BELGRADE TO BUCHAREST

Click on the map or a photo to see an enlargement

DATE:  August 5

LOCATION: Bucharest, Romania

WEATHER: Extremely hot.  Temperatures have been 30+ with no breaze except that which is generated by our movement on the bicycles.  The highest temperature this week has been 44.  A combination of lots of water and the breeze we generate by cycling means it has been surprising how well we have been able to cope.


ROADS AND TERRAIN:  Romanian roads have been the best we have encountered, contrary to reports we had read in advance.  We have been riding on highways (much like #6 or #10).  Some roads even have a lane for cyclists, walkers, and horse carts.  Sometimes the traffic gets very heavy and fast.

REPORT:

After we left Belgrade, we headed across country to the point where the Danube narrows into the Iron Gates.  Here we experienced the Fish Soup-making contest in a small town on the banks of the Danube. 

This castle guards the entrance to the Iron Gates of the Danube.

These are the Iron Gates.  The Gates are actually the name of a 40 kilometre long section of the Danube that is very narrow.  On the left in the photo is Serbia and on the right is Romania.  At its narrowest point, the river which is normally about 800-1,000 metres wide narrows to about 150 metres.

Here are your intrepid travellers.  In the background, carved into the cliff on the Romainian side of the river is a monument for whom we are uncertain.  It could even be a monument to the Roman emporor Trajan who captured this portion of the Danube. (You my have to click on the photo to get a good view of the monument.)

Our experiences with Romanian roads has been good.  The surfaces have been smooth and some even have a lane we can use for cycling.  Sometimes the traffic is very heavy and fast.

Horses and carts on the roads are a common sight.

We saw our first noticeable gypsy or Roma caravan on our second day in Romania.  Later were were told that some gypsies have a great deal of money and have built palatial homes.  Some of those homes were in the town of Busescu which reminded us of Newport Rhode Island where the "American Palaces" are.

This banquet centre's name reminded me of Grace.

This was a watermelon stop on the road to Alexandria, Romania.

Groups of stray dogs have become common.  We have not been seriously threatened, but have observed a couple of people being chased by an angry pack of dogs.

This is a typical room.  We pay about $30-$40 per night.  This room was $30 and was the best one.  It had airconditioning, something that if very nice after a long ride in the heat.  In Belgrade we stayed in a hostel (double room with air conditioning) and enjoy meeting other travellers.  It also provides an opportunity to cook something familiar, like spagetti.  It was very difficult to find a room in Bucharest.  All the hostels were full or did not have air conditioning or did not have a double room.  After 2 hours we did find Joe's Central Hostel - double room with air!