Romania says goodbye - 31st May

The last day in Romania is upon us! - our stay last night in the Tulcea Guesthouse owned by Ibis Tours will be repeated again tonight - the Guesthouse is of a three star hotel quality run in the same efficient and effective way as their boat tours - people uniformly nice - uniformly friendly - the service run accordingly to long established procedures - the same restaurant and accommodation procedures and practices used for both boat and Guesthouse. 

The bus is where it is supposed to be at the time it is supposed to be there - the bikes have been transferred from bike barge to bike trailer and the bike trailer has been attached to the bus in anticipation of the arrival of the riders.

Again there are the slackers that accompany the bus driver and intend to do so for the full extent of the day - they relax in the bus as the riders and loaded for transport out of the congestion of Tulcea at peak hour.

The riders are disgorged and their bikes prepared - off through the country side - they meet the bus at a service station for ice cream and water as an antidote to the increasing presence of the sun - revived they push on and once again meet up with the bus at the Greek and Roman ruins on the shores of the Black Sea.They report the ride as pleasant save for the last few kilometres of gravel and sand road to the shoreline.

As they approach the shoreline ans as they walk through the ruins they encounter a stunning display of plants all vie for the attention of pollinators through the presentation of flowers of all shapes, sizes and colours - they become the topic of conversation for many as they devour the Mihai's efforts at a picnic lunch!

The riders remount - one last fortress - "just a few little waves" says Mihai the bearded - some of the riders now understand what Mihai means and decide to join the slackers in the bus!

The climbs are indeed significant - some more join the bus before the last climb to the Venetian defence fortress - an inspection of the work of our fore-fathers is followed by a parting of the ways for bicycle and rider - the bikes are securely fixed to their allocated position and the bike trailer and the riders retire to the air-conditioned comfort of the bus - the riding over!

A last night with the Mihai's and with the people of Ibis Tours - a farewell dinner - Ian Crossley speaks of the Mihais - "you make us feel optomistic about the future" says he - they blush - Knud speaks - like Ian he praises the Mihais - comments from others echo the sentiments of the formal speakers! - the Mihais respond - we are their first Australian group - they like us - they are now much more interested in Australia - "you must come - you are most welcome!"

Suddenly Mihai the Curly is concerned about the extended exchange of complement - he has arranged musicians - they must play!

Play and play they do - sing and sing they do -   they induce chorus singing from the travellers - they induce clapping and dancing - they induce a party atmosphere more in keeping with a group of travellers of with considerably less years of worldly experience!

A wonderful night!

The Italian Winemaker - 30th May

Yesterday was magical - I want to return - "no - no - no" says Mihai the bearded - "today we ride - today we see ruins"  - "good" says Knud - "But - but - but - but" says Knud - "I also want to see the organic winery!" - the unflappable Mihai the bearded  responds "I will check!"

Riders and sundry are loaded into the bus - the bike trailer is attached - the environs of Tulcea are left behind.

The riders are disgorged and ride - they ride through villages on acceptable roads - the incline kind - the biker riders/ - a source of interest for the locals!

The bus and the slackers among the travellers wait for the riders at the entrance to Monastere Celic Dere - the driver smokes and smokes just a little more - when the riders arrive and the Mihai's all  are photographed with the arch angels and the female travellers insist on yet another photographic demonstration of female cycling power.

The monastery pleasant and extensive - the riders return to the bus commenting about the modernity of the Monastery's nuns - they have whipper-snippers with which to maintain the institutions extensive lawns in pristine condition  - not quite the scythes of past times but not exactly conducive to meditation either  - of a strawberry saleslady complete with Italian shoulder bag.

It is only 11:00 - we stop for lunch in the fields of Celic Dere - why so early? - because the amazing Mihai the bearded has managed to arrange the organic winery visit requested by Knud for later in the day - that visit comes complete with tasting and appetizers - the Rad Reisen tour brochure indicates that a lunch will be served so the Mihais refuse to countenance any notion of not offering the service.

A stock handler wanders along in casual pursuit of his small mob of cattle as they take delight in thinning the Monastery's lupin crop - He wanders across - speaks to the Mihais - "where are they from?" - "Australia" - "Austrians" - "no Australians!" - he wanders off stick in hand to convince the cows that chewing the monastery's crops was not conducive to the longevity of either - the cows fully aware of how far they could test his patience before the stick was applied to them - the result was that the stick was never applied.

The riders head off again - "a few hills" says Mihai the bearded - they are closer to mountains - some of the riders join the bus before the monastery is reached and all of the riders have exchanged saddle for bus seat. when they arrive at the monastery they admire the tapestries - they admire the nun's habits - they admire the Nun's view over their private lake.

"They are fast" says Mihai the bearded - "we are too early for the winery" - he diverts the bus to see the flooded plain of the Danube - we look out over the plain - we are note remnants of the wars - we imagine the Germans looking out over the Danube.

We turn on to a Romanian rural road - past farm and farm - past vines - past crops - we reach the winery - completely unimpressive from the road - only marginally more impressive on entry.

We enter the winery - a work in progress - small but neat and tidy - an enthusiastic Italian winemaker who 15 years past had fallen for the obvious attractions of a Romanian maiden - he guides us through the winery - he lays out nibbles before us - some tastes of local foods" says he - they are tastes that are more than tastes - more than tastes in volume and quality – Carp - from back – from belly – smoked – mackerel and sardine -  his offering gains universal approval from even those with life long aversions to delicacies of this ilk.

He offers his wines - they demonstrate the merging of the Italian and the Romanian - they receive commendation from all - pockets are searched and purchases made!

Magical - 29th May

The morning is magical – the early risers occupy the top deck – they look out over a pristine wetland entirely devoid of other human interlopers – the water calm and delightfully the colour of weak tea – the winds low – the sun just rising – the birds in the reed-bed announcing the arrival of the day – swans occupy the middle ground of the scene – they cruise the nearby waters,  then like some lumbering 707, propel themselves along the long watery runway flapping and flapping until flight speed is achieved – they then gracefully cruise off for a day’s hunting – the right foreground continues to be occupied by a mixture of avian species all perching on a crop of dead tree and reed – they move in and out occupying positions that seem to be dictated by some strange “pecking order”.

The scene enthrals and eventually attracts a significant proportion of the traveller numbers before their depleted stomachs call for replenishment. The view from the deck in the early morning however serves to enhance the traveller’s expectations of their day – a day of bird watching and bird watching and some more bird watching.

The bikes are securely tied to their barge and their barge securely fixed to the rear of the houseboat – the travellers are loaded onto the small boat to enable the exploration of the waterways within the Delta.

It would be inappropriate for someone such as me to attempt to describe the day – suffice to say – delightful scenery – amazing sights – spectacular wildlife – we cruise the waterways and lakes of the Delta – we stop at floating reed islands – we explore their ferns – we prod the silt under the floating island and allow the methane product of the underlying deceased vegetation to bubble its way to the surface – we talk about the habitat of pelican and heron – of crow and of egret – we spot snake and frog and leech and reed and tree and bird.

We see practically no other human group – we marvel at the stillness - We traverse man-made channel and we traverse natural channel – we traverse channels bordered by trees – we traverse channels bordered by reed, and reeds and more reeds - We traverse channel lined with yellow water lily – we traverse channels with yellow waterlily – we traverse channels lined with green aquatic weed – we traverse channels with every possible combination of tree, reed, lily and weed!–

We cruise past the communist attempts at converting the Delta into land suitable for agricultural enterprise – the birdlife still abundant but the scene depressing – the existence of plastic bottles though less than copious in volume a shock compared to the pristine nature of the preserved Delta wetlands.

We cruise some more – photograph and photograph and photograph the avian and the amphibian - Cormorant - Swan - Heron - Red legged grebe - Pigmy cormorant - Harrier - Crow - Tern - Pelican  - Dalmatian Pelican Poacher duck - Forget me not - Marsh harrier - Frogs on lilies - Dragon fly - Spotted heron - Moor hen - -  Kingfisher - Polar duck - Bee Eater - Stork - European Roller - Kestrel - Purple heron - Pheasants - Egret - Grey Heron - Roller after Roller - Egret and Egret - Lapwing - Reed warbler – Cuckoo -  Leach - Frog - Snake

The four hour cruise has gone in a flash – we meet the mother boat – a quiet afternoon – universal delight in the day.