Just in time for the Halloween season! This episode explores the real Dracula, Vlad the Impaler, a 15th century warrior-ruler infamous for his extreme brutality and cruelty. My guest Leif Pettersen, a former travel writer with Lonely Planet, has spent considerable time in Romania, and through his writing, research and wanderings, developed a special attachment to the real life Dracula.  His book on the subject is part memoir, part travelogue and part history, and called:  "Backpacking with Dracula: On the Trail of Vlad ‘“the Impaler” Dracula and the Vampire He Inspired". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices