Lelese

Welcome to Lelese, one of the places Marina calls home.












Painting the houses blue and green is common in Lelese.

The fields are full of flowers, and Marina gathered bunches each time she went out walking.






Tusa Silvia, Maria's aunt, showing me the herbs she is drying for medicial purposes.

The cute sheep and lambs. Scarlett would have loved it!

Sorry for the sideways pictures, but I can't find a way to rotate them on this hotel computer. This is the outside of Maria's store in Lelese. We brought a load of supplies for the store when we came.

Marina behind the counter!

Urda, or fresh goat cheese delivered to the table in a cloth bag by the shepherd himself. It has a very mild flavor and is a soft cheese. We also had branza which is the same cheese soaked in a salt brine.

Uncle Vica manning the barbecue.

Mircea, Maria, Pam, Brian, Marina, Tuşa (Aunt) Rodica, Tuşa Sylvia (Maria's aunt) at dinner in Lelese. We had barbecued veal, mici (pronounced meech) which is a kind of skinless sausage you dip in mustard, and chicken along with grilled zucchini and mushrooms.

This is a dessert that comes from Lelese called placinta. It is a pan fried dough with cheese folded inside. Rodica's mom made it special for our dinner.

Rodica's mom made this traditional doll costume as a gift for Marina. She lives in the village.







Visiting with the neighbors.

Mircea's church is right behind the house. He took us down for a tour. Within the last few years he had some artists paint the ceiling and walls inside with religious paintings -- the apostles, philosophers, evangelists, prophets, the story of the crucifixtion and resurrection, etc. It is very beautiful. Maria took us up a super narrow staircase to the bell tower to see the bells.

Listen to the bells here. If you look in the background as Maria is sounding the second bell, you can see a horizontal board hanging next to the wall. This is also hit with mallets along with the bells. I wish I could have heard it on Sunday.

Through round windows on each side of the belltower, you can overlook the hills surrounding the village.


Marina's family obviously loves Lelese, and I can see why. I love it, too. I hope I can go there again some day.