Romania

When I worked for REI in Seattle, I had the privilege of meeting many larger than life personalities. Not the least of which was a certain famous vampire.

There I was, minding the store, when I was approached (from my blind side) by a peculiar fellow of average height, and chiseled, handsome features. His black hair was shoulder length, but it was his voice that sent a shiver down my spine.

He said, "Can you help me?" I wasn't sure on that, but I did think privately how really, really well Bella Lugosi had nailed that accent. Uncanny. There before me stood the full-on personage of Count Dracula, or a darn good look-alike.

Turns out he wanted rock climbing gear, and the next thing you know we were trading lies like any other pair of climbers who first meet. He was from Transylvania he said, and I asked him about the rock in the Carpathian Mountains. Granite, he said it was, and very clean at that. "Cool," I thought, "but I remember seeing that one movie of you scaling the castle wall upside down - that was creepy - and you didn't need any rock climbing gear then..."

All of this is just introduction to the next pastelist blogger I want to bring to you: Adriana Capraru. She doesn't have anything to do with Dracula, as far as I know, but her nation of Romania is well known for him. I have watched her blog grow over the past year and it is a delight to read. Be aware, it is in French.


http://pastel-online.blogspot.com/