So let’s finish with Romania since we are leaving today.
I suppose that I had in my mind, for no particular rational reason, that countries would appear to be lesser developed the further east we got. I just assumed that Hungary would be a more classically European country and more culturally inclined than Romania. I had expected to see a more rural outlook in Romania, and more gypsies in evidence, but I was surprised.
Whilst we saw only a fraction of the country, in Bucharest we saw a city that prided themselves on being the Paris of the east. Now that is certainly an overstatement, but they see themselves as a county with a latin heritage. Their script is Roman, and their language sounds very like Italian and shares lots of words. They have long boulevards modelled on Paris, very green parks, a mini Arc De Triumphe, and lots of patisseries. Private houses are pretty well kept, though the city infrastructure like roads, gutters, and drains are in need of desperate attention. English is back to second language, and most people can understand the intent of what you are saying. Food is cheap, and the Big Mac index is $AU5.20. We were pleasantly surprised.
Contrasted to that, Hungary is busy, chaotic, dirty, more expensive, and barely tolerated tourists though they rely on them. They have the Danube, but I know where I’d rather go back to.
So we sorted everything out after our late arrival back from Transylvania, and headed off to the train station, via a nice coffee shop, for our lunchtime train.
No slumming it in our 1st class cabin this time. Only one 2nd class carriage on this train was open, so we were crammed in with luggage everywhere. No buffet car, no water, no A/C, but we did have seats. Certainly an ‘authentic’ experience, and only 10 hours to survive. The carriage number didn’t match our ticket, but the conductor only shrugged. The first class carriage was locked.
So it’s off to Bulgaria. Tell me, what’s the capital? Can you tell me what Bulgaria is famous for? Any famous Bulgarians you know? Can you perhaps describe their flag? In fact, can you tell me anything at all? Sad to say, you’re in good company. So far I’ve gleaned that the capital os Sofia (the ‘So’ is like sock, not sew- so it’s sof-ear not sew-fear). We know that they aren’t in the EU Schengen zone from the border interrogation, and we know that they use the Cyrillic alphabet (like Russia) from the station signs. We’ll keep you posted on the rest.
By the border, some other passengers came back to say that the first class carriage was unlocked, and the A/C was on. Having 1st class tickets, this was too much to turn down, so we dripped our way down with our luggage and settled in. At the next station, the Bulgarian border stop, after they had done the formalities, and hooked a new engine and two extra carriages on, they kindly told us that the first class carriage was going to Istanbul so it would be wise to go on back to the sauna. Two hours later the nice, cool, A/C first class carriage was still attached.
Very like Puffing Billy really. We clanked our way through the rolling hills at less than breakneck speed, pausing at sidings to wait for other trains to go through. It did improve later when we joined the main line coming from Istanbul, and the first class carriage was left forlornly at the station.
Arrived roughly on time, and walked to our apartment. A full apartment this time, and you need to schedule time to get from the bedroom at one end to the kitchen at the other. Fell into bed around midnight.
Lounge
Kitchen