October has just begun in color. An unusual sun and air, so warm and peaceful. We are not going far from Bucharest this weekend, we just want rest, beginning and wandering, at the same time close and far. The road takes us to Prahova, where we travel through the small streets of Satul Banului village. At the end of the road, unexpectedly, as always, we discover a corner of another part of the world, different from what we saw and lived in our path so far.
Satul Banului Guesthouse, a large and green area, which welcomes us in an orchard, like the households of the people in this area used to be. We love orchards, appreciating them every time we discover perfection and order in such a corner of nature. In an orchard, nature and man work alike.Quiet, an amazing air, beautiful energy around. Then we discover three nice houses, differently built, which open our admiration and curiosity. Whenever we feel good we want to know more and more about something. The barn is the first that catches our attention, built keeping traditional elements and details, wooden beams, old objects, beauties of the time. Behind the large garden we see another house, smaller, suspended, perfectly combining traditional elements such as wood with modern material, the design being truly unique. In the end, we discover our favorite house, being seen until then only from behind, without revealing its true beauty. A wonderful construction, respecting the traditional details, materials, shapes, the old elements, only brought back to a large size, beautifully adapted to life nowadays.
The first image of the place is so beautiful that we feel that we would not move from here, from the huge orange pillow that we lay on, in the grass. Plus a bottle of wine for each sunset. Even the fact that we don’t have signal doesn’t bother us too much, on the contrary. Life this weekend is just lived offline.
We grew up in their houses
We learn that the names of the rooms in the barn are given in memory of three grandmothers: grandmother Lina, Floarea and Lisandra. The ground floor of the house is a common space and restaurant: relax in front of the fireplace, always good music, old books, objects and images collected from all kinds of places and times.
In the back house, the rooms upstairs, Mamaia din sus and Mamaia de la vale, also remind of the grandparents. “In their houses we grew up, feeling the basil aroma and quince, living the Romanian life. In their summer kitchens with earth on the floor we felt for the first time the taste of summer stews made of well-ripened tomatoes with green onions, cooked in a military aluminum bowl, on a stove over a fire of dry branches or corn cobs.”
The objects in the houses and in the household belonged to the great-grandfather, Ghiță Stan Dobre, a famous innkeeper in the village: the cart, the riding saddle, the stick, some of the pieces of furniture.
Pure joy, good air, adrenaline, smile, wild mushrooms, exceeded limits and beautiful people
The days of rest and sunshine continued with a wonderful route made on electric bicycles, on the hills, through the surrounding forests and paths. 50 kilometers more precisely of pure joy, good air, adrenaline, smile, forest mushrooms, exceeding limits and beautiful people. The route is a must, it is joy and freedom in the most beautiful forms.
Otherwise hiking, cart rides, horseback riding, visiting blacksmiths and local artists can be recommended activities. In the village you will find them all.
Beyond the Village of Satul Banului there are many cultural and historical objectives, surprising us nicely. Muntenia also has palaces, Romanian mansions built in the Middle Ages, important historical figures, but many of them forgotten, left in the shadow and often in ruin: Drăghici Cantacuzino Palace, Little Trianon from Florești, Pană Filipescu Mansion, Iulia Hașdeu Castle, the Royal Court of Brebu or Tower of Chindia, all located at distances not exceeding 50 km.
October mountain brunch
The three days spent at Satul Banului Guesthouse were a feast, starting with the fairytale breakfast, perfect for photography. Then the delicious dishes, in huge quantities, understanding that this is the custom of the place. But all the meals ended with a slow down brunch, on a Sunday afternoon, where guests were delighted with venison dishes and also vegetarian ones, with all kinds of recipes adapted to everyone: mushroom soup, homemade bread, polenta, local cheese and pumpkin pie. Outside, beautiful tables in the green courtyard, good music, spirit, sun and longing for everything that is authentic in places, customs and people.
We are happy to always find places like this, where the tradition is not only collected, but also preserved, passed on, loved. It fills our souls with joy to know that the best innkeeper in the village was replaced today by the great-grandson, in the role of host, telling each guest with love and sincere enthusiasm about the cart of the great-grandfather in the yard, that went through many periods and times in order to reach him. We love the way objects, architecture and customs are still alive, as each corner of the earth and country remains unique and untouched by elements belonging to other areas or times. How everything is in place. We are glad to see people like them, full of beauty and good sense, modest and skilled, who gather and keep in the corner of their souls images, old pictures, memories, stories, unique abilities, treasures of yesterday.Satul Banului Guesthouse, Vlaicu Street 702C, Satul Banului Village, Măgureni, Prahova County
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