Romania > Climbing Mt Tâmpa

Breakfast is not in our own hotel, but in a restaurant a few doors down. When we enter, the staff are busy in the kitchen, but the lights in the restaurant still need to be turned on. The young man who comes to help us apologizes that he does not speak English. Hopefully the English words on the menu correspond to the Romanian translation. The orange juice is finished—would a Fanta also be okay? In the end, everything works out. After breakfast, we go in search of Strada Sforii. This street is the narrowest street in the city. We walk through the small street, just over one meter wide. Through the city wall, we reach the Mt. Tampa cable car. A gondola leads to the 940-meter-high mountain next to the city. On the hill, a few remnants of the old citadel are visible. The citadel was built around 1200 but was taken by the Turks in 1421. A dangerously dominant position. When the fortress was back in the hands of the people of Brasov, they decided to dismantle the citadel and use the stones to reinforce the city wall.

Romania - The clock of the Black Church

When we arrive at the cable car, it is not yet operating. It is also uncertain whether the cable car runs on Mondays. We decide to follow the zigzag path on foot. At every turn, we climb higher and higher. After fifty minutes, we reach the top of the mountain at the viewpoint. Below us lies the city of Brasov. The sun shines over the city. We see the Black Church, the city square, and the fortress wall. We can also make out the street where our hotel is located. We quickly go back down to be on time for check-out. Precisely at 11:30, we enter the hotel again—just in time to check out. With our luggage, we walk to the car. The navigation indicates that the fastest route to Galati, near the border with Moldova, goes via Ploiesti. However, this is exactly the route we drove yesterday.

Romania - The view from Tampa Mountain over the old town

We decide to take a back road to Buzau. This route leads through the mountains and takes more time. Before leaving Brasov, we fill the car with diesel. Romania’s landscape is beautiful. Everything looks green. The road passes through villages and quickly climbs into the mountains. Because of the winding road, there is nowhere to drive fast. We pass a stunning reservoir. In the depth below lies the blue-green water. Just past the reservoir, we stop at a restaurant. The owner turns out to be Swiss. She welcomes us. We choose a Swiss specialty with rosti. From the lunch spot, it is still over three hours of driving. The landscape changes from mountainous to strikingly flat. Fields of grain, wheat, corn, and sunflowers fill the area. The surroundings are somewhat reminiscent of the Flevopolder. Upon entering Galati, the industry also increases. The horizon is filled with factories, smoking chimneys, and cooling towers. Not a nice view. Galati lies on the border with Moldova and at the mouth of the Danube River.

Romania - Horse and cart on the main roads of Romania

Apart from the industry, the town has little to offer. Travelers who visit the city are usually passing through to Moldova or the Danube Delta. The girl at the hotel helps us get a room. She indicates with her fingers that she speaks only a little English. Still, we manage fine. A nice room in a good hotel. At the beginning of the evening, we walk to the banks of the Danube—a twenty-minute walk. Along the river, there are several small restaurants. We settle on one of the terraces. The menu is only in Romanian. The waiter tries his best to help with translation. We try two local dishes with chicken and pork. A fine choice. Meanwhile, many people walk by on the path along the terraces. Everyone seems to be taking their evening stroll.