Around the World in Analogue: Apuseni Natural Park, Romania

In this edition of Around the World in Analogue, community member Oriana @oriana-n tells us about the Apuseni mountains which she dearly loves and considers her second home.

Spanning several counties and covering a total area of 75,784 hectares, the Apuseni Natural Park in Romania is home to diverse flora and fauna, spectacular landmarks, and valued karst areas. The locals' culture and traditions, as well as the park's rich biodiversity, led to the International Union for Conservation of Nature declaring it a natural protected area.

Name: Oriana Nicolaiciuc
LomoHome: @oriana-n
Social Media: Instagram, Flickr
Camera/s: Canon Canonet 28, Canon AF35 MII, Zenit 122
Film/s: Kodak Pro Image 100, Fuji Superia X-Tra 400, Fujicolor C200, Kodak Gold 200, Kodak Ektar 100, Fujifilm 400, Kodak Color Plus 200
Location: Apuseni Natural Park, Romania

The Apuseni Mountains are part of the Western Carpathians and the Apuseni Natural Park, located in Western Transylvania, Romania. I first went there as a child with my parents. For more than a decade, my husband and I have been regular visitors, often spending the summer there.

These mountains hold a special place in my heart and have become my second home. I love the slower pace of life, and the peace and quiet. The simple act of being aware of the nature around me brings such happiness.

Despite being a tourist destination, you can still find traditional households. People live in old wooden houses at an altitude of over 1,400 metres and raise animals that they take up to higher pastures in the summer. Cows and horses can often be seen when hiking. Sometimes even wild animals such as deer, hares and foxes. And then there are the scattered villages, the forests, the unpaved roads. The scenery is wild. But the mountains are welcoming.

Numerous attractive tourist destinations set them apart from other mountain ranges in Romania. For me, it's the afternoon light that has won me over. There is such an incredible light in the late afternoon that it's almost like being in a fantasy world. Even the name of the mountains, Apuseni, refers to the sunset (which translates to 'apus' in Romanian).

I recommend visiting the Apuseni Natural Park in summer when it's easier to hike and explore, but it's also worth going in autumn, even if it's raining. The winter landscape is breathtaking when everything is covered in snow.

I've tried different films throughout the seasons and although I don't have a go-to, I would use Fujicolor C200 in the summer, Kodak Ektar 100 in the autumn and Kodak Gold 200 or Kodak Pro Image 100 in the winter.

We'd like to thank Oriana for sharing her images and stories with us! To keep in touch, visit her LomoHome.

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written by sylvann on 2024-12-22 #around-the-world #romania #around-the-world-in-analogue #apuseni-natural-park #oriana-n