Pictures of Romania

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Pictures of Bulgaria

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Pictures of Macedonia

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Pictures of start of trip and Greece

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Meeting old friends

The best part of this trip has been the people. We have met three cycling couples on the way, and made new friends in every town. Thank you to Maria and Disco George in Romania who shared their apartment with us, Sonja who hopped in the bus with us in Croatia, and Alexandra who diligently practice her English in Hungary, we are sure you will be able to go to the USA soon and practice it there! But another highlight has been seeing old friends. We were able to meet Tanja from Up With People in Serbia; Bolaz and Tamas in Hungary, who were Evan's housemates three and two years ago and soon Aneta in Krakow (Aneta was also in Up with People and although we have not meet in person we feel we are friends since we have written to each other and shared similar experiences). Seeing our old friends, give us a sense of familiarity, and we get a greater understanding of their countries history  and nowadays daily life. The have also introduced us to more wonderful people, the Gabys!, Tamash's family members (Kusunum grandma for hosting us!) and friends. Yesterday we had an outing where we prepared Goulash on the fire pit. It was soo good!! Looking forward to keep the old and new friendships for the rest of our lifes!

"Hristos a inviat"...

"Adevarat ca a inviat" These are the words that you say while you cheerfully crack decorated eggs on Easter Sunday in Romania. It was a delight to spend Easter here. Romania (like Greece, Bulgaria and Serbia) is predominantly Christian Orthodox and they celebrated Easter this year one week after the Catholic celebration. It was a very special experience. We joined a procession on Good Friday at Doberta Turnu Severin cathedral. It was magical, everybody with candles and the priests signing. When you are back to the church you go under a sacred robe and kiss a cross. In most cases people kiss the images of saints and crosses when in church. Thank you to Violeta for showing us around the city! The next day another family shared Easter eggs and a special Easter bread with us by an impressive 40 mts sculpture of the last Dacian king. Easter Sunday we cracked another set of eggs that were given to us by Anna's family the night before. We met Anna and her parents and uncles and aunts very close to the narrowest point of the Danube. We spent a lovely evening with them learning about Romania. We then spent the night camping overlooking the Danube in the best high spot around!. 

PHOTOS

We are taking TONS of photos, but it is often difficult to find an open internet cafe. We post when we can, and will add photos as we are able/have the time! Please check back to these postings as we go along for pictures.

Birds

Every morning we awake to the sound of beautiful bird songs! It IS spring, and the migrants are making their way North, the storks are building their nests, and the crows are doing what crows always do. At first, we were excited to see the Eurasian Kestrel [one of which was captured and banded in Marin County in 2007--sending shock waves thru the birding community.] Now, we see them by the dozen. [they are still exciting to see!] They look identical to our American Kestrel, but much bigger.

In addition to the European Starling, we've seen the European Stork, the European Coot, the European Duck, the European Stilt, the European Thrush......and the ubiquitous House Sparrow!

Seriously, Norma is making notations and sketches in her notebook to check out the species when we get home. Lots of lifers. [that's a "First Time Sighting" of a species for a birder.]

PS--we've seen a few huge stork nests that are also home for nesting crows and sparrows! Three species in the same "nest"!!

"When in Rome.....

....do as the Romanians" George W. Bush is reported to have said that and if so, he was right on target! When in the WORLD do as the Romanians! We crossed the border by ferry and rode 4 km into Bechet--and into a different scene! As we followed the flood plain of the Danube we passed through many small towns alive with people. In each one they greeted us with waves, smiles and even applause! Our arms are tired from waving, our faces strained from smiling, and our voices hoarse from shouting "Salut! Salut!" to the cheering Romanians. We rode 105 km to Calafat, and the encouragement of the villagers really helped us today! Our favorite was the toddler in his stroller who pulled his food away from his mouth to smile and wave--without prompting from his parents! Even the older people were cheerful. If they didn't greet us first, our own "Salut! Salut!" was returned with a toothless grin and a hearty wave. And we're not talking about a reserved movement of the hand here. To a person, a wave is an "over the head" enthusiastic greeting! Amazing!

The houses are very different here. They are very colorful, and often fronted by elaborate fences of concrete or metal with intricate designs. There are water wells everywhere, and benches in front of every other house it seems. Some of the benches are shaded by carefully kept grape or ivy arbors; or under a mulberry tree. People sit in front of their homes and chat with passers by. Villagers of ALL ages use the benches throughout the day, and we got to wondering.....perhaps TV is not so common here as it is in other communities. Although hard work was in evidence everywhere, there is a lot of connection with one another in leisure--they take the time.

We had been told that "the Greeks are the worst drivers in the world", that "Macedonia is dangerous", and that "people in Romania are very reserved"--HA! Our experience has been the opposite on all three counts.

We are at the lovely "Hotel Casa Italia" tonight in Calafat, Wednesday, April 15. Great dinner of soup, fish and rice. We've passed the 500 mile mark on the odometer, and this comfortable accomodation is a welcome respite!

Take good care of travelers

...these were the words of Abraham, one of our new friends from this journey; and he certainly followed them treating us to delicious Baklavas and other pastries that Greek and people from all over the world, including us, enjoy a lot! Abraham is the owner of a charming pastry shop in Halkidonas, Greece. The shop is called Housein Baklavas and it is named after a friend of his uncle who started the shop many years ago and taught Abraham all about baking pastries. Abraham shared with us how he prepares the Baklavas dough and other pastries...a sweet shop, run by a sweet man!

We have met many others that have taken good care of us travelers: Vicki the very efficient Australian-Greek guest services coordinator for those with lost luggages, who made sure we got our bike and sent our empty suitcases to await for us in Finland. Maria, the International Hostel front desk attendant who introduced us to the Greek language. Dimitrius the owner of the camping place in the coast of the Aegean, who spared us the fare for the night and gave us some gasoline to use in our little stove. Blagy, who graciously found out for us the times of the buses from Kocherinovo to Rila Monastery and explained to us the significance of watching the first storks in their nests rather than flying (if you first see them in their nests you will be lazy for the whole year!). Peter, the Bulgarian artist who greeted us in English: "Pizza for breakfast?" and explained to us many historical features about Bulgaria. Cristina with whom in between Italian and Spanish managed to get us the suite in a hotel in Montana (here in Bulgaria). The Doctor and his wife who directed us to the Sanatorium through the back way assuring that we get some good night sleep and a thermal bath at 6:30 am!. The Scotish friends who told us where to find thermal baths on our way to Sofia. The charming Bulgarian law student who showed us the way to the beautiful Alexander Nevski Cathedral in Sofia and told us how to get back to our hotel!. And of course all the others that have given us directions, drive ahead, bike with or walked with us to get us to places, given us disscounts at hotels or stores and greeted us all the way through our journey.

Thank you to all of them, these travelers feel that we are indeed being cared for.

Bulgaria--

We crossed the border from Macedonia into Bulgaria, and rode down a bucolic river valley; then up the busy expressway to Sandanski-"Sin City." In the valley, we passed Samuil's Fortress-a monument to the 14,000 soldiers who had been captured by the Greeks. Outraged that his best friend had been killed by the Bulgarians, the Greek leader had all the soldiers blinded--leaving only one man in one hundred with ONE eye to lead the rest back home. Later we learned that the King of Bulgaria took revenge, had the commander killed, beheaded--and used his skull as a drinking cup for the rest of the king's life. So many invasions, wars, resettlements, hardships in the history of this area.

Riding on the busy highway is not our idea of fun, but sometimes it's the only way. We stayed at the "Hotel Sandanski"--thank you, Aref!! [We decided to put his farewell gift to good use!] The hotel is the only one in town that uses the hot mineral water for it's baths and pool. The pool was only warm, and the spa--which provides individual hot baths--was closed, so we couldn't get the hot soak we were hoping to enjoy...



The next day we continued up the busy highway, with some ventures onto the side roads where we could. Honestly, when we're riding our bikes with the cars streaming by, I am in almost constant prayer. It helps. As I confirm our guidance and protection, I feel calmer and ride with a steader cadence. And then--when we are able to get on a lateral road, the real joy of touring by bike just blossoms! Many times a day I exclaim, "This is SO COOL!"



Near Dupnitka [please forgive the spelling, as we found this internet cafe unexpectedly, and without our journal or map!] we road out towards Separevo Banja. It was listed on a website as having mineral waters. We got in at dark, and asked a couple on the outskirts were there was a hotel. Turns out he is one of the doctors at the "Sanitorium", and he and his wife led us there, the back way through the dark and lifting our bikes over a gate... We weren't sure what we were in for--what with a few words of Bulgarian, a little English [that his wife speaks] and a bit of Spanish/Italian! [Norma says she hasn't taken Italian, she just speaks Spanish with an Italian accent!! That's my gal! And, the thing is, it works! Gratzie!!] The good doctor went to bat on our behalf, especially when told that our destination was Finland. OH, and about the hot soak? The nurse would come at 6:30 AM sharp for our quick bath before the facility officially opened. And then, "8:00 pffft! Off to Finland" the doctor told us! We ended up with a room with 2 twin beds in the Sanitorium, and once we got our bikes and gear in, Norma and I laughed ourselves silly! We've spent a night in a hostel, a soccer field, a five star hotel.....and a sanitorium! [I know that the term "sanitarium" used to be used for a place of rest and rejuvination, but we are not of that generation! Our own St. Helena Hospital and Health Center used to be called the "Sanitarium", and the road up to it still carries that name...]



The next morning we discovered that Separevo Banja has the only geyser in Continental Europe--and the hottest in the world at 103 degrees C!! It's in the center of town, and near a "Turkish Bath" that is being restored for Summer, 2009. We met Peter at the only place we could find open, a fast food joint. "Pizza for breakfast??" he said in a New Jersey/Bulgarian accent!! Turns out he's just returned to his home town after 30 years as an art therapist in the US. Great guy--invited us over to see his house. Gave us directions to Sofia "the back way". Thanks, Peter, but the mountain pass was a little tough! Beautiful though-even though I bet it was snowing the following day up there! We went to another "spa" town called Benjin Banja. As with so many Bulgarian towns, there were many empty buildings--there was a feeling of lost grandeur. However, the old, decrepit bath house was hopping with people! Mostly Romani go there and use the gender-divided pool/shower facilities. I walked into the men's side, and it was like a scene from another world! Through the steam I could see about 3 dozen naked men and boys showering, in the pools and milling around this small area. And contrary to the meditative calm I've experienced at other hot springs, the tile was reverberating with the din of their shouts! Wow!



The cold wind was really picking up that afternoon. It had been a headwind, but came in from behind us as we turned towards Sofia. It was nearing dark as we found the Hotel Lozenetz--a nice 3 star accomodation a short bus ride from the city center. Sofia is beautiful, and we enjoyed the highlights the next day by foot. Back to the hotel, we gathered our things and took a bus to Montana! NO, we're not homesick for the US, it's a town in central Bulgaria! Good call by the Normster to take alternate transportation, as the city is sprawling, the surrounding mountains are a slog, and...it rained the whole trip to Montana! The bus driver gave us a look when he saw the bikes but was astounded as we folded them into small bundles to stow in the luggage area! We found a hotel close to the bus station, and rode up to the Romanian border today. We are in a quaint hotel in Orjhovo. Our room overlooks the Danube! What a RIVER! This close to the Black Sea, it looks wider than I remember the Mississippi being! It is also very high right now, and appears that it is close to breaching the levees on the Romanian side.

Off to bed. One thing about riding 80+ KM a day is that we sleep REALLY well at night, regardless of the accomodations!

Detour Into Macedonia

We attended a concert with Susan Warner just before we left--a wonderful singer/songwriter. A line at the end of one of her songs was, "Just fold your map and go." So often on this kind of journey, the path is not dictated by the map--only influenced by it. We met a kind young worker named Dragon' in Northern Greece who encouraged us to visit his homeland of Macedonia. As a fellow cyclist, he also told us that the road north into Macedonia, then east to Bulgaria would be easier to ride. The touring cyclists we met near Pella told us that despite warnings from the "officials", Macedonia was safe--and that the southern part of the counry was beautiful. So north we went to Dorjan--around a beautiful lake and into a different world!

The Macedonians appear to be much less affluent than the Greeks. Cost of food and lodging is half--or less. Architecture of the houses is different, and the people are of slighter build, but taller than the majority of Greeks we saw. We climbed a difficult pass and dropped down to the city of Strumica--the 4th largest with a population of @ 40,000. [We had previously misunderstood the population to be 400,000....] A fireman in front of the station directed us to the Hotel Tiveriolol where we got a nice room and breakfast for 35 Euro. We couldn't figure out the sheet system, so we slept in our sleeping bags!

The next day led us out the beautiful valley towards Bulgaria. First past a sea of greenhouses, then past small farms and villages. This area supplies much of Europe with tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage and paprika. The valley is bounded by snow capped mountains on each side, and on the Southern flank, there were villages at the terminous of each canyon. There must have been 10 villages in 30 km. Very similar looks with their white walls and red roofs. Buildings here are usually red hollow brick--unreinforced--and covered with plaster.

Drivers so far have been very courteous! The trucks and buses are especially careful to give us a wide berth! On to Bulgaria!

Getting fluent in Greek!

Yia mas (Cheers!), Signomi (Excuse me), Efaristo (Thank you), Yasu (Hi/Bye), Parakalo (Please and your welcome), Kalimera (Good morning), Kalispera (Good night) and Po ine to (Where is?)....is incredible where being fluent in Greek can take you! Greek people are extremly kind and helpfull, from the man that drove out of the city of Larissa to show us the way, to the one that let us camp for free in its place and the one that gave us complimentary Ouzo (the Greek tequila!), they have all been great!. On April 4th we finally got our bikes and after 3 hours of putting them together and dealing with Lufthansa to take care of our suitcases and send them to Helsinkim off we went! Our greek hosts at the hostel highly recommended us not to cycle in Athens, so we decided to get a big jump start and took a bus all the way to Larissa in central Greece. Once there we put our bikes together and left towards downtown to look fora Hotel. Yes there is one by the National Theater, straight, right, left! We found the hotel and then the thaeter, but oh what a surprise! It was not like the Opera House or Bellas Artes, their National Theater is 500 BC! and is an impressive amphitheater in the middle of a busy downtown!. Larissa is a big student city, with plenty of places to eat at night. Wonderful town. From there, after morning services at an Orthodox church where men sat on the right and women on the left of the church, we departed towards Variko on the beach 86 Km. After that 80 more Km and we are at Halkidona ready to visit Alexander the Great (Alejandro Magno) place of birth.

Oh Athens!

We spent all Friday April 3d in Athens. One of the highlights included the Stadium where the first modern Olympics were held in 1897, it was very exciting to feel "the electricity" on the air thinking this place has been the culmination of a dream for so many sportsman and woman, a huge achievement result of hard work and dedication. Another highlight was the small church of Methamorphosis enclaved in a lovely niegborhood closed to downtown. Today we are heading for the airport in the hopes of retreiving our suitcase!

Safe arrival!

A warm goodbye by our friend Aref, 10:40 hours to Frankfurt, a lovely outside lunch with our friend Anna, one hour delayed flight to Athens, and at 9:00 we were leaving the airport safe and sound...oh oh one suitcase missing!! Oh well we are forced to stay in Athens at least one night to wait for our suitcase! Ok ok we will do it! So we got ourselves a hostel in Plaka, and walked to the Acropolis, discovered an underground ancient bath and had our first lamb Gyro! Today breakfast, and tour around while we get our suitcase. Good opportunity to figure out where will we go from here! Andio!

Off We Go!

We are ready to leave. We are all packed and in about 25 hours we will be speaking Greek! (or at least people will be speaking Greek to us!).

If you are trying to figure out how we put our bycicles in the silver and green suitcases, we did it following the advice of the folks at travelbybike.com who graciously shared their tips on How to pack a Dahon Folder for Commercial Air Travel. on the web page.

Buen viaje! We are travelling with all the blessings and good wishes of our family and friends!