1-May-25 Brasov, Romania

Overnight sleeper train from Budapest to Brasov, 100 miles north of Bucharest in Romania. Or should that be the overnight no sleeper train.

Clickety.

Clack.

Woo woo.

Clickety.

Clack.

Woo woo.

Clickety.

Clack.

Woo woo.

Goes the train. All. Through. The. Soddin’. Night.

Quiet. It. Is. Not!

No. Sleep. What. So. Ever.

Bed hard and not long enough.

Bed hard and not wide enough.

Torture.

Completely knackered as I arrive pretty much on time at 0848hrs into Brasov. Having passed a small snow capped mountain range just east of it.

Stark communist era railway station welcomes you to Brasov. Large murals of local area adorn a wall.

First taxi driver wants RON40 (~£7). No mate. Too much. Offer RON10 (~£1.70). He’s not having it and told to find a metered taxi. Which costs RON13 (~£2.20) to my hotel. The Radisson Blu Aurum (https://www.radissonhotels.com/en-us/hotels/radisson-blu-aurum-brasov). A fairly new hotel on the edge of the old town. It’s only 9am so technically can’t check in until 3pm…unless I pay extra. Given the lack of sleep and how knackered I am it’s a no brainer.

The cleanest white sheets on the world’s comfiest bed beckon. The best bed I’ve ever slept in. And promptly fall into a deep, deep sleep for four hours. A bomb could have gone off.  

Wake for lunch. As it’s May Day and a public holiday a special BBQ lunch is on offer in the sunny courtyard featuring traditional local specialities. Venison and pork kebabs. Beans. Pork knee. Very friendly staff and how I remember Romanians to be.

Quick waltz around town to check out where to pick hire car up from tomorrow and see the sights. Great relaxed atmosphere here and all the locals out and about enjoying the day off.

Located in Transylvania, Brasov was originally part of the Kingdom of Hungary. The Hungarian Kings invited the Transylvanian Saxons (who were Germanic people) to develop areas of Transylvania and they settled in Brasov from the 12^th century. Even as late as 1850, 40% of the population were German. The town eventually became part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until that collapsed at the end of World War 1 and it became part of Romania. As you will see in the photos below…there’s some nice architecture here.

There’s a nice vibe here. Relaxed and friendly. This will do nicely for an overnight stop.

Dark black clouds roll in and caught in a torrential downpour. Which then becomes thunder and lightning.

Still knackered so dinner in hotel restaurant and an early night. But it’s full of American river cruise tourists. One loud woman is being tutted at by her compatriots sitting next to me. They’ve ordered ice cream but it’s taken 20 minutes and they’re complaining. Ice cream eventually arrives. It’s frozen solid. As though it’s been dunked in liquid nitrogen. “It’s as hard as rock!”, she exclaims. As she tries to crack the scoop with a spoon to open it up.

And promptly shatters all over the table in small pieces.

Giggles. Stifled.