To the Delta and Back

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To the delta and back. Budapest is one of the most beautifully situated cities in Europe. In the walled old town of Buda on the hilly east bank of the Danube are the Matthias Church and the baroque Königsschloss of the Habsburgs. Next to this, under the Gellert Hill, it is well worth making a visit to the nostalgic Gellert baths. On the Pest side you will find the famous Parliament buildings and many other fine buildings dating from the time of the monarchy at the end of the 19th century. City tours are recommended, especially in the Buda district it is rather hilly. Further downstream we visit the ships at Novi Sad, now Serbia, the capital of Vojvodina with its massive fortress high above the river Petrovaradin. It tells of the eventful history of the Turkish wars. After the Ottoman armies had advanced along the Danube to Central Europe in 1389, they were defeated in Vienna in 1683 and subsequently pushed back over the next two centuries. The architecture, cuisine and folklore bear witness to Ottoman presence. In spite of all this, the Christian faith survived in monasteries such as Krušedol in Fruska Gora. The second largest basilica of Orthodox Christianity, St. Sava, stands in the city of Belgrade. Considering the 2,000-year history of the Serbian capital, you can relate to the vast fortress of Kalemegdan, which guards over the confluence of the Sava and the Danube. The scenic highlight of the lower Danube is the cataracts route of the Iron Gate: with a length of 100 kilometres, the current squeezes through the forested mountains of the Carpathians. At its narrowest point, the "lower Kazan”, the Danube is only 145 metres in width between the steep banks with a water depth of 90 metres. Before completion of the Djerdap dam in 1967 the Iron Gate was a very dangerous passage; before the water level was raised by 40 metres there were rocks and eddies which could only be navigated by pilots with local knowledge. Today, the six-hour passage is an impressive natural experience. Photo motifs such as the Romanian monastery of Mracuna at the narrowest point and the river rock carved with the head of the last Dacian king are evidence of Roman occupation and the history of Romania. On the lower 940 kilometres the current moves slowly through the Wallachian plain to the delta. Since it has not yet been regulated, there are picturesque views of the lush shores, sand bars and small villages in Romania and Bulgaria. We will visit Vidin in Bulgaria, spend some time in Rousse in the mediaeval town of Veliko Tarnovo and in the Romanian Black Sea port of Constanta with the coastal resort of Mamaia. The highlight of the lower Danube is the Delta proper and its stillness; water courses and lakes can all be explored in small boats from Tulcea. The famous "river kilometre zero" at the old lighthouse of Sulina on the Black Sea usually marks the end of the trip. We will return to Oltenita via the middle Delta arm and then continue by bus to Bucharest for the flight home. For those who have more time for sightseeing, there is a chance to experience a metropolis where the architecture incorporates Western European, Ottoman and socialist influences. A colorful mix indeed. Sincerely, Gerrit Aust.

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