VAMPIRE: ORIGINS
Join Jonathan Legg, host of Road Less Traveled, and Father Sebastiaan, reknown author and leader of the Sabertooth Clan, on a historic journey to the site of one of the world's first vampire attacks. Beginning in Bucharest, we will visit the resting place of Vlad Tepes, known to the world as the inspiration for Dracula. Then, the journey pushes into Serbia, where the word "vampire" originated. We will journey down the Danube river and through the Iron Gates, the ancient frontier between the civilized (Roman) world and that of the (Germanic and Dacian) barbarians. There lies a village where the Austro-Hungarian Empire officially recorded history's first vampire attacks. We end the voyage at Kalimegdan, the massive fortress that squats above Belgrade. A citadel full of undergreound secrets which whisper of the undead.
DAY 1
Bucharest - Demise of a Demon
To his enemies, Vlad Tepes was a savage monster. When Ahmed II, the Ottoman invader, discovered 20,000 Turks writhing on stakes, he knew Vlad was no ordinary man. However, the legend linked to Dracula apparently succumbed to death's scythe...or did he? From the capital of Bucharest we will explore the mystery of Vlad's corpse. Is it in Snagov Monastery, isolated on a small river island, north of the city; or is the body in Comana Monastery, near the wetlands; or is it in neither? Perhaps our intuition and resitent psychic can help with the answer. Back in Bucharest you will enjoy a very gothic reception to the city's famous nightlife.
DAY 2
Bucharest to Orsova - Through the Heartland
We travel through the heartland of Romania arriving at the banks of the Danube, investigating legends along the way. On the banks of the Danube the remains of antiquity's largest bridge remain. Beyond that a remarkable sculpture of the Dacian general who massacred the Roman legions. Rumors are their ghosts still haunt this bay.
DAY 3
The Danube - Battle Lines
Our journey continues on a boat as we move down the most important waterway in Europe. It was over this river countless invaders crossed, and down this river, thousands of immigrants arrived at new homes. Little know ruins from all this monumental history abound. We will pass by Trajan's Plaque, carved into the cliffs that seperate Serbia and Romania, and later cross into Serbia at Iron Gates Dam. The day ends at the stunning Golubach Fortress, clinging to the cliffs above the river.
DAY 4
Kisiljevo - The First Vampire
In this tiny village on the bank of the Danube river, horror came to visit in the summer of 1725. In just over a week, nine people dropped dead. In the same time frame, a previously deceased man named Petar Blagojević was seen by multiple witnesses in supernatural circumstances. His body was exhumed by the villagers and staked through the heart. We will listen to the tales of this frightening time, and walk through the village's secluded graveyard as the sun sets. Could we connect to the spirit of Petar?
DAY 5
Belgrade - City of Secrets
We begin in the capital of Serbia, a town known for its nightlife, history of conflict, and mysteries that have never been resolved. Here we will explore my favorite fortress in Europe. Over the millennia it has been modified by the Celts, Romans, Ottomans, Austrians, and the Kingdom of Serbia. Attila the Hun ransacked the stronghold and is rumored to be buried somewhere in its labyrinth of catacombs. His tomb has never been found. Deep underground we will discover a chamber of macabre that whispers a story of the vampire. On the castles ramparts we will eat, drink, and be merry.
Bucharest - Demise of a Demon
To his enemies, Vlad Tepes was a savage monster. When Ahmed II, the Ottoman invader, discovered 20,000 Turks writhing on stakes, he knew Vlad was no ordinary man. However, the legend linked to Dracula apparently succumbed to death's scythe...or did he? From the capital of Bucharest we will explore the mystery of Vlad's corpse. Is it in Snagov Monastery, isolated on a small river island, north of the city; or is the body in Comana Monastery, near the wetlands; or is it in neither? Perhaps our intuition and resitent psychic can help with the answer. Back in Bucharest you will enjoy a very gothic reception to the city's famous nightlife.
DAY 2
Bucharest to Orsova - Through the Heartland
We travel through the heartland of Romania arriving at the banks of the Danube, investigating legends along the way. On the banks of the Danube the remains of antiquity's largest bridge remain. Beyond that a remarkable sculpture of the Dacian general who massacred the Roman legions. Rumors are their ghosts still haunt this bay.
DAY 3
The Danube - Battle Lines
Our journey continues on a boat as we move down the most important waterway in Europe. It was over this river countless invaders crossed, and down this river, thousands of immigrants arrived at new homes. Little know ruins from all this monumental history abound. We will pass by Trajan's Plaque, carved into the cliffs that seperate Serbia and Romania, and later cross into Serbia at Iron Gates Dam. The day ends at the stunning Golubach Fortress, clinging to the cliffs above the river.
DAY 4
Kisiljevo - The First Vampire
In this tiny village on the bank of the Danube river, horror came to visit in the summer of 1725. In just over a week, nine people dropped dead. In the same time frame, a previously deceased man named Petar Blagojević was seen by multiple witnesses in supernatural circumstances. His body was exhumed by the villagers and staked through the heart. We will listen to the tales of this frightening time, and walk through the village's secluded graveyard as the sun sets. Could we connect to the spirit of Petar?
DAY 5
Belgrade - City of Secrets
We begin in the capital of Serbia, a town known for its nightlife, history of conflict, and mysteries that have never been resolved. Here we will explore my favorite fortress in Europe. Over the millennia it has been modified by the Celts, Romans, Ottomans, Austrians, and the Kingdom of Serbia. Attila the Hun ransacked the stronghold and is rumored to be buried somewhere in its labyrinth of catacombs. His tomb has never been found. Deep underground we will discover a chamber of macabre that whispers a story of the vampire. On the castles ramparts we will eat, drink, and be merry.
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