31 October. Dracula's Castle (Borgo Pass). - Boarding the coach, we ascended the Borgo Pass after leaving Bistritz as Stoker knew it. Along the Birgau valley we saw many villages but had a delay because of road construction. While we waited to proceed I began looking at the narrow mountain road ahead of us, looking down the sides of the Carpathian slopes as we continued on. We saw towns, castles on top of steep hills, ran by rivers and streams, capturing the essence of Harker's trail just as described in 'Dracula'. The Tihuta passage and “Dorna†region were some of the most beautiful I had seen, Harker had found them frightful and I couldn't help trying to capture his feelings as he made his journey into the shadows aboard the Black Coach.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3072/3010669878_eccb978e97.jpg?v=0 - The Borgo Pass, made famous in Stoker's novel as the entrance to Count Dracula's relm.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3029/3078244674_910a9c5383.jpg?v=0 - The Borgo Pass from my room
We saw Carpathian gorges, fitting Stoker's description perfectly, finally arriving at Stoker's Castle (Dracula Castle hotel) in Piatra Fantanele for the annual Grande Masquerade on Halloween night. 11 o'clock, I quickly acquired my room, the fourth room on the second floor and sat down my luggage near my bed for the evening which I couldn't help but snap a picture of as a guest of the vampire count. Once again I couldn't help but think of Harker's experience as he was led to his quarters by Dracula. Reaching the lobby I noticed a portrait of Dr. Elizabeth Miller, of whom I had spoken of as my fellow travlers and I were discussing the original novel. I had a copy over a hundred years old appraised through someone she knew and with whom I had been in contact with shortly before I departed. After a short photo session near the statue of Bram Stoker outside the castle we visited the open-air market nearby where I purchased among other things, a bottle of vampire wine (PJROT ROJR Vincan Viancea). 4 o'clock came, I was told I needed to begin preparing my costume so I made my way the eleventh room on my floor where Abbey and Natalie, two female group members had offered to help me apply the foam latex facial prosthetic for my reproduction of the vampires in the 1987 cult phenomenon, 'The Lost Boys'. Abbey applied the application and Natalie did the makeup and shading, after about an hour or so I emerged back in my room to apply the theatrical f/x contact lenses from the film and dental acrylic fang reproductions likewise which left my roomate in awe of me. No one had gone to the lengths I had in preparing my costume, having seen and optometrist and orthodontist to have these reproducitons made and I was immediately lined up for many photo sessions throughout the evening.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3139/3077430411_05529d787c.jpg?v=0 - Dracula's castle (Hotel Castel Dracula) in Piatra Fantanele. Stoker placed the castle in this zone in his novel.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3295/3078244576_44540e2399.jpg?v=0 - Bram Stoker
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3294/3077430375_e64c73c3d6.jpg?v=0 - Abbey and Natalie prepare my costume for the Halloween masquerade costume ball and Dracula's castle on Halloween as a 'Lost Boy.'
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3010/3077430329_e60479b11e.jpg?v=0
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3279/3078244628_b90be5481f.jpg?v=0 - Vamped out
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3055/3078244646_b430bae6a6.jpg?v=0
We experienced the ultimate Halloween Monster Mash masquerade bash and late-night party. Music, dancing, treats and a campfire where live media televised the event throughout Europe. The partying continued into the wee hours of the morning when we were led into the depths of the Castle's dungeon where the vampire's box lay in a muraled room, where we were told if you wished an audience with the Count you would lay in the coffin and draw the lid until opened and you were granted a visit but if he wasn't there or in London you'd have to try again another night. I did so and laid in the box and photographed the room before making my way back up to remove the facial appliances and get more comfortable. Castle Management had given specific instructions for the people spending a night at Dracula Castle just as Dracula instructs Harker that he could go anywhere but the places with locked doors and to avoid the woods in the surroundings, private cemetaries and houses. No one would believe that we had slept here, at the reception there is a seal - "Castle Dracula", unique in the world , that can be placed on your passport of ID card. I had it placed inside a personal notebook instead and quietly retired to my quarters. As I did so I looked out of my window and began to imagine seeing Dracula, almost decedning down the evolutionary chain from human to aninal, scaling the walls of the castle as Harker looked on. I laid in my bed with a recording of Dracula's three brides when they first emerge out of the sheets to feed on Harker after he wanders the castle during Dracula's absence and enters a luxurious salon where the brides are kept, yielding to their seduction in their encounter with Jonathan, "You are first and we shall follow." With their "high aquiline noses", two dark-haired women and one blonde, Harker is both attracted and repulsed by them, red lips with white pointed teeth and the stinch of blood on their breath. I thought these strange scenes as I drifted off to sleep, a moonless night on All Hallows Eve.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3166/3077413767_2a16ab36b2.jpg?v=0 - Entering Dracula's tomb
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3251/3077413799_734c2d7e5c.jpg?v=0 - The brides
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3221/3077413783_356722ee29.jpg?v=0 - The vampire box
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3018/3077413825_f82464369d.jpg?v=0 - Laying in Dracula's coffin