The mountains called

We all know that moment at the end of a vacation when you realize you've reached your last days and hours and you feel a sudden need to maximize the time left.
We had that moment on Monday morning as we realized it was the last day my parents would be spending in Viștea de jos. Knowing we were all facing a lot of traveling in the coming week, we wanted to spend Monday being as active as possible. Since we'd already filled 30 bags full of weeds from the creek bed, gardening was definitely off the list of options (not to mention it just felt like a very uninspired way to end things). We were discussing the available choices when I looked out the window and the answer arrived—the mountains were calling.
We got some rough directions from a friend and headed off in the bright, cold morning sunshine to the base of one of the closest trails. It did take 40 minutes of driving on an unpaved logging road but we managed to hike for a few hours and by the time we were done our legs were worn out, our stomachs were growling, and it was time for a last stop at Draguș Pizza for a much-deserved pizza and beer.

The next day we headed off to Bucharest and spent the day eating and doing a little sight-seeing. Stephanie and Joe vetted Caru' cu bere when they were in Bucharest so we gave it a try and it did not disappoint. The food was delicious (I particularly enjoyed my grapefruit gin and tonic which was delicious on the warm afternoon) and while we dined we were treated to a string quartet which apparently plays every day from 1:30-2:30.
We ended the meal with the last papanaș of the visit and a stroll down the famous Strada Lipscani and then a visit to Cărturești Carusel.

And just like that, my parents' visit came to an end.
Very early the following morning they flew back to the States and Mihai and I drove to Craiova to stay with Silviu and catch up on some of the items on the cleaning and repair list.

If a moment of stillness should find its way into your busy week, I hope you can lean out the window and listen to where the season is calling you—whether it's a walk on the beach, a hike in the woods, or a stroll in a nearby garden. Such moments in nature are never wasted, they soothe our minds and steady our hearts against the noisy world.

Thank you for reading.
Be well.