Maramures is one of the most beautiful and fascinating of the many mountainscapes in Romania. The area is dotted with icon-painted wooden churches that date from the medieval period right up to the present. The current enthusiasm in Romania for Orthodox monasticism means new wooden monasteries popping up in ever increasing numbers. Our walk took up from the Pasaul Gutai above Mara to the Creasta Cocosului, Breb, Botiza, Budesti and so on - alternating high mountains and low orchard scenery. The teams were out scything the last of the hay fields and the apple picking and palinca stills were boiling at full capacity. For some reason we encountered more flocks, shepherds and their sheep than we usually do in this area. The cheese-making was in full swing and we managed to fill our sketch books and notebooks with images and recorded conversations with the people we met.
The purpose behind this re-visitation was to pass more slowly through the landscape than we usually manage when we lead groups in the mountains. On this occasion we had no itinerary as such, so we paused where it seemed appropriate to do so, and pushed on when the climbing or the weather seemed to warrant it. Needless to say, at some point in the near future we will be working the sketches and text up into an exhibition of finished pieces.
Link to Photos:
Maramures, Romania: Sketching Fieldwork.
