Postcards Serbia and Romania

EuroVelo weaves about either side of the what was the Iron Curtain. There is great variety. The route mostly keeps away from major through routes but after the big hydro dam that is a border crossing point into Romania there is a 10k horror section with heavy trucks inches away... Mostly though, its very well done and ideal for an 'adventure bike', with a nice mix of surfaces and very little traffic. Scenery is frequently stunning. The Danube section is popular with anglers. The Romanian side is a disgrace of junk left by angler campers. Anglers - the shit on the shoreline is mostly yours - is this your culture? Romania, sadly, is country that is visibly struggling.

I was glad to have a basic conversation with Dinu, the shepherd in the last picture, who at his 70 years is in better shape than most of the anglers. I admire those with a strong connection to place and who most want to be where they are. Our conversation - Romano-Spanish with big silences, looking out on the plastic-strewn Danube shoreline - worked fine.