14/10/2026
Where else but in Romania can you set out on a hike and come across so many gifts of nature?
Today, accompanied by Vasile Nemeș, we set off with the water-fasting guests from Conacul Nacusi—yay, day five of the water fast!—for the Runcu Energy Point. We wanted to breathe in the ozone-rich air and take in the view as it opened wide over valleys and hills. Up at 1,000 meters, it seemed as if the whole earth had curled itself into a ball and fallen peacefully asleep, knowing it was safe, guarded by the barking of the shepherd dogs at a distant sheepfold.
Where else, among these mounds covered in silky grass, thick as a brush, and along paths known only to plump bumblebees and white butterflies, could you find juicy sea buckthorn berries strung like golden amber beads—the kind Roma women used to wear long ago—clustered along sharp, thorny branches?
And where else in the world could a lost hiker never go hungry, with so many gifts from the earth appearing along the way?
Beside the sea buckthorn, we found hawthorn, as if it had been waiting for us for a hundred years, with its little red fruits like cranberries; rose hips, wild raspberries, juniper berries, and wild thyme flowers. What abundance reveals itself step by step, when we walk with our eyes open—with care, awareness, presence, and reverence.
But what are these plants, biologically speaking?
Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) belongs to the Elaeagnaceae family and is distantly related to the desert rose. Its tart berries contain vitamin C, carotenoids—the pigments that give them their orange color—and polyphenols. A natural source of antioxidants, sea buckthorn may support normal immune function.
Hawthorn (Crataegus, family Rosaceae) produces small fruits called hawthorn berries. “Hawthorn cranberries” describes their appearance; true cranberries come from a different plant. Hawthorn fruits contain fiber and polyphenols, including flavonoids and proanthocyanidins. Hawthorn teas have traditionally been used to soothe the heart.
Wild raspberry (Rubus idaeus, also in the Rosaceae family) is made up of many tiny drupelets clustered around a central core. It provides fiber and polyphenols, including anthocyanins and ellagitannins.
Juniper (Juniperus communis) is an evergreen conifer in the Cupressaceae family. What we call “berries” are not true fruits, but fleshy, berry-like cones containing volatile oils and aromatic terpenes. They are used to flavor marinades and dishes.
Wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum, family Lamiaceae) is an aromatic plant. Its flowers and green parts contain volatile oils, including thymol and carvacrol, as well as flavonoids and phenolic acids. It is treasured in herbal traditions, aromatherapy, and the kitchen.
And so we returned from Runcu carrying more than photographs and memories. We carried the colors, scents, and quiet generosity of the mountain with us—a reminder that nature offers its treasures to those who walk gently, look closely, and receive them with gratitude. 🙏🏻❤️☀️
