We know we’re in Austria because the host at our Radlerpension (radler = cyclist) greets us with Grüss Gott which literally means “may God greet you”. The first time we heard it was in Bavaria as we climbed the hill to the stunning Baroque church of Wies. Every person we passed said Grüss Got to us. When we got back to the hotel, I asked what it meant and was told “it’s just a thing they say here”. Hmm.
Melk Abbey from the bike path
It’s already October and the days are getting shorter and cooler. We’re having trouble finding places along the Danube to cycle but the Eurovelo 6 bike route to the west of Melk, famous for its Benedictine Abbey built in the early 18th century and affording a stunning view of Wachau Valley and the Danube, seems promising.
Our Radlerpension Leebs in Hagsdorf
Our Radlerpension Leebs is right on the Eurovelo 6 path and well situated. The only problem is that the wifi cuts out at about 8 pm and doesn’t return until midnight by which it’s too late of course. I mention it next morning to our hostess and she is surprised. We hope it won’t happen again. This evening, it’s working perfectly so everything seems in order.
Ybbs from the bike path
By 10 am, it’s warm enough (15°C and promising to be sunny) to set out on our bikes. We are happy to be on a real bike path such as those we have always experienced in Germany and Austria, usually right on the edge of the Danube.
The view from the bridge between Persenbeug and Ybbs
However, the signs are not that clear and we cross the bridge at Persenbeug on the road instead of the bike path! After that, we follow a small sealed road along the Danube for about 10 kilometers. It’s not a bike path but the occasional car is not a problem.
A fishing competition on the Danube
We go past a number of fishermen evenly spaced along the riverside and Jean Michel says that with such sophisticated equipment, it has to be a competition.
A great place for a cappuccino
When we get to Willersbach we’re ready for a cappuccino and Gasthof Zur Ruine Freyenstein has a terrace overlooking the Danube.
The Danube from the bike path
The scenery is not as stunning as it is on the S-bend and the Wachau but it’s still very pleasant and the temperature is gradually getting warmer.
Grein from the bike path
We reach the bike ferry that goes to Grein after about 20 K but unfortunately, it stopped running at the end of September so we continue for a couple more kilometres to the bridge.
The historical centre of Grein
The little town of Grein has a very attractive historical centre, including Austria’s oldest theatre.
Austria’s oldest theatre, built in 1791 in the former granary of the town hall built in 1563
We find an excellent place to eat with a terrace overlooking the main square. We order the schnitzel of the day – breaded with almonds – and have a buffet salad and a glass of wine for less than 30 euro. More expensive than Hungary of course, but less expensive than France.
The Danube on the way back
We decide to go back along the way we came rather than stay on the Grein side and do a loop because although there is a bike path, it is mostly along the main road. The light has changed and gives us another view of the Danube.
The Radler Station with its imbiss
On the way back, we see that the Radlerstation we noticed earlier also has a bar – an imbiss. I think it’s great that so much is done for cyclists here.
Autumn colours along the Danube
The fishermen are still fishing and we still don’t see any fish but friends have joined them in some places and there are a lot of barbecues and beer around.
The mediaeval building in Ybbs
We cycle into Ybbs but are somewhat disappointed. It’s not nearly as pretty as Grein and everything is closed. We were hoping for an ice-cream. On the edge of the Danube, however, we see some older buildings, including what appears to be a mediaeval construction (the tourist office is closed and we seem to have forgotten our guide book to Austria) – but still no ice-creams.
Persenbeug centre
We manage to find the bike path to cross the river this time and cycle down into the centre of Persenbeug. I immediately see a café with Italian ice-cream so we are rewarded for our 59 K in 4 hours. At least this time we weren’t stressed about nightfall. We got back to our Radlerpension in Hagsdorf at an unprecedented 4.30 pm.
The view from the bike path into Hagsdorf
The weather forecast for tomorrow was supposed to be sunny and 19°C but all those Grüss Gotts don’t seem to be working. It’s now going to be overcast and 15°C. We may have to move on instead of staying another night. Sigh.
We’re on our way to Ybbs an der Donau in Austria and Gyor seems like a good halfway point. We arrive at 12.30 just in time for lunch. We find an indoor parking lot so we won’t be restricted with regard to time (we still have our two parking tickets from Szeged) and set out to discover the historical centre of Gyor which is Hungary’s third largest industrial town.
We are immediately attracted by the centre. It’s spacious, clean and bright with many typical baroque buildings – the blue sky and sun help of course. We debate about whether to eat at what looks like the largest tourist restaurant in town – Palffy’s – on the main square, Szechenyi Ter, and wander down to the Danube, taking photos on the way.
Matroz Czarda with its vaulted ceiling and open door beckons to us (the temperature is not quite high enough to eat outside comfortably) and we are given a table for six as it’s the only one left. We both choose Hungarian ribs which turn out to be some sort of pork (no sign of ribs) with a tomato, onion and paprika sauce, served with French fries. I’m happy with it but Jean Michel regrets the ribs.
I see there are three different red house wines by the glass so I ask the waiter the difference. On is a wine and soda mix, one a cola and soda mix and the other straight wine. I later learn soda water was invented in Gyor.
Next stop, the cathedral, Bazilika Szent Laszlo Herma, nearly a thousand years old, consecrated in 1033. Its neoclassic façade dates from 1823 and its baroque interior including a marble pulpit from 1743. What a mixture!
I am keen to see the Xantus Janos Museum, which is said to house a good ethnic collection. Unfortunately it’s closed but we can’t find out why.
We have a cup of coffee at Palffy’s for the view then return to the car park by which time it’s 3.30 pm. Next stop, Ybbs.
It’s finally going to be warm enough to cycle – 16°C at 1 pm going up to 19°C at 3 pm. Jean Michel has checked all our Eurovelo 6 maps, plus the local map from the Tourinform office. We can cycle from Baja to Dunafalva, and back, he tells me, a round trip of about 40 K. There are two villages along the way. I can already see myself cycling leisurely along the Danube and having a rest stop in a café or two along the way. with a view of the river traffic.
The Danube in Baja
We set off from our hotel at 2 pm naively imagining that the itinerary will follow the river, but we can’t find the Eurovelo 6 signs. After a few wrong turns, we’re finally on the right road – an ordinary sealed road leading out of town that proves to be dead boring for about 8 K. We could be anywhere in the world – a levee with maize on one side and trees on the other, totally obscuring the Danube from sight and one flock of sheep.
A flock of sheep alongside the levee
Szeremle creates a small diversion with two churches and a stork’s nest on top of one of them.
You can just make out the stork’s nest over the nave on the left of the white church
The levee road turns into gravel with quite a lot of pot holes but improves a little bit after about 5 K before becoming an easy sealed road that we share with cars. There is no real improvement in the scenary except for a couple of glimpses of the Danube.
The levee road with its potholes
We reach at sign saying Dunafalva/Danaudorf to the left but continue to the ferry that crosses the Danube to the village of Dunaszekcso opposite. However, time is getting on and the path on the other side of the river that will take us back to Baja is entirely along a forest and in the shade.
The ferry is close to the opposite bank, in the middle of the photo
We try to find the centre of Dunafalva but we can’t even locate a church. It looks very rural. We have to navigate around chickens and kittens on the road. The pigs are behind a fence though. We see paprika drying on the farmhouse walls.
Paprika drying on the farmhouse wallSome little porkies along the way
We eventually come to a café. called the Red Moon. I’m very excited because there is a sign on the wall saying Coca Cola, Coca Light and Coca Zero. About 7 or 8 are sitting in a sort of beer garden next to it and all have glasses in front of them. They look as though they’ve been there for a while. They greet us with bemused stares. Jean Michel goes inside the café and comes out with the news that they only have ordinary coke which is no good on an intermittent fast day.
The Blue Moon in Dunafalzva
There is one other café further on, opposite a new concrete church without a steeple. No one understands what we want.
An occasional glimpse of the Danube
We’ve now clocked up 27 K and decide to cycle the 22 K back without stopping so that we’ll make it to the hotel before dark. We take a rest at a picnic table in a park opposite an outdoor way of the cross and get on our bikes again. As we’re riding along the levee a dog starts running along beside me. It suddenly speeds up and crosses the path in front of my bike. I brake quickly and hear the dog squeal. Fortunately no one is hurt! We then take a very bad road instead of the gravel levee road and immediately regret our choice.
The outdoor way of the cross in Dunafalva
It’s getting cooler so I add socks to my sandals and we both put our windcheaters on. It’s a long, boring ride back with the exception of a horse and cart in Szeremle. I’m still hoping for a Coca Zero but the only possibility doesn’t have a terrace which means it will be full of smoke. Smoking is still allowed in bars and cafés in Hungary.
A horse and cart in the main road of Szemble
Tomorrow we are going to Austria and hope to find more attractive scenery along the Danube. I’m trying not to keep my hopes too high with regard to riverside gasthofs and gasthauses because we know it’s off season. Perhaps that way we won’t be disappointed. The last time we cycled on the Danube in Austria was along the S-bend in the beautiful Wassau region. which was absolutely stunning.
After our wonderful visit to Szeged with its beautiful Art Nouveau buildings, we arrive in Baja, our Danube destination for the next three nights. We follow the Tom-Tom and arrive at Hotel Kaiser Panzio (pension) where we’ve booked an apartment as we would like a bit more space and the possiblity of doing a little microwave cooking for a couple of days. We are barely greeted by a sulky-looking woman at reception. She finds our booking and takes us to our ground-floor apartment. It looks like the photos on booking.com (including the strange bed) so we tell her it’s fine.
Our apartment with its strange bed
Before unpacking, I check the kitchen cupboards to see what we need to bring in from the car. They are completely empty. No crockery, no cutlery, no saucepans. Yet there is a stove, a sink, a refrigerator and an electric jug (no micro-wave). How very odd. We go back to reception and I explain in clear basic English that we won’t be able to cook. The woman brings us two plates, two cups and one set of cutlery. She disappears again and brings back a greasy frying pan, two large flat saucepans and a soup ladle.
Still mystified, we unpack quickly and go shopping because it’s nearly 5 pm. We arrive at a bus station and are totally disconcerted. This is NOT what we were expecting. We manage to buy some white bread and yoghurt but can’t find anything resembling a supermarket. Then I spy an information panel. “Ah”, says Jean Michel, after examining it, “we went the wrong way.”
The fruit and vegetable store
We head in the other direction and find the centre of the town which is much more reassuring. We catch a fruit and vegetable store just as they’re closing and a bakery that has wholemeal bread. I ask where we’ll find cheese. The lady says CBA as though it’s given and points the way. It turns out to be a supermarket where we find some Danish and Dutch cheese and a few other things to sustain us until tomorrow.
The main square in Baja at dusk
Back in our apartment, we find a few other annoying things such as the lack of space (there is furniture everywhere and you have to pull out the table to sit down). There are only three chairs although the apartment can sleep four. You have to have gorilla arms to reach the toilet paper and be over 2 metres not to drown in the shower. The dark red frayed towels are non-absorbent and there is nowhere close to the shower to hang them.
Because we carry out own wine glasses, corkscrew, plates, kitchen knives, bread knife, cutting board, salt & pepper, oil & vinegar, tea towels and washing up liquid we are able to have our aperitif and dinner and wash up afterwards. On the positive side, the bed is comfortable (not the pillow, but I always bring my own) and the apartment is clean and quiet.
The Eurovelo 6 bike route along the main square of Baja
Next morning, we go back into the centre of the town and are able to appreciate it more. It’s only 11°C but it’s not rainy and should be 15°C and sunny in the afternoon. It’s 10 am and I am amazed to hear the chimes of the local church playing the Seekers’ Pierrot and Columbine song . I check it out later.
Baja church with the chimes
Tom Springfield wrote it for the Seekers in 1953 based the melody on the Russian folk song Stenka Razin (or Stenka Rasin). Stenka Razin was a Cossack rebel leader who led a major Cossack and peasant rebellion on Russia’s southeastern frontier in 1670-71. You can listen to the Seekers singing it here if you’re not familiar with the tune.
Tourinform closed!
Our first destination is the tourist office as the Hotel Kaiser Panzio does not provide any maps or brochures. A sign indicates it’s the main square. We can’t find it. I ask at the Wellness Hotel and am sent to the other side of the square. After a long search we find a door that says “closed” and indicates that the Tour nform is on the other side of the bridge, 500 metres away.
Our cappuccino café – we sat inside
This calls for a cappuccino. Jean Michel takes me back to the street on the other side of the square where he has a seen a likely-looking café with local ladies eating cakes. I have a mille feuilles that isn’t bad while he has a rocher. The cappuccino isn’t exactly Italian but it’s better that what you usually get in France and we pay a total of 4 euro.
View of the Danube from the bridge – you can see we’re off season
We set off over the bridge to the tourist office. The girl is very friendly and helpful and gives me a brochure and map that she explains in English although she has a little difficulty in explaining anything I say. I think she might be more used to foreign English!
The market in Baja
As we are walking back to the main square to buy more fruit and vegetables I see a man with parsnips sticking out of his shopping bag which makes me suspect a fresh produce market. Sure enough, over to the left, we find a large market with a lot of local producers. We do the rounds and finally buy tomatoes, capsicum, coleslaw eggs and grapes.
Fruit and vegetable stalls at the market
We also find a cheese stall. The vendor helpfully says “sheep” in English, which I don’t understand at first because I think she’s saying cheese. She tells me the other cheeses are cow.
Our communication is a little rudimentary but all the prices are displayed and I demonstrate how much I want. Everyone gives us a little bit extra produce after telling us the total amount. We smile a lot and try and manage to get our tongues around thank you (koszonom) and goodbye (isten veled). Unlike all the other European languages, Hungarian, along with Finnish and Basque, is not an Indo-European language which means it’s out on its own and doesn’t ressemble anything else.
Paprika at the market
We also buy a white lace doily for the chest of drawers in our guest room. I’m sure that 4000 florint (13 euro) is far too much but the lady and her husband look as though they need a bit of extra money so I don’t mind. She throws in a small doily as well.
A sculpteur seen from the road on the way to Pecs
Delighted with our purchases we walk back to our hotel to put them away before driving to Pecs, about an hour away from Baja. But first, I need an external hard drive because my excessive number of photos (past and present) is clogging up my laptop. We go into a little out-of-the-way computer shop and are offered a hard case for the equivalent of 10 euro into which we are to insert a 70 euro hard drive. I can’t believe the prices and the fact that he doesn’t have one that’s already mounted. We decide to try somewhere else.
One of the mosques in Pecs
According to the Routard, Pecs is a “little jewel of a city”. We are rather disappointed after Szeged although we there are lots of Austro-Hungarian buildings and the sun comes out which helps.
A church in Pecs
We start with lunch at Matyas Kiraly Vendeglo, which offers a set daily menu at 990 florints (3.30 euro). We have a very palatable egg soup and pork schnitzel with coleslaw and a sort of fried rice.
Tourinform in Pecs – hidden in an arcade as usual
We eventually find the Tourinform, which is just as difficult to locate as anywhere else! A young girl rattles off the list of things to do in English but doesn’t really understand what I say to her.
Pecs’ main claim to fame is the Cella Septichora, which contains the remains of a 4th century early Christian burial ground. Apart from Pompei and Herculaneum I’m afraid I find it difficult to relate to ruins, especially when you can’t get an idea of the building as a whole.
The mediaeval university in Pecs
There is also Hungary’s first university founded by Louis the Great in 1367.
The cathedral in Pecs
The history of the cathedral, of impressive size, also dates back to the 4th century. Its present form is a Neo-Romanesque reconstruction that took place at the end of the 19th century.
The statue of Liszt commemorating a concert he gave in Pecs in 1846
By the time our parking metre runs out, my feet are killing me so we decide to forego a visit to Zsolnay Museum’s porcelain collection which I later learn is definitely worth a visit.
The inside of the cathedral in Pecs
Before taking the motorway (we didn’t take it on the way to Pecs), we stop to buy our obligatory vignette in a Shell service station. A Gestapo-like lady gets quite annoyed with our dithering, especially when we don’t know our car registration number . I dash out and take a photo. The 10-day vignette costs 10 euro and allows us to go on all of Hungary’s motorways.
The only Art Nouveau building we saw in Pecs
We also stop off at the Tesco hypermarket in the hope of finding a hard drive. We come across the same problem as before although they do have an all-in-one hard drive for 80 euro. I buy a 10 euro memory stick instead. We kill two birds with one stone and stock up on yoghurt and local wine as we’ve come to the end of our Italian stock.
The main square in Pecs
Tomorrow, we’re cycling on the Danube at last because the temperature will be 18°C in the afternoon.
We have Andrea from Rear View Mirror to thank for our unique visit to the Hungarian city of Szeged today. She was lucky enough to enjoy it with both snow and sunshine! In 1879, the town was flooded and only 300 out of 5,500 houses remained. Most of the European countries contributed to its reconstruction resulting in one of the first examples of total town planning. Practically every style from the end of the 19th century is represented.
The town hall is the first building we see in Szedeg
We arrived around midday and left at 3 pm with two parking tickets on our windscreen! The very nice girl in the excessively difficult-to-find tourist office said they she has been told that foreigners are not pursued for parking fines. Let’s hope so! There are different zones and you need to buy a parking permit from a newsagency. One day costs around 7 euro and you can park in any zone. That was the only negative point about Szeged!
Unger-Mayer house – you can just make out the dancing ladies on the cupolaAnother attractive art nouveau buildingThe university building
We had an excellent “business lunch” in a restaurant called Alabardos Etterem es Borozo just near the Cathedral. We had a three-course meal, a glass of wine and coffee for 4000 florints for 13 euros for the two of us. I don’t think we have ever paid so little for a meal anywhere in the world!
The tourist office is hidden away in a courtyardThe Reok Palace commissioned by hydraulic engineer Ivzn Reok, which explains its many water motifs. It reminds me of one of Gaudi’s creations in BarcelonaThe corner of the Reok Palace, my favourite
One of the town’s main attractions – the mosaics in the New Synogogue was not open due to a special ceremony so we were not able to see them.
The war memorial with its vaulted fresquesThe cathedral, whose construction started in 1913, to commemorate the great flood, was finally consacrated in 1930The inside of the cathedral
Another thing we noticed is that Szeged is a cyclist’s paradise. There are bike paths everywhere and bikes – along with horse-drawn carriages – are not allowed on many large streets. Unfortunately we weren’t able to try them out due to the low temperature – 11°C – and overcast sky. It even started to rain just as we got to the end of our visit. However, you can see lots of cyclists in the photos.
A musical clock built in 1936. Colourful figures representing students and academics come out at 12.15 and 5.45 pm every day.A palatial-like building near the cathedralOne of the buildings along the riverbankAlong the Tizsa River
I did wonder why none of the main buildings are along the Tesza River but I guess it’s still subject to flooding.
The neoclassic culture museum built in 1896The neo-baroque opera house built in 1893An oriel window on a decorative façadeGrof Palace built in 1912-1913
I don’t know whether we’ll ever come back to this part of the world, but if we do, I hope we’ll catch Szeged on a warm sunny day so we can appreciate it even more. But despite the overcast sky, light and open spaces are synonymous with Szeged.
We leave Serbia without regret and pass the border into Romania on the other side of Derdap dam. It’s raining and we thank our lucky stars for yesterday’s perfect weather for visiting the Iron Gate gorges.
Crossing the Derdap dam in the rain
There is an immediate change in the built environment. Although many of the constructions are still delapidated, the impression as a whole is much brighter, particularly the gaily decorated houses. Each village also has a sparkling white church in the middle.
Our lunch stop is Lugoj, a pretty little town built on a river with the usual contrast of old and new. We eat our picnic in the car because the temperature is only 12°C then have coffee in a café where we use our Romanian lei for the first time. A cappuccino costs the equivalent of 80 eurocents.
View from the river during our lunch stop in Lugoj
We arrive at the Savoy Hotel, a 4-star in the Mariott group where we have a large bright room which also has a small table and chairs. Sheer luxury after our recent accommodation. We book for a second night which costs a bit more (65 euro as opposed to 52) because it’s no longer last minute.
The Cathedral in Timisoara
We leave again almost immediately to discover the town centre which is just across a bridge over the canal only a few minutes from the hotel. It is no longer raining, just overcast and a bit warmer. We start with the Orthodox Cathedral, where a wedding is just finishing and a baptism starting. Built between 1936 and 1946, this impressive building can hold 5,000 people.
A brass band in Piata Victorei
We wander down to Piata Victorei which is full of Sunday crowds. At the Opera House end there are eight brass bands performing to loud applause. The whole place has a nice feel to it.
Piata Liberitii – my first attempt at a panoramic photo
A little further on we come to Piata Liberatii, currently being renovated. I’m very impressed with the efforts being made to give the town a facelift. It’s a European Capital of Culture candidate city for 2021. I hope that it is chosen.
Piata Unirii
Piata Unirii is the heart of the old town with more lovely buildings under reconstruction. After a glass of wine and Black Forest cake (Jean Michel found a cake menu but only one type was available) we go down to the edge of the canal to look for a restaurant.
The path along the canal
We regret that it’s not warm enough to cycle. Timisoara has a very impressive network of cycle paths. There are also many green spaces and parks which we discover the next day.
The other side of Piata Unirii
We have a mixed grill and vegetables with a glass of house red at the Rivière restaurant for 100 lei (about 23 euro). The chips are luke warm and the meat – chicken, chicken and pork – is a bit tough. Although a lot of words in Romanian are recognisable because it is a Romance language (it originated from Latin, along with French, Italian, Spanish and Portuguese), we couldn’t recognise much on the menu and my phone app dictionary didn’t contain most of them, as usual. Next time we might have better luck.
A wayside cross in the city on the way to Trajan Square
After a good night’s sleep, we set off for coffee (it’s an intermittent fast day) and walk for some time through numerous university buildings, finally ending up in a café which is obviously the local haunt for well-heeled students.
Trajan Square
We’re heading for the Trajan quarter but none of the streets seems to be on the map. Jean Michel asks an elderly man standing on the pavement for help. We’re surprised when he is able to converse in French. He points us in the right direction and we eventually find our way. It is very sad to see what must once have been beautiful buildings in a sad state of decay but maybe once day, the city will be able to finance their renovation.
An unrenovated building near Trajan Square
We manage to buy tomatoes , yoghurt and grapes from a little “mixt market” and ham from a stall on the square.
A rose garden along the canal
As we walk back along the canal, we come to a large outside entertainment area, a rose garden and a small botanic garden. There are also lots of areas set up for children.
A castle for children to play in
After a well-deserved nap, we set off again, this time to the tourist office for a brochure to illustrate the travel diary and to find a barber for Jean Michel. The tourist office is easy but the barber is a different story. There are pharmacies everywhere but no hairdressers’. We didn’t see any this morning either despite our very long walk.
We leave the old town to try the area on the other side of the hotel. It’s raining. All we see are a large number of second hand clothes shops, mini-markets and cafés. Not a single hairdresser.
The church opposite the café that we can’t identify
We stop for tea at a café opposite another impressive-looking church, but there is only green tea and herbal tea so we settle for a Coca Zero. I ask the waitress about a hairdresser for Jean Michel. She tells us there is one three streets away with a sign outside and another in the street next to the café, but she doesn’t know exactly where it is, which seems a little strange. I elect to go to the other one. “I’m not sure of the programme”, she adds, “but it should be open”. It’s 5.30 pm and I’ve noticed that opening hours here are often 8 to 3 pm.
The very non-descript hairdressers from the outside
The only indication of the presence of a hairdresser is the word frizzerie on the bottom left-hand side of the window. We walk in and see two hairdressers, one of whom is sitting dispondently next to her barber’s chair. Jean Michel asks if she can cut his hair. “Yes”, she says, and sits him down.
Inside the hairdressers
She doesn’t smile once the whole time but gives him a very professional-looking cut. She is a whizz with the razor. It is only when Jean Michel hands over the 20 lei (4.50 euro) that she finally smiles. “Thank you. Have a good day”, she says as we leave.
Our next task is to find an immersion heater to boil eggs and water in our hotel rooms which very rarely have an electric jug. I have seen a store that sells electric goods. We go in and I describe with ample gestures what I am looking for. “Yes”, says the lady, and goes to get one. She then hears me speak to Jean Michel in French and says “bonjour.” She tells us she learnt French at school. She speaks well enough for us to make our purchase – we even buy two.
There is work going on next door to our hotel. The house on the right is obviously being renovated to rival the one on the left
Back in our hotel room, we’re feeling rested after our easy day and start checking the weather forecast again for the next part of our trip. We finally decide to go to Baja, on the Danube in Hungary, about 190 K south of Budapest and 250 K from Timisoara. It’s going to be sunny with temperatures rising from a maximum of 15 to 19°C during the three days we intend to stay there. We’ll be able to cycle again!
A decorated house in Banat
We haven’t spent much time in Romania, and only in one small area, but we know we will come back though not with our bikes. We’ll come by plane and hire a car so we can visit the northern part of the country, particularly Transylvania.
We finally leave Zemun near Belgrade around 11 am. The weather is better than we expected but still only 15°C and somewhat overcast. We’re heading for Donji Milanovac in the middle of the Iron Gate gorges (Djerdap) which are the deepest and narrowest on the Danube and the largest and longest in Europe.
The dodgy bridge
After leaving the Belgrade-Nis motorway, the Tom-Tom takes us on a small road to the Danube at Golubac and its famous fortress at the entrance to the gorges. At one stage we cross a rather dicey bridge. “Take a photo”, says Jean Michel, “so that if it collapses, there is something for posterity.”
One of the many 1950s Massy Ferguson tractors
We pass numerous 1950-model Massy Ferguson tractors, to Jean Michel’s amusement – he learnt to drive on one when he was about 10 years old.
The Danube just outside Golubac
We park in Golubac and look for a restaurant. At the only one with any sign of life the owner tells us the kitchen is closed because it’s Saturday. I ask where we’ll find something to eat and he sends us to the castle 3 k away. I assume he means the fortress.
Golubac Fortress, at the entrance to the Iron Gates
Sure enough, after the fortress which is being restored with EU funding, we do indeed find a small restaurant where I have a mixed pork grill and Jean Michel grilled cat fish. My grill is served practically cold with very warm French fries and is so copious that I only eat half of it. I’m looking forward to tomato , cucumber and grapes in our room tonight!
The view of the Danube opposite our restaurant
After lunch, the sun comes out and we begin driving through the series of 16 tunnels along the gorges and we are glad that we decided NOT to cycle today despite the increasing amount of sun. There is no way I would feel comfortable going through one of these tunnels at the same time as a car, let alone a truck. There is no separate cycling path and no cyclists, what’s more.
The scenary, however, is quite stunning and there are lots of places you can stop the car (all on the Danube side of the road) to take photos.
The view after lunch
We arrive in Donji Milanovac where we would thought we would take a cruise down the Danube through the gorges but there is not a boat or a soul in sight. I guess we are out of season.
The approach to Donji Milanovac
We drive up the hill to the Lepenski Vir Hotel to see if they have a room. It reminds me of a place where we once stayed in Saint Petersbourg, only a little more upmarket – very eastern European and quite lugubrious. We check out the room and discover there is no wifi. I don’t have the reflex to take a photo of the wonderful view from the balcony though. We hand back our keys and leave.
The view coming down the hill from the Lepenski Vir hotel
Our only possibility is to continue to Kladovo, 10 K after the enormous dam built across the Danube in 1972, a joint project between Romania and Serbia.
On the way, we see the narrowest part of the gorges.
The narrowest part of the gorges
We also see the Orthodox church built on the Romanian side of the Danube.
The church on the edge of the Danube below, on the Romanian side
However, the very bright sun means we can hardly make out the portrait of Decebalus sculpted into the rock face and certainly can’t photograph it.
You can vaguely see the scupture of Decebalus on the left side
There is a hotel called Aquastar Danube that seems to have good reviews on booking.com so we give it a try. The room is spacious, with a small table and chairs as well as a large bed and is quite recent. We’re also paying for an outdoor spa we won’t be using. We have a panoramic view of the industrial harbour in Romania on the other bank of the river.
The panoramic view from the Aquastar Danube Hotel
We walk into the centre which is a series of cafés with comfortable chairs. We choose one and have a glass of wine. As usual there are no nibbles to go with it.
The main street in Kalovo with the casino on the left and cafes on the right
After a picnic dinner in our room, we spend the next three hours trying to decide where to go next because rain and low temperatures are forecast for most of the region for the next week. In the end we opt for Timisoara in Romania, not because it’s on the Danube, but because it’s midway to Gyor in Hungary which might possibly offer cycling possibilities if the weather improves just a little bit.
We leave Zagreb with overcast skies and slight rain. We have lunch in a rest stop on the motorway in the car because it’s not warm enough to sit outside – not to mention there are no picnic tables.
Trucks on the Croatian side of the border
We’re a bit worried about the border between Croatia and Serbia because Croatia is stopping lorries from entering the country in order to put pressure on the Serbian government to take more migrants (mostly from Syria). Apart from an accident between a car and a lorry in the queue, there is no problem about cars entering Serbia. However, at border control, three cars enter Serbia for every car that enters Croatia.
Trucks on the Serbian side of the border, banked up for 11 kilometers
After we leave the border, we see lorries waiting in line for 11 kilometers on the Serbian side. The rest of the journey to Belgrade is uneventful.
The One Side Design Hotel
We’ve reserved a hotel just outside the centre of Belgrade along the Danube in Zemun. We are able to park just in front (the hotel looks after the parking). It’s a bit spartan and the room is minute, but what can you expect for 33 euros a night including breakfast?
View of the Danube in front of the hotel
We drop our things and take off on our bikes to explore Belgrade. However, it’s already nearly 4 pm and we know it will be dark by 6.30 pm. We don’t have a lot of time. The centre is 7 k away.
Belgrade from the bike path along the Danube with its many restaurant boats
The ride along the Danube is pleasant. As usual in the former Eastern block countries, there is a constant contrast between old and new which a lot of very dilapidated buildings.
The view from the bike path in the park
We go past numerous house boats, many of which are restaurants or cafés. There are very few cyclists on the Eurovelo 6 route which then takes us through a park along the river.
The bridge across to Belgrade centre
Belgrade is built on a hill overlooking the Danube on the other side so we have to cross a busy bridge.
The bike lift down to the river bank
Three-quarters of the way across the bridge, we see there is a special bike lift to take us down to the bank below. Pedestrians are not allowed to use the lift and there is a lift man at the bottom keeping an eye on things.
The Danube from the bike path on the Belgrade centre side
The Eurovelo 6 route continues along the edge of the Danube. After a couple of kilometers, we see an arrow pointing right to Belgrade centrar. And that is the end of any concession whatsoever to bikes. In fact we only ever see one other bike …
We go through an underpass then have to go up a hill on a road iwith trams. The pavement is very narrow and Jean Michel has already warned me about the danger of getting my wheel stuck in a tram line. We decide to wheel our bikes up the hill.
Our first impressoin of Belgrade centre
The first impression when we reach the centre of Belgrade is the number of people and general animation. There are people and cafés everywhere but very few buildings of any architectural interest except a few throwbacks to the Austro-Hungarian era.
One of the buildings of Austro-Hungarian influence
We realise we’ve forgotten our Petit Futé guide book to Serbia so we look for the tourist office. Jean Michel minds the bikes while I go in. I ask for a brochure in French, but they only have one in English. I then ask if there is a cycling itinerary but my request is not understood. I am given a brochure on guided tours to Belgrade instead.
Republic Square
We check out the main attractions but there are very few except for museums and we don’t have either the time or inclination. There are a lot of buskers around and a large group of people in front of the national museum n Republic Square. A woman is speaking. I go closer and it seems that she is interpreting a man using sign language. I wish I could understand more.
The Cvijeta Zuzoric Art Pavilion in the fortress park
It’s getting late and I don’t want to ride home along the Danube in the dark so we decide to go and quickly visit the 14th century fortress reconstructed in the 18th century on the way back. We meet a lot of other visitors all going to the Torture Museum and to see the old army tanks, it seems.
Belgrade Fortress, built in the14th century and reconstructed in the 18th century
We get back to the hotel just as night is falling to Jean Michel’s surprise by which time we are also a little cold. The temperature is about 14 or 15°C and we’re in three-quarter pants and sandals.
A thatched roof house boat on the Danube
It’s an intermittent fast day so we have dinner in our little room. I manage to stub my toe very badly on the leg of the bed but at least it isn’t broken. We spend over two hours trying to find a place to stay next day so that we can cycle along the Danube in the area called the Iron Gates. We would like an apartment for 3 nights but I can’t find anything that looks even halfway decent. There seem to be few hotels either. In the end, we go to bed. Whenever I wake up, my toe hurts which is very worrying if we are going to cycle tomorrow.
An Austro-Hungarian building in Zemun
However, next morning, I am able to walk in my sandals without pain. Breakfast is surprising. Everything is cold – the sausages, fried eggs, boiled eggs, scrambled eggs, French toast. They have some tasty brioche though.
Grapes at the market in Zemum
After checking out from the hotel, we go looking for a bancomat and see a local market which is great fun. We buy tomatoes for less than 50 euro cents a kilo, cucumbers and purple grapes called Hamburg which is a relief because we’ve been eating the strangest grapes since Lake Garda. Everyone is very friendly and helpful despite our lack of Serbian. The only things I know how to say is Hvala (thank you) and zdravo (hello). I forgot to mention that they use the Cyrillic alphabet here which is highly confusing.
The main square in Zemum
We leave Belgrade without regret. We both find it quite depressing. The people are friendly, but nothing really works properly and there is a lot of poverty. Next stop, the Iron Gates which are the narrowest and deepest gorges in Europe.
Whizzing past typical Slovenian countryside on the motorway
We’re staying two nights in an apartment in Zagreb because there are practically no hotels in the centre. Parking also seems to be a problem but there is a cheap covered parking lot less than 10 minutes walk from the apartment which is another 10 minute walk in the other direction from the historical centre.
Our view from the little balcony of our apartment
This is not Italy as far as apartments go, but it’s not the same price either. In Arqua Petrarca, we paid 100 euro a night against 66 euro here. Our Aba Zagreb apartment is spacious and clean (except for the windows), the bed is comfortable, the shower head needs soaking in vinegar to unplug the clogged holes, the floor between the bedroom and bathroom is warped and cracks at night when you walk on it and there is only two or three of everything (cups, plates, etc.) but otherwise it’s fine because we have our own vegetable peeler, kitchen knives and bread knife. I’m not quite sure how the apartment got it’s 9+ rating on booking.com!
Zagreb at dusk
By the time we get settled, it’s dusk so we make for the old town. I always find that a bit of an adjustment is needed when we enter a former eastern block country because of the many contrasts between old and new, delapidated and renovated. Zagreb is no exception The historical centre is appealing though and we have a glass of wine near the market. – the glasses are 0.10 l and there are no nibbles to go with them. Next to us, a dozen or so young women are obviously celebrating something and have a photographer with them.
Maybe a hens’ party?
We make a mistake about dinner and end up paying 60 euro in a restaurant recommended by Le Routard (Balthazar) as being “medium priced” and serving local dishes. My entrée is frankly awful but Jean Michel has delicious pasta and freshly picked boletus mushrooms. We then have a small entrecôte with grilled vegetables accompanied by a house wine.
The “café” street, Tklaciceva
It’s next morning and we start with a cappuccino in the “café” street , Tklaciceva, which was once a river separating the Kaptol and Gradec quarters.
The first female journalist in Croatia, Marija Juric Zagorka, 1887-1957I love this little café which seems to have grown out of the wallA house and chapel just next to the cathedral hidden behind an iron fenceZagreb cathedral
We go back to Zagreb Cathedral to visit the inside. It has led a chequered existence and was once at the mercy of the Ottaman invaders, which explains the towers on each side which are part of a fortified wall , the front part of which has been demolished.
The buildings on the other side of the cathedral squareComparison of renovation and non-renovation
We return to Dolac market and are surprised to see so many local producers selling their own fruit and vegetables, We buy some figs, grapes and green beans from three different vendors.
Dolac market
We find a place for lunch called Nokturno that costs a quarter of last night’s meal and is just as satisfactory. It’s certainly “local” in any case.
We Markov Church
We walk up the hill to Saint Mark’s with Parliament House on one side and Ban Palace on the other. Something is going on. There is a TV reporter and a small group of demonstrators. I hear the word “discrimination”. We go in search of a wrought-iron gate mentioned in our guide book and designed by Herman Bollé. Just then a downpour begins and we duck under a porch. The weather forecast said overcast but no rain so we don’t have an umbrella. Sigh.
The wrought iron gate designed by Herman BolléSweet corn sellers at the end of Tkalciceva street
We make a dash for a café and have an espresso while waiting for the rain to stop. We talk about our next destination. This morning we had decided to drive to Split on the Adriatic and take the ferry across to Ancona in Italy, because of the current immigrant problems and the large number of border controls being restored in this part of the world but we now think we should go to Serbia anyway and resume our cycling itinerary along the Danube.
The outside of our apartment building
We go home and check the weather forecast. We learn that the temperatures are going down in most places along the Danube in this area over the next few days, then going up again next week. So we book a hotel for a night on the Danube in Belgrade for an astonishing 31.50 euro. The Serbian capital is only about 3 hours away so we’ll be able to cycle along the river and visit Belgrade by bike in the afternoon then move on further the next day, perhaps to Vidin where it’s supposed to be warm and sunny. Keep tuned!
After a rest day at our flat in Arqua Petrarca, the town where the famous Italian poet, Petrach, chose to spend his last five years (he died in 1374), we are back on our bikes.
The view of hte Euganei Hills from the bike path leaving Monselice
We’ve driven the 6 or 7 kilometers to Monselice and are following the official cycling itinerary that links up the walled cities of Monselice, Este and Montagnana and should total about 30 k. We set off on a sealed road along the Bisatto Canal which looks promising.
The easy gravel path along the Bisatto Canal
It lasts for 3 kilometers and then we are on a gravel road which soon becomes somewhat worse for wear. We come to a fork and see a big sign announcing the Colli Euganei route but nothing to indicate our road. We eventually find it after crossing a bridge over the Frassine river.
The narrow bike path with the Euganei Hills in the background
The bike road gets worse and it’s slow going but we have the Colli Euganei in the background to inspire us.
The sealed road approaching Este
As we approach the mediaeval town of Este, about 10 K from Monselice, the road improves and despite the lack of sun, we appreciate the little town with its castle on one side and vast Piazza Maggiore with its municipal clock tower on the other.
The town clock and main square in Este
We buy some food for lunch (it’s an intermittent fast day) and set off again.
The castle in Este
After a couple of kilometers of sealed road, we find ourselves on another gravel road along the river which slows us down again. We come across two churches side by side, one little and old and the other big and new. We have our picnic on a low wall. There is not a soul in sight.
The little church and the big church
We continue the path along the river and it gets so bad that even Jean Michel, a truly seasoned cyclist, has to get off and walk part of the way because the stones are so big. We see a wild rabbit on the track that doesn’t run away until we’re practically on top of it. We eventually find a very steep stony road leading down to a sealed road and head for what we think is Montagnana.
Rabbit on the track
On the way, we stop and ask a farmer what his crop is. Jean Michel, a true country boy, has been intrigued for some time about the local crops. Soy, we are told. Ah, that’s it. However, we later realise that the crop Jean Michel actually meant is tobacco. We keep going until we finally come to a town called Saletto that is not on our map. Hmm.
Tobacco crop
We ride around the town until we see a sign saying 6 k to Montagnana. We ride along a busy road with large trucks whizzing past us at 90 kph, cursing the people who dreamt up the itinerary. They were obviously not cyclists !
The cathedral in the main piazza in Montagnana
Montagnana turns out to be a 14th century walled city whose 24 x 17 metres high towers are still in perfect condition. We ride through one of the four gates and into the main square with its impressive cathedral and historical houses. There is obviously an important funeral going on so we don’t visit.
The walled city of Montagnana
We then ride halfway around the walls to have a more complete view of the town. By now, we have clocked up 39 k which is our usualy daily average. We still have to ride back again and it’s already 4 pm. We’ve identified an alternative route and are hoping it will be better than the official itinerary we have just taken.
Our alternative route home with sealed roads and no gravel
As we ride past farms and tobacco fields on a quiet sealed road running roughly parallel to the gravelly river path, we wonder why on earth anyone would even suggest using the other one. Our road starts getting busier as it approaches the motorway and we debate whether or not to rejoin the gravel road (we’re about level with our picnic spot) or cross the bridge over the river and try the road on the other side.
The hill on which Monselice castle is built
We vote for the alternative route and congratulate ourselves on our choice. We eventually have to leave the sealed road when it veers off to the left. We take another gravel road but this time it’s acceptable. When we reach the Bisatto Canal again, we have a sealed road once more. It’s then plain sailing until we reach the car.
The Euganei Hills just before Monselic on the way home at dusk
All in all, it took us 3 hours to cover the 39 kilometers to Montagnana and 2 hours to cover the 31 kilometers back – a total of 5 hours’ cycling and 70 k, the most I’ve ever ridden in one day! I can’t wait to get back to our flat but we have food shopping to do first.
The town clock in Monselice
It’s next day and we’re feeling a little sluggish after our long ride yesterday so decide to drive down to Monselice which we didn’t have time to visit yesterday.
The castle in Monselice
After a cappuccino and a pastry in what looks to be a favourite caffè with the local ladies, we explore the town. We walk up a side street to the Castello, a fortress dating from the Middle Ages and rebuilt in the 13th century.
The dwarfs on Villa Nani-Mocengio
A little further up the hill is the Villa Nani-Mocengio, whose statues of dwarfs on the outer wall are most intriguing. They are an illusion to the noble family that commissioned its construction (nani means dwarfs).
Castello Catajo
We have studied the bike route carefully this time and are avoiding any paths that are not sealed so we drive to Battaglia Terme 6 k away to leave the car. We take the incredibly comfortable sealed road along the canal to Montegrotto Terme past numerous vineyards and soy and tobacco fields not to mention to occasional castello.
Jean Michel and the bootmaker discussing Vespas
At the entrance to the town I spy a shoe repair shop and we stop to have the leather covering on my orthopaedic soles restuck – all in Italian, including a discussion about Vespa scooters between Jean Michel who speaks about 10 words of Italian and the shoemaker who is a self-proclaimed Vespa passionato.
Lunch at Osteria dei Fradei in Montegrosso Terme
We continue into the town which is of absolutely no interest but we find a small osteria for lunch. The prices are the lowest we’ve seen yet – 6 euro for primi piatti and 8 to 12 euro for secondi. I ask what braciole is and am told it comes from the animal’s rib. Jean Michel immediately swaps from his mixed fish grill, thinking it’s rib steak. It turns out to be a small pork chop served with excellent chip potatoes.
A delapidated building on the bike path
After also eating a side salad, we’re still hungry so order fusilli with basil and datterini, another new word for me. It means cherry tomatoes. Very tasty.
Building of Austrian influence at Piazza del Sole e Pace in Abano Terme
We then continue on to Abano Terme which I thought was just down the road. By the time we get there, once again on an easy sealed road, we’ve clocked up 20 kilometers. So much for an easy day! It turns out to be a spa resort with absolutely nothing to redeem it. I ask a policeman to direct us to the Piazza del Sole et Pace which the tourist office brochure indicates is of interest. He gives us directions and tells us we shouldn’t be riding our bikes in the centre. Hmm.
Sculptures in Abamo Terme
We decide to take the quickest route back to Battaglia for an ice-cream, then home. The ride along the canal is fast so we only take 2 ½ hours to cover a total of 49 kilometers, much better than yesterday’s slow going.
Three geese ont the bike path
The ice-cream is delicious (chocolate, fiori di latte and fig in a very good cone) and according to the newspaper clippings in the window, has won many prizes. What a lucky find!
Ice-cream at the prize-wining ice-cream parlour in Battaglia Terme
Meanwhile, my bike speedometer is no longer working because the sensor has fallen off. I think I know when it happened yesterday, just as we arrived back in Monselice, but there is little chance of finding it so I ask in the ice-cream shop for a bike shop. The lady looks at me with astonishment. In Battaglia, she says, I don’t think so, then asks her husband who’s chatting with a customer. Of course, he says, and the customer starts explaining how to get there.
I ask him to come outside an point the way, lentamente per piacere I understand it’s on the other side of the canal. Bingo! We are able to buy a new speedometer and a second tyre because Jean Michel says the other one on my bike is pretty worn as well and we need to be prepared for another puncture.
The 51-bike shop on the main road in Battaglia Terme
We arrive back at Zorzi apartments in Arqua Petrarca at 6 pm, practically a record these days and are able to spend some time in our little garden. We’ve decided on the next stage of our trip – two nights in Zagreb, which is 5 hours away, then onto to the Danube, starting at Nova Sad if the weather is fine, or further along if it’s not! The current immigrant events may also force us to take another route.
