Left Bulgaria yesterday for a city called Brasov in Central Romania. The distance was always going to be a challenge given the nature of the roads, and so it proved. Failed by about 60 kilometers but holed up in a lovely little village in the Carpathian Mountains where I will stay again tonight. It's called Podv Dambovitei in the Chiele Dambivicioarei valley. The drive was absolutely fascinating, crossing the Danube on a ferry that struggled to beat the current, through countryside that gave real insight into rural Romania and a mountain range of exceptional beauty. There are places where the horse and cart still rule and they are parked up like cars in the side of the road!! Cows, sheep, goats and chickens litter the roadsides outside/around people's homes with a ready supply of eggs and milk on tap twice a day!! People appear content to just sit outside their homes on roadsides, chew the cud and try to sell such produce as they can generate. And if senior members of communities are anything to judge by there is little sign that folk have ready access to basic health care such as dentistry or opticians. Tarmac gave way to cobbles on a regular basis and the road just ran out in places, and I literally found myself on dirt tracks. And whilst the lifestyle appears quite beautiful at face value, these people carve their lives out of next to nothing with seemingly little or no state care. I would have liked to take some photographs but it just didn't feel right. However, it was an experience I will never forget it!
G x
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