We visited Hunyadi Castle, also known as Corvin Castle on Wednesday the 21st of August, 2024. My interest in going here is that its the wonder of the Magyar civilization in the game Age of Empires II. Since the wonder is in Hunedoara in Transylvania and not connected by rail, we did it as a day trip from the city of Deva Getting to Hunedoara from Deva We arrived in Deva from Bucharest the evening before. It was a long train ride. With three nights booked in Deva for two full days, I wanted to frontload the visit to CorvinContinue reading
romania
Kayak Trip Day 79: Rasova to Cernavodă – Danube–Black Sea Canal
This happened on Friday the 12th of July, 2024. We had a short kayaking day from Rasova to Cernavodă. Cernavodă is where the third-to-last bridge crosses the Danube and where the Danube–Black Sea Canal splits off to Constanța at the Black Sea. Contents1 Leaving Rasova for Cernavodă2 Foal and Fowl3 Ships and Ships and Barges4 Paddling Under the Cernavodă Bridge + Anghel Saligny Bridge5 Kayaking the Danube–Black Sea Canal (Just a Little)6 Arriving in Cernavodă at St. Maria Bridge7 Our Nuclear-Powered Stay in Cernavodă8 Good read? Consider buying me a cup of tea!9 Sharing this article helps my blog LeavingContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 78: Ostrov to Rasova – the Danube at Dawn + Headwind in Romania
This Danube kayaking day happened on Wednesday the 10th of July, 2024. We paddled from Ostrov to Rasova in Romania. Contents1 Leaving Ostrov for Rasova2 Sunrise on the Danube3 Reentering the Danube Shipping Lane4 The Bala / Rău Split: Last Chance for Borcea Branch5 Our Luck Ran Out6 The Island Shortcut Before Rasova7 My Wrist Hurts + Arriving in Rasova8 Two Nights in Rasova9 Good read? Consider buying me a cold drink!10 Feel free to share this article, if you wish Leaving Ostrov for Rasova With Zucchini down by the river and the dogs barking at every noise, I didn’tContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 77: Silistra to Chiciu and Ostrov – Goodbye Bulgaria, Hello (Again) Romania
We paddled from Bulgaria to Romania on the Danube on Tuesday, the 9th of July 2024. We started our morning in Silistra on the Bulgarian side where we had checked out of the country the day before. Then we had to cross the Danube to Chiciu in Romania to legally check in per kayak there. This happened a few months before both Bulgaria and Romania fully joined Schengen. But our destination of the day was a small village called Ostrov a little further downstream. Contents1 Silistra Immigration by Kayak2 Leaving Bulgaria for Romania3 Romanian Immigration in Chiciu/Călărași4 Borcea: the BranchContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 75: Ruse to Tutrakan – New Kayak Sail + 1000 Kilometers Paddled
This kayak day happened on the 4th of July, 2024. We paddled away from the city Ruse where we had stayed for 10 days. It was more than 60 kilometers to Tutrakan, also in Bulgaria. Though we’d initially planned a two-night stop in Tutrakan, we ended up shortening it to one night because of the weather forecast. Contents1 Departing Ruse After 10 Days of Rest2 Kayaking Beneath the Giurgiu–Ruse Danube Bridge3 The Blue Kayak Sail Era Has Commenced4 Lunch in Ryahovo5 Continuing to Tutrakan + Shipping Lane Confusion6 1000 Kilometers Paddled!7 Sailing to Tutrakan + Douchebag Boat8 Arriving in Tutrakan9Continue reading
Kayak Trip Day 74: Svishtov to Ruse – the Southernmost Point of the Danube
This paddle day happened on Monday the 24th of June, 2024. We kayaked from Svishtov to Ruse in northern Bulgaria. Nearby Svishtov is the southernmost point of the Danube River. In Bulgaria’s fifth-largest city Ruse, we’ll take more than a week to recover from all the paddling. Contents1 Departing Svishtov for Ruse2 Southernmost Point of the Danube + Vardim Island3 Headwind + Batin Island4 Dikili Tash Significant Rock5 Cliffs, Caves, and Islands Before Ruse6 Arriving in Ruse7 Ten Days of Rest in Ruse8 Helpful article? Consider buying me a craft beer!9 Feel free to share this post with your buddiesContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 73: Nikopol to Svishtov – Headwind to Belene Island + Attempted Side Quest
The kayaking trip from Nikopol to Svishtov on the Bulgarian Danube happened on the 22nd of June, 2024. At roughly 40 kilometers, it’s one of our shorter paddle days in recent times. Contents1 Departing Nikopol to Svishtov + Vending Machine Coffee2 The Rock Church of Saint Stephen3 Headwind + Weaving Islands4 Belene Island + Side Quest5 Paddling Around Belene Island6 Svishtov Ferry + Landing in Svishtov7 Our Stay in Svishtov8 Fun read? Consider buying me a cup of tea!9 Sharing this article makes me feel appreciated 💗 Departing Nikopol to Svishtov + Vending Machine Coffee My alarm went off atContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 72: Oryahovo to Nikopol – Summer Solstice + 80 Kilometers
The longest day (so far) of our kayaking trip down the Danube happened on the 20th of June, 2024. We paddled over 80 kilometers in one day on the Bulgarian side of the Danube between the towns of Oryahovo and Nikopol. Contents1 Dawn in Oryahovo2 Sunrise on the Danube3 A Lunch Break in Baikal + Deciding on Nikopol4 The Iskar Confluence + Corabia + Chopped Forests in Bulgaria5 The Failed Shortcut around Calnovăț Island6 Olt Confluene + Approaching Nikopol7 Arriving in Nikopol8 Our Stay in Nikopol9 Enlightening post? Consider buying me a beer!10 Exercise your free will and share thisContinue reading
Kayak Trip Day 69: Calafat to Vidin – Border Crossing from Romania to Bulgaria by River
This kayak day happened on Sunday the 9th of June, 2024. We kayaked from Calafat in Romania to Vidin in Bulgaria on the Danube River. Though both countries are in the EU, they weren’t completely part of Schengen at the time. That’s why we needed to deal with bureaucracy and get a new ship manifest for Zucchini. Contents1 Leaving Romania by Boat: Lazy Saturday in Calafat2 Kayaking from Calafat to Vidin3 Arriving in Vidin: Baba Vida + City Beach + Cat!4 Bulgarian Water Police: Welcome to Vidin!5 Packing Up Zucchini + Meeting a Small Cat6 Six Days in Vidin7 Useful read?Continue reading