Details in the fabric - Sighișoara by day

I'm never going to do "classic" tourism articles about my country: "go see this, oh you've got to try that, this museum presents this (many details following), this street is named after this guy" and so on.

^{Detail in the fabric of my accommodation}

Really, I consider that I'm not the best advocate to bring masses of tourists in my country. It's not my job, it's not my speciality and it's not my goal. What I like to do, is to move around my country and find details that are new for me and especially for my camera. I like to experiment new things for me too because there's nothing special for a Romanian in Sighișoara, let's say, with the exception of the novelty that he may get since the last visit. That novelty can usually be new points of view, accommodation and food.

---

Get your food straight!

The not so tasty Burg

I never had an impressive meal in Sighișoara. Sorry, but that's the truth. I've never eaten something here that was more than the normal matter of "shove it under your nose, do not taste it and just swallow it in order to stop hunger".

^{No food photo to share, no worthy food to talk about - replaced with worthy architecture}

So I can't recommend anything here in terms of food which is a pity because strolling through the old town will get you hungry for sure. Steep pathways, a lot of going round in circles so you get to do the steps your smart watch tells you to have to. Getting hungry in Sighișoara is not hard at all and I'll be damned if I didn't feel the need of a nice, higher standard, bistro or restaurant. Something that can cook more than the faded "grilled chicken breast" or the "traditional goulash" that is totally ordinary in Sighișoara, at least where I got to taste it. I don't even have one photo of bad food to show you because at the moment of eating I considered that even taking a photo of that plate would be a waste of time and energy.

---

Rest your head on history

Novelty through tradition

Best thing I did, when speaking about services, when I decided to stay the night in Sighișoara, was to decide to spend quite a decent amount of money only for the sleep and shower. I've got at least a couple of friends who would consider me nuts for spending close to 100 euro only to stay 7-8 hours in that room. I consider that a good accommodation can make the difference between good and bad experience as a tourist.

I stayed at Casa Savri, the oldest building still standing in Sighișoara, by their saying, in the Elisabeta Room. Ever since I stepped in the place, the reception greeted me with the comfy feeling that only a centuries old establishment can give you.

^{Detail in the fabric of the oldest artery of the lower market: Casa Savri}

There's not a lot to tell you about the place more than the website tells you. I can only emphasize the following:

• Great hosts - all the guys working here are very polite, but not in a sleazy way; they know their history, they know how to make a nice joke and they know how to explain things so they don't look like stuffed butlers; they are all young and that makes the old place even more joyful than it is.
• Living in a museum - the investor is a collector of antiques and a lot of them are being hanged on the walls of the place (first photo in the post), so they contribute actively to the overall experience; it seems that this collection was gathered from the villages all around Sighișoara and it took some time to complete it; also, apart from the old walls, repainted and remade, the majority of the wooden elements in the building are still original: main door, huge beams, structural elements inside the walls.

^{Detail in the fabric of the reception: real stained glass and old, human body-thick wood beams}

• Taste the old, relax in the new - modern bathrooms (nicer than home), very comfy bed, fast wireless, centralised A/C and a nice, wide LCD TV - old armoires, old photos, original windows and the feeling that you are staying in a place that's seen a lot of life and a lot of death - even the smells inside are of old...and I liked that;

^{Detail in the fabric of the BAR - the old, detuned piano was begging for some action - gave it a pat on its keys and thought about its former glory}

They don't serve anything else than breakfast. That's a black ball from me. Came here with the hope that they surely must be able to reinterpret some traditional dish ever since I saw their website and understood the way they reinterpreted the old shoemaker house into maybe the nicest accommodation in Sighișoara.
Breakfast is being deployed in their BAR area, half of level down, something like a former cellar, now accessorised with a pool table, a jukebox and an old, Austrian piano, dating back to the 18th century. Not the best breakfast you'll ever have, that's for sure and this only confirms that Sighișoara still has to learn about food and especially about the modern approach it should have towards it.

---

Colours, situations and people

These streets are made for roaming

There's not a lot to do in Sighișoara apart from moving your ass up and down, around and across the Citadel. But that's a clear 2-day stay at least because if you are virgin on this location, you will need to dedicate some time and steps in order to be able to understand what is here, why is here and who built this. Because sure as Hell this wasn't built by any Romanian, you can bet your neck on it. So you'll have to move around, go get to feel the walls, pay attention to the details and never forget to get 5 minutes on a bench, close your eyes and let your imagination project on your eyelids the way you think that the particular street on which you are, was 4 - 5 centuries ago.

^{Detail in the fabric of the room - having a picture with grandma&grandpa above your bed is a source of authenticity but also of panic attacks as the floor squeaks, the windows are not soundproof and the ghosts may be checking your luggage}

What I really wanted to do this time in Sighișoara was to tackle the smaller streets, the ones I've never had the curiosity to check. In spite of the blazing sun, we took our comfy shoes (no, I don't have any, it's just a figure of speech) and decided to check a little the less walked pathways. Interesting views to be remembered this way, colourful, repainted buildings that go nicely on the sensor of my camera together with the narrow alleys and people selling/buying traditional things (most of them are made in China of course).

^{Detail in the fabric of the house - this is my first Bezier method photo; I had to take it this way because of the lack of a 35mm or a wider lens}

I concentrated a lot on the streets around the lower market, outside of the Citadel, the part that blends with the "new city" of the communist era. That's a less walked area and a lot more lived and enjoyed part of the city for the natives. This is also the most alive part of the old buildings inside the city. "IT'S ALIVE!" and that's what I like about it. The houses had 0 value 100 years ago, now most of them are historical monuments. 0 fucks given by the inhabitans while they show the authorities the freshly painted walls in all the colours of the "Pride Parade".

^{Detail in the fabric of a small alley - colours keep everything alive, the human touch, though it may seem kitschy is the element that takes Sighișoara out of the museum-like cities, where you are not even allowed to touch a stone from the ground}

The main road through the gates of the Citadel is taking you, no mistake involved, up the hill around which everything is built. Hot in the sun, nice and cool under the shadows of the old stones. Everywhere inside those walls, the old, small rooms that once were serving the place for military purposes, are now either passageways that shortcut your trup or small shops that usually sell souvenirs, cold water and sweets.
On top of the hill, there is the old Cathedral, its cemetery and a German high school (also high as in the altitude at which is placed). The road is like a Golgota for the average tourist and for the old Australian and/or Chinese grannies that are trying their best to get to the top.

^{Detail in the fabric of the main gate - a place made for horses and carts, now animated by beautiful ladies gazing around and children playing in its shade}

^{Detail in the fabric of a traditional souvenirs shop - Chinese people manufacture for us the fakes of our traditional clothes and in turn they come and buy some: fakes for fakes}

^{Detail in the fabric of the covered staircase - this famous staircase, covered in wood for centuries now, was the main access way for the people of Sighișoara when going up, to their Cathedral: it served them as shelter from the rain, snow and sun; useful even today}

^{Detail in the fabric of the German high school - small buildings, on top of the hill, around the Cathedral make classrooms for the pupils; if you spend some time around you will be able to hear the bell, see children retreating in their small, one room buildings and hear the key turning in the keyknob when classes start - I guess tourists walking in during classes is not something out of the ordinary here}