Chiuiești, a Typical Romanian Village

Anna, the Mom

In Cluj county, Romania, the village of Chiuiești, one of the countless villages in the Transylvanian landscape is a gem hidden among the rolling hills of the countryside. There are lots of villages in Romania that can be actually visited by the lovers of agritourism but this one is special as it is the birthplace of my mother. Some of mom's relatives bought a house there and my father and my mother take care of the place for them.

Cradled by hills speckled with hay stacks and small farmed patches of land, groves and further away covered by shade giving forests, Chiuiești is a showcase of a typical Romanian village. You can still find a hundred years old houses next to new ones that have modern plumbing and bathrooms inside, young people driving foreign cars alongside older folks still using carts drawn by horses or cows, central heating and old stoves that run on dry wood.

I love going to Chiuiești. The beauty of nature there and the friendly people give it an unforgettable charm. It relaxes me to hike on the hills and get up on a higher ground to enjoy the panoramic view of the whole village and the surroundings. Also that is a happy place for my retired parents, I love to see them in action there, talking to a neighbour that just happens to pass by or just finding work around the house and doing their best to make us feel welcome and loved.

Chiuiești for me is:

The rolling hills stretching as far as the eye can see;
The bleating of the sheep just rounded up in their pens for the night;
The smell of the wild flowers and fried forest mushrooms;
The taste of freshly made sheep's cheese;
The sweet embrace of my parents welcoming me.

I will always go back to Chiuiești with a happy expectation in my heart to find the peace and rest that can only be found in a place where loved people have been living for a long time, where everybody knows everybody, where hills and clouds are telling stories of old to each other in soothing, hushed tones.

Mihai, 13

When we got to Chiuești, I saw our grandpa chopping wood, and we decided to help him until our relatives arrived. I tried to help grandpa take some photos off his old computer, but could not start the ancient relic.

Soon, my uncle, Dani arrived with my cousins Edmund and Otto. Dani started working on the computer to make it load, but was unsuccessful.

The air was filled with the smoke of the burning logs and of the cooking meat when we went to hike.

After a while, we hiked into a forest and found some mushrooms, but we decided to wait until we came back down to pick them. At the top of the hill, we found some more mushrooms, next to a gigantic tree, and we picked them all. After taking a selfie, we started going down the hill, picking the mushrooms we did not take.

When we got back down the hill, the meat was done. The computer was also repaired, and we ate the food and went back home

Chiuesti is:

The cozy house and imposing barn.
The smell of roasting meat.
The taste of slightly-burned mici.
The buzzing of hardworking bees.
The hard surface of the axe handle.

I would go again so that I can eat more of grandpa's amazing mici.

Paul, 10

The first thing I saw in Chiuiesti when we went there today was that our grandpa was chopping wood to roast some meat which we were going to eat.

The fire we were making was a fire that when you looked at it you automatically wanted to dance around it.

We went hiking and my first thought as we went was that it would be a long hurt-filled hike through brambles and so it was.

When we got back we had a meal, a merry time to dance around the fire tearing meat from its bone, and all in all having a good time.

Chiuiesti for me is:

The smell and taste of roasted meat.
The buzzing of hard working bees.
The waving flowers on the hike.
The sting of the thorny bushes.

I would go again to find mushrooms and bring them back home to gobble them up.