Carpina presents you Romania

I am Carpina, a little golden fish, playful and merry, and I am off looking for the bedtime stories that my grandmother, The Spirit of Waters, used to tell me when I was just a little fish. I want to see with my own eyes that rich enchanted land with crystal-clear mountain waters and wide lakes, lazy ponds that are so dear to fishermen, next to which beautiful cities have grown and developed in time. My grandma told me that this land is called Romania, a beautiful country, with warm and hardworking people who know how to enhance the value of any of nature’s resources and transform them into valuable gifts.

I know that, in ancient times, Romania was actually named Dacia, the land of Dacian tribes that, for many decades, stood up to the terrible and powerful Rome. From those ancient times the Romanians inherited many traditions, customs, ceremonies and holidays that still exist today in the popular culture and I would really like to discover them soon enough … I also found out about admirable rulers, such as Stefan cel Mare (Stephen the Great), Vlad Tepes (Vlad the Impaler), Mihai Viteazul (Michael the Brave), Alexandru Ioan Cuza or King Carol I, who built cities, forts and citadels, pursuing the union of the Romanians from Moldova, Ardeal (Transylvania) and Tara Romaneasca (Wallachia) under a single flag, that of  Great Romania. Thus, the Romania of today was born, the country that I wish to reveal to you in a couple of words and to invite you to discover all its pleasures in the future.

From my grandmother’s tales I know that Romania was blessed with all forms of terrain, varying from the highest mountain peak in the country (Moldoveanu, Fagaras Mountains, 2544m), down to tree riddled hills, to fertile and broad plains, ice-cold mountain waters clear like crystal, or muddy and dark, lakes, ponds or the large, wide sea.

Hills nestled along old mountains, tall and crooked ridges resembling the famous Dacian cap, endless forests with no traces of light, deep, enclosed valleys, like islands caught in between snowy peaks … How could anyone even begin to imagine the stooped monasteries of painted wood from Ardeal, more than six centuries old, orthodox churches built no later than the 11^th century, or ancient fortified sanctuaries that sheltered all the souls of an entire village from the days of yore?

Carpina at Corbu Lake

One winter night, grandmother was telling me about the rumor in the ponds. This is how I found out that exactly between the 25^th and the 30^th of September, on Corbu Lake next to the Mamaia resort, a grand sports event will take place that will create enthusiasm among fishermen from everywhere: the 14^th edition of the Carp fishing World Championship. And that is how I fell asleep thinking of all these beautiful places, dreaming that I was already on the beach, pampered by playful waves. And, since many dreams become reality when you least expect it, this is exactly what happened to me.

The people of Corbu decided to populate the lake with plenty of big and beautiful fish, so, one day, I found myself carried from my lake by a vortex of water, swayed on the roads of Romania and released in Corbu Lake, so that I become an attraction and a challenge for the fishermen of the place.

When I began acquainting myself with the place, I noticed there was a lot of commotion and I realized that I was in the middle of the development works for the competition venue at Corbu Lake. Therefore, I hid after a reed bed so I can watch safely all the activities that were carried out right in front of my big blue eyes. Thus I found out that the entire competition venue from Corbu Lake, which exceeds 430ha, was set up in only four months, in order to be ready for those competing in the Carp fishing World Championship. The operations included works of banks, of access roads, embankments, leveling, removal of reed beds, etc. 75 contest stands were built with speed and diligence, all of them equipped with all the facilities necessary for such an important international competition, including bungalows with two beds and nightstands, where fishermen may rest in comfortable conditions during the competition. In addition, the organizers provided umbrellas, work tables, chairs, ecological toilets and showers, information panels, watch posts, patrol cars, handheld transmitters and receivers, laptops, printers, copiers, internet access, LCDs, all in all, everything they considered to be necessary in order to ensure the best conditions for such a high level sports event.

However, their efforts were fully worth it, the inspection of the FIPSed delegation (International Carp fishing Federation in freshwaters) concluding that the competition venue from Corbu Lake fulfills all the international competition standards, and more than that, it is one of the best in the world.

I liked what I found here and I asked my kind spirits to help me become the golden fish of Corbu Lake so that I can help the people here see their dreams come true and to harvest the fruits of their hard work. My wish was granted so here I am!

I had a hard time trying to keep out of the reach of the fishing rods of virtuous fishermen that came here to measure their strength in front of the vigilant carp, competing for different Rig Cups or for the stages of the National Fishing Championship. A fisherman from the team that will represent Romania during the World Championship nearly caught me. But I slipped quickly past the bait, which had caught my attention, and I sped to the middle of the lake, where I kept quiet until the competition was over. I learned many things from the many fishing enthusiasts, both from Romania and abroad and I am sure that all of them can barely wait for the World Championship to start.

Carpina wishes you Good Luck

I hope that all of the participants will fully enjoy the competition, the festivities and the pleasant surprises that the organizers prepared for them, and that the beautiful memories will bring them back to our lands, both for fishing and for tourism and recreation.

Important officials will attend this event, also local, national and international media will be present, including the ones dedicated to fishermen and hunters, PVTV and Fishing & Hunting.

So, here it is, dear fishermen, how Romania, and especially Corbu Lake gives you the opportunity to combine fishing with tourism and with a session of well-deserved relaxation. You will always be welcome here and I promise you brand new fishing and travel tales. Until then, I hope you will not forget me and that we will see each other as soon as possible, healthy and happy, and for this Championship I wish you – good luck with your fishing!

Yours sincerely,

Carpina