got a final favorable ruling issued by the High Court of Cassation and Justice.

Braila Mayor Aurel Simionescu told AGERPRES that a map of Braila dating from 1968 he managed to obtain following repeated requests to the Government, has played a vital role in winning the suit. “I managed to obtain the original map that shows clearly that the resort is part of Braila’s administrative territory. So far, there have been no copies of the 1968 map in Braila. Before the adoption of Law no. 2 in 1968, there have been various proposals. According to one of these, the territory of Braila municipality should not go beyond the belt highway, what’s beyond this line should belong to Chiscani. But this was just a proposal. According to the original map, the resort belongs to Braila municipality,” Simionescu said.

Modernization works on the resort could have started as early as 2010, when the Government allocated 570,000 lei for investments, but the money remained stuck at the Treasury due to the suit pending before the Court.

No funds have been invested in the resort over the past 20 years, and the state of degradation has become more and more visible. There are no chaises longues on the beach, access bridges to the lake, hot water showers, the solarium was also destroyed. The Braila City Hall has finally managed this year to set up the access paths to the beach.

According to Aurel Simionescu, the resort will undergo capital repairs as of next year, with three million lei to be invested in this project by the County Council, the Braila City Hall and the Center for Information and Documentation, all three administrative units being part of the Lacu Sarat Inter-community Development Association.

The Braila County Council also seeks to develop here in cooperation with the Braila County Hospital a pilot project to treat infertility. Within the project, a group of women who want to become mothers will be treated with salt baths and sapropelic mud. An example in this regard is the Baile Sovata resort in Mures county visited annually by hundreds of women facing sterility problems and other gynecological diseases, the rate of success of this type of treatment being of 45 percent.

The Lacu Sarat treatment complex in Braila is one of the most popular spa resorts in Romania, director of the Braila County Pension House, Sorin Enache told AGERPRES.

Despite the lack of investments over the last 20 years, the resort continues to be visited each year by hundreds of tourists who are only interested in the healing properties of the sapropelic mud.AGERPRES

Foto: (c) Liviu ȘOVA / AGERPRES ARHIVĂ

Hara înseamnă Flavius Buzilă — voce, chitară acustică, Marius Aștilean — vioară, Valentin Mușat — chitară electrică, acustică, Radu Anghel — bass, Nunu Racris — tobe, percuții.

Trupa Hara la MTV Romanian Music Awards 2004
Foto: (c) Răzvan CHIRIȚĂ / AGERPRES ARHIVĂ

Trupa Hara la Gala Premiilor Radio București, 2004
Foto: (c) Mihai POZIUMSCHI / AGERPRES ARHIVĂ

Trupa a lansat 6 LP-uri — între care ”Aiurea” (2001), ”Mai frumoasă” (2003), ”O zi” (2004), ”Interetnik” (2008) — și albumul de colinde tradiționale românești ”Marlin, Darlin-Paiș’pe colinde ș’o strigătură”, care i-au adus multe premii (cel mai bun single — 2003, 2004, 2009, cea mai bună creație — 2005, cel mai bun album — 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009).

Trupa Hara în concert, 2007
Foto: (c) Emil BADEA / AGERPRES ARHIVĂ

Trupa Hara în concert, 2007
Foto: (c) Emil BADEA / AGERPRES ARHIVĂ

În 2009, trupa se remarcă și pe plan internațional: piesa ”Plouă stele” câștigă locul 1 (din 50) la prestigiosul concurs de creație ”Song of the year”’—secțiunea Adult Contemporary desfășurat de celebrul canal muzical VH1 din SUA. Succesul se repetă și în 2013, la aceeași secțiune, cu piesa ”Calling out for you”, Hara devenind astfel prima formație românească cu un asemenea palmares.

Concert susținut de trupa Hara în Parcul Cișmigiu din Capitală, 2010
Foto: (c) Liviu ȘOVA / AGERPRES ARHIVĂ

Hara și-a făcut un adevărat atu din show-urile live, de o foarte bună prestație artistică, care au făcut deliciul zecilor de mii de spectatori, trupa având un număr record de concerte. Odată cu 2007 au venit și concertele în afara țării, Hara reprezentând România cu real succes la Bruxelles, Veliko Târnovo (Bulgaria) și chiar la Campionatul European de Fotbal, în Viena și Salzburg, unde reprezentația trupei a fost declarată de administrația locală austriacă “cel mai bun show live din programul cultural”.

În iunie 2013, Hara ajunge pe pământ american odată cu participarea la cel mai mare festival al comunității românești din SUA — ”Romanian Heritage” din Chicago. Prestația live de excepție și show-ul trupei au atras un entuziasm fără precedent în rândul spectatorilor și al presei de peste ocean, cei cinci artiști fiind determinați să mai susțină câteva concerte la cererea publicului.

Odată cu înființarea Asociației Culturale Hara (2006), formația și-a făcut un renume din organizarea, inițierea și implicarea activă în numeroase proiecte multiculturale, sociale, caritabile și anti-discriminare: Înapoi spre Viitor (Bistrița 2012-2013), Muzeul Județean Argeș — Istorie și Ecologie (Pitești 2013), Cântec pentru Tamango (2011) , NU Discriminării (alături de Trustul European pentru o Societate Deschisă 2007), S.O.S. Satele Copiilor România (2006).

În decembrie 2010, trupa lansează ”Țara din povești” — piesă cu mesaj social cu puternic impact în rândul publicului, în urma căreia, la inițiativa solistului Flavius Buzilă, apare și blogul cu același nume, care își propune să promoveze adevăratele valori ale României, prea puțin cunoscute publicului larg.

La sfârșitul lui 2012 apare un nou hit marca Hara — ”Totaya ye” — cu un sound modern și o primă colaborare a trupei cu un artist hip-hop (Mr. M). Videoclipul piesei filmat live în mijlocul a peste 10.000 de spectatori a devenit în scurt timp unul dintre cele mai populare video-uri ale anului 2013.

Videoclipul care a fost filmat în timpul festivalului ”Înapoi spre viitor”, organizat tot de trupa Hara în Bistrița, prezintă imagini din micul burg săsesc, dar surprinde și oameni obișnuiți, printre care și fiica și soția interpretului, care au acceptat să facă parte din acest clip. Imaginile cu bistrițenii care cântă piesa sunt completate cu parte din concertul susținut de trupa Hara în toamna anului 2012 în centrul municipiului.

Concert al trupei Hara la Serbările Bistriței medievale, 2012
Foto: (c) Tina ȚUCUI / AGERPRES ARHIVĂ

”Cred că este o modalitate de a face cunoscută Bistrița și peste hotare. Când am fost în Chicago ne-am întâlnit cu bistrițenii stabiliți acolo care au fost foarte impresionați să vadă imagini din orașul din care provin și în care n-au călcat de ani buni”, declara Flavius Buzilă.

Hara a ajuns în semifinala competiției organizate de VH1 ”Song of the year”, cu piesa ”Totaya ye”, după ce a primit undă verde de la nume importante din industria muzicii precum Steven Tyler de la Aerosmith, Gwen Stefani, Alicia Keys și Lenny Kravitz. Finala acestei competiții se va desfășura la sfârșitul anului 2014, cel mai probabil în luna decembrie.

”Anul trecut am fost în Chicago și am cântat această piesă. ‘Totaya ye’ a avut cel mai mare succes în America, în special în partea latină, motiv pentru care am ales-o pentru a participa cu ea la această competiție”, a declarat, într-un interviu, Flavius Buzilă, compozitorul piesei și liderul trupei Hara. El a pus reușita piesei pe seama originalității și a stilului personal, rar întâlnit mai ales în America. Mai mult, încurajat de succesul piesei, Flavius Buzilă se pregătește să facă și o variantă în limba engleză și una în limba spaniolă a acesteia.

În 2013, Hara își pune amprenta pe un nou proiect cultural de mare succes — aducerea în actualitate a pieselor Mariei Tănase, odată cu celebrarea centenarului nașterii marii artiste, printr-o interpretare originală, reinventând farmecul interbelic al Micului Paris.

AGERPRES/(Documentare — Marina Bădulescu, editor: Andreea Onogea)