One the gentle ridges and through the shady valleys of the Șureanu Mountains, we can still discover places untouched by modern civilization, where the whispers of the ancestors can still be heard in the breeze, where people still live in perfect harmony with nature. One such place is Fundătura Ponorului, a remote hamlet of almost surreal beauty. Surnamed the “Palm of God”, it was discovered relatively recently by travelers and has quickly become a popular destination, maybe even hurting its authentic and peaceful atmosphere. A lazy creek flows along a lush long valley, passing through pastures and courtyards, before finally disappears in the depths of the Earth, under a tall rock. On the surrounding hills, we find remote houses or lonely shelters, some of them long deserted. Proudly called manors by the locals, these seasonal homes are usually inhabited from early spring to late autumn by old people from faraway villages that still respect these ancestral traditions. Sometimes, on the idyllic pathways we encounter villagers on horseback, following an oxen cart or leading a flock of sheep or cows. The sublime charm of these places is hard to put into words and life here is certainly though, but so pure and beautiful, worthy of the last descendants of the Dacians…
