Book excerpt: Rosemary Rennon discovered Romania in 1993 when she went hunting for the small village where her father was born. She was captivated by its scenery and by the simplicity of a country just awakening from its long communist nightmare. Unfamiliar to many due to its long isolation, Romania is comprised of five distinct regions resulting from both their unique landscapes and their historical populations of Dacians, Romanians, Germans, Hungarians and Turks. In addition to its rolling green hills and valleys, with the arc of the Carpathian mountain chain in its centre, the country's southeastern region on the Black Sea provides a massive wildlife refuge, as well as miles of sandy beach resorts. Its cities are filled with outstanding architectural gems and modern activities. All this, plus a fascinating, turbulent history and the lovely Romanian tongue-considered by many to be the original romance language-belong to a culture one will never want to leave.