Romania

Kutrubes Travel planned an exquisitely complicated tour for me through “eastern” Europe, and I started out in Romania.

Country Information:

The capital of Romania is Bucharest and the country has about 20 million citizens. The official language is Romanian. Christian denominations are the primary religions, with the dominant religion being Eastern Orthodox.

Jim’s Perspectives:

A wonderful place to visit in Romania is Libearty Bear Sanctuary Zarnesti in Brasov. This is not a zoo; it is a bear rehabilitation center to help declining bear populations, especially brown bears which are virtually extinct in many parts of Europe. Travelers who love outdoor challenges will also enjoy Parc Aventura Brasov, an adventure park filled with fun challenges for navigating the forest area.

Also worth a visit is Peles Castle in Sinaia, a magnificent castle where the rooms are styled differently with architecture and furnishings influenced by other countries in Europe and the Middle East. On busy days there can be a long wait, but once inside the views are gorgeous.

This is a country that I definitely want to return to visit the fantastic castles!

Mongolia

Country Information: The capital of Mongolia is Ulaanbaatar and the official language is Mongolian. About 3.5 million people live here. Mongolia used to be more heavily dominated by folk religions such as Shamanism, but today, most of the population follows Tibetan...

Eritrea

Country Information: Eritrea stands for “Red” due to its proximity to the Red Sea. The capital is Asmara, and 6 million people live here. Main languages are Tigrinya and Arabic, followed by Tigre. In the country’s more commercial cities, more English speakers can be...

Nauru

Country Information: Formerly called Pleasant Island, Nauru is a phosphate island country in Micronesia that gained independence in 1968. The capital is Yaren. About 10,000 people live here, though with immigration, there may be more. The official languages are...