R for Romania: Where Death Comes Laughing

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Every year, in April, the Blogging A-Z Challenge kicks off with a bang and now in its seventh year running, it continues to garner even more participation than ever! Click here to read more on the challenge! And if you’re participating too, do leave your blog site in the comments! I’d love to visit!

The feeling of queasiness that I had initially felt when I had learnt of the destination on our itinerary is soon replaced by a growing sense of calm and acceptance. Colourful flowers and shrubbery form a lush inviting carpet. All around me are tombstones engraved with interesting epitaphs, several self-deprecatory in nature. The tour guide points out funny pictures depicting lives led, amusing rhymes describing highs and lows.

“The people of Romania believe that death is to be celebrated. It is after all just a passage to the after-life. Hence, the name. Merry Cemetery,” he says matter-of-factly.

He leaves us with a question in the end. “If you had to get something inscribed, what would you?”

On the way back, our group is silent. Contemplative.

Late that night, suspended somewhere between consciousness and deep sleep, words come together and take form.

This is where I rest, Dee was my name,
Battiness galore, I was as crazy as they came,
Happy was my life, mixed with some pain,
The sunshine I lived for, yet danced in the rain.
Of songs and dance and love and feel, 
Lost in my music, a world of appeal,
Days of a life where I could do it all,
Some days I would fly, others I would fall.
A restless mind of mine, a restless soul to add, 
 Many a close one I’ve driven away mad,
Life could be better, says every he and she,
All I say is that, I was as lucky as I could be.

Click here to access the complete works of the 2016 A-Z Blogging Challenge!
One of Romania’s touristy destinations makes a very unique claim to fame. The Merry Cemetery – a different way to look at death. http://touristinromania.net/2014/01/27/merry-cemetery-romania-bizarre-graveyard-dead-silly-poems-tombstones/ 

I would love to hear your views!