Foto: The cave monastery (bron: Ronald van der Veer)
Moldova - From Curchi, we drive to nearby Old Orhei. Near the village of Butuceni lies the Orthodox Orhei Vechi Monastery. This cave monastery is considered one of the most beautiful in Moldova. As we enter Butuceni, it’s not immediately clear where we should go — strange, since the monastery is signposted from the highway. We drive into the village, which sits on a peninsula of the Răut River. The road through the village is unpaved, and we can hardly believe we’re in the right place. We decide to drive back to the village entrance. According to the Lonely Planet guide, we’re supposed to cross a bridge and then hike uphill for about fifteen minutes. Could it be on top of the hills on the far side of the river? When we ask for directions, everyone confirms we’re going the right way with a “da.” Even when pointing in different directions. “Da” just seems to be the easiest answer. At a deserted ticket booth, we find a narrow bridge. Construction workers say “da” when we ask if it leads to the monastery. We cross the bridge. Left, right, or steeply up — which way? We walk a bit along the river, passing a herd of goats and a few wild horses. Still, it doesn’t feel like the right path. Back to the construction workers. With a translation app and the Russian word for “monastery,” we have better luck. We need to go through the village again, where we had previously driven. Eventually, we see a church of the monastery on top of the hill. We walk up to it. The church is beautiful, but we’re looking for the cave church. Several people are searching. Two Russian girls ask us if we’ve found anything on the other side of the monastery. The entrance to the cave turns out to be on the side of the mountain. Through a dark passage, we enter the small cave. We can barely make out the steps. A monk is reading a book in the dim light. He welcomes us with a nod. The small space is beautifully decorated. “Would you like to see the other room?” the monk asks in perfect English. “Just open the door,” he says, pointing to a dark hole. “There are three steps,” he warns. In the adjoining cave, several small rooms are carved out of the marlstone. Back in the church, the door to the balcony is also open. The balcony is a stone ledge about two meters wide, built into the rock face. Below, we see the Răut River. Above us, the monastery. What a stunning location. We thank the monk and leave a donation for the monastery.
The capital Chisinau
Moldova - Around 3:30 p.m., we drive into the capital. The hotel is located near the center. At first, we can’t find the address. However, it turns out the hotel is situated right next to a large roundabout. We pull into the parking lot. We have a room on the ...
The Medieval Castle of Soroca
Moldova - From there, we continue driving north toward Soroca. Soroca is a city in the northeast of the Republic of Moldova, located on the right bank of the Dniester River, 160 km from the Moldovan capital, Chisinau. Soroca lies in the northeast of Moldova, close ...
The underground wine cellars of Milestii Mici
Moldova - Just before two o’clock we arrive at the wine cellars of Milestii Mici. The Lonely Planet recommends making a reservation in advance. We tried to make a reservation from the Netherlands, but never received any reply. At the reception desk, it turns ...