Writer and photographer: Heléne Katzman
They say that 'home is where the heart is'. It may sound a bit cliché, but it's true. Some people may never find a single place to call home, not because they don't try, but simply because there are different kinds of beauty and magic in many places. Each of these may have a special place in our hearts.
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ShareFor others, the place where they are born is the same place they live all their lives. The same place that will also be their last. But then there are those who are somewhere in between. Like Mariana.
Table of contents
A happy and bubbly teacher from Bucharest
The cheerful and bubbly teacher from Bucharest loves travelling. Sometimes she has even taken her dear mum Ioanna, also known as Bounica (grandmother), on her international adventures. But her heart is, and always has been, in her home country - Romania - where her roots run deep.
A note in a Facebook group ...
In 2024, I was travelling through Europe between festivals. With little time to spare and plans to make, I posted on the Host A Sister Facebook group, hoping for a cultural exchange in Macedonia, Hungary, Greece, Albania or Romania. Where did not matter.
Mariana was the first, and I think the only, person to reply. After a few messages, I travelled by bus all night from Budapest, via Bulgaria to Romania. Although I rolled in late at night on a weekday, Mariana was waiting for me in the dark at the Bucharest bus terminal. I didn't realise it then. But it was the beginning of a new and amazing friendship.
"The little house of joy"
After a couple of days in the family house in Bucharest that she shares with her mother, husband and their two children, I made my debut in the countryside. After four hours of driving through lush green landscapes framed by distant mountains, we arrived; me, Mariana and her friends to the village of Cernișoara and the apple of her eye - Căsuţa Veselă. Romanian for "The little house of joy". It didn't take long to realise why Mariana calls it her "happy place".
Of course, her husband, the geography teacher Dragoș, who was waiting there, was a good reason to rejoice. But he was not the only one. During the following week, I found small hand-painted artworks and self-made board games that Mariana painstakingly painted every day. Her devotion to the house and garden was undeniable.
I also could not stop marvelling at the generosity and hospitality they showed me and all their guests during the long weekend we were there. Even with a full house day and night, guests sleeping in her bed and Dragoș's - who, by the way, slept in the outdoor kitchen to make room for us - she never stopped smiling.
The barbecue ran non-stop for days and Dragoș's culinary, baking and cooking skills were put to the test time and time again. Meat, bread, polenta, cheese and cakes were served in abundance. One day I had dinner three times. The Romanian hospitality is almost insane.
And in the middle of it all is Mariana. Always cheerful, ready to share recipes and tell me about her travels or ask about mine, while I stir the giant pot of tomatoes or when we pick flowers in the meadow.
Time to meet again
Now, a year later, as fate would have it, we meet again. And just like the warm-hearted person I got to know last summer, Mariana once again opens her arms and her home. No questions asked. That is her essence.
The same love and care she shows her guests, if not more, she gives her summer house. Căsuţa Veselă is Mariana. Her heart's house of joy. Since they bought it in 2021 from a local family, it had been empty for six years. But with passion and dedication, Mariana has slowly but surely brought it back to life. Perhaps more than ever before. Her paintings of flowers in bright and vibrant colours demand your attention and are everywhere - on and throughout the house. Nothing escapes her brushstrokes.
- Painting makes me happy. It gives me a sense of peace and I always feel good when I have been able to create something beautiful out of something that wasn't before," she says.
Guests are now welcome!
The cute little orange house with flowers on the walls, the garden with tomatoes, apricot trees and little yellow and black fluffy ducklings and chickens running around freely - all add to the picturesque and unique charm of Căsuţa Veselă.
On a starry night, you can see the moon rising from the silhouettes of the cornfields. Its beauty is undeniable. And with any luck, more people will be able to enjoy the tranquillity of Căsuţa Veselă, as Mariana and Dragoș build two new guesthouses.
- Each house is 16 square metres and will be fully equipped with a double bed, shower and fridge. I can't wait for the builders to finish so I can paint them!
Mariana's goal is to start a bed and breakfast where she invites tourists travelling through or to Cernișoara, and give them a genuine experience of Romanian rural life. Something authentic. Something you won't find in travel magazines. That's why she plans to offer painting workshops, day trips to a local sheep farm where you can milk sheep and make cheese. And if I know Mariana, this is far from all she will offer her guests.
If you want to lose yourself in nature in a place where time stands still - a visit during the warm summer nights to Căsuţa Veselă is the perfect choice. And who knows? It might be your happy place too.
- I have put my heart and soul into this house. It is my love and my passion. It makes me happy. I feel an inner peace when I come here. Sharing my world with people from other countries - that would mean everything to me," smiles Mariana.
This is Mariana
- Name: Mariana Frincu
- Family: Husband Dragoș Frincu, son Sabin, 25, and daughter Vanessa, 26
- Occupation: Teachers in tourism
- Bor: Bucharest, Romania
- Interests: Travelling, nature and crafts - especially painting
- Welcome to the Căsuţa Veselă
Fun and practical facts
- Romanian currency: Leu. 5 leu = 1 euro
- How to get to Căsuţa Veselă: Take the bus to Horezu. The town has two bus terminals: Obada and Hanul. Confirm with the driver which one you are coming to, and Mariana will pick you up there. Hire a car and drive through the winding roads, picturesque villages and stone houses.
- Climate: The summer months of June to August are hot, with temperatures ranging from 25 to 40 degrees Celsius. But hot summers don't guarantee drought - heavy rains can also occur on the hottest days.
- Language: Romanian is a Latin language. If you speak Spanish, French, Italian or Portuguese, you might pick up a few things.
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Madde says:
What a great story you offered. Yes home is where the heart is so it is.
27 July 2025 - 6:14
Heléne Katzman says:
Hello Madde,
Many thanks for the kind words! 🙂
Yes, it is really appreciated and special to have someone like Mariana in your life. She makes me feel at home in a country where I don't speak the language or have never been. That is magic worth sharing.
12 August 2025 - 12:22
Anna says:
What a beautiful story, meetings to keep in your heart.
27 July 2025 - 13:57
Heléne Katzman says:
Hi Anna,
How happy I am that you like the article! 🙂
Adventures are worth sharing, and we need more people like Mariana.
12 August 2025 - 12:25
Jossu says:
The Romanian countryside has been etched in my heart since I visited the country. And I still remember the hospitality when, during an excursion, we visited a Romanian couple and had lunch with them.
And to be greeted by the happy Mariana and her fine art, then it is probably inevitable that it will be a "happy place".
27 July 2025 - 14:23
Heléne Katzman says:
Hi Jossu,
I can certainly understand why it has stuck. As I said, hospitality is incredible and it is a favour to be part of it. We Swedes have a lot to learn on that front. Something I hope my stay and story can inspire.
Yes, her art is really something that makes you happy and curious. It's impossible not to smile at her creativity and spirit.
12 August 2025 - 12:27
Monica says:
So interesting to read this nice well written story. One learns more and new about people. Thanks for the photos and all.
28 July 2025 - 21:17
Heléne Katzman says:
Hi Monica,
Thank you kindly for the compliment! 🙂
I am so glad that you are taking something away from my story. My hope is to inspire more travelling and meetings between people. There are so many fantastic things to get and experience, if you dare. As Swedes, we are often a bit cowardly. But if you can offer yourself, and just like Mariana: open both the door and the heart, we all have everything to gain. Maybe you can visit her "happy place" next summer? 🙂
12 August 2025 - 12:31
Mariana Frincu says:
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your beautiful words!
I'm so happy that Romania and our little village stayed in your heart. For me, it's a true joy to share the hospitality, simplicity and beauty of this place. And the fact that you felt it and called my place a happy place is the most wonderful gift.
You are always welcome to come back and experience that peace and authenticity again.
07 September 2025 - 22:38
Heléne Katzman says:
Hi dear,
Of course I had to write something about you and your wonderful way of being! I know how much you love to share, and for me, sharing my Romanian experience with others is the very least I can do to give you something back. Also, I truly hope that it will help you and be a step along the way for your success in creating a Bed and Breakfast at your beloved Casuta Vesela.
Big hug to you and all the family! <3
11 September 2025 - 11:48