This trip has become a kind of tradition already in my family. I mean, every summer we go for 2-3 days to the mountains in Piatra Neamt and make a route to include as many monasteries as possible. From morning till noon we were visiting monasteries and in the afternoon we were camping. Every time we take my grandparents with us as well because they are religious and it's nice to be more people in a journey. Maybe you ask why we go every year in the same places. Well, I would love to change the route, but here are the closest places where we can bring food for the monks. You realize that it's hard for them to commute from the mountains to the city every single day for food, so they make supplies in a cottage and everyone is free to help if they want. It's a good deed done to people who really appreciate it. Moreover, those people (the monks) put you at the table after the end of the morning job. Everyone is welcome to sit at the table, there is no discrimination, and everything is free.(food, water, even housing, but still no one leaves without leaving to the church some money or maybe food, because you have to thank them in some way for ..... hospitality; it's like a donation, but you get something in return.)  For some monks they are really good chefs.
Every monastery has something special, one has beautiful paintings, another has beautiful flowers, but my favorite is Sihla Monastery.  There is the cave of The Holy Virgin Theodora. She lived in a cave hidden in the mountains, fed the crumbs of the birds of the sky and what she found in the woods, and bathed herself in the rainwater collected in a rock that had the form of a bathtub. It's really interesting her story.
Now tourists can visit these places. Being a place hidden in the mountains, you have peace, fresh air, so you can pray or admire nature and holy places.
If you have not been to this monastery yet, I recommend you to visit it. You have nothing to regret.

Last edited by teacherovi (2018-05-30 18:38:46)