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- Targoviste – A Capital’s CharmDrobeta Turnu Severin – A Bridge Across The AgesSearching For Tranquility Around BucharestCalimanesti, Olanesti, Govora – Oltenia’s Health SpringsAlba Iulia and Codex AureusIasi – A City Imbued With History and CultureThe Deva Fortress – Active Witness to Transylvania’s HistoryRupea Stronghold, The Core of Brasov CountyScarisoara Cave, Glacier Chill in Summer TimeMuierilor Cave, Symbol of Fertility and HolinessOrsova – Heavy Industry Meets the Roman EmpireThe Heaven of Cherry Orchards, in CetateleCurtisoara Museum – a Cradle of SpiritualityBaile Felix – a Balneary Resort for All AgesIzei Valley – Maramures Finest Traditions and LocationsHarman – A Small Part of Brasov’s CultureMuseums and places to visit in OradeaVidraru Dam and Lake, a Wonder of Nature, Confined by ManAncient Cities in the Constanta AreaSfantul Ioan Domnesc Monument-Church – The Shadow of Stefan cel MarePutna Monastery – The Spiritual Center of MoldaviaOcnele Mari: Salt Mines, Spa and Rich HistoryBaile Govora – One of The Oldest Romanian SpasCraiova – The Heart of OlteniaRules for Visiting the Protected Nature AreasArad – One Millenia on the Banks of MuresTargu Jiu and the Endless ColumnBucura Lake – The Largest Glacier Lake in RomaniaTraveling to Sfantu GheorgheLipscani – “The Old Leipzig” of BucharestCule – Strange Strongholds of a Riotous PastVatra DorneiCluj NapocaDobrudja and the Danube DeltaBucharest – an european capitalBrasov – Part of the “Heart” of RomaniaTimisoara, Little ViennaRosia MontanaPeriam “Rock la Mures” FestSinaiaVama VecheSighisoara, medieval heavenHunedoaraSighisoaraSibiu – modernity with a German touchA visit in Piatra-NeamtVama Veche versus MamaiaThe mountain tourism in RomaniaA trip to Muntii ApuseniAn incursion in legends – BranTrips and winter sports on Valea PrahoveiTransilvania – The medieval land of StrongholdsBucovina and Northern MoldaviaMaramures – A Land From TalesTan and Fun at the Black SeaA wild land – The Danube Delta
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The Heaven of Cherry Orchards, in Cetatele
The Cetatele village is situated in an area with mild climate, with vague Mediteranean influences. It was built at the base of the Magura hills and it's famous for its tasty chestnuts and the best cherries in the country. The village's cherry orchards are known all across Romani and there are even habits and traditions associated to the fruit.
Long ago, cherries were not only a sweet snack for the folks in the area, but also an important source of income. Ever since the cherry tree started blooming, people went to the orchards and tried to find out how many fruit will the trees bear that year, by counting the flowers. In Cetatele you will find many types of cherry trees like the Negrauti, Oegosi, Albauit, Bozniac and Zdrontosi (almost gone today).
The first cherries to be available are the ones that come out in May, but they must be guarded from the birds and especially from the children who might feel the temptation to "borrow" some. The birds are easy to chase away, with the aid of some scare crows, or rather big rag dolls that look like men. Other more ingenious people create a sort of tiny windmill and attach tin cans to it, with small rocks inside. The wind makes those contraptions spin and make a lot of noise, chasing away the flying pests.
Cherries are not only the daily natural "candy" for children, but also a source of amusement and fun. They'll use the small fruits to create earrings or their kernels as bullets, by wetting the "ammo" with the aid of saliva, squeezing it between the thumb and the index and "shooting" it as if they were using a slingshot.
Among the legends and traditions accompanying the reddish fruit there's the one that parents tell each child: never eat cherries with kernels, or you'll get sick in the stomach. Also, in case children ate raw, green cherries they could become constipated. In Cetatele, children would rarely steal cherries, since each family had a cherry tree in the back yard.
Since we've mentioned traditions, we must also say that women who have had a baby die when it was very young, were not allowed to eat cherries, till they gave away a basket of the fruit to neighbours' children. After the May cherries, the Negrauti kind are the ones to go ripe and these are special, because they can stain the lips and clothes of people, being very juicy.
While picking up cherries, in order to sell some, one would take them with the small branch attached, in order not to squash them (the Negrauti kind). Some of these branches were used to make a pretty good tea, good for people who have a cold or kidney problems. After the Negrauti kind, it is time for the Oegusi cherries to be ready for picking. These are not as juicy, but they get eaten by worms faster. It is said that if you eat too many cherries of this kind, you'd get a pretty serious headache, or a bad stomach ache.
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