Dawn Berkoski

Following the trail of Vlad Tepes, I crossed the bridge to the tiny island in Snagov Lake.

A curious mix of animals greeted me. I didn’t expect to find an emu on the island rumored to hold Dracula’s remains, but there it was, along with some bleating goats and some roaming dogs. The latter, lay on the steps of the monastery, guarding Vlad’s tomb, perhaps?

Inside, I found some paintings and information about the man from the legends, the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s novel. Who was this Prince of Wallachia? A national hero? A great warrior? A vicious killer nicknamed Vlad The Impaler? I wandered through the monastery with these questions in mind, but I was swiftly swept up with the artwork and beauty of my surroundings. I followed the depictions of saints and panels showing the stories of Christ. I thought about death, life, and rising from the grave.

Whether Vlad was a vampire or not remains a mystery. Rumors suggest that his headless body may, or may not, be buried here. What I can say, is that this island is a majestic and peaceful place to be laid to rest. And it’s a beautiful monastery to visit, meditate, and just be.

But I came for evidence, something I could sink my teeth into, so I explored the island a bit more. I found an interesting blood-red egg and wandered down to the docks taking photos and listening to the lapping waves. I wound up playing with the dogs and giving belly scratches as a light breeze rolled off the water. I could stay for eternity, but Transylvania called.

As I left, one dog escorted me back across the bridge to the parking area, along with a cat who jumped into the car. It took awhile to lure them away. Perhaps they knew I was heading to my next destination on my quest to find out if vampires were real.

Dawn B~