Sinaia

Thursday, 2 June - Friday, 3 June 2022

Sinaia is a town and a mountain resort in Prahova County, Romania.  The town was named after the Sinaia Monastery of 1695, around which it was built. The monastery in turn is named after the Biblical Mount Sinai. King Carol I of Romania built his summer home, Peleș Castle, near the town in the late nineteenth century.

Impressive homes of the "commoners".

It's a fox!

Peleș Castle, the reason we came to this town.

There he is now, King Carol I.

Gerri is in line for tour tickets under the arch to the left, behind the fountain stream, and then we enter the castle under the arch at the right.  Back in its heyday, the horses and carriages would head into one arch, deposit the guests, and roll around out the other arch.  The castle is fairly new with its inauguration held in 1883.

We begin our tour of about 90 minutes duration.

Elaborate skylight.

The king's throne, where he greeted guests, and his armory room.

The preservation throughout the castle was outstanding.

Guest rooms contained all the original furnishings, and all seemed to have their own themes.

Some rooms had hidden entrances, such as this through a hallway armoir.

Portraits of some royal youngins.

The castle organ within the castle chapel, and an elaborate staircase for guests to move about the floors.

Beautiful carved wood features, and a royal bed (but not the King's).

The grand entry foyer.

The King's bed, and the one in which he passed on in October 1914.

Next up was a tour of nearby Pelișor Castle.  The castle was built in 1899–1902 by order of King Carol I, as the residence for his nephew and heir, the future King Ferdinand and Ferdinand's consort Queen Marie.

The knight slays the dragon.

Dinner is served.  Tea service at the standby.

A nearby cottage on the grounds of the royal residences.

The next day (June 3rd) a somewhat strenuous hike was planned.  The weather for the day, however, is not looking good at all with mountain thunderstorms in the forecast.  We drove up and began hiking amongst a ski resort.

Yeah, it's starting to spit rain, and we hear distant rumbles.

Hmmm, maybe we should take the easy way on the gondolas - but up amongst lightning bolts??

Sooooo, we headed back down to the car, and found an alternate short hike to a small working abbey down a long ravine.

Don't feed the bears!