Popeni is a village among the hills of Salaj, in the north-west of Romania, and its Dealul Manastirii means Monastery Hill, a name that suggests there was once a religious house on the slope, though nothing prominent remains to point out. Names like this are everywhere in Romania, and they hint at a landscape in which monks, farmers and shepherds had a long hold. In Transylvania, many monasteries were destroyed in the eighteenth century, when the Habsburg authorities, worried about Orthodox influence, ordered them closed, and the names sometimes outlived the buildings.
The countryside around is gentle and agricultural. Fields of wheat, maize and sunflowers fill the valleys, and the ridges between are covered with oak and beech. Villages are strung out along a single street, with houses facing the road behind painted fences and a church with a slim, tall steeple at the centre. Many households keep geese, hens and a cow, and in the evening the cows are driven home along the road. This is a rural scene that is vanishing, and it is a pleasure to see it still alive.
On a motorcycle, the road here is typical of the Romanian interior: reasonably good tarmac on the main routes, with potholes and patches on smaller ones. Corners are moderate and visibility is generally good, but farm vehicles, horse carts and animals are a hazard, particularly at dusk. Dogs may chase a bike in the villages, and it is best to slow down and not to react. Speed limits are low in villages and heavily enforced by police with radar guns.
Creaca, about four kilometres away, is a village with basic shops, and Zalau, the county town, is within easy reach for fuel and food. Local specialities include smoked sausage, cheese and homemade bread, and in autumn you can find fresh walnuts and plums. Wine is made in many households, and it is generally honest and strong.
A good time to come is in late spring, when the hills are green and the fruit trees bloom, or in September, when the harvest is on and the evenings are warm. Summer days can be hot. The light is lovely in the early evening, when the hills turn blue and the church bells ring.