Benjamin Evans—artist, photographer, adventurer—has a global reach, having exhibited work everywhere from Melbourne to Chicago. He takes to the road frequently, filling the pages of his passport, on a quest to reveal the beauty of the natural world. Traveling with his partner, Ingrid, on a recent trip to Eastern Europe, Evans took a particular interest in Romania. There he marveled at old castles, hiked the foothills, indulged in local fare, and, of course, snapped photos all along the way.
Those first excited photographs from the plane window as you arrive into a new country. Club-Napoca, Romania, is the unofficial capital of Transylvania and the first (and last) stop on our week round trip exploring this fascinating country.
Our local Airbnb friend enjoys a sheltered spot out of the sun on a hot day. We stayed on a farmstead at the foothills of the Southern Carpathians, also known as the Transylvanian Alps, and awoke to beautiful mountains on all sides.
Breakfast is served (Romanian style)! Farm fresh duck eggs and berries, along with traditional goodies, including rum porridge and potato bread. All chased by a serving of pine-aged sheep cheese (wrapped it in tree bark for up to a year, infusing the cheese with pine flavor while keeping it fresh).
Farm friends having their breakfast while we had ours.
Before a long day of hiking through the Southern Carpathians our host provides us with tips on the best routes over a morning coffee.
One of the many colorful streets of Sighişoara. A slow afternoon was spent wandering the backstreets, eating handmade chocolate and visiting the famous clock tower.
We spend a morning visiting Cantacuzino Castle, wandering in the gardens, sipping a coffee on the terrace while savoring the views of the Busteni region.
Umbrellas shade one of the colorful arcades of Bucharest's historic old town.
The sunset view from Linea, a rooftop bar in Bucharest, provides the perfect backdrop for a cocktails and chats with locals.
A fragment of the urban jungle that is Bucharest.
The tranquil canal that runs through Bucharest. A peaceful spot to take a moment and breathe it all in.
The Urbanist. One of the many trendy little cafes dotted throughout Bucharest.
A stop in at Sibiu. The city where the houses never sleep! A mixture of beautiful German architecture and remnants of medieval times (not to mention the delicious local Romanian dishes on offer).
One of the countless little side streets we came across as we explored new towns. This one held a great little wine bar, in which a few hours (and wines) were whiled away.
Exploring the greenhouses of the Cluj-Napoca Botanical Gardens (this one was a tropical paradise!)
