Romania! We begin the final summer chapter...
Our morning started with a nice breakfast at Gold Hotel. We were the only people in the dining room.
After inquiring about the ferry times to Romania, the receptionist indicated that the boat ran when cars filled the lot. That being said, we coasted down the hill to get in line.
We waited for about an hour in the ferry holding lane. Isaac patched a tube and Kelley and I went to a small grocery store for food for all of us. We went through border security on both sides of the river, paying just 1.5€ to cross.
Once on the Romanian side, we changed out currency for Lue, grabbed a few groceries and hit the road.
The wind was welcome today, cooling the temperatures but slowing us down a touch. Isaac’s rear tire had a slow leak, prompting several stops to inflate it. This issue set the stage for an interesting encounter later in the afternoon.
In Lisa, a large group of men slowly gathered after Isaac removed his tire from the wheel rim. Three men took over, bringing a patch kit and pump. Several of us inspected the inner and outer parts of the tire, looking for the foreign object. Two men patched his existing tube, seated the tire on the rim and aired it. They then tested the entire wheel in water to see if it was leaking. Before leaving, we bought the guys a couple of beers and a Coke.
The Romanian people are so very thoughtful.
In the town of Suhaia, Kelley noticed the Edelweiss Guesthouse for travelers. It was after six o’clock and we decided to stay the night. This turned out to be an amazing experience. The brother of the owner gave us the basic history of Romania while we were served a traditional tomato soup and grilled meat. Current and past politics were discussed.
We celebrated his forty-fourth birthday with a little champagne. A French cycling couple joined us. They had been all through South America on their bicycles and, I could tell, were full of life. Fresh cut watermelon was offered as a desert.
Could we have asked for a more interesting, and enlightening, first day in Romania?
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