Floating Down the Danube

August 17, 2018

Our flights to Bucharest went well. Flying without bikes certainly makes the trip far easier. At Dubai we had to change from Emerites to Fly Dubai, it meant we had to change terminals and it felt rather like following a bike track where the signage keeps disappearing

We don't start cycling until about 20th August but in the meantime I will put up the odd post until we actually get going on the bikes. The Danube fascinates me and this boat trip will complete our trip along its whole length. What a different river it is from the spring we saw bubbling out of the ground at Donaueschingen and how different our mode of transport.

Yesterday we went on a bus tour and a walking tour of Bucharest What fascinated me most were the churches. I had not realised that the religion in Romanis is Orthodox Christianity. The two little churches we went to were exquisite with wonderful icons. They are so different from the Catholic and Protestant Churches I am used to. It is surprising how small the interiors are, I don't know if I could last a service as there are no pews and you need to stand, our guide says it is not necessary to stay for the whole service but you can just pop in and out. There were a lot using the churches, writing prayers on pieces of paper then kissing the icons. Personally I find these churches more beautiful that others I have visited.

The Parliment building in Bucharest, it is the second largest building in the world base on the Champs Élysées It is a folly of that hideous man

The outside of an Orthodox Church in Bucharest

In the afternoon we drove through the fast Romanian plain on our way to Fetesti to board the Avalon Passion our 'luxury floating hotel'. We caste off on our way to the Black Sea then mandatory safety drills, a welcome aboard followed by a delicious meal and a lecture on the fauna and flora we will see on our trips in small boats into the heart of this extraordinary delta.

We loved the trip into the delta. This is a UNESCO heritage biosphere reservation with rigid rules regarding its use. We were very fortunate to have a very well informed biologist giving us accurate information of this very diverse ecosystem. We saw flocks of Pelican and certainly were pleased to hear that bird numbers in this area are actually increasing. This is a huge area of over five and a half thousand kilometres, it is inhabited by fishermen and reeds are harvested to thatch houses in the very remote villages. Sfantu Gheorghe where we were docked is a tiny village of around 800 which has changed little in the last 40 years. The only way in and out is by boat (a long trip to the nearest larger town of Tulcea) or by helicopter. Life must be very hard in this tiny place which depends on fishing and summer tourism. The surgeon from this area produce very superior clavier but for the last 12 years the fishing of surgeon has been prohibited but the great hope is that next year because of the improvements in their stock they will once again be able to make this valuable catch.

Getting ready to board our flotilla of small boats

A huge flock of pelicans take off from among the reeds

The old fishery that used to process sturgeon. Until numbers increase they cannot be caught

St Gheorghe where we were docked is a tiny fishing village with no road connection to the rest of Romania. Time has stood still here and it is like it was 40years ago. Ken found this old communist era tractor

Reeds in the delta are harvested and used for roofing in the village

After lunch we made the short journey to the Black Sea to have a champagne ceremony at 0km mark of the Danube. Now we head back towards Budapest and this afternoon will sale through Romania, Ukaraine and Moldova

Champagne at km0 of the Danube. The Black Sea is behind me

PS Special note for Steve Miller, the breakfasts Om the Avalon Passion are better than any I have had in a German Hotel

The 'Egg Station' on the ship -eggs cooked anyway you liked

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Suzanne GibsonSounds fascinating. Looking forward to your photos!
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5 years ago

Steve Miller/GrampiesDid you get a photo of the breakfast? What did they add that the Germans left out?
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5 years ago

Jack WatsonMarie and I attended a Russian Orthodox service in Zagorsk in 1984 (nearing the end of the Soviet era). Very similar, we stayed about 30 minutes, all the Intourist guide would allow us. (Like all those guides, she trotted out the party line about the error of religion.) Surprisingly, the church was pretty full, the congregation included younger people and soldiers.
It was quite moving, actually, although the service was quite incomprehensible to us.
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5 years ago