Day 27 - Brasov and Bran, Romania

We crossed the Hungarian / Romanian border at 2am. We knew as we had a loud knock on our cabin followed by a shout "Passports". I pulled on my shirt and unlocked the door, and the policeman switched on the light. He looked at mine briefly and looked at me (when the picture was taken on my passport my hair was shorter and I wasn't woken at 2am on a train). Anyway being an EU, he handed it back quickly, although Sarah being American (woop woop) got the digital readout and stamp treatment. This was apparently the exit ceremony, a similar thing was done 10 minutes later by a Romanian officer. As abrupt as this was I had no trouble getting back to sleep and slept soundly only to wake to the vast Romanian countryside sweeping past the window.

What do I know about Romania? Ceaucescu executed in 1989 on Christmas Day spelled their end of communism. Oh and that condescending but (I admit) hilarious laugh at Kazaks in the film Borat, well the scenes of the Kazak village were actually filmed in Romania, poor gullible people. Looking out the window I saw very few big roads. I saw plenty of farming and for the first time I saw more horses being used. You get the idea that the most technology had hit the Romanian farmers I saw out the window, was adding pneumatic tires to their horse carts. This I'm sure is untrue. When they finish with their horses they go home and play on facebook and they pay eachother for hay or turnips by bank transfers over their macbooks. Still it graciously put a great picture for me as a gullible observer.

Over looking Brasov, Romania

Brasov looks like a touristy city, although it seems they are only East European tourists, and I think I can say the same for Bran which I will come to in a moment. It took a while to find our barings on exiting the station. No one was that helpful, even though many spoke English. We caught a bus (for free - bad) into the old town square and then hiked up to the old citadel. The more hiking taking a cable car up to the top of a hill overlooking the city. Brasov has letters of the city on a hill exactly like Hollywood does, and the cable car took us up to those. Then a long hike down with views all the way.

Caravan for the night

Bran, where we are now, is supposedly Draculas home town, or at least the castle here was Bram Stokers influence in writing the novel. That said I see very little reference to it bar the campsite we are staying "Vampire Campsite". Again quite busy and plenty of hotels, but all domestic tourism I think. Although in a campsite, you may notice the tent got dumped back in Prague, so we are actually staying in a caravan, which feels very cosy. All for 54 Lei or £10. Very reasonable. This is also something that Romania is good for, its cheap. Some sample prices. Beer is 92p in a restaurant. Sandwich and drink for both of us came to £5 in Bran a moment ago. With the weather and landscape backdrop I think this is something that Sarah and I discovered and should lay our flag.

Tomorrow we are properly looking at the castle (oh joy), then onto Bucharest.

A quick heads-up on how I'm feeling. I'm sleeping well. My health feels ok, apart from a nasty little coldsore which is probably due to lacking nutrients. I have to sort that out. On Europe. I've loved it but to be honest I'm looking forward to Asia and seeing the last of cobblestones and castles. Something that makes me feel good is (although it was always a no-brainer) I received a letter at my sisters from US Homeland Security, Sarah's petition for me to come to the USA has been approved, and the first stage of the immigration process is passed. The hard part of Affidavits of Support, gathering documents and awaiting the cold interview at the Embassy in London is further down the line, but for now I'll be happy at that mini good news. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!