From my photos at Flickr Produced by Kayakman Media

You just don't know where to look first when you enter a Tiszta Szoba. Dozens of plates on the wall create a motionless kaleidoscope. A ceiling high stack of bedding that reminds you of peppermint candy . Or the never-ending tulip pattern that weaves its way about the bright blue furniture. The collection of so many colorful objects in a small room can be overwhelming, yet knowing that you are surrounded by a family's heritage and pride is even more awe-inspiring. It's not as if mom and dad popped into a local Ikea or Tecso (think Wal-Mart/ Target), even if there was one (there's not), and stocked up on colorful plates and furniture just for fun. No, these pieces are made by hand and passed from generation to generation. Which is why we felt privileged to visit one family's Tiszta Szoba (literally "clean room") during our visit to the Kalotaszeg region of Transylvania. This area is one of the few places that this Hungarian tradition is preserved.

A traditional Cifra Szoba (fancy room), as it is also known, is typically furnished with painted furniture with the mákófalva motif of the upside down tulip, is decorated with embroidered pieces and painted plates that were wedding gifts, and stores the family's costumes for festivals. And even though it creates a riot of colors-- admittedly red is dominate--it's easy to see why one would collect all these hand-made treasures in one room. An outsider might see it just as a way to preserve a folk-art tradition, but if you could have seen the pride of our hostess you would know it's more than that. It's not cold history, it's loved memories.

From my photos at Flickr Produced by Kayakman Media

Take a step backwards in time and experience something of a Hungarian fairytale--complete with living folk art traditions, organic farming, and unspoiled natural beauty--simply by visiting a village in Székelyföld and the Hargita Mountains.

The traditional rural architecture with its porches, carved wooden peaks, and decorative Székely-style gates are among the first items that will capture your attention. As you spend more time here you'll also notice that Hungarian folk art in the forms of painted furniture, pottery, embroidery, stove tiles, and even straw hats are still being produced by the local cottage industry. In the fields around the villages, farming is still generally being done in the traditional way using natural fertilizers, horse and plow, simple tools, and human labor. For a while even these eastern Transylvanian villages are not untouched by modern life, you're still more apt to see horse-drawn carriages than cars.

The exceedingly beautiful Hargita Mountians, with peaks as high as 1,800 meters, dominate the heart of Székelyföld. Most of this land is still natural, covered in forest, and totally wild with the exception of a few villages, thermal spas, and ski resorts. There are some developed trails, as well as a number of old lightly-used wagon trails that are good for day hikes and backpacking trips alike. The Homoródalmás area offers over 125 caves for spelunkers to explore and many cliffs for rock climbing. Horseback riding, mountain biking, snow shoeing, and cross-country skiing are also possible in the Hargita.

This region is like a perfectly preserved Hungarian country paradise, awaiting vacationers who are seeking mountain adventures, who love farm-fresh Hungarian cuisine, and who want to get in touch with time-honored folk traditions.