School trip to Castle of The Dracula Story was a dream come true. You know school trips memories rarely fade away. I would entertain my classmates with Dracula stories not knowing one day I would be able to go for a study trip abroad and explore the Dracula castle on an art education trip.
We are always fascinated by myths.
Growing up in a forested rural Kenya meant that art and play was always in the fields sowing or harvesting maize and whatever cereals my folks desired. Soon entertainment in the turn of millennium brought with it a black and white Samsung TV where we indulged in many action movies and dramas such as Tarzan, Robinhood and other fairytales e.g Secret kingdom and Cinderella.
But behind the curtains, there were other less told fairytales and one of them was Dracula. A story derived from a traveling Englishman fable about a Dracula living in a castle somewhere in Eastern Europe, this story captivated our imaginations a lot. The idea of a castle in a forest, tall, dark and mysterious was something we imagined to explore. We had no idea the place existed but we desired to travel there one day.
In high school life, art meant an expression of one’s attitude towards life. If you were creative enough, you would make it to the entertainment club which was preserved for the elite. At least, I was able to entertain the classmates with my dracula stories not knowing one day I would be able to go for a study trip abroad and explore the Dracula castle for an art education trips.
Fast forward, It was in early autumn when earth tone colour painted a colourful and picturesque view on the farms when we embarked on a train to the city of Brasov in Transylvania, one of the few remaining natural forests in Europe with brown bears and other indigenous trees. We had an early morning train ride from the capital of Romania, Bucharest to the City of Brasov stacked right in the middle of the country.
To say that the art performance and fables are alive here is understatement as we explored the museums, galleries and a random bookshop with rich comic books. Just few miles from the city in an idyllic countryside is the Bran Castle, set on an eastern slope overlooking a narrow valley; the sight of it was breathtaking. Like a monolithic rock, stood the brutal stone walls carrying its weight high into the sky.
I still remember the scene just like yesterday. With spires rising above the coniferous forest, created a grand image of dominance and we couldn’t wait to ascend to the highest epoch of the massive castle. The approach to the castle was strikingly inconspicuous a strategy meant to drive one starting to the entrance. A black cat napping reminded us of what the castle was about.
I gathered courage remembering the many Dracula stories I heard and hopped in. Lord! I exclaimed. The first thing that welcomed me were strange noises coming from up as if someone was calling for help. On stepping closer to the direction of the sound we were welcomed by one of the smallest doors I have ever seen. And to more surprise, behind it were a flight of stairs leading up to a very dark alley. This was it. The home of the Dracula.
I nudged my classmates to ascend up the stairs and go rattle the Dracula with me tasked with leading the column of young student explorers in quest for a thrilling adventure. The journey upwards was not without some challenges as the extensive spider webs on our face reminded us that the house was haunted and anything could happen.
On landing to the top floors we were greeted by a scene just like in the Pirates movies where paraphernalia of all many swords carefully hung on the masonry wall. It was my first time being very close to so many swords, a scene almost similar in a vikings movie. The castle was quite big as we went room after room looking for trouble.After much exploring, we found ourselves in a room with yellow pumpkins,crows and cobwebs , blood like inscriptions on the walls and a very huge coat. Halt! my best friend shouted. Something big was heading our way. We hid our faces waiting for the scary part of this academic trip.
The castle complex houses staged performances where they dramatise the scenes of Dracula and honestly, it’s not for the fainthearted. The installations there, the corridors, pumpkins, spider webs, robes, swords, creaking wood, dark enclaves are meant to make you scream. And I did. The tour abroad helped me to appreciate the art of theatre, of creating a story to live with across generations and reinforcing it with tangible materials and spaces. My friends and I still remember the study trip
Bran Castle, What a place.
Travel diary of an Arts Student.
