Brasov

Sister-citied with Cleveland, Ohio, since 1973.  Population 250,000.  As typical, we start our tour on the main square of the old town district.  This building is city hall.

We're looking for our tour guide - he/she seems to be a bit late. 

It's a cathedral scale church.  "Black Church", finished around 1476 AD after having started in the 1380's,  people had come to think it received its name from a city-wide fire in 1689.  But 21st century science says it darkened from industrial revolution pollution, receiving its name, indeed, at the end of the 19th century.

We find ourselves at the finish of a 10K race.

The city name, high on the hill, originated from a political candidate's campaign - the man's name was morphed into the city's name afterwards.

Our tour guide arrives.

We learn more about the church - originally known at the "Church of St Mary".

Racers continue to finish, running past Black Church.

Preservation and reconstruction is noticeable here with the lighter colored replacement stones.

High atop the column rising up from the green dumpster is a figure of a young boy.  Legend says it's in memoriam of a promising German young apprentice who was mistaken for an intruder and pushed off the roof to his death by a Bulgarian laborer.

Posing in a long narrow alleyway (see "Brasov" on the hill in the distance) - although many have disappeared this walk space is relic from the time when "fire-fighting" was done by the townspeople ("bucket brigade"), and when called these alleyways allowed faster access to a scene of fire when alerted.

We emerge onto the next street.

Remnants of the old city defensive walls remain here.

A historical mansion house.

Saint Nicholas Church from around 1500 AD; and a stream along another part of the city fortress walls which used to carry away sewage, but now flows clean and pristine.

A view from one of the city defensive towers.

Clock towers...

...fluffy clouds, and teddy bears.

And then we stumble upon a wine tasting, featuring wines of Romania, and some adjacent countries.  They had 170 wines to choose from, $20/person for the event, and when you turn the glass back in you get your $20 back.

And again, dinner is served...