Transfăgărășan Highway: We're going on a bear hunt 🇷🇴

We've enjoyed our time in Transylvania which means 'Land Beyond the Trees" and on our last day in Brașov we decided to drive the scenic Transfăgărășan Highway.  Originally built as a strategic military road in the 70's in case of Soviet invasion it is has turned into a popular drive after Top Gear called it 'the world's best road.'  The views are spectacular as you drive from the woods of the Southern Carpathian wilderness up the hair pin turns through the dark mountains blanketed with sheets of low handing clouds, passing multiple waterfalls and arriving at the emerald green Bâlea Lake.  The route continues on to join the historical Wallachia region but the lake was our turn around point.  

Romania contains 60% of the European brown bear population and we've heard that there is likely a chance of seeing some bears during our drive.  We decided to get on the road early to avoid traffic and perhaps catch a glimpse of a bear before too much road noise scared them off.  We had just started our ascent into the woods when we spotted a momma bear with her cub.  They were walking along the side of the road luckily at a pull off point.   We had prepared ourselves and the kids that we would most likely not see anything so we were ecstatic when we did.  We again saw two older cubs later on the drive as well so considered ourselves pretty lucky!

We probably stopped at just about every viewpoint along the way but each provided a different awe-inspiring view.   At one point Jenny shouted "It's a wolf!" however considering the large stray dog population and the distance between us the kids decided it was a 'Wog.'  The kids also enjoyed finding tadpoles while we walked around the lake and we enjoyed a traditional roadside lunch and Kürtőskalács.  

The kids were excited to be in the clouds!