Danube Cruise Trip - Day 7

MS Amadeus Riva: Day 2! Throughout the night, we cruised upriver on the Danube (and went west into a new time zone). I woke up during the night two times and I later learned that this must have been disturbances related to clearing some locks along river.  Waking up at the new 0530, I realized that I had a cold coming on (dang).  Despite this, I really wanted to see some of the interesting things going on along the shore line; I got ready quickly and went for a walk on the Sun Deck (0630), watching landmarks on both left (Serbia) and right (Romania).  I saw lots of fisherman, forest fires, birds, etc.  At 0715, I went to the breakfast buffet in the restaurant (initially sat at in “wrong/closed” area).  After I was seated, I found the food to be really really good and stayed in the dining area until 0800.  About 90 minutes later, our ship reached a major hydroelectric dam called “Iron Gate II”. This imposing structure stretches across the river between Serbia end Romania and provides about 20% of each country’s electrical power. Just before beginning the 1.5 hour transit, our Cruise Director (Milos) pointed out major landmarks and provided historical and cultural information about the region. As usual, I geeked out on the “how does it work?” RE: lock process (two levels, +100 feet of water level change).  There was a monument to Tito on the Serbian side (which we approached most closely) and I suddenly realized that this dam was same landmark I'd seen from the air during my flight from Bucharest to Vienna.  The sun was shining during the transit and the temps had soared to 100 F by the time we exited the lock but I was able to take a break from the heat when I attended a traditional “Balkan Buffet” for my lunch. Also tried a tasty Pinot Noir (Spätburgunder) from Germany. After that (1350), I went back up to the Sun Deck so I could monitor our progress through the Kazan Gorge, the narrowest part of the Danube. Milos continued to provide excellent color commentary - but only to the Sun and Promenade Decks. In other words, I’m glad I didn’t miss the “tour.” We passed a monument carved while Trajan was Roman Emperor (had to be moved when dam was built). Not far up the river, we reached the famous carving of Decebalus (Trajan’s Dacian opponent during the struggle for the Balkans). In the same area, I enjoyed seeing some pretty churches, young kids on lake excursions and (later) some spectacular castles. Once the excitement was over, I returned to my room (1530) to wait for the next event (lecture about Balkan history given by one of the Smithsonian Journey’s group leaders). Falling asleep instead (time zone & pace made resting irresistible). At 1730, I managed to wake up on time to be able to attend a Notre Dame Alumni Cocktail Party. This event was quite nice and Milos gave even more context. One funny thing, though, was that everyone at out party had become a “Balkan Expert” after the lecture I missed - the conversation quickly changed to issues that have not been solvable for over 1000 years... Meanwhile, looked out the window as the beautiful river flowed by our ship. At 1900, we received a Port Brief for our visit to Belgrade, Serbia in the morning. I met with a few of the tour directors (Vessie and Milos) afterwards to plan my “free time” after the formal tours. One really nice thing was that I was one of only eight people (our of 80) to do the excursion I chose. Before dinner, I watched the sun set (from the Sun Deck) beyond the distant Romanian mountains. Our evening meal (and accompanying wine, a white variant of the same wine as at lunch), which began at 2000, was excellent. My appetite was lagging, however, and mostly just sampled each dish (Chili Con Carne, Mushroom Risotto and Vanilla Crème Brûlée).  Despite the limited food intake, I still felt very full.  Fortunately, I logged a lot steps during my rounds of the ship so believe I’m winning (or, at least managing) the battle of calories.  My cold was making feel more tired than normal but I was unable to eat in silence because I was sitting near Kathy, a chatty anesthesiologist.  She was nice but I was glad to leave the dining area (2100)...  My day concluded, I went to my room and blogged until bed time (2230).  Tomorrow, we have our first port visit!

Danube Cruise Trip - Day 6

Amadeus Riva: Day 1!  After an interesting trip so far, the main event of this whole journey was scheduled to take place in the afternoon.  Despite the looming excitement, I slept until 0630!  After getting out of bed, I got packed, read and got ready.  By 0745, I had put my bags in the hall to be picked up by the porters and proceeded to the AHI Dining Room for another nice breakfast (this time, alone).  With cooler weather in the early hours, I decided to take another stroll in Sofia before our bus left the city.  At 0815, I left the hotel and went for a walk nearby.  First, I visited Ste. Nedelya and recorded some of the chanting of Mass).  The building itself was quite pretty inside and, when I continued walking away from it, I found several little chapels scattered around among the nearby blocks.  I had time to explore the Serdica ruins, which were mostly in the area where the subway station was located and under the roads.  Highlight: I found a mini-church apse preserved there.  Next, I checked out the area near the Mineral Springs.  Overall, I felt good to be able to revisit some pretty spots and also find several quiet corners and courtyards. Each of these places was within two blocks of my hotel so we definitely got prime digs. There is no doubt that Sofia is a really nice city but, after the last couple of days, I felt ready to head to the next stop on the tour - onward!  Returning to the hotel (0900), I confirmed my bags (had to tell our hosts so they could tag them as ready for loading) in the lobby.  After that, I spent about 45 minutes reading, doing Duolingo and blogging.  At 0950, I headed downstairs to join Group #1 for our bus ride to Vidin.  Happily, we had beautiful weather again (sunny and cooler in the AM) as we departed the Sofia Balkan Palace (1015) and proceeded north. Our bus (#1 of 3) was being driven by Vladimir, joined our host (Nani) and local guide (Maggie). Along the way, we got lots of details about history, culture, agriculture and cuisine. After leaving the city limits (on Route 81), farm fields gave way to the foothills of the Vrachanski Balkan Mountains. Temps soon started to soar… At 1110, we stopped at Hotel Balach, a “rest area” of sorts for about 30 minutes. Most people bought drinks there but I just explored - there was an inviting pool in back of the hotel and I wished I could submerge myself in it! By 1145, we were on our way again. The bus's AC was not able to keep up with the heat and the passenger complaints began… Meanwhile, we climbed higher (with lots of dramatic switchbacks) into the mountains. Maggie gave more color commentary but I spent more time looking at the views than listening. After summiting the pass, we had a similar drive (more switchbacks) back down into the Danube Valley. There were times when our bus and big trucks seemed destined to collide. In the end, we passed through safely. During this time, we encountered three other buses that were apparently coming from the ship in Vidin - I guess the logistics of this cruise scheme involves a complex series of movements so the ship and hotel are never empty… Our next stop was in the town of Montana (founded by the Romans) - we arrived at our restaurant (Hotel Jitomer) at 1315. Being the first bus meant being first in line for food - nice! The light meal was buffet style, with meats, cheeses, veggies and a tasty soup. We were allowed to choose our drink and I tried a Bulgarian white wine. During this meal, I sat at the table with the rest of my Bus #1 comrades and got to know some of the Iowa State and Wash-U folks. Afterwards, I went outside in the sweltering heat and walked for a bit in a nearly plaza. There was an inviting fountain there and I wished I could enter it. By 1415, I was on the bus in time (along with everyone else) but then our bus got blocked in by the other two. Vladimir had to work hard to find a way out. Eventually, we were on our way north towards Vidin. The scenery got much flatter after leaving Montana and the sun had switched sides in the meantime. As a result, I closed the curtain and read one of my books. At about 1545, we started to get views of the Danube River (right side of the bus). Entering town, however, we lost sight of our target as Vladimir skillfully navigated a series of streets with low hanging trees, one way roads and narrow passage ways until we arrived at the Bada Vida Fortress (1600). The present castle, located about the Danube in a strategic location, was built on a Celt/Thracian foundation, augmented by Roman engineering, improved by the Byzantines and subsumed by the Turks. This meant that the architecture was very interesting and our group (still led by Maggie) navigated slippery steps and steep stone walkways to reach a high overlook of the Danube and surrounding countryside (including the town of Calafat on the Romanian side). The temps were unbearably hot (approaching 100 degrees) so my enthusiasm for being outside started to wane. While at the fortress, I saw a group of kayakers who had finished their paddling “regatta” for the day and were setting up camp - wished I was with them… Instead, we reboarded the bus and drove to nearby St. Panteylemon (located next to St. Nikolai), an example of 17th Century church building and beautiful frescos. Maggie gave us much more context on Bulgarian and Orthodox Christian life under the Ottomans. We also learned about Vidin’s mosque and synagogues - even though these are religious minorities in the area, the government has supported renovations of their aging buildings.  Also worth noting: Vidin used to have a population of 80K residents but now only has 30K - there were a LOT of deserted buildings.  Once we’d returned to the bus for the last time, Vladimir drove us back through town until we reached the port (1715). Tied up along the pier was my new home away from home for the next nine days: MS Amadeus Riva!  Transferring from the bus to the ship this afternoon was a snap and I was in my room by about 1730. We had a mandatory brief that was scheduled within the hour but I managed to squeeze in some time for photos of the HUGE riverboat - from the pier and onboard - before I had to attend. The ship is new (2023) and had most of the same amenities as the Viking cruise ship I used in February. But the capacity was far smaller (~150) and we only had around 80 passengers for this cruise. During our safety briefing and “Port Brief” for the next day, we were treated to complimentary drinks and I grabbed one of the only beers, a Bitburger (which I know well). By 1900, I was able to get away for a shower and to unpack but then attended a spectacular “Welcome Aboard” dinner with four delicious courses (we could choose from a list of options). I sat with some folks from the ND group (Ron and Sandy, along with a few others) but I liked the fact that there weren’t assigned seats. The food was very good and I paired it with a nice red wine (Weinbau Mörwald Classic Blauer Zweigelt). We wrapped up at 2100 and I relaxed in my room (blogging, read the Daily Program for the next day and read more of my book) until we got underway an hour later.  Since my room was located near the waterline, I could clearly hear the river waves splashing near by window after we got underway.  With these smooth sounds, I ended up going to bed the earliest I had on the entire trip (2300).  Now sailing upstream on the “Beautiful Blue Danube!”

Danube Cruise Trip - Day 4

This morning marked the end of pure “Jim Time” and I started my journey to rendezvous with the other members of the Tour Group. I was awake at 0600 and spent most of the early morning reading, doing Duolingo and packing.  Eileen and I were able to text a bit - that was nice. I went to breakfast in hotel restaurant at 0810 (another good buffet).  Done at about 0855, I then went for a walk in my Bucharest neighborhood.  There was some shade (trees and tall buildings) and this kept temps cool.  However, it was already hot in the sun.  I passed by an Orthodox Church that appeared to be conducting services - there were some ominous gentlemen at the door that gave me enough pause to avoid trying to enter...  Back in my room by 0930, I spent an hour wrapping up my stay and checking out of the hotel.  Catalin picked me up at 1030 and we drove to the airport (pretty close to the same route as last night).  We had an interesting French and Romanian flag (they kind of look the same) discussion on the way.  We arrived at airport by 1100 and I did my best to thank Catalin for his excellent driving.  Before the trip began, I had a choice: accept route planning from the Tour Company (transfers included) or make up my own air itinerary to reach my hotel in Bulgaria. I chose the former and this involved two flights (one to Vienna and the other to Sofia).  So, my first order of business in the terminal was to locate the check-in counter for Austrian Airlines.  It wasn't easy...  I was finally able to find a self check kiosk to print boarding passes but then had to wait in a huge line for the bag drop.  This was due to the fact that Austrian shared desks with Lufthansa and Swiss Air - ugh...  I ultimately got through the line by 1200 (whew; 15 minutes to spare).  The desk agent had tried to convince me to check my bag but I successfully declined.  Fortunately, security checks were no issue.  I spent some time before boarding walking through the crowded "OTP" terminal.  I noticed they had no WiFi, potable water or available seating - almost 180 out from my Amsterdam experience.  I eventually found a spot on a window sill and waited until boarding began (1250).  At that point, it was a free for all throughout the boarding process (no zones called).  Also, I couldn't tell - did I need my passport or not?  Once I got aboard (A320 window seat), I was pleased to see a petite woman sitting in the middle seat - this appeared to bode well for elbow room.  Unfortunately, my neighbor changed seats with a larger guy and all the extra room was immediately gone.  Needless to say, I was relieved that it was a shorter flight...  We were all in our seats well in advance to the scheduled takeoff but we still departed 30 minutes late (mostly because there were two empty seats that the gate attendants wanted to fill) - SMH.  At least we had Strauss playing in the background!  It was strange to transition from the rather musical Romanian to the harsher Deutsch. But the crew members were as friendly as any Central Europeans I’ve met. One of the Flight Attendants had a Nina Blackwood voice (I couldn’t get that reference out of my head).  During the flight, we had free internet (for messages only) but there were no charging ports so I turned off my phone.  During the drink service I realized that everything cost money - I got a special bag of (Austrian?) Haribo gummies.  While we were airborne, I read some more of my travel book (Bulgaria and Sofia stuff).  We had a Danube overflight for the first 30 minutes - I took photo and later identified the section of the river (bridge west of Iron Gate).  We must have flown due west after that because I noticed a giant lake to the north I think it was Lake Balaton in Hungary.  If I'm correct, we later turned north.  We were given Austrian chocolate just before arrival.  I saw lots of windmills in the fields of Austria during our approach to Vienna.  Also saw second lake closer to the city.  Another bonus: Bratislava was visible in the distance.  We landed at 1410L (one hour time change).  After parking, we got an Austrian passport check on way off of aircraft.  Since we landed late, I spent only about 30 minutes in the terminal.  In this short period, though, I experienced long lines for the bathroom, good internet and plentiful USB power outlets.  When boarding for my next flight (Embraer E95) began (1500), it was again a free for all (“all passengers may board”).  This ended up being much more critical than previously because we had to get on a bus that took us far out onto the ramp.  Even after the bus parked, there was no one to point anyone towards one of the jetways.  As a result, people randomly chose doors and there was opposing traffic in the cabin.  Fortunately, I was in an early group and found (limited) room for my carryon.  Everyone was pretty efficient in the end and we took off almost on time (1530L).  During the climb out, I got a nice view (although we immediately turned and it was short) of the nearby Danube and Vienna city skyline.  The snapshot view of the city, the wide river and hills to the northwest - all in the late afternoon sunlight - is imprinted in my mind. Wow!  There was another time change again enroute.  During the drink service, I ordered an early dinner (chicken paprika wrap) and an Austrian beer (paid in Euros).  Watching the Danube overflight again - this time, I had the map on my phone and realized (due to the visibility and distinctive landmarks on the Danube and Sava rivers) that we were overflying Belgrade.  After that, I noticed a marked increase in the rugged terrain (much different from Walachia).  The descent was uneventful and we landed in Sofia, Bulgaria at 1755L (early).  I was near the front of the plane but took my time heading to baggage claim.  The airport had good WiFi but seemed pretty empty.  Since I was awaiting a 2000 bus from the AHI Travel team and didn’t see the point of hurrying, I got some more steps and took care of texts with the kids).  However, when I finally got my bag and left the arrival area (1830), I encountered a representative of AHI who seemed frantic about my "lateness".  At first, I took this as a sign that I wouldn’t have to wait the full time.  But it was a bait and switch and they took the entire time to wait on other people and flights.  Before the trip, I’d thought about taking taxi instead of waiting - in hindsight, that would have been better...  Meanwhile, I met an older gentleman (widower from Connecticut) named Dennis who I had been on the same Austrian flight I took.  We ended up talking the time away.  Eventually (2000), we had nearly 20 people from our tour assembled and were escorted to a waiting bus.  The drive to our hotel in downtown Sofia took about 25 minutes and our local guide (Ivan) pointed out sights along the way.  There were so many pretty buildings!  I met another solo traveler (Robert from Texas).  We were dropped off in from of the Sofia Balkan Palace Hotel and walked to our own special hospitality area in the back of the lobby (our bags were delivered to our rooms).  We were met by our tour coordinators (Nani, Vessy and Alan) and received a short orientation.  With our room keys, we also got a three day itinerary.  The bulk of the group seems to be Silent and Boomer Generations so this may be a lot less mobile and active than I’d hoped. But everyone - including the local guides and travel hosts - was extremely nice.  On the way to my room, I skimmed the events for the following day and noticed that I needed to get up early for breakfast, Mass (with ND group) and .  Everyone else headed to their rooms to go to bed early. As you might have guessed, I only stopped at the room to drop my stuff before heading out to explore (2100). The hotel is located right across the street from the ruins of the Thracian/Roman settlement of Serdica, a huge mosque, a statue of Saint Sofia and a pretty church called the Cathedral of Saint Nedelya. All of these things were well lit for the evening and very pretty. I wandered down Bul. Vitosha, a closed street with pubs and restaurants. The weather was pleasant and the area was full of young people. I stopped for a few (half) pints of Bulgarian beer and dessert of Pavlova (mint, lemon, strawberry, blueberry) at a place called the Social Cafe Bar & Kitchen - everything was good. There was much less English being spoken and I have had no exposure to Bulgarian - but some expressions, words and gestures are universal. Cyrillic characters and words are also going to be a unique challenge - not since my days visiting Japan have words been so tough to decipher. I noticed a lot of people (even young ones) were smoking in nearly every place I visited.  Wrapped up my evening excursion at about 2145 and headed back to the room to get ready for a full day of food, lectures, Mass (with the Notre Dame priest who is with us), a lecture about Sofia, a city walking tour and Welcome Reception/Dinner. Before going to bed (2330), I texted with Erin and worked on my travel blog.  Excited about my cruise itinerary - so much new stuff to see/do! 

Danube Cruise Trip - Day 3

While planning this trip, it didn’t seem like a trip to Romania would be complete unless I visited the Carpathian Mountains and Transylvania. To make this possible, I hired a car (via Viator) to take me to famous landmarks in that area - today was the day for this amazing excursion!  I slept very well (after mastering the air temperature in the room) and was awake at 0530.  Did some texting with my daughters (time difference made that possible) and also read, did Duolingo exercises, responded to comments on social media and filled out surveys for my travel the previous day.  At 0715, I walked down to the hotel restaurant and got some breakfast.  There was a lot of good food at the buffet and I decided to fill up, in case lunch plans were later delayed.  I was finished eating at 0745 and, with my backpack, headed towards the parking lot.  On the way out of the hotel, I encountered the morning manager and told him about Edward (the trainee) doing a good job the day before.  He gave me a couple of coins of small denominations (Romanian Lei).  At 0800, I met my driver, Catalin (same gentleman who retrieved me from the airport yesterday), outside the hotel.  Some notes on Catalin: he was about my age and had been a driver, boxer, paratrooper for French military and a motorcycle enthusiast.  He also had some amazing stories (e.g., ran away from Communist Romania but was captured by the Hungarians near Austrian border and returned to his home, his car was stolen car in Bulgaria).  Our early departure time turned out to be a very wise decision because we had the best (cooler) weather, light traffic and good opportunities for photo ops on the way. Another good decision was that I sat in the front of the car with the driver - I then felt like I was on a road trip with a buddy. Our route took us (via city streets) out past the first “Beltway” around Bucharest to the A3 super highway). We wended our way north, past the second “beltway”, towards the northwest. As I’d noticed during our arrival yesterday, the land in most of Walachia (w = v sound) is extremely flat (think northern Indiana). In the far distance, it was possible to see a trace of the mountains but the morning haze kept them mysterious. We eventually reached a roundabout and the end of the superhighway. This required us to exit and get on the winding (two lane) National Road (DN-1). Think Lincoln Highway… During this time, I’d gotten distracted by the fact we were passing through the oil fields of Ploiesti (i is silent). Catalin gave me some details (from the Romanian perspective) of the famous Allied bombing raid. I’ve always been fascinated with the mission and it was easier to imagine while driving over the ground. From there, it was mostly slow going - the total outbound tour distance was 170ish KM so there was a LOT of time standing still for lights, turning cars, accidents, etc. Despite the rather slow pace, my spirits were lifted as we entered the Prahova Valley and the land on both sides of the road began to rise steeply (foothills of Bucegi Range). We passed through some small “ski-hamlets” (Campina and Breaza) before reaching a larger town called Sinaia (1000). It was here that I had my first stop of the day: Peles Castle, the once (and future?) home of the Romanian Royal Family. Catalin dropped me off and I climbed a small hill to where the queue formed for tickets. It took me almost 30 minutes to obtain mine and then almost another 30 minutes before I got inside. And that was almost by subterfuge - the doors were closed while the staff assembled tours by language or tour bus. After missing my chance to enter a few times, I decided to just follow the next group inside. It was only a bit later when I determined that I was assumed to be part of a group visiting from Santiago de Compostela in Spain! At least I was in the castle finally - and I do know a little Spanish. As we walked through each of the fantastically decorated royal rooms, I soon became aware that the tour would take over an hour at the rate we were moving. Since there were still a lot of other places to visit, I started moving surreptitiously towards the front and joined the group in front - they were German. I know less of that language than I do of Spanish so I was only able to understand a bit of the commentary. Again, I moved forward and caught an English group this time. Saved, I thought! Unfortunately, the guide was REALLY BORING… Breaking free of all the groups, I finished the tour alone - this was easily possible anyway because there were signs in English throughout the building. On the way out, I visited a side room with pretty stained glass. After that, I walked the grounds of the property. It was all very elegant and pretty but the main tower was under renovation (scaffolding). Walking back towards the car, I took a look at Castle Pelisor (another Romanian royal family residence). Not as exciting but worth the detour. By 1130, I’d found Catalin (WhatsApp making things easy!) and we headed out of town on our way towards Transylvania. This stop was a bit touristy for me but I’m glad I visited - having a mountain home is definitely a dream of mine and I got some decorating tips!  Leaving Sinaia, we hit the worst traffic of the morning. Still, I took comfort in Catalin’s comments that he’d seen it far worse on other days. He also admitted that he’d not been looking forward to our drive today for the traffic reason but “had to do it because I’m the only one not on vacation.” I vowed silently to try to get him to be glad he’d decided to drive me… We passed through several more ski towns and then entered the Transylvania region - I’d expected more fanfare for a historically disputed border but I guess the relative silence speaks volumes on Romanian unity. Working our way down into the valley north of the Carpathians, it was amazing to watch the terrain and weather change. Like the mountains we were in, the temps were pleasant - unlike most of Walachia, though, rain was falling. We’d crossed a spiritual border too - for much of history, the mountains indicated the boundary between Catholic and Orthodox. We had to take some rural roads at this point and that hurt us on time again - there was LOTS of road construction (can’t get away from it, even after leaving the Upper Valley!). Eventually, we arrived in Rasnov, gateway to the town of Bran (known for its unique cheese, palinka and inspiring the home of Dracula). Castle Bran, a precariously positioned fortress on a steep hill over the town, looks like the kind of place an evil vampire might choose to live and the locals have embraced this idea. Apparently, though, the only way there is any historical connection to Vlad Tepes, who also inspired the tale, is if The Impaler was kept prisoner here in the dungeon. Regardless, the huge queue to tour the inside was a testament to the popularity of Bram Stoker’s masterpiece - after Catalin dropped me at the ticket kiosk (1330), I took one look at it and began to reconsider going inside. But he had suggested I walked the grounds - at least - and I took his advice (even though I had to buy a full priced ticket). I tagged along with a group of like minded youngsters (they spoke English) and, even though we got scolded several times by “line monitors” (i.e., tired tourists), we reached the top. Taking in the view, I began to think of how hard the place must have been to build. I walked around everywhere I could before heading back down the hill. It started to rain then and I was even happier I’d skipped the line… Near the park exit, I noticed a small, connected, area that had a big field - this location provided some of the best views of the castle I found. Continuing on the slippery path, I passed an “inspiration point”, apparently used often by one of Romania’s Queens (Marie?) in the 1930s. The trail continued and I never saw any “area closed” signs. As a result, I reached the bottom of the hill and left the park through a parking area. My guess is that the well used trail is a way for locals to skip the queue. Across the street, I found historic old church buildings, mock ups of peasant housing and the mausoleum type building that I believe was once contained the heart of the Queen I mentioned earlier. Backtracking to the park entrance on the busy street (no sidewalks), I next stopped to tour a recreated Medieval settlement and outdoor market. Overall, the venue was quite commercial and touristy but it was very pretty and historically interesting. Catalin collected me at 1430 and we headed back towards the south - on our way to Braşov!  To reach our final planned stop of the tour, Catalin suggested we “take the scenic route.” Most of you know that’s my style and I gladly agreed. We had to backtrack for a little while (more construction delays) but the rain stopped during that time. After driving through Rasnov, which I noticed had a “Hollywood-esque” sign next to a historic castle (apparently built by Teutonic Knights) on the hill above, we drove east and deep into the mountains. Catalin said that we were close to an area with lots of black bears - they offer tours to view them. We climbed all the way to the summit of a ski mountain (Alpin Resort) and got some amazing views of clouds below the nearby peaks and a panoramic view of the beautiful city of Brasov. What a great “detour”! Coming into town (1545), Catalin dropped me off at Piata Sfatului (Council Square) and I immediately started taking lots of photos. The old town seems to have buildings (and plaques of historical events) dating back to the late 1300s! There was so much to see but my stomach was protesting about not eating since 0715. I started looking for food but the return of the rain forced me to be less picky. I ended to sitting down to a late lunch (or early dinner) at an Italian restaurant called Pensiunea da Vinci (1600). I was the only customer so was able to convince the waitress to help me select a series of local dishes. Continuing my exploration of Romanian cuisine, I enjoyed some Supa Gulas (Goulash), Pui cu Hribi so Sos de Smantana cu Marar si Mamaliga (chicken with mushrooms and sour cream and dill sauce and polenta) with a Kozel Premium Lager to wash it down. Since Transylvania was traditionally part of Hungary, it was all local food (the beer was Czech). At the end of the meal, I tried a local dessert called “Clatite Brasovene” (pancakes/crepes, dipped in eggs and breadcrumbs) - very rich and filling (I couldn’t finish)! I paid with a credit card and departed without realizing that I’d paid for the wrong lunch/dinner - fortunately, the price was right... By then (1710), it had stopped raining so I spent nearly an hour walking the historic streets. I visited: the old city wall and Schei Gate; the (bases of) The Black Tower and The White Tower; The Black Church (didn’t go inside because ticket line was too long); a pretty trail along a small canal on the northern edge of town; Strada Sforri (“narrowest street”); a forestry school near the First Romanian (Language) School and many other minor points of interest (including street performances). Could have spent many more hours exploring but had promised Catalin that I’d be ready at 1800. He picked me up and we headed back out of town. The character of Brasov outside the central area is much more industrial and this generated some commentary by my driver about the seeds (in this city) of the anti-communist uprising of the mid to late 1980s. Catalin had all day been a fount of knowledge - I truly valued his frankness and perspective. Our drive back to Bucharest had much less traffic than we’d seen earlier in the day - the other side of the roads, however, looked horrendous. By then, I'd noticed several animals along the route: storks, cows, sheep and a fox.  Backtracking to Ploiesti, we took a different route (Romanian Route 1) that allowed me to see a completely different perspective of Bucharest. We passed huge shopping malls, two airports, a beautiful (tree filled) area (Parc King Michael I), the Bucharest Triumph Arch, pretty avenues that led into the city center and a series of historical (and architecturally pleasing) buildings. It occurred to me then that Bucharest had been spared most of the ravages of the World Wars - this gave it an older character than most of the German cities I’ve visited. After an unforgettable day, we arrived at my hotel at 2100.  Catalin’s car had check engine light by the end but he said that was a problem for tomorrow.  After getting inside the hotel, I ordered a beer at the hotel bar (2110) and took it to my room.  I spent the rest of the evening posting on social media and getting some packing done.  Finally went to bed after midnight.  By then, I was filled with high spirits and true appreciation for Romania - I owe it all to my driver, Catalin. Hope I’ll get another chance to visit this amazing country again someday!

Danube Cruise Trip - Day 2

Still in the air as the new day began - got almost zero sleep during the flight.  At about 0430, the flight attendants turned on the lights again and started serving breakfast (some sort of pastry, like a cross between a Danish and mince pie, and juice).  Soon after this, we started our overflight of the British Isles - the weather wasn’t great but I saw city lights for Manchester.  I watched some more movies and killed time as best I could until we started our approach.  On the way across the coast of the Netherlands, I got to see lots of canals and windmills (mostly the electricity generating kind).  Our landing was just after 0700, meaning that the crew had made up almost all of the 90 minutes we’d been delayed in New York.  The weather was pleasant and this made deplaning at the gate a lot less sweaty than I’d expected.  Some people were practically pushing to get off the aircraft (I guess they had short layovers) and I had to get out of the way to avoid being trampled.  The gate numbers didn’t make a lot of sense to me and there were no displays with departure information.  As a result, I walked in one direction for a while before I figured out where I needed to go for my next flight.  Eventually, though, I figured out where to go and came upon a Customs checkpoint on the way.  There wasn’t any line and my passport check took less than a minute - the transition through the Schengen Area was much easier than I’d expected!  By 0800, I had reached my gate and confirmed everything I needed for the next leg.  Unfortunately, the Delta App was really no help in the overall process.  During the next hour, I walked around to get steps (later, I figured out that all of my steps had been counted towards August 7). Feeling good about the exercise (it also kept me from feeling like I’d been away for nearly 20 hours), I sat down to do some reading and Duolingo.  I was lucky I’d been able to get a seat because the gate area filled up quickly.  There was very little air conditioning and I felt quite hot.  Like yesterday, our boarding time came and went without an announcement.  When we were finally told to get on the aircraft (a KLM Boeing 737), there was little in the way of loud announcements.  During this time, my fatigue showed its head when I sat in the wrong seat (which was also broken).  Fortunately, the nice young man who wanted to sit there was quite understanding... Once everyone was onboard (0945, 10 minutes late), everyone started talking really loudly and ignored the crew’s instructions.  More time passed before I heard something clear enough to understand we were delayed for at least another 20 minutes.  During this window, I decided to spring for the AT&T International Plan (up to that point, I’d been using WiFi).  It wasn't a good piece of news to find out that the daily price had gone up since my last trip.  Throughout this period, the Delta App still wasn’t updating and my bag was still listed as being on my earlier KLM flight - I began to grow concerned.  Fortunately, I still had my other bags... We finally took off at 1025.  I was stuck in the middle seat of the cattle car and couldn’t see much on the ground. Enroute, I read my travel books and tried to plan for activities in Bucharest.  We had several drink (soda and water) and food (cheese sandwich) services on the nearly three hour flight and I kept hydrated.  The weather improved and I was able to spot a little of the Eastern European terrain from the air - most of it was flat.  Another comment about this flight: here were no amenities (movies, power outlets or internet).  This left little to do but to doze intermittently.  I might actually have fallen asleep but my two seat neighbors were quite restless.  As we approached our destination, the flight ended with lots of S Turns (“hand flying” to lose altitude).  We landed about 30 minutes late and I turned on my cell phone to find several messages on WhatsAp from my car service.  Vlad (the manager) had been messaging me during the lead up to my departure and now handed me off to the actual driver.  I messaged with the latter until I was able to get off the plane, walk to the baggage claim and retrieve my bag.  When I came out to the street (1420), a man (about my age) named Catalin was there to meet me.  We walked to a nearby parking garage and got on the Bucharest “Beltway” as we drove east.  Even with this shortcut, we later encountered a lot of surface street traffic.  Silver lining: this gave us time to plan for out next day’s excursion to the mountains.  Catalin was an interesting guy and we shared a few important things in common.  We arrived at the hotel (Holiday Inn Bucharest - Times) by 1500.  Catalin told me that he would be my driver for an excursion tomorrow so we coordinated a meet up time.  While checking into the hotel, I got a lot of help from the desk clerk trainee (Edward) in navigating and logistics around the city.  Feeling quite exhausted, I headed to my room (IHG hotel reward night and I got a special upgrade).  I was tempted to take a nap but, instead, I got cleaned up after nearly 28 hours on the road...  After packing a bag for an excursion into the City Center, I contacted my daughters (checking in on safe arrival).  Next, I walked to a nearby bus stop so I could ride the for #104 bus to Lipscani (Old Town). At 1620, I got a round trip ticket that ended up costing only $1.32 USD (!) and headed west towards the center of Bucharest. I was off the bus at about 1645 and walked around in the Piata Unirii, admiring the pretty fountains. After crossing several busy streets (headed towards the north), I arrived at Curtea Veche Church (Old Princely Court Church, AKA St. Anthony’s Orthodox, the oldest church in Bucharest). Visitors were allowed inside and I marveled at the iconic artwork and beautiful vaulting. Meanwhile, other visitors performed Christian rituals that were unfamiliar to me. After building up a high level of awe, however, I walked west on cobblestoned Str. Franceza, passing more pretty churches (St. Dimitry and Stavropoleos) along the way.  Everywhere I went, I noticed that there were a LOT of smokers... Before long (1705), I arrived at Caru cu Bere (a restaurant in my guidebook). Once seated, I ordered several local dishes and drinks: Classic Romanian skinless sausages "Mici" with mustard & chips; Ursus Premium Lager; selection of Romanian pickles; Bran plum palinka. I sat outdoors and, even though it got progressively warmer, I stayed at my table until 1805. After that, I wandered the same neighborhood (west and south). Eventually, I found myself in a maze of the shops, pubs and restaurants of the Old Town. If I wasn’t already full, I would have stopped for some some gelato or tried more beer at each location. As it was, I was considering heading back to the hotel when I suddenly noticed that a nearby business called the Hanu’ Lui Manuc Restaurant was advertising a demonstration of traditional Romanian dancing and music at 2000. Upon entering, I mentioned my interest to the hostess and she sat me at the front table (“special reserved seating”). For about an hour, I sipped Kozel Dark Beer and listened to recordings of some amazing Romanian music (seemed to be a mix of Greek, Flamenco and Irish) very dance worthy). I later ordered some Papanași (Romanian Donuts made with cottage cheese, flour, egg and blueberries). At that point, I got some great advice about Romanism cuisine and beverages from my server (Marius), who clearly liked working in the 208 year old establishment. In fact, he set up a great pairing of a Romanian white wine (from the Aurelia Visinescu Winery) with my donuts. As my food/drink arrived, the cultural performance started. The dancers were excellent and performed a few sets to boisterous applause. After that, though, they all mingled with the audience. Before the night was over, even I was drafted for a dance and the lovely young lady who’d invited me made me feel like I knew what I was doing - twirls and everything. Fortunately, there isn’t any photo evidence. After I settled back at my table, I thought I was done for the night but then the OTHER female dancer invited me to join her onstage. By the end of our “performance”, she had ME twirling. As I mentioned, the music was very catchy and upbeat. I was relieved, however, that the next act was some non-lyrical musicians. At 2025, I said goodbye to Marius and made my way back towards the bus station for #104. Ran into a pantomime performer (“Vlad Tepes”?). Stopped again to watch the (now lighted) fountains - very nice. Even after successfully getting on the bus, I miscounted my stops on the way back to my hotel.  End result, there was some extra walking involved. Arrived in my room by 2100 and spent the next hour cleaning up, blogging and reading.  Finally ready for bed at 2230.  I’ve been awake almost 36 hours but definitely maximized my first day in Romania. Feeling really good about the things I saw and did - hoping tomorrow lives up to the hype too!