MandragoraSauce

This week-end, feeling once again in mood for an out-of-town adventure, I've visited an antique castle, almost unknown to the public, in Potlogi, Giurgiu county, Romania.

To be honest, I don't think there's anything in this world that compares to the thrill of discovering something completely special all  by yourself (and your camera, of course ). Built sometime in the XVIIth century, the castle used to be a summer residence to one of the richest noble families from the area. It is exquisitely built on a large domain, it used to be surrounded by other buildings (for the servants, the guards etc.), whose ruins have been preserved and yet ... it's almost completely abandoned.

I am utterly disappointed at the way historical monuments, amazing ones, with great touristic potential, are treated here. No one takes care of them, tourism agencies are blissfully unaware of their existance and so on... It's just a pity.

There is a bright side, though. From what I've gathered from the locals, there is hope of improvement, as European funds have been directed to a preject whose main goal is the restauration of the castle.

Meanwhile, have a look at the way the domain looks now.  Thank you!

Today, I decided to make most of the sunny (and cold) weather. Sooo, i decided that a photoshoot in the Botanical Garden would be a brilliant idea. I could picture it in my mind - the snow, the deserted alleys, the frosty lake...
I wan't actually disappointed, as I & my two friends managed to make most of the light, snow and the rest of the lovely surrounding bits of nature, but it was SO hard. As soon as we started taking photos, the snow was everywhere - in my boots, my jacket, my hair - and there was absolutely no way of getting rid of it.
We finished about an hour and a half later, close to hypothermia and drove straight to the nearest McDonald's.  

But you know what's the craziest thing about it? I'd do it all again!

If you want, check out the results of this photoshoot in my gallery. Cheers!