Arrival

Rob and I arrived in Kolozsvar (Cluj) yesterday evening and had a little walkabout before crashing. Below are a few random pictures from our walk. There was a festival happening in Unrii Square, next to St. Michael's Cathedral (once the pulpit of Francis David when it was a Unitarian church) with live music. There are lots of young people here, and the city was hopping (though I suppose it could have just been the festival that brought them all out).

Opera House

An interesting recent production at the Opera House

A big crowd gathers for the music

The flights over here went very smoothly via Paris and Bucharest. We are looking forward to catching up with Maureen and Jaffray, who arrived late last night (I hope). We meet up with our guide Csilla for a "kickoff" dinner tonight. Possible activities today may include visits to the Ethnographic Museum, the Art Museum, and the Botanical Garden. We are looking to have fabulous weather while we are here: sunny and generally in the 80s.

Itinerary

Just thought I'd post our current itinerary in case you are interested. We head out tomorrow!

Arlington First Parish

UU Pilgrimage

Transylvania - August 2015

Revised Itinerary: (B/L/D – Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner included in trip fee): hotels subject to change due to availability at time of booking. Hotels may change due to availability at time of booking.

Travelers will be arriving in Kolozsvar/Cluj the night of Friday, July 31, and have a free day to explore Kolozsvar/Cluj on Saturday, August 1.

• Saturday, August 1. Gather at Hotel Victoria in Kolozsvar/Cluj, Romania. Group dinner & orientation. Overnight Kolozsvar - Hotel Victoria (D)
• Sunday, August 2.  Morning Unitarian tour of Kolozsvar including 1^st Church (which houses the famous Francis David rock), the Unitarian HQ & High School, and St. Michael’s Church where Francis David once preached. Optional 11am service at 1^st Church. Group lunch. Optional afternoon visit to the nearby “Alabaster Village” of Mezsko. Weather permitting we will take a hike in the spectacular Torda Gorge before returning to Kolozsvar. Free evening. Dinner on your own. Overnight Kolozsvar –Hotel Victoria. (BL)
• Monday, August 3. Depart Kolozsvar after breakfast for Deva. En route we stop at the Church of the Edict in Torda and again at the 1000-year-old church in Gyulafehervar/Alba Iulia which houses the tombs of King Sigismund and his mother, Isabella. Group lunch before continuing on to the citadel at Deva for a moment of reflection in the cell where Francis David, first Bishop of the Unitarian Church, was martyred. Dinner & overnight Deva –Hotel Sarmis. (BLD)
• Tuesday, August 4. Depart Deva after breakfast for Sibiu/Szeben. Morning detour to visit the fairytale 13^th century castle at Vadjahunyad. Sandwich lunch en route. PM arrival in Sibiu. Free evening to relax or explore the city. Dinner on your own. Overnight Sibiu – Ramada Plaza. (BL)
• Wednesday, August 5. Morning mini-tour and orientation in city center. Free day in Sibiu to stroll the picturesque city, shop, and take in some of the world class museums. Lunch and dinner on your own. Overnight Sibiu – Ramada Plaza (B)
• Thursday, August 6. Depart Sibiu for Gagy. Afternoon arrival in our partner village. Welcome reception & lunch with minister and village families. Tour of the village with the minister as our guide. Dinner with host families. Overnight Gagy – home stays. 
• Friday, August 7. Breakfast with host families. Visit to Bözödújfalu (flooded by Ceausescu), Körispatak (Straw Hat Museum), and Énlaka (Unitarian Church). Lunch at Alpar Dancs's guest house. Tasting cheese specialties of buffalo milk. Return to Gagy, dinner with host families. Overnight Gagy - home stays. 
• Saturday, August 8. Breakfast with host families. Optional program: Unitarian Meeting in Szejkefürdő (near Székelyudvarhely), an outdoor church service and Communion, commemoration of Balázs Orbán, an important patron of the Unitarian Church. Return to Gagy, dinner with host families. Overnight Gagy - home stays.
• Sunday, August 9. Breakfast with host families. Church service in the Unitarian Church of Gagy. Lunch with members of the community. Horse cart ride near the village. Return to Gagy, dinner with host families. Overnight Gagy - home stays.
• Monday, August 10. Breakfast with host families. Farewell and departure after breakfast to begin our journey back to Kolozsvar/Cluj. Stop en route to visit the picturesque Marosvasarhely/TG-Mures city center for a tour of the Art Nouveau Cultural Palace and a group lunch. Afternoon arrival in Kolozsvar. Free time to relax. Group discussion with UUPCC staff about village experience. Farewell dinner. Overnight Kolozsvar/Cluj –Hotel (BLD)
• Tuesday, August 11. Cabs to airport for return flights to US. (B)

Five Days To Go

Unlike four years ago on our first pilgrimage from First Parish in Arlington, Massachusetts, to our partner Unitarian church in Gagy, Transylvania, there will be only four of us on the trip. We are Michael Friedman, Maureen Dolan, Jaffray Cuyler, and Rob Meier.

Michael, Maureen, and Jaffray

Rob

Right now we are busy with last-minute preparations, and full of excitement. All of us will actually be arriving in Cluj (Koloszvar) a day early, so we will have time on our own before meeting up with our guide Csilla the evening of Aug. 1.

To read the blog from our initial visit in 2011, see http://www.firstparish.info/index.php/congregationalworkings/groups-and-activities/partnership-church/transylvania-pilgrimage-2011.