CALL for PAPERS and PARTICIPATION

The Transylvanian Society of Dracula welcomes lecturers and interested participants in its yearly Symposium - to be held in mediaeval Sighisoara (Transylvania), Romania.

A post-symposium tour will cover Dracula-related sites (historical and fictional).

THEME: "DRACULA: BLURRING THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN TRUTH AND FICTION"

Sub-themes:

• The use of history in Dracula and other fictional works
• The issue of artistic liberty
• Vlad Dracula: separating Fact from Propaganda
• The Romanian perception of Vlad Tepes-Dracula
• Representations of Transylvania
• The Marotinu versus the Hardman case
• When do the angels and the devils cooperate (comments of a scene on the fresco of Voronet)
• An anthropological overview of the Dracula phenomenon: an update

Adjacent sub-themes could also be taken into consideration.
Lecturers are invited to submit a 1-2 page synopsis of their intended paper - till March 30, 2007 - addressed to np@draculatreasures.com and company@mysteriousjourneys.com The TSD will advise on eligibility

ORGANIZER:
The Transylvanian Society of Dracula
31 Primaverii bd., Bucharest 1, Romania LOGISTICS:
The "Company of Mysterious Journeys", touroperator,

tel/fax 0040 21 2339910
tel 0040 31 4057385; 0040 405 7386
cell-phone: 0040 723 584430 or 0040 722 599 099
e-mail: np@draculatreasures.com and company@mysteriousjourneys.com

• Date of the symposium: May 18-20, 2007
• Place: mediaeval Sighisoara, in Transylvania, Romania. Hotel "Sighisoara"
• Participation fee: Euro 20 (waved for TSD members)
• Accommodation and breakfast (unless you cater for your own): 4 nights at hotel "Sighisoara" (3 star) Euros 145 (sharing a double room) Euros 250 (single)
• Transfer from Bucharest airport to Bucharest railway station (for the train to Sighisoara): by taxi: cca Euro 25
• Train from Bucharest to Sighisoara, I-st class: Euro 20
• Transfer from Bucharest airport to Sighisoara, by van: Euro 30
• Please inform on your option.

POST-SYMPOSIUM TOUR:

"Dracula, the Prince and the Vampire" / May 21 - 27, 2007 Starting in Sighisoara, ending in Bucharest

This specially-designed tour (guided by the TSD president and by the TSD vice-president and chief of TSD/Canada - Prof. Elizabeth Miller, world-renowned expert on Dracula) welcomes both participants in the symposium and independent tourists. The land-price covers in-land transport, accommodation as specified, breakfast, dinner in Aref, transport by de-luxe van or bus, guidance.
The price does not cover museum fees, the main meals, porterage. Price per person:
- in a group of 10 and over: Euro 668 (sharing)
- in a group of 8: Euro 734 (sharing)
- in a group of 6: Euro 845 (sharing)
- in a group of 5 or 4: Euro 715 (sharing)
- Single supplement: Euro 110.


Information and bookings: The Logistics - company@mysteriousjourneys.com

Post-symposium tour

DRACULA: the VAMPIRE and the PRINCE May 21-27, 2007


The vampire-count Dracula (Hell)

May 21 /Mon

• departure from Sighisoara to mediaeval Bistrita (3 hours), mentioned on page 1 of Bram Stoker’s “Dracula”
• “Jonathan Harker’s menu” (complete with the “Golden Mediasch” wine) at “The Golden Krone” - in the company of Baron Alexandru Misiuga
• looking at Bistrita through Harker’s eyes (sightseeing)
• departure along the Borgo Valley to the Borgo Pass and Castle Dracula (1 hour) (ethnographic features, private cemeteries)
• arrival (by sunset) at the castle-hotel. On route, the guide shares the survival rules, “After-life Insurances” and “Indulgences” for 5 sins each
• visit the public parts of the castle (who wants to see the others?)
• dinner by candle-light, readings from “Dracula”
• reception ceremony for TSD members, first-comers at the castle
• optional: midnight outing to a near-by private cemetery: share your views on life, death and in-between realms
• overnight at Castle Dracula

Bucovina (Heaven)
May 22 /Tue

• the survivors may stamp passports with that unique “Castle Dracula” stamp
• depart for Bucovina - the northern region of Moldova
• painted villages, ethnographic features
• visit Moldovita monastery, frescoed on the outside 500 years ago (UNESCO’s World Heritage)
• visit Voronet and the famous scene of the Last Judgment (1488)
• continue to Suceava, mediaeval capital of Moldova. Visit the mighty fortress - playground of two teenage princes, and cousins: Stefan the Great of Moldova and Vlad Dracula, the Impaler, of Valahia
• overnight in Suceava, hotel “Continental”

The Life and Deeds of the historical Vlad Dracula

May 23 /Wed

• Day-long drive to mediaeval Brasov in S-E Transylvania. On route: historical accounts on Vlad
• On route, behold the spectacular Bicaz Gorge and the Red Lake
• overnight in Brasov, hotel “Capitol”

The Transylvanian Saxons and Vlad
May 24 /Thur

• Through Vlad’s eyes - mediaeval Brasov(sightseeing)
• visit fortress Rasnov
• visit castle Bran
• optional: win a nobility title (knight, Lady-knight), join The Order of Transylvanian Knights (if you can pass the six chivalry tests)
• optional: dinner with mediaeval floor-show at “The Citadel”
• overnight in Brasov, hotel “Capitol”

The rise and fall of a Prince May 25 /Fri

• cross the Carpathians into Valahia
• visit Peles, the royal summer palace (Sinaia)
• arrival in Targoviste - Vlad’s capital. Visit the ruins of his palace - site of most legends about him.
• continue to fortress Poienari (the historical fortress Dracula), enlarged by Vlad in 1457 - site of more legends about him
• dinner and overnight in Aref (private houses) - the only village recalling Vlad after 500 years
• initiation show: “The night of prince Vlad the Impaler-Dracula”

The heritage of Vlad
May 26 / Sat

• optional climb to the ruins of fortress Poienari
• departure to Curtea de Arges: visit the legendary church of Mason Manole
• departure to Bucharest: sightseeing, including Vlad’s palace
• farewell dinner
• overnight in Bucharest (3-star plus hotel)

May 27 /Sun

• departure from Romania

This society tour will be guided by Nicolae Paduraru, the President of TSD/ Romania, accompanied by Elizabeth Miller, President of the Canadian Chapter


Excerpt:
The Company of Mysterious Journeys will penalize the tourists who renounce their bookings as follows (subtracting bank-transfer charges):
1) for cancellation of 30 and more days before the tour start: full refunding (minus banking charges)
2) for 29-21 days cancellation: 30% penalty
3) for 20-14 days cancellation: 50% penalty
4) for 13-7 days or less cancellation: 100% penalty in favour of the CMJ.

Dracula tours