Romania

Romania is bordered by the Black Sea , Bulgaria, Ukraine , Hungary, Serbia, and Moldova. The population is about 20 million. Capital is Bucharest. Currency is the Romanian Leu (ron).--For my first visit to Romania i arrived off the night train in ARAD from Munich, and first impression was not good. The station area was run down and scruffy. Turning left from the station i followed hotel signs on the street light poles. It was a good walk and the area improved. I came across the hotel Best Western in a side street, this suited my needs, it was comfortable and reasonable price. I stayed 2 nights. By the way a taxi on my return to station was cheap. Arad is a nice place to walk around the town and riverside.There is a Cathedral and City Hall in Arad.-- A day trip i took by train was to Timisoara, a lovely place with University, parks and Cathedral.--- A good small guide book is handy if you are travelling independantly.-- On this holiday as well has Arad i stayed in Brasov, Bucharest, and Constanta, on a further holiday i stayed in Sibiu, Sighsoara,and Cluj. Romania as some lovely places. I used the train,mostly slow, but all around Romania a huge effort is being made to upgrade the train tracks.--- My first visit was 2007 and second 2016.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------BRASOV. The local bank is Transilvania , which reminds me that this Dracula country. I moved from Arad on the 07-18 train to Teius, changed train for Brasov here.-- Brasov train station is 4km from the old town , so took a taxi,fare cheap. I stayed in Aro Palace hotel ,not so cheap, but luxury worth it. The local beer CONSTANTA CONSTANTA CONSTANTA BUCHAREST BUCHAREST BUCHARESTBRASOV BRASOV BRASOVBRASOVBRASOVis Ursus.. Sightseeing in Brasov is easy to walk around. The town is surrounded by mountains, one side a Cable Car goes up to the Hollywood style Sign BRASOV in the Tampa mountains.--- The other side of town you can walk up to the White Tower and Black Tower (both white).-------------------------------------------------------------------BUCHAREST is the Capital of Romania and the largest city. I stayed in the Ibis hotel about 500m from the main rail station.----Parliament Palace is a massive marble building at the end of Boulevard Uniri, built bewtween 1984 and 1900. It is the second largest building in the world. A guided tour in English takes one hour. I went on the balcony (not the one Ceausecu made his final speach from before being deposed ). ---Bolavard Uniri is a pleasent walk, a wide street lined with trees, that was formed by the forced clearances-- The Russian Church built between 1905 and 1909 was built with russian money and has seven domes..--- There is a Metro underground in Bucharest.-----------------------------------------------------------------CONSTANTA is in Eastern Romania on the Black Sea coast, population 298,000; the third largest. There is a train connection to Bucharest. Buses go to Bulgaria and Istanbul. In Constanta i stayed at the Ibis Hotel on the cliff top overlooking the Black Sea. The beaches are very good. There is a loose dog problem,if you leave them alone they dont bother you. There is a small promanede wih old Casino building.-==================================================================================================================================My second trip to Romania was in November 2016, i arrived in SIBIU off the night trian from Budapest. Sibiu was busy with the Christmas Markets, so hotels nearly full. At a hostal that was full, a helpful man rang a hotel for me, thats how i came to be at 3 star Hotel Gallant (140Lei, £28 , Bed and Breafast ). The hotel had a restuarant. In Sibiu most people can understand English and German. Sibiu is a lovely place ,in the Transylvania plateaui in Central Romania. Three squares make up the main town,with streets and stairs to Lower Town.--Places of interest are Liars Bridge, Luthern Cathedral, Sftanta Treime Cathedral, Carpenters Tower etc.-- I stayed 2 nights in Sibiu then moved to Sighisora.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------SIGHISOARA. After a 3 hour train ride from Sibiu i arrived in Sighisoara. There were no taxis at the station so took a 15 minute walk to centre of Sighisoara. The new town is near the river Tarnava ,and the old town is up the hill. Here is Citadel,and Clock Tower ( 64m high), cobbled streets and a small square,with coloured buildings The birthplace of Vlad the Impaler ( Dracular ) is up here. There is a covered stairway 300 years old, to the Church and School on the Hill. I stayed at The Post Hotel in new town, great place.----The town of Sighisoara is from the Middle Ages, the most beautiful medieval site in Romania , it was founded in 1191.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------CLUJ NAPOCA is in North West Romania. It was November and a thick fog hung around all day, so didn"t see the place at its best. What i saw i liked. ---I really liked the Hotel Transilvania in Regele Ferdinand 20, handy for town. The room was really comfortable, there was a restaurant with tasty food. The train station is a little way out of town, so took taxi, 10 Lei (£2) I would stay at this hotel again. ROMANIA is a country and people that i like. CLUJ NAPOCA CLUJ NAPOCA CLUJ NAPOCA CLIJ NAPOCA SIGHISOARA SIGHISOARA SIGHISOARASIBIUSIBIUSIBIU SIBIUSIBIUSIBIU SIBIU SIBIU