LiBEARty, Dracula and Rasnov Fortress 20 Feb 20

LiBEARty, Dracula and Rasnov Fortress

I took Dave coffee in bed and packed a lunch for the day.  It was about half an hour's drive to the Bear sanctuary where the 10 o clock tour started with a heartbreaking video about how the sanctuary started because of the cruel conditions bears were being kept in. The UK has funded this sanctuary and they thanked us for supporting them.

And then I saw my first ever bear. She was just beautiful.

I felt quite overwhelmed with emotion watching her and was glad for me sunglasses so nobody noticed the tears running down my cheeks. Like the woman in the video said - how can anyone enjoy watching them perform like clowns in a circus or poked in a cage!

There are about 6000 left in the wild here, all brown bears. 

The sanctuary needs about two tons of food a day which shops and restaurants in the area donate when reaching sell by dates.

The sanctuary also had a few wolves, not many left in the wild though.

We snacked in the car before driving the half hour to Bran where Dracula was inspired.

Bran castle

We found a parking and walked up to Bran Castle, where Vlad the impaler had stayed. This was a royal hunting lodge, where of course Dracule also stayed.

Loved these direction signs

Macabre side - some of the torture items

I just loved this guy

We had a gluhwein in this restaurant with the castle in view

We drove back to Rasnov, less than an hour away, but unfortunately it's under refurbishment so we could view the outside.