Black sea - Bucharest - Brasov

Some Romania photos are up

And some pics from Veliko Tarnovo in Bulgaria.

During a wander through this Transylvannian town of Brasov (Brashoff) we came across a Wild West style saloon - we planned to stop in there for a drink just for novelty value. Instead we spent the entire evening there, listening to Johnny Cash, Kenny Rogers and the like while sipping on cheap Romanian beer and listening to a painfully verbose Englishman blowing his trumpet. Credit where credit is due though - at least he didn't pronounce Bucharest - Booocharest - like almost every other pom we've encountered so far.

So we caught a train from Mangalia on the coast to Bucharest a couple of days ago. With our own seat this time, unlike our venture out there which was 9 hours of sitting on our packs at the end of the rattling carriage next to the pungent urine aroma of the most frequently used toilet on the heavily over-sold 20 carriage behemoth.

One night in Bucharest at a hostel run by a crazy as coconuts Canadian family for crazy as coconut travellers - but she did make good pancakes - which saved me from throwing up after a mouthful of the worst cheese in Eastern Europe - looks like fetta - tastes like rancid milk from the udder of a decomposing carcass of a goat with leprosy.

But we saw the big 'ol Palace - pretty big, but my jaw didn't drop. Add up the money spent on all the churches, expensive houses and other unnecessary constructions and you make something quite a lot larger than that Palace - and maybe even make it eco-friendly and house people in it.

A fast train to Brasov - a sweet medieval town (with modern town adjoining) in the foothills of Transylvanian peaks. One of which has a 'HOLLYWOOD' style, 'BRASOV' sitting at the top. Ran up there yesterday - then ate a sausage and chips - then cable came back down. Had to buy myself a top because we haven't done washing for so long.

Had a day trip the extravagant castle in Sinai this afternoon - vast amounts of intricate woodwork in every type of wood I can think of - including Walnut - which I'd never heard of before for carving. Also gold and crystal, coral and marble, and precious stone encrusting every spare inch.

In the medieval town of Sighisoara now and then overnight train onto Budapest tonight. And another country crossed off the list.

Thoughts on Romania....Not that different to Bulgaria - more poverty, more expensive, people a little less friendly. All of which I guess stems from the more oppressive and tyrannical dictatorship of ol' Nicolai. Although I can't see that he would have enforced horrendous techno music with the bass played at heartbeat interfering levels.