Day 7 The Iron Gates of Romania
Cruising the Danube all day today and spending most of that time with our mouths open. The Iron Gates are truly spectacular. Four huge gorges separate the Serbian Balkan mountains on one side and the Romanian Carpathians on the other with the Danube carving its way through, at one point narrowing to just 150 metres.
This natural border between Serbia and Romania provides us with many hours of gazing at Mother Nature’s art forms as we squeeze through. It’s not all natural art though as we spot the giant face of Decebalus, the King of the Thracians carved into a rocky outcrop. At 40 metres high, it’s the tallest carving in Europe. On the other bank a plaque is all that remains from Roman Emperor Trajan’s legendary stone bridge which once spanned the river here.
We cruise on, and with a whole day on the river, everyone relaxes; Tom sleeps, while Inga laps the top deck, her new walking app clocking up the kilometres as she circles the boat. Lunch in the Compass Rose is a daily mix of a hot and cold buffet and menu items. Always a soup, always a salad bar and a generous cheese board too. I pass on the bacon-wrapped meatloaf, grouper or eggplant fusilli and gorge on pastrami, gherkin onion and mayo sandwiches.
With the Iron Gates behind us I choose to eat dinner in the Bistro at the back of the boat. This is a much smaller and informal eating space for just 19 diners and needs to be booked in advance. The five-course Balkan dinner menu runs all week and makes a pleasant change from the more serious side of eating in the Compass Rose. A light chickpea mousse and eggplant dip is followed by the legendary Bulgarian schopska salad, then a green bean and dill soup, a choice between beef stew or grilled sea bass and curd dumpling for dessert.
There’s a huge turnout for Wojtek tonight as we’re looking to let off some steam after being on board all day. My Remy has materialised in front of me once more, and everyone is cavorting to Wojtek’s Queen and ACDC medley. That last part is a lie, it’s more Elvis than Costello but nobody cares, especially Marty and Sherry who seem to be holding each other up. This is Wojtek’s big moment, a full house. And he goes for it. Even the tour directors turn up as backing singers. Meanwhile, MS Treasures silently slips on eastwards to Bulgaria.
Day 8 Ruse, Bulgaria.
After a morning cruising through the riverside villages of northern Bulgaria, we arrive at Ruse, often called “little Vienna” for its 19th-century neo-Baroque homes and cafes. Some of the passengers have gone off to visit the Rock Churches at Ivanovo, but I elect instead for the walking tour of Ruse. It’s a charming town with water fountains, parks and pedestrian streets and after a quick peek at Thracian treasure at the museum, we finish our tour with a drink and pastry in a traditional Bulgarian inn. I learn to say Ne Razbiram perfectly, which means, I don’t understand.
It seems after last night’s excesses Wojtek is playing just to me. I get a bonus performance where he shows me some of his miming skills. Once he begins sharing his Polish jokes, I decide to have an early night.
Day 9, Constanta and the Black Sea
We finally arrive at our journey’s end at Cernavoda close to Romania’s Black Sea coast although we have one more night aboard our Tauck Danube River Cruise ship. We spend a day out at the coastal resorts of Constanta and Mamala with a promise of a surprise from Carlos on our return. Touring ancient Constanta uncovers a remarkably well-preserved Roman marketplace with four levels of terraces and a seafront promenade open to the powerful Black Sea surf.
The more touristic Mamala with its five kilometres of beachfront hotels and bars is perfect for a lunch stop and an afternoon of fun on the sand. Tauck provides a temporary home for us at the four-star Laki Hotel to eat, change and enjoy the beach and the surf.
Back on the boat, Carlos has been busy arranging his surprise. It’s a 4th of July party, and MS Treasures is decked out with bunting and balloons for a barbecue dinner on deck. Better still, as darkness falls, he’s crossed a few Bulgarian palms with silver and employed a fireworks company to give us a spectacular private show. “It’s incredible” he shouts at me through the explosions “they were asked to do a huge show at the local army base just after they signed our contract. So we got them first. How lucky are we!”
Lucky indeed, for the show is a monster, loud enough for locals to think war has broken out again. I join forces with Tom and Inga, the only other Brits on board, to silently mourn the loss of our American colony, while all around us rejoice in red, white and blue. Big Jim comes over and hugs me, sensing my loneliness as Wojtek launches into a Polish version of the Star-Spangled Banner. Time for an early night again I fancy.
Day 10 and 11 Bucharest
It’s time for farewells to our crew and to Carlos (still at his desk) as we board our coaches to Bucharest. The cruise includes two nights at the legendary JW Marriott, at one time the only posh venue for visiting dignitaries and as we get a grand tour of the city, our bags find their own way to our hotel rooms.
Bucharest has transformed itself since the overthrow of Ceausescu into a lively metropolis of bars, restaurants, parks and excellent value shopping. There’s plenty to see and do in the city but while some of our shipmates take their final Tauck tour to Transylvania and Dracula’s castle, we choose the Targoviste tour to see the barracks where Ceausescu met his end and visit Vlad the Impaler’s former palace.
Bucharest’s old town comes alive at night, and Paul and Ilse join me on our last night to talk about our cruise together at the wonderful Tears and Sinners, a well known local restaurant right in the old town centre.
The cruise was for many an opportunity to discover their roots, others to reminisce harder memories, and for all of us to discover fascinating parts of eastern Europe you might never think of visiting. It is in many ways much more satisfying than sea cruising for me, you get a better perspective of the land and a better understanding of the people behind the borders.
Our final exclusive dinner at the People’s Palace is a perfect moment to bid farewell to all my new friends, and it’s a nice touch that Tauck provides a list of email address for participating guests to keep in touch
This gigantic building is the last in a long list of truly memorable experiences and surprises which Arthur Tauck called lagniappes, or gifts, the unique differentiators which Tauck has been providing for over 90 years. It’s an impressive record and I totally understand how the company has nurtured its veteran repeaters.
My cast of characters on this Tauck Danube River Cruise will never be forgotten of course and best of all, I have a signed Wojtek CD to treasure. Strangers in the Night will never be the same again.
All images (c) Andy Mossack
Tell me more about this Tauck Danube River Cruise.
Andy travelled on Tauck’s 12-day river cruise: Budapest to the Black Sea which is an “all-inclusive” cruise including all drinks (including many premium brands), meals, excursions and staff gratuities. Cabin prices for 2016 are from £3,137.
For details of all Tauck river cruises, visit: www.tauck.co.uk/river-cruises or call 0800 810 8020.
