Spotlight on Braşov, România

One of my favorite cities in Romania is Braşov, only a 2-and-a-half to three hour drive north of Bucharest in the Carpathian mountains. the city has a strong Saxon influence and includes both an old, medieval center surrounded by a fortress, and a newer, more modern, commercial district. Braşov is a city in the Transylvanian region of Romania and the capital of Braşov County, with a population of 294,596, according to the 2006 census, it is the 7th largest Romanian city. The first attested mention of Braşov is Terra Saxonum de Barasu ("Saxon Land of Baras"), in a 1252 document. The German name Kronstadt means "Crown City", and is reflected in the city's coat of arms, as well as in its Medieval Latin name, Corona. The three names of the city (Braşov/Brassó, Kronstadt, and Corona) were used simultaneously in the Middle Ages. From 1950 to 1960, during part of the Communist period in Romania, the city was called Oraşul Stalin (Stalin City), after the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.

The famous Black Church with one of the largest pipe organs in Europe

Industrial development in Braşov started in the inter-war period, with one of the largest factories being the airplane-manufacturing plant (IAR Braşov), which produced the first Romanian fighter planes, which were used in World War II against the Soviets. After Communist rule was imposed, this plant was converted to manufacture of agricultural equipment, being renamed «Uzina Tractorul Braşov» (internationally known as Universal Tractor Braşov). Industrialization was accelerated in the Communist era, with special emphasis being placed on heavy industry, attracting many workers from other parts of the country. Heavy industry is still abundant, including Roman, which manufactures MAN AG trucks under licence, as well as native-designed trucks and coaches. Although the industrial base has been in decline in recent years, Braşov is still a site for manufacturing agricultural tractors and machinery, hydraulic transmissions, auto parts, ball-bearings, helicopters (at the nearby IAR site in Ghimbav), building materials, tools, furniture, textiles, shoes and cosmetics. There are also chocolate factories and a large brewery. In particular, the pharmaceutical industry has undergone further development lately, with GlaxoSmithKline establishing a production site in Braşov.

Centrally located Braşov is a good starting point for trips around Romania. The city is situated at fairly equal distances from several tourism destinations in the country: the Black Sea resorts, the monasteries in northern Moldavia, and the well-preserved wooden churches of Maramureş. It is also the largest city in a mountain resorts area. The old city itself is very well preserved, and is best seen by taking the cable-car to the top of Tâmpa Mountain (995 m), a beautiful lookout.

St. Nicolas Church
The main Piaţa at night
Braşov is home to a new indoor waterpark

Like most major cities in Romania, Braşov has a vast tram and bus network

Temperatures from May to September fluctuate around 23°C / 75°F. Braşov benefits from a winter tourism season centered on winter sports and other activities

Fireproof Trailer

It is not often that I make movie recommendations, but this is a movie I really think people who are either married, or at least thinking about marriage, should watch. I admit that the acting isn't Oscar quality, but the message of the movie is excellent and is one that needs to be processed, especially in a world where so many marriages end in divorce or abuse. Personally, I am fed up with all the trash and lack of values being promoted in Hollywood movies these days, and have been utterly shocked by some of the movie recommendations coming from Christians. That said, I wholeheartedly recommend this movie: Fireproof (go and rent it). I pray that it will be an encouragement to you and your family.

As seen in Constanţa

This is a tree in the middle of the parking lot at the new shopping center in Constanţa, Romania

Ski trip to Sinaia

When you live in the big city, especially a city full of traffic and stress like Bucureşti, you need to get out into the countryside every once in a while and enjoy the beauty of God's creation so evident in the Romanian Carpathians. If nothing else, to take care of your body and soul, you need to get out of the city every now and then. This Saturday I went with some friends from church up to the mountains to go skiing. I am still a beginner, but had a lot of fun. The view was incredible--we were up at an altitude of over 2000 meters. It was a great time to spend with friends and a great time to refresh and renew! Me on the skisThe incredible view

More Randomness

And you wonder why construction projects take forever in Romania

Volcanoes in Romania

Romania is truly blessed with a terrain that offers a lot of diversity. This active volcano in Berca, Romania is a case in point.

Discipleship Group

Every Sunday evening my church meets in over 25 different small groups around the city to pray together, study God's word together, and to encourage one another. We are studying the book of Jeremiah this semester and learning a lot about repentence, what it means to put God first in your life, false idols, and God's wrath sent upon Israel in allowing the Babylonian invasion of Jerusalem because of the Israelites' disobedience. We have been left amazed at how relevant Jeremiah's words are for our world today, especially since we live in a world that follows so many false gods, idols, etc.
In our group we have some who will be getting baptized. Praise the Lord. We have a number of new Christians, so please pray for us as we try to show them the love of Christ and encourage them in their walk with Christ.