Advertisement
Published: September 28th 2009
Wine in Eger
Yeah $3 fill-your-own-bottle wine!Last night we left Budapest and took a night train to Brasov, Romania. I didn't expect things to be so different here, but they really are. The night train was alright, kind of cramped but the bunk beds were better than any of the hostels we've stayed at. Jessica and I were watching a movie on her mini-computer when the cabin door flung open and a train attendant sharply demanded something in another language. Everyone gave him their passports and tickets for inspection so we did too. About an hour later the door flung open again and another train attendant asked for passports, but this time only from Jessica and I. He took our passports and wrote down information from them. I found it pretty alarming because it was a different person, which means they're keeping tabs on us because we're American. He gave us back our passports but took our Eurail passes with him. We started panicking because the passes are really expensive and they aren't replaced if you loose them. In the middle of us simultanously asking each other what to do and answering to each other that we don't know, the Eastern European man in the cabin with
$.50 wine in Eger
You can tell by the purple lips I've had a few glasses. Bull's Blood wine was so good! us began to laugh. "Well," he said, "welcome to East." When the train came in this morning we worked up enough nerve to bang on the train attendant's cabin door and wake him up to get our passes back.
Brasov itself is old and dirty, but it has a crooked charm that you can't get from the more modern cities like Budapest and Prague. The streets are narrow and the buildings have slanted with caving-in red-tiled roofs. Tomorrow we're going to the Bran Castle, the home of Vlad, the inspiration for Dracula.
The hostel we're staying at is really nice, actually it's a room in a house that this old Romanian grandma and her son let out. I'm glad we stayed here because I feel sorry for him. He told us he used to be an engineer, but he can't get a job because they do background searches and only hire people who have communist relations. I didn't think that still happened, but apparently it does here.
In better news we had a great time in Budapest. We went to Eger, a small town outside Budapest known for its wine. We walked down a road filled with little wine huts. They're made of mud to keep the wine at a good temperature. The area is known for its Bull's Blood wine, which is a very deep, dry and delicious wine. We decided that mom would have had a hayday there. A glass of wine was $.50 (kept thinking it was $1, but later learned it was only $.50! Amazing!). They fill up empty 1.5L water bottles for $3. We drank one full of Bull's Blood on the train and I'm currently enjoying our second bottle.
I can't believe it's been two weeks since I left. It feels like I've been gone forever, but I keep reminding myself that this is only the beginning of my trip. I already miss Bellingham, school, my family and all the comforts that come with being at home, but I feel so lucky being able to spend so much time over here. It kind of snuck up on me, but Kuba leaves for Poland tomorrow. In a week and a half we meeting in Berlin to train to Venice to start our bike trip. I'm wishing him luck to get both our bikes on the plane fine!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.249s; Tpl: 0.01s; cc: 12; qc: 51; dbt: 0.0438s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.1mb
Mom
non-member comment
WTH??
I have some major concerns with this blog. . .#1 traveling on a train where passports and Eurail passes are taken?? #2 A man in the cabin WITH you?? #3 the word communist and just HOW close are you to Russia???. . .but really, really find comfort and amusement with the wine tasting. . .might have to make a trip there. . .so at least you are safe??? Not sure I am going to survive this. . .not there to say. . "oh Sara. . .I don't think that is a very good idea. . .let me think about that". . .Ha! Ha! Enjoy your day sightseeing Bran castle and be sure to wear turtleneck sweaters, wear a necklace with garlic in it, carry a cross and wooden spike. . .just for good luck!! Miss you guys and sending all my love to you!!