What did I do today? Well being a Sunday a trip to the seaside seemed to be the thing to do although after 2 weeks of draining hot sunshine today is typical British Summer weather.
After leaving Ruse in Bulgaria and arriving in Silistra I naively couldn't work out why the route took you into the centre then suddenly it got busy with pedestrians many carrying black carrier bags full of something.
I realised you had to come this way because the Bulgaria to Romania border is in the middle of the town but still couldn't understand why so many people, and I don't mean a few I mean hundreds, were walking through the border as both are in the EEC.
When I stopped to photograph the old Romanian Border Control I asked these 2 ladies what was going on and they explained that the tax on goods, particularly cigarettes is so much lower in Bulgaria than Romania....and as I've found out the Balkans are far from a smoke free zone, even in restaurants etc. ... so this is their regular Sunday morning activity.
Now, the Danube actually ends at an expansive Delta and Tulcea, my destination, is the last town you can get to easily without a boat. So Although I will have followed the Danube all the way I won't really get a good view of the Black sea.
Problem sorted, its my birthday tomorrow so I've treated myself to a lovely room overlooking the Black sea in Constanta which means that today after going through Silistra I'm taking a short ride away from the river...
And one very chuffed traveller ...
And a bonus... when I returned to my hotel the receptionist called me and gave me a bottle of wine as when entering my passport details she'd noticed it was my birthday tomorrow .
I was going to open in tonight but a beer calls so I take it to Tulcea where I can celebrate reaching my goal and I've got 2 days R and R.
