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World Photo

Romania to Hungary up the Danube River by Art & Gloria Netzer Art & Gloria Netzer share their images from traveling in these two beautiful European countries Article rating: 8.17

All new residential housing in the city is a simple apartment style. A nuclear power plant was built which still runs today. The most notable building in Romania is the House of the People in Bucharest which was a result of the megalomaniacal personality of Ceausescu. It is the 2nd largest building in the world after the US Pentagon. The building has eight stories underground and has never been used. With the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989, after years of political and economic reforms, Romania joined NATO in 2004 and the European Union in January 1, 2007. While Romania's income level remains one of the lowest in the European Union reforms have increased the growth speed. Romania now has an upper-middle income economy. 

Transportation in Bucharest included good bus and train service, but the automobiles left something to be desired. As the average incomes were low few people could own a vehicle and the quality of the vehicles was poor although many quite old models are still running if poorly.

We took a bus tour up in the Carpathian mountains known as Transylvania where the Bran castle still stands today. Vlad Tepes used Bran Castle as headquarters for his incursions into Transylvania.

This castle should not be mistaken for the actual Castle Dracula ( which is now in ruins) located on the Arges River, at a more secluded location. During an unexpected stop on a quiet hillside our host offered our group a sample of the local Vampire wines and cheeses. Transylvania is a very lovely and atmospheric place. The people everywhere we traveled were warm and inviting. .

After several days in Bucharest we headed by train to Constanta which is a summer resort area on the Black Sea just north of the Danube Delta. The Danube River is the second longest river in Europe. The Danube flows into the Black Sea within Romania's territory forming the Danube Delta, the second largest and the best preserved delta in Europe The Black Sea is an inland sea between southeastern Europe and the Anatolian peninsula (Turkey) and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and Aegean Seas. The sea forms a east-west trading route which lies between Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, Turkey, Ukraine and Georgia. The source of the Danube is located in the Black Forest area of Germany and flows about 1,770 miles to the east before entering into the Danube River Delta and is one of the major methods of transportation from Northern Europe to the Black Sea.

Tourism is one of the most dynamic and fastest developing sectors of the economy of Romania and characterized by a huge rise in development. According to the World Travel and Tourism Council, Romania is the fourth fastest growing country in the world in terms of travel and tourism with a yearly potential growth of 8% from 2007-2016.

During the Communist Occupation the Constanta Shipyard seaport was built. This Shipyard is second in size only to the Long Beach Shipyard in California. It was designed and built by the Russians during the occupation to move all the ships from around the Black Sea to Central and Northern Europe and the

North Sea. It is currently using less than 10% of capacity. After a leisurely tour of the Delta we boarded our riverboat to travel north up the Danube River. This riverboat carried about 110 passengers and offered every amenity imaginable. We were shown to our room and made comfortable and then after the ubiquitous safety drill we headed upriver.

The Danube is celebrated as Europe's greatest river. Though not as blue as the song indicates, it is still a river of great beauty and importance. The Danube, through its rich history, remains truly captivating as it flows through the countries of Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, and the Ukraine. There are many important cities bordering it‘s banks including Vienna, Budapest, Bratislava, and Belgrade. From the early days of military conquest up to the more current need for hydro-electric power, it’s importance will no doubt increase as more commercial trade and scientific research is done in the area.

The Danube River also has an unique cultural heritage. Its history can be traced to the remains of Greek and Roman trade settlement built in the area. Modern villages and cities still show a Turkish flair in their design. We passed through several locks and witnessed numerous barges headed to various destinations. Continuing upriver there were many signs of the 1999 NATO bombing and the evidence of the breakup of Yugoslavia is still very visible. But now the people are free and the children are being better educated.

In fact many graduating students from the high schools and colleges are then leaving the country for better paying jobs so they can send money back their families. One of the arranged side trips was to spend an hour at a local school in Croatia. The Head Master introduced the program in his native language as he spoke no English. There was a student interpreter who translated his introduction in English to our group. The program consisted of several talented Serbian students singing and telling stories to our group in almost perfect English. The kids were anxious to speak to us after the presentation.

Traveling through Serbia and Croatia, formally parts of Yugoslavia there was still evidence of destruction of both World War II and the 1999 NATO bombing. However rich or poor people were they now could enjoy the freedom they had been deprived of for so long.

Most people live very modestly and are willing to work long and hard to feed their families. We saw a number of travelling groups of colorful Gypsies who live a very unique and unusual lifestyle

One afternoon we were entertained by a group of dancing women dressed in the old traditional style. After the dance each woman took a small group to her home where we were fed delicious Chicken Paprikas, locally made spirits and cheese, and freshly grown produce. Their small farm allowed them self sufficiency with horses, poultry, goats and organic gardens. They had a small second house that was a rented and was used to supplement their income. When we were there they were just setting up their web site.

When we crossed over the Croatian border into Hungry security was very tight. Although Croatia has improved markedly since 1999 jobs are few and the determined people are working diligently to improve the working and living conditions.

The city of Budapest radiates a magnetic quality. Peaceful and bustling, a big metropolis yet friendly, it treasures the old and embraces the new. Here the historic blends with the modern, the hills harmonize with the river, that is, the Danube, which flows through the city along a stretch of 18 miles. The Danube actually splits the city into 2 different districts Buda the modern and Pest the ancient.

The building of the town of Budapest began in the middle of the thirteenth century and was ravaged by war through much of it’s history. At the end of the Second World War when the Soviet Red Army liberated the Castle District it again suffered enormous damage. Part of the medieval remains that can now be seen were discovered during the reconstruction under socialism and it has maintained a steady rate of development. With the dissolution of socialism in 1989, the city has entered the post-industrial age with the leading role of blue-collar industry being replaced by services and a white-collar workforce. And now Budapest is again searching for its place among the major European metropolises and is once again becoming a Central European capital. Our riverboat journey ended in this lovely city. This visit to a few countries in Eastern Europe gave us a new perspective on what we have here in America. For the most part the only people who have known only freedom are those under 25 years of age. Fascinating voyage!

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	A little more info on more pictures would be nice. I realize that space is short. Posted by: Donna Holt Sep 15, 2008 @ 9:45 PM EST
	A good article - wish all the pics were annotated. Will be a great help to anyone who plans such a lovely trip. Posted by: Bose Sep 16, 2008 @ 2:27 AM EST
	Just poor! More information on the photos are needed. Quality of photos is nothing more than snapshots & not very exciting ones at that. Article wasn't very interesting either. I'm beginning to wonder why this found itself onto a photography website Posted by: Knauf Sep 17, 2008 @ 9:26 AM EST
	What was the name of the tour operator that conducted the tour of the Danube, Croatia and Bucharest? Posted by: Marvin Sep 19, 2008 @ 8:9 PM EST

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