Music and Change in Chisinau, Moldova

Welcome to Moldova ! It's the small country chilling quietly between Romania and Ukraine. A country you probably didn't know existed, but, it certainly does exist! Fact. And if you want to get up to speed with all things Moldovan, you might want to give the Moldova Ukulele Road Trips Podcast a little listen. It's got great guests, songs and 'sort of reliable' fun facts. Or you can come get a first hand experience yourself, traveling through its calm and authentic countryside before you make it to the capital Chisinau.

Above, a few photos from Chisinau, and from the quiet Moldovan countryside.

I arrived in Moldova just in time for the "Limba noastră" public holiday, which is a celebration of the Romanian language as part of the Moldovan identity. Which was a bit confusing as I had been hearing a fair amount of Russian in the city. The traditional Romanian/Moldovan music was great fun though, and I thought you might enjoy a small slice of said fun.

However, as you spend time here, you slowly understand how complex the situation of today's Moldova is. Following roughly 200 years of Russian domination, the people, as well as the languages have mixed, and it is not uncommon to hear Romanian and Russian entangled in the same conversations, even sentences. I might point you here to the direction of the UkuRT Podcast's guests Serghei and Max, who give a much better account of this issue than I can, being only a curious foreign backpacker.

But another event coinciding with my first week here was the start of large protests against corruption and the dire political situation, at the week-end. To get to the point, the corruption has attained such levels, that over a billion (billion!) dollars have vanished from the state's treasury in recent years. Issues with which a lot of people are much more concerned with than with a language divide. Tents of protesters still cover the Main Square as I type this post, two weeks later. Spending time there, I met Liviu, the young man who started this whole movement for justice and transparency, alone, back in February 2015. This desire for change culminates now in daily protests, concerts and speeches right in front of the Parliament building.

The music is an integral part of the protest and joins the strong emotions of the Moldovans gathered every day on the square. A young musician, Patrick, was kind enough to play "Taticul meu e la Razboi" again when I requested it to him, having heard him once before. A truly moving song by Teodor Neagra on war and grief.

You can also get a little feel of the nights around the tents (and a bit of ukulele music) in this short report by TV Jurnal.

A Smile and Wave from Iasi, Romania

Iasi. It's actually pronounced "Yash".

There is lots to say about this cultural center and former capital of Moldova. Its history is rich and its elegant streets, very enjoyable to wander through. However, in this very subjective road trip, its main feature is that it sits at the very edge of the country. Just next to the Eastern border I will be crossing, I leave the Iasian avenues.

These Ukulele Road Trips have been in Romania for a while, and even if I could write long lines about the wonderful experiences and travels I've had here, I'd rather let a song do the talking.

I'll Brasov (brush off) the dust from Transylvania, from my old jeans, I will again be a, travelling bard this time a little bit more brave, smile and wave, smile and wave, smile and wave

a Bucharest (book a rest) in the commie capital, a walk in Tineretului and all,  I leave behind just like the time you gave, smile and wave smile and wave, smile and wave

Sighisoara, Suceava, Cluj and You, I part without but with the plan soon to, relive them, not allow them in a grave, smile and wave, smile and wave, smile and wave

Am I happy now to go, from the old culture capital, Iasi (yes) and no, I smile and wave Bicaz Bicaz (because), I see all that could be and all, that was

On my way I'll Sibiu (see biou-)tiful sights I'm sure, time for a Bran (brand) new start and an encore encore, time also for a haircut and a fresh shave, smile and wave, smile and wave, smile and wave

smile and wave, smile and wave, share and like !

-Pre-Order the Ukulele Road Trips ROMANIA ALBUM here-

The Peaceful Heights of Lacul Rosu, Romania

Whims are a curious thing. Even the word is sort of amusing. "Whim". Sounds funny. Try it. No really, say it. Whim. See?

And luckily for me, a whim, courtesy of a fellow traveler, is exactly what has brought me to Lacu Rosu. It also took a bus ride, sleeping over in Bicaz, where I walked a couple of hours with my gear to find a place to sleep, and some hitchhiking to get to the "Red Lake" the next day. But I could regret none of it when I arrived there.

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That's the funny thing with whims. They definitely don't make your life easier. But they might just give you what you need in the end. Something you might not have known you needed at all actually. It could be no wifi, and stretches of tall trees as far as the eye can see. Or it could be the peace and quiet of a young lake that makes your thoughts clearer. Anyway, motivational posters aside, whims that you follow give you moments to truly live, and stories to tell. Or if you're whim-ing with a ukulele or two, short songs to sing.

I said "young" lake, because as it turns out, this "Red Lake", or, "Killer Lake" as it used to be called, is only roughly 200 years old! Basically, in July 1837 (which, incidentally, is also the year Felix Mendelssohn got married... fun fact), a violent storm caused big bits of the surrounding mountains to collapse. The landslides blocked nearby rivers and the lake grew on an area covered in trees. Which is why many trunks of giant fur-trees still peak out of the lake. The text by the booth to book rowing boats says that it is a "witness to the originality and specificity of the lake even today". There you go.

Another very scientific theory about the formation of the lake involves a beautiful young woman called Eszter, "her eyes greyish-green", in love with a beautiful man, "so strong that he could kill a bear with his embrace and played the pipe so beautifully that he moved all hearts around" (wow, right?) (still quoting from the same poster by the way). Long story short, she was kidnapped, and sad, prayed, and then a big earthquake killed them all. The Killer Lake appears, and, it now reflects the colour of her "greyish-green" eyes, a beautiful colour, that surely deserves a more elegant name.

It's safe now though you'll be glad to hear. And if ever a whim does take all the way to Lacul Rosu, you won't need legends to make this place feel very special to you. You can be sure of that. Whims make good things happen.

As for now, just like this wild migrating ukulele, I'm flying off (not literally) to my next destination. Hope to hear from you in the mean time. And feel free to share this post and song. Follow your writing and sharing whims!