After seeing virtually no tourists since Budapest things have changed dramatically in the last three days in Transylvania.  We are relieved that it is September and the bus tour groups have diminished somewhat, because the triangle between Sibiu, Sighisoara and Brasov is tourism central. We... Read More

Gordon:  Stray dogs are one of the dangers and annoyances described by the Lonely Planet guide for Romania.  As recently as 2011, there were allegedly 100,000 stray dogs in the capital alone.  More than 16,000 people reported a dog bite in Bucharest in 2012.  These... Read More

Ruth: Our days of cycling in Romania have been full of contrasts. Perhaps the most striking is the gulf between urban and rural areas. Yesterday and today Gord and I abandoned the big highways and their semi-trailer traffic for the hilly backroads. Here the infrequent cars were... Read More

Gordon:  If we do not have a specific attraction or city as our day's destination, we often select one based on its distance and the availability of accommodation.  Today those criteria led us to a guesthouse in the village of Sâncraiu.  While our guesthouse was... Read More

Gordon:  For most of our trip across Europe we have had the benefit of relatively flat cycling.  That changed today as we entered the first hills of the Carpathians.  Ruth says that I get a special sparkle in my eyes when I am in the... Read More

Ruth: Our first two days in Romania have been an amazing surprise. The city of Oradea is home to a collection of Art Nouveau buildings that are being lovingly restored after a century of neglect. It is a city I would love to return to... Read More