Curchi is situated close to Orhei, in Codru. Founded in the 18th century, it was closed down in the middle of the 20th and turned into a psychiatric hospital. It stayed that way for about 50 years, and was reverted back into a monastery in 2002.
Continue reading Curchi Monastery.
Bostaniada, or Pumpkin Festival, was the third part of our trip, and the one I was waiting for the most. But, as it oft happens with expectations, it was the one I liked the least.
I didn’t get to go this year, so I cannot say anything about improvements. Perhaps there were some, and my commentary is severely outdated. Last year, however, some of the major problems were people flow (same gates for both exits and entrances), lack of shade (unless you were willing to sit down and order in one of the eateries), and lack of places to sit down (unless, yeah, eateries).
The areas of the festival were clearly marked on the map, but the map itself was off the course (it was literally the last thing I saw, mere minutes before leaving), and the markings weren’t anywhere on the territory. If they were, then I didn’t see them, which is rather similar to them not being there at all, if you ask me.
Again, this commentary is for Bostaniada 2014. I hope this year saw some improvements.
On to the pictures!
Continue reading Bostaniada 2014.
The second part of the Sunday tour included a nature reserve Codru.
The reserve itself consists of three zones: the protected zone, the buffer zone, and the transit zone. The protected zone in the smallest one. Any human activity, with an exception of scientific observation and sampling, is prohibited in the zone. The buffer zone allows for moderate human activity, including experimentation. It exists to guard the protected zone from the outside world. The transit zone is large, up to 2 km in width. For the most part it contains public and private allotments.
Unfortunately, the tour didn’t include a walk tour through the reserve itself. We only had time to take a look at the museum.
Now, I don’t pretend to be knowledgeable about Moldavian flora and fauna, but I think even for a person with a bit of interest in the local natural world some of the facts will come as a surprise.
For example, as I found out that day, Moldova has 153 types of birds. I had no idea! I thought it was something like, I dunno, maybe 40? There are 8000 types of insects *shudder*. And apparently Codru reserve also has wildcats on its territory. Wildcats are at the brink of extinction. They’re on the Red List of Threatened Species.
If taxidermy isn’t your thing (I feel ye), then some photos may make your eye twitch a little, but eh.
They’re part of any natural history museum.
See the first part of the Sunday tour here.
