The Turda salt works
The visit to the Salina of Turda was already recommended to me some years ago by a colleague of mine. At that time we had business in Cluj and after work we just drove out of the city. Unfortunately, it was a bit too late to visit the saltworks.
And so the side trip to Turda at the end of our hike was a very good opportunity to have a look into the salt works. Pascal and I were curious to see what awaits us there, just outside the city of Turda. Well, what will it be? A hole in the mountain, which the people there created by hand many years ago to extract salt and thus create wealth for a few? In front of the salt works was a big parking lot with many snack bars, lots of tourists and a very well made visitor center. After we paid the entrance fee we went down a few steps in the mountain. Interesting are the patterns of salt and rock in the ceilings and walls. Then we went on a very long walk into the mountain. Again and again the beautiful patterns of salt and rock. After a few hundred meters the passage ends. Hmm... I would have expected a little bit more then. But there are still a few branches, let's just look around a little bit more. You can see how the water was pumped out of the mountain. In another branch you can see a kind of elevator. With horses a wheel was turned which moved over ropes then pit cages. The horses never got very old and were usually completely blind after a few weeks. The conditions underground were very hard for humans and animals at that time. We walked one gear further and finally enter the actual salt works. My mouth is open in amazement. Unbelievable! I have never seen such a huge underground room created by human hands before! In the one part of the saltworks that can be seen in front of us, the town church from Leonberg would fit completely. In the second saltworks, whose form reminds of a bell, the tower of the cathedral of Ulm would fit in. And both salt works are without any supports. Everything is self-supporting!
In the large saltworks there is a concert hall for an orchestra and a stage. From time to time concerts are held here. There is also a minigolf course, a Ferris wheel and stands where you can eat and drink. In the bell-shaped saltworks you can go by pedal boat.
I can only recommend a visit to the Turda salt works to everyone.
Rather impressed by the size of the saltworks we walk back to Turda in the late afternoon.
The city of Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca is one of the largest cities in the Transylvania region. Many business trips led me here and this was also one of the reasons why I wanted to come here with Pascal for some hiking: I've been here before, but I haven't seen much of the country. Except airport, hotel, meeting room and maybe in the evening a restaurant. This one afternoon with my colleague, when we finished work early and drove out of town, made me want to have more time for the city.
So Pascal and I set off on foot and looked around the city. I admit that after the 20th historic building I had somehow lost my appetite. Unfortunately I was too vain (or too comfortable) to tell Pascal that. I probably should have just relaxed in a beer garden. On the other hand, I was surprised myself what there was to see in Cluj. Many buildings and places have been beautifully renovated. There is usually a lot of life here. But there are still some of the old buildings from the communist times, which nobody seems to care about. With some of the high-rise buildings I would really be afraid that they would collapse soon, or that one of the self-built air-conditioning units would fall down on the street. There are also the almost decayed little houses in which the old mother lives and which nobody seems to care about either. Neither around the house nor around the mother. There you can see that the differences between rich and poor are very big. This applies on a small scale to people, but on a large scale it also applies to entire countries.
Nevertheless: Cluj-Napoca is very interesting!
And I am glad that many young people find work here in one of the large companies that have been established here in recent years. (Even if this is not always good for the jobs here at home)