Sendresti

Last weekend my family celebrated its patriarch's 90th birthday. As it happens for many years, we all gathered in the country for this - his six children with their wives and children. Some other relatives join us sometimes, delighted by the fun atmosphere.We all gather there in Șendrești, Bacau County, no matter where we leave now. It's a time of recollecting memories and sharing the news with the rest. The cake, barbecue, wine, jokes and dancing maintain everybody in a good mood. It's become kind of a tradition to gather the ones able and go for a walk in the woods.
The village is at the limit of a large forest; large enough to get lost several times while my uncles contradicted each other about the routes through it. The younger people have abandoned this distant village in favour of the town facilities, and the old generation dies one by one leaving the houses to be swallowed by the hungry forest. Thus if you are interested in emersing yourselves in the wild,untamed nature, this is the spot.
 
In some way, I am glad that this migration form rural to urban leaves this village, and the ones around, to be retaken by the forest. I am glad that nature wins somewhere. There are enough forests cut around the world. And this this forest really feels at home here. Foxes and predatory birds decimate the poultry of the remaining households, deers patrol its borders and packs of wild boars feast very often in the corn fields.

If you want to retreat in the middle of civilization, but so far from it, you should go there. The closest town is Podu Turculuihttp://goo.gl/maps/JEkO

Part of the road is with stones, which can be challenging for your car, but the views around are worth it. Not a lot of people know about what's ahead after you had the courage to go on that road, and maybe it's lucky, otherwise a lot of town people would invade with tents and grills the scenery.
But if you are really courageous, go! You don't need much. You will easily find people who will host you in their old house and feed with the best food they have. Company is greatly appreciated by old people when your children are away in some town and visit you rarely.
If you want some excitement you can join them in guarding the corn fields from the boars in the night, get lost in the forest or weed out some steep vineyard.