Once upon a time in Hunedoara ...

Hunedoara is a town in Romania that hosts one of the most impressive castles in the country: ¨Castelul Huniazilor¨/ or ¨Corvins' Castle¨.
I've visited this place twice already; the second time in March, to show my husband around.

The town itself is not that impressive with the outskirts looking like a balkan style 'village/ town outskirts hybrid' and the industrial areas around the town not helping too much, but the castle itself is a surprisingly beautiful sight. One that seems able to magically transport itself from a crisp 16th century to the quite different reality this area is living today.

But this is about the castle; let's not digress...
Due to the fact that access to castle is achieved through a labyrinth of streets that cut through the center of the town, one doesn't get a clear view of the grounds and the building itself until literally getting through its gates.

And what a view it is! It looks surreal (think 'Lord of the Rings')...
This castle has quite a rich and blended history of growth, family struggles, violence, fires, renovations; however, it has managed to wonderfully carry its scars to the present day, continuously surprising its visitors.

More details about the castle can be found here and some photos are below.

Swedish summer

It's quite nice in Stockholm, in the summer; the temperature rarely goes above 30 degrees Celsius and the wind is mild. It almost makes up for the cold and dark winters.
I always tend to get surprised when the temperatures start to drop, at the beginning of September.
These shots are all I have left now from the summer that seems to have vanished without a notice...

Finland, yet again

Even though I hadn't found it very exciting the last time around, here I was again on a ferry heading to Helsinki, at the end of August.
My parents were visiting and we thought that the trip would be some good fun.
We weren't wrong...

The city does have another aura in the summer; we enjoyed strolling the long boulevards and the beautiful parks, as well as visiting and taking pictures in the historic neighborhood close to the harbor (with the busy and colorful market by the sea).










But, most of all, we enjoyed revisiting Suomenlinna; the place is even more beautiful in the summer.
See for yourself below: