Visitors to Romania's forbidding Bran Castle, widely known as the inspiration for the lair of Dracula, were jabbed with needles rather than vampiric fangs this weekend in a coronavirus vaccination drive.
Medics offered free Pfizer shots to everyone who visited the 14th-century castle, the BBC reported.
"I came to visit the castle with my family and when I saw the poster I gathered up my courage and agreed to get the injection," said Liviu Necula, 39, an engineer.
Those who take the jab are handed a certificate hailing their "boldness and responsibility", and promising they will be welcome at the castle "for the coming 100 years" – as well as being offered a free tour of the "torture chamber".
The vaccination campaign will take place every weekend throughout May. Anyone can turn up without an appointment to get a shot, according to Reuters.
Nestled in a misty valley in the Carpathian Mountains, Bran Castle is associated with the 15th-century Romanian prince Vlad Tepes, known as "the Impaler", although he never stayed there.
Dracula author Bram Stoker is believed to have been inspired by Vlad and descriptions of Bran Castle when writing his 1897 novel that helped found the modern vampire genre.
Romania's government has turned to local vaccination drives and 24-hour "marathons" at major venues such as the National Library in Bucharest to get as many citizens as possible immunised.
"These centres are for everyone who wants to get vaccinated but doesn't feel like making an appointment online," said Marius Nasta hospital director Beatrice Mahler.
But she said it would still be difficult to reach people living in the many areas without local doctors.
Almost 3.6 million Romanians of the country's 19 million people have received at least one vaccine dose, with authorities aiming for five million by June.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
if you go
The flights Fly Dubai, Air Arabia, Emirates, Etihad, and Royal Jordanian all offer direct, three-and-a-half-hour flights from the UAE to the Jordanian capital Amman. Alternatively, from June Fly Dubai will offer a new direct service from Dubai to Aqaba in the south of the country. See the airlines’ respective sites for varying prices or search on reliable price-comparison site Skyscanner.
The trip
Jamie Lafferty was a guest of the Jordan Tourist Board. For more information on adventure tourism in Jordan see Visit Jordan. A number of new and established tour companies offer the chance to go caving, rock-climbing, canyoning, and mountaineering in Jordan. Prices vary depending on how many activities you want to do and how many days you plan to stay in the country. Among the leaders are Terhaal, who offer a two-day canyoning trip from Dh845 per person. If you really want to push your limits, contact the Stronger Team. For a more trek-focused trip, KE Adventure offers an eight-day trip from Dh5,300 per person.
Tips from the expert
Dobromir Radichkov, chief data officer at dubizzle and Bayut, offers a few tips for UAE residents looking to earn some cash from pre-loved items.
- Sellers should focus on providing high-quality used goods at attractive prices to buyers.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
if you go
The flights
Emirates offer flights to Buenos Aires from Dubai, via Rio De Janeiro from around Dh6,300. emirates.com
Seeing the games
Tangol sell experiences across South America and generally have good access to tickets for most of the big teams in Buenos Aires: Boca Juniors, River Plate, and Independiente. Prices from Dh550 and include pick up and drop off from your hotel in the city. tangol.com
Staying there
Tangol will pick up tourists from any hotel in Buenos Aires, but after the intensity of the game, the Faena makes for tranquil, upmarket accommodation. Doubles from Dh1,110. faena.com
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
![A banner reading in Romanian 'Who's afraid of [the] vaccine' advertises the vaccination marathon at Bran Castle in Bran village. AFP](https://www.thenationalnews.com/resizer/v2/L3UDIYGOYYRU4IFWJPDMYJRFYM.jpg?smart=true&auth=d4f87792457f3a9cadd7c07129e614cb93d8e2e31e29399f7071503205ae16a6&width=800&height=450)
