A follow up, filling in some of the gaps in the last Not Only but Also column:
https://onlyalso.blogspot.com/2021/10/i-took-my-guitar-to-party_26.html
Bonus Tracks
Sketches & impressions based FB posts on the road
BREB, BREAKFAST and BABOU
Last Monday was a holiday here in Romania, a three day weekend, but it was not as busy as we had expected at the campsite or in the bar/restaurant next door, where we'd offered to help out if needed. So there was plenty of time to visit the local craft fair and music festival...nearly all our friends were there and we made some new ones... on an impulse I bought a shirt but the question is..will I ever wear it in public?
Where the 'In-Crowd' hang out!
https://www.facebook.com/Breb148
Two days ago I cycled up to a mountain pass (1000m) ... I've not seen a serious hill or mountain for about 2½ years. A few bumps in the middle of the Netherlands don't really count!
In the village the dogs have gone quiet after barking through the night...while about 100 roosters will be waking up.
On 'our campsite' one of the first sounds we hear each morning is a woodpecker close to the tent. Our first visitor will be a grey or black cat, they never come together, both are looking for company and a little affection after a night of doing whatever cats do at night.
Next 'Maan' the large and shaggy campsite dog will drop by before making her tour of inspection.
Grandma likes us, she doesn't like everybody, in return for some help Grandma gives us eggs, tomatoes, onions and sometimes a slab of cake.
The numbers of campers each day is unpredictable it's never too busy... but far from empty. Our duties are mostly light and basic but we did get to be Campsite Managers for a day and of course, that was the day the water supply broke down!
A Moving Day
Our friends, Eveline, Matthijs, Emma and Lef, were moving on after ten years owning and running the campsite. They are off to new adventures in Greece.
We will stay a little longer to help Bram, the new owner, with the transition and to help him empty a few glasses. http://baboumaramures.com/
For us it's also the end of an episode....
but - we'll be back!!!
BUKOVINA
Our next destination was a beautiful and spectacular mountain area further west. It was/is everything people said it would be.
It reminds me of the Dolomites but with fewer flowers! The region is famous for it's painted monastaries and churches..........they really are worth seeing but after visiting two I had exceeded my yearly quota for religious kitsch.
While Yvonne went on to another monastry I cycled up another mountain! Due to taking a wrong turn the ride was a lot longer and tougher than I had intended...we met again at the top... rarely have sausages and chips tasted so good!
People have often pointed out to us that we don't have to cycle up mountains... we can walk up...well yes...sometimes we do that too.... we even make friends on the way.
SIGISHOARA: We'd visited the town briefly several years earlier, just passing through, we were not impressed. This time we stayed a while. There was a Blues festival, a party and a picnic. We spent a pleasant evening in a streetside café swapping travel stories with Denise & Robert. A chance encounter, we'd seen them before at the campsite in Breb.
( https://www.instagram.com/followthevan.nl/ )
GRUMPY
The alley where our apartment was situated was watched over by an old dog, Grumpy I called him, he didn't like us. From the first day to the last he made it quite clear that HE had not invited us, HE had not been consulted and if he had his way he would bite us on the ankles before sending us on our way. However as we had keys to the gate and the apartment he grudgingly let us pass in and out but not without a great deal of bad tempered mutterings.
We didn't become friends.
SIBIU
Sibiu is the nicest of towns.... and there is always something going on. There seems to be a festival every week! That maybe a few too many if you live there.
We arrived on a Sunday afternoon as one event was being dismantled and another prepared. Monday morning we were surprised to see the city centre and cafés alive and buzzing with happy teenagers. Apparently they were celebrating the first day back at school. Reunited class mates were laughing, joking, eating pizza and exchanging tall stories about their summer adventures. The attractive city squares were full of youthful enthusiasm. What a great tradition! Although I did feel a little sorry for them, tomorrow it will be back to adverbs and algebra!
RUNC
After a week of city life we drove to the Apuseni Mountains. I couldn't bring myself to take photos of the devestation as we passed through the village of Ocolis on the way to a remote campsite and hostel in Runc:https://taranomada.com/. It was hard to believe that the tiny stream trickling peacefully through the valley just a few months ago had suddenly turned into a raging torrent that caused so much damage and promoted these sleepy villages briefly to international TV news status.
A first time visitor could be excused for thinking that Tara Nomada had escaped, untouched by the freak storm and flash flooding. True the main buildings remained relatively unharmed but Jordi was building a wall that he hopes will protect the land, the vegetable garden and the chicken run from future floods. The trees had been damaged by the hail that accompanied the storm so there was no fruit to be harvested which, among other things, meant I couldn't top up my supply of tuica to see me through the winter. A minor problem.
ORADEA
After nearly two months on the road this will be our last day before starting the tedious motorway drive home.
If you're going to visit a city this must be the best way to do it..in our friend Timea's spacious apartment right in the centre of town.
Oradea, so I'm told, has undergone a huge facelift in the last 15 years or so- and it's still going on.
For Art Nouveau/Jeugendstil lovers it's especially worth visiting.
But hey... there are some really nice places to eat and drink too!!!
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