Dan

After being here 3 weeks, we took a day off! I'll have to have some help to add photos ; > ) Saturday, we drove an hour north on an excellent European Union highway to Tusnad Baile, 2,400' elevation. Leaving the major highway, we drove up the winding road through the tall, dark forests to the top of the mountain. Reaching the top, we began to descend through the thick forest into the basin of the ancient inactive volcano to St. Ann Lake. It is the only intact volcanic lake in Middle Europe (some guidebooks say in all of Europe). There is also a small chapel in good repair dating back to the 823 A.D.

Dan was content to sit and read in the shade of a giant silver spruce. Rosemarie, the world traveler, talked me into taking a swim. Much to our delight, the top 12" layer of the lake is pleasant, and cools off as it gets deeper...makes for nice swimming! Once, in water up to our shoulders, Rosemarie was standing in a column of cold water. Three feet away from her, I was standing in a column of warm water. Springs?

Having been warned to stay away from the middle of the lake where people disappear (what do we look like - Olympic swimmers?), we did not even swim out into water over our heads. However, I must admit we felt quite adventuresome!

Later we drove to the Outdoor Sekeley Museum with houses. furniture, clothing, farm equipment dating from centuries ago up through WWII. All the buildings were taken apart at their original location and put back together in the park 30 minutes from St. George. It was a very special day which made up appreciate these wonderful Hungarian-Romanians all the more. If you ever see this beautiful land, you will truly feel how great is our God! In the beginning when He created the heavens and the earth...He made Romania one of the loveliest places on earth. -- Anne, Dan and Rosemarie