The echo of a rooster's call woke 12-year-old Anna Maria from a deep sleep early one beautiful Saturday morning in June. Opening the door to the balcony, she noticed that the tallest mountain peaks were just beginning to get greener. Taking a deep breath she could almost taste the crisp mountain air. To her left, Anna Maria could just make out one of the towers on Bran Castle. In the distance she could hear the villagers calling out to one another while starting their morning duties. She wished she could stay here all day, writing poetry, but knew that the three-and-a-half-hour drive to the city couldn't wait. With a sigh, she closed the door and made her way inside to prepare for the trip. An hour later, when Anna Maria was finished packing, she took one last glimpse out the window and hurried downstairs. Her aunt was already there, talking to her parents. They both kissed each other on the cheek. Then Anna Maria said goodbye to her parents and loaded her suitcase in the back of her aunt's car. She jumped into the car and waved goodbye one last time. During the ride to the city, Anna Maria used her time looking out the window. They passed by Bran Castle, also known as Dracula's Castle. She took note of the towering building and the light fog that surrounded it, almost making the castle look even older than it was. Her aunt was taking the scenic route and after a while they entered the town of Sinaia. After passing houses built so close together you couldn't see in between them, the car started up a winding mountain road along a cliff. Anna Maria opened her notebook and described the scene below: a green valley with scattered houses, farms, and tall pine trees. She thought to herself that this could be the beginning of a great poem. After an hour and a half, Anna Maria and her aunt began to see scattered oil rigging equipment in empty fields. They looked like huge birds pecking in the ground for worms. Anna Maria wasted no time putting this description in her notebook. Finally, they arrived at Anna Maria's au