The journey thus far; 2 significant elements One is Budapest… a city we’ve passed through many times… but never stopped and explored. We were delighted… and aware how the city & national politics almost ‘encapsulates’ so many issues that almost all of European nations have to face. Conversations we had with young Hungarians (and others) seemed to reinforce our speculations. .
The second element is simply the natural beauty of Romanian hill country… the hills valleys, forests and regional culture. Travelling through by train (which inevitably are slow as the tracks climb steeply and wind around the valleys) is a huge delight…..
today provided one such unexpected ‘delight’. In a very brief conversation with a young mother in Miercurea Ciuc, I was told
‘sometimes unexpected accidental discoveries are always intended to occur’!
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Our train heads back to Siculeni.
The general condition of the station is ‘complemented’ by the ‘graveyard’ to its north
…..After which the ascent over the eastern ridge of the Carpathian occurs.
The climb gradually winds itself alongside a valley until a high bridge is crossed just before the summit.
The railway tunnels under the peak & emerging begins a gradual, steep, descent.
“The Lunca Loop”
Bucla Lunca
(The ‘meadow loop’: ‘bucla’ … similar to English ‘buckle’)
The railway descends to be, by the curve, lower than the church.
slowly – but comfortably, down to the larger industrial valley settlements
Here, an abandoned freight yard – bushes now growing on the wagons.
So much has changed but there seems to be very little inclination to improve the railway infrastructure or appearance.
If a traveller only saw Romania from a train then the judgement could only be that this is a decaying country in severe decline.
As we arrived in Adjud we were overtaken by an oil train
We change engines and our conductor was required to prepare the connections, then flag the ‘new’ engine into position.
Now we leave the slow delights of hill travel and push on at speed of approx 120kms
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A mistake – the engine was not changed – it simply ran round the train
Very nice journey. Nice the way you tell us about your experience. Thanks
Well Rosalba! Thank you…. So immediate additional info. Our lovely journey has suddenly changed due to an invasion of adolescents!…. We are surrounded by them and suspect they are going to a concert in Iasi….. so we will suffer for the next hour and half!!!
Have nice days!
We also have religious pilgrims going to the Parascheva festival….. very solemn… one of them has just picked up his food bags, warm coat etc and left us! Me- I’m already working sign language with the guy who has loud music playing…. And which both Jacqui like…. It’s Turkish ‘pop’
The presence of lively adolescents heading for a concert gig in Iași is another sign of positive change.
Jacqui and I are now occasionally asked by younger people (in their ’30s and below) to describe what Romania was like in the ’90s. The main reason is usually because their older family members find it difficult to explain…. maybe too personal? maybe a residual state of confusion/trauma?. We have met others of our age who understand & articulate enough to feel very angry at the years they ‘lost’ in the ‘freezer’.
Inspirational Pathways 