Bran Castle, Vlad the Impaler and Dracula

Oh the stories are so complicated. Vlad the Impaler was real.and he did impale people.....horrid and bloody. Dracula, son of Drac was imagined, fang teeth. blood dripping everywhere.  There are so many horror films and stories on the subject of vampires. The stalls in this tourist market at the foot of the castle is just full of Dracula toys, jigsaws. Tee shirts...all painted with the fang teeth and dripping blood.  My second extra is our tour guide Daniela turning into a vampire.

I visited Bran Castle in 2003 before it was fully decorated as the museum of the royal castle.  It was in a poor state.
 But now the rooms are clean, decorated and furnished as it would have been for the real Romanian royal family.  One of Queen Victoria's grandchildren married the king of Romania.  She remains the most  highly regarded queen of the past.
 
These 2 themes run side by side as you walk the quite dangerous multitude of stone steps in the castle!