To the Delta - May 25th

We depart Bucharest - south through the suburbs – the sky overcast – the chatter on the bus? -  rapid! – expansive! – two guides and a driver – all engaged by the travellers on a multitude of Romanian topics – road rules – elections – the corrupt Social Democrats – the traveller themselves? – engage  on another in all manner of topics - where have you been Pam – have you been doing any painting – how are your kids – are you going to ride – what is the weather going to be like.

The two guides Michal and Michal? – entertaining – interested – enthusiastic – committed – experienced - humorous – they will be a delight.

Out of the city - past a field of power pylons carrying the output of a coal fired power station – the aging coal generator supplements 3 nuclear reactors from the 80’s – Michal tells us China looking at firing up additional reactors.

The road? – initially adequate then improves into good quality dual carriage way  following an electrified rail track for kilometres after kilometres – the pavement straight for long stretches

We look out to crop and to crop and to crop – potatoes – sunflowers – green – green - Fertile lands – broad acres – tree breaks divide paddocks of Victorian proportions – fields of poppies – piggeries – huge silo complexs – we recognise a lack of distributed farm houses – “the farmers live in rural communities” says Michal.

We turn off the freeway towards Constana - through Draja – strawberries on sale -  a typical agricultural small town – onwards-a  regional road – good! – more broadacre crops – sunflower – a huge derelict fertiliser factory partly resurrected from the decaying legacy of communism – like much of the other communist industry of Romania the plant went bankrupt in 90’s – like many others of its ilk its is gradually falling into the regenerative clutches of entrepreneurs – many local – some supported by Russian investors.

On wards into Slobeza the home of the fertiliser factory workers of the old days - decent sized regional town – River – high rise apartments – “the town long history of tax-free trading” says Michal – we break at a Service Station that would challenge anything in Australia – great coffee – good food – good conveniences.

Off towards the Danube – the shale hills will divert her to the east before she negotiates them and turns to the east and the Black Sea – we pass through neat  long strip developed  towns rather than villages – the townscapes  almost Germanic – every house with grapevine – fruit trees

Onwards toward Constana – corn crops  –  another bigger town – “look at the houses”  says Michal – he explains that the Gypsies in the town own many of the impressive but not quite complete dwellings – they spent time overseas acquiring money by dubious means – the house a status symbol advertising the success of their overseas endeavours – they are not finished to avoid the taxes associated with such completed edifices -  he explains that the potential houses sit vacant while their owners occupy adjacent small shacks -  – status symbol.

The guides talk of the European elections at the weekend and get emotional about the parallel Romanian referendum – They infer that the middle class believe that the social democrats are corrupt and that the peasant class is being used!

We cross the mighty Danube  into the province of Dobrogea – Michal explains that the province has a long history of  multiculturalism – Turks,  Italians, Russians, Ukranians, Bulgarians all living in harmony – the area a part of Otterman empire into the late 19th century.

Onwards - Into hills – we see Shepherds with sheep and goat - White painted tree bases - Pasant with horse and carts - Cleared hills - More shepherds and their sheep and goats – the occasional grazing horse –  the lands devoid fences – exclusive areas of cropping become interspersed with plantations – with Russian Olive trees – with beehives

We pass through small villages where stocks oversee the activities of the locals from their nests perched atop the concrete power poles.

The forested areas give way to more sparse agricultural lands – the horizon is studded with dramatically shaped hills – the foreground sometimes painted with patches of wildflowers – the scene looks like a combination of Italian and Arizona vistas – impressive.

It has been a long trip - the travelers get tired – the bus becomes almost silent -chins bounce against chests – wine country is entered just in time!

The bus is ushered through a communist era gate into something that resembles a communist era industrial complex – we disembark – we are met by the winemaker and are ushered into an environment that is gradually being transformed into a modern wine complex – Michal explains that it is an old communist wine making facility that has been taken over by a local and a Russian – th winemaker is supported by enthusiastic staff – they explain that they are trying to be true to Romanian traditions and varieties.

The wine tasting conducted with enthusiasm – appetisers devoured with enthusiasm by hungry travellers under the misapprehension that they represented the entirety of the lunch service – they look aghast when they realise that they are expected to consume main courses and desserts! – some make a better effort than others.

Wine for the trip is purchased – off towards Tulcea - The bus quiet – the travellers a bit over it all – the rain comes – it goes again as Tulcea is reached – 60,000 people – yet to recover from the communist inspired developmental inhibitions.

The floating accommodation barge is welcoming – a welcoming shot of a Romanian plum based liqueur with ridiculous levels of alcohol  – the travellers have a good feeling about the upcoming exploration of the delta – they sit – relax – enjoy the views form the accommodation barge across the Danube towards the Ukraine - dinner is served – the travellers are briefed!