Ruse 16 August

Compared to Carl's very exciting experiences, life in Ruse is quite dull. Visited the Regional Museum of History today, on Battenberg square. Most of the information was translated into English and was vey interesting. Not only the Neolithic and the Romans, even Goths, the war with Serbia, Russian-Turk war, the Balkan war, WWI and WWII. Was curious about who built all the beautiful houses (unfortunately quite run down) so bought a booklet, Point of View:Rousse, illustrated history, which describes the different styles. From a regulation for private buildings construction of 1893 adopted by Rousse municipality authorities "all the building facades on Rousse main streets should be ornate by eurythmics stone decoration " eurythmics means European, I gather.

Also saw a gold coin  from the time of Auseus  of Trajan  Decius AD 249-262, which was found in the stomach of a ram who was grazing in the area, this quite recently!

And later this afternoon in the hope of getting a big cup of coffee, I went to a fancy hotel and ordered a long coffee, which was just a 2 tablespoons expresso instead of 1 tablespoon. But the coffee is good. There was a wedding about to start so I stayed and watched the ceremony. Lovely happy people.

And that is a Saturday in Ruse while Carl is tied to a pontoon, avoiding wild dogs and facing all sorts of challenges just to get some dinner!

Brza Palanka-Vidin, 16 August

Last day in Serbia. We got help from Maxa the owner of  the restaurant Kod Maxe to get 100 liter diesel before leaving the sweet little village. 

Tintin, Maxa and Jovan at the restaurant. Jovan is a retired buss driver from Denmark so I could have a good conversation about Brza Palanka and the life in general. Again we were so well taken care of and got coffe, big breakfast and a glas of wine to help us on the way. The overwelming hospitality, generosity and party spirit doesn't stop surprising me. The Serbians are leading the hospitality league by far. 

Maxa and Jovan. 

We had LB moored at the camping park. The toilet and shower in the tin shed. 

Leslie would not have liked the facilities. 

Maxa's restaurant. 

Brza Palanka good bye. 

The 2nd iron gate lock. 

Tintin ready for lock duty. 

The Cabin cruiser Bellevue was in the lock and speeded away. We had to check out of Serbia at Prahovo. 

No problem. They all came, the police customs and harbour Kaptain. Stamp and signing of 4 originals and away we go.

The river is getting wider and the landscape is flat. Smell of smoke looks to come from a felt fire somewhere in Romania. 

Bulgarian shore

Baba Vida fortress

Vidin harbour kaptain's place. At ponton #4 

Here we hang on. No strom or water. Leslie would not have liked this. 

Tekija - Brza Palanka, 15 August

The host ship told us to move and we made a turn and came back to hang on the ponton. 

Hanging on the Tekija ponton 

After a long day we finally arrive in Brza Palanka. At the restaurant this quartet of skilled musicians were entertaining. Real good fun and good Balkan tunes. 

As we came back to the boat Bobban was waiting for us. 

He was very unhappy because we had stepped and destroyed his fishing rod. 

I, Car,l put on some real Bobban Markovic music and the problem was solved with a shot of Scottish rakija and some cash. 

Calm waters. 

Ruse 15 August

Visited the Roman Fortress Sexaginta Prista today. No photos. The area was first settled in Neolithic times and later was a Thracian settlement taken over by the Romans. (was curious about the Thracians and googled following info: they were a group of Indo-European tribes inhabiting large area in Central and South East Europe. The first historical record found of Thracians is in th Iliad where they were described as allies of the Trojans).

The Romans turned this into a naval centre under Emperor Vespasian, 70 AD. Sexaginta Pristina is a combination of Latin and Greek words, Sexaginta meaning 60 in Latin and pristis, Greek for special river guard ship. The fortress is build on a rise along the Danube and has a good view both up and down the river.

On the way to the swimming pool I passed the statue of BabaTonka. Had to goggle for info, since all info is in Bulgarian. Turns out she was a female revolutionary, born 1812. She is famous for sheltering a number of revolutionaries and for burying and preserving the skull of Stefan Karadzha. And who is this Stefan, you may ask, well, he was the leader of the rebellion against the Ottoman Empire. Captured, tried and executed by the Turks, so how she got the skull, I do no know.

How is it possible to keep track of all this history?

Silver Lake- Tekija, 14 August.

Allmost 40 degrees already in the morning. The destination was Donji Milanovac. But no place to moor comfortably there so changed destination to Tekija. 

Blue Donau. 

The entrance to the Iron Gate. The ruin is the Golubac castle. We stopped in the Golubac village to buy water and ice cream.  A sailing competition with Jolle type boats was going on. First time we had to throw anchor. Nema problema for captain Carl. 

Holiday homes in the Kazan  river valley. 

The most narrow part of the Iron Gate 

Kazan as they call it. 

The ugly king Decebal monument on the Romanian side. 

The Trajan Tafel at the lower end of Kazan. Dated back to emperor Tiberius at year 103. At that time there was a bridge built over Donau by the Romans. 

Our mooring place at Tekija. Nice and calm in the evening but in the morning very bumpy and we had to change position at 0530. 

Meanwhile in Ruse 14 August

Have now ventured further afield from The English Guest House and made contact with Christian, the man in charge of the Port Rouse yacht club. Have organised a place for LelleBelle when she arrives here in about a week, maybe sooner? I was lucky to find the yacht club, which is approached along a little path leading straight off a road without sidewalks. Say no more! Also met a New Zealander and his German friend at the yacht club. They had their boat here for a few months, I think, and are continuing to the Delta and thereafter to Greece. 

Carl has taught me to always look for a swimming pool when stuck in a hot place, and this I have also accomplished today. About a 40 minute walk from here, down a pedestrian shopping street and through a park I found this "club" with 3 beautiful blue swimming pools right next to the brown Danube.

Now to find a towel and I am fixed up for the next few days.

This is my street for the next 6-7 days.

Belgrade-Silver Lake, 13 August

Sad sad day. Leslie left LB and flew to Bukarrest/Ruse. 

Lelle off to the airport at 0630. Destination Ruse in Bulgaria where she will have luxury time waiting for the Kaptain of LB. 

Last view of Yachting Marina in Belgrade. Super place and people. 12 days of rest. 

Tintin and I left Yachting Marina at  0700 and started our trip down the Sava and Donau. 

After 10 days of rain the Sava river had risen 2 meters and was full of dirt and debris. 

 We stopped at the well known Vodenica floating restaurant at the Sava/Donau. First thing was to go to the police and get Tintin registered in the crew list.

Belgrade fortress Kalemegdan on Belgrade seen from Donau. 

On route we pass the old capital of Serbia, Smederevo. The fortress was built as protection against the Turks. Biut was conquered 30 years later in 1460 and remained under Turk control for 350 years. 

Wonder when Malmoehus will go back to Denmark? 

Tintin at the wheel. 

Ram on the way. The fortress was built by the Romans in year 100. 

On route We pass the very oldest Balkan civilasation. In Donja Vinca at km 1144 is a museum of archeological findings of the Neolithic culture from 6000 years ago. Blasts from the past. Puh!:)

Marina Silver Lake. Beautiful place with holiday feeling.