Day 7 - Brașov to Cluj-Napoca (by train)

I was up early again and made my way to Parc Central and caught a taxi to the train station. The driver wanted 10 lei but was happy with the 8 lei I offered. On arrival at the station I bought a 2nd class ticket for Cluj-Napoca (75.5 lei). Unfortunately the train wasn't due to depart until 8:40 am, so I had more than a couple of hours to kill!

I was keen to find somewhere to sit down and have a coffee and maybe read for a while. I didn't fancy anywhere in the station so I walked out onto the main road (B-Dul Garii) and turned left where I soon came across a petrol garage which had a café inside. The café was really nice and quiet, so I ordered a cappuccino and a croissant (13.5 lei). However, best of all it was non-smoking with free Wi-Fi!

As 8:40 am approached I headed back to the train station and boarded the waiting train for Cluj-Napoca. The train left on time and the journey was uneventful other than the ubiquitous seller on board, leaving some rather tacky items next to me and returning five minutes later only to find I wasn't interested in buying any of them! One thing noticeable as I journeyed north was the disappearance of the snow.

I finally arrived at Cluj-Napoca at 4:30 pm, (I was supposed to arrive at 3:17 pm). As I'd had quite a long journey I decided to head straight for the Pax Hotel across the road. At the reception I could see the price for a single room was 110 lei. I think the receptionist could see I wasn't particularly impressed with the price and so I asked if I could pay 160 lei for two nights, luckily she agreed. However, when I saw the room for the first time I did feel a little depressed, it was a little bleak!

I later went out to look for somewhere to eat. I couldn't be bothered to walk very far and ended up settling for a fast food place. I returned to my hotel to do some much needed washing. I am really looking forward to a lie in tomorrow morning and then a gentle walk into town to soak up the sights.

Day 6 - Hike from Plaiul Foii to Spre Virful in the Bucegi Mountains (& return), followed by a lift to Zărnești & finally a train to Brașov

I slept well during the night and was downstairs in the dining room area by 7:15 am, however I soon realised everybody else was still in bed! It wasn't until 8 am before the cook arrived and prepared my breakfast, which was another great feed. Sinziana soon appeared and we had a chat about my plans for the day. I was actually hoping to spend a few days hiking in the Bucegi Mountains but as the weather was quite bad I'd already decided just to hike as far as Spre Virful and return back to Plaul Foii and then catch the train back to Brașov.

Sinziana agreed to walk with me so far along the valley until we reached the path leading up to Spre Virful which was nice. Boris was with us & when it was time for Sinziana to head back, Boris was obviously keen to stick with me and keep me company!

Hiking from Plaiul Foii to Spre Virful

Hiking from Plaiul Foii to Spre Virful

It was quite a tough climb up through the forest, following the stream and wading in the deep snow. The last stretch as far as Ref Spirlea where there was a mountain hut was particular tough going with the snow as I lost my footing on a few occasions. I rested a while in the hut and sheltered from the strong blizzard which was bitterly cold. Boris didn't seem that bothered and seemed to be taking it all in his stride!

Hiking from Plaiul Foii to Spre Virful

Hiking from Plaiul Foii to Spre Virful

Boris! - Hiking from Plaiul Foii to Spre Virful

As I headed off again further up into the forest the snow became even deeper and the wind was really cold on my face, however it wasn't too steep so I continued further. I soon reached a narrow ridge where I was presented with some amazing views looking down into the forest and over to the mountains. Taking photographs was quite painful, as I could only take my gloves off for a few minutes at a time as it was so cold with the wind! I continued to walk further along the ridge, however Boris clearly knew it was the end of the line for him! I soon realised I would have to clamber up the rock face to continue and so I decided it was time for me to head back. I was more than happy with what I'd seen in a relatively short time. I did wonder how my surroundings would look in the summertime?

Hiking from Plaiul Foii to Spre Virful

Hiking from Plaiul Foii to Spre Virful

Hiking from Plaiul Foii to Spre Virful

Hiking from Plaiul Foii to Spre Virful

Hiking from Plaiul Foii to Spre Virful

Hiking from Plaiul Foii to Spre Virful

Hiking from Plaiul Foii to Spre Virful

Back at the mountain hut I cooked up some soup on my small stove, although I could have fired up the stove in the hut if I'd wanted too and if I could have been bothered to gather some wood! Boris was happy enough with some pastries I'd bought along! Soon it began to snow quite heavy and so I started to head back down, sliding on my backside along the way to the amusement of Boris!

Boris! - Hiking from Plaiul Foii to Spre Virful

It was clearly a lot quicker descending as I was back at the Cabana by 2:30 pm. Sinziana seemed quite impressed with what I'd achieved. Her dad, (the Everest veteran climber) also enquired on how far I'd reached! Later when I was eating another wonderful meal, a group of Romanian tourists arrived and before too long we were all watching and laughing along to Johnny English on the big TV!

Hiking from Plaiul Foii to Spre Virful (Looking back)

Plaiul Foii

Boris! - Plaiul Foii

At 4 pm, Sinziana and the cook very kindly took me into Zărnești. Whilst we were driving along I realised I'd actually walked quite far the previous day! I also had some much better views of Piatra Craiului this time as the skies were much clearer.

When we reached the train station, I said my goodbyes and thanked them for their kind hospitality. I purchased my ticket to Brașov (45 lei) and the train was due to depart at 5:10 pm.

I arrived in Brașov at 6 pm, and like clockwork I jumped on the #4 bus to Parc Central and then made my way back to the Aro Sport hotel. By 6:20 pm I was back in my original room!

I am not too sure of my plans for the morning other than to head further north!

*I was charged the sum of 140 lei for my stay at the Cabana which included 70 lei for the room and four meals including breakfast

Day 5 - Brașov to Zărnești (by train), followed by a hike to Plaiul Foii (12km)

I was up early again and I was hanging around Parc Central by about 5:15 am, hoping to catch sight of any bus that might take me to the train station! Sadly it wasn't to be and after about 15 minutes of waiting in the freezing cold I decided to walk over to the nearby taxis and asked how much it would be to take me to the train station. The driver seemed to want 10 lei and was unhappy with my initial offer of 6 lei, so we agreed on 8 lei!

On arrival at the train station I purchased my 2nd class ticket for Zărnești (4.5 lei). The train was due to leave at 6:10 am so I had time to grab a coffee at the railway café. It was quite busy, mostly with male workers drinking alcohol!

My train departed on time, and during the short 30 minute ride we stopped at many stations. It was clearly a popular commute to work with many male workers jumping off along the way, (a lot still drinking alcohol!)

I arrived in Zărnești at 6:50 am, and it was still dark and still very cold. I headed off into the centre of town and purchased some freshly baked covrigi, before struggling to find a café that was open. I did wander around aimlessly for a while before finding a small café which opened at 8 am. They had a coffee machine inside and it was great to sit down for a while and warm up a little. Some locals were already drinking alcohol at the bar!

After warming up a little, I headed off along Strada Baritiu before picking up the signs for Plaiul Foii (and paying a short visit to the lovely cemetery nearby). Soon I reached the Barsa Mare Valley which was really nice, even though the dirt track was a bit of a drag at times and also very icy in parts. A few drivers did pass me and offered a lift but I declined as I was happy to walk and soak up the views. There were plenty of shepherds with their sheep which made for some interesting photographs, although it was a shame Piatra Craiului was hidden most of the time with the mist.

 Cemetery in Zărnești

 

Hiking from Zărnești to Plaiul Foii in the Barsa Mare Valley

Hiking from Zărnești to Plaiul Foii in the Barsa Mare Valley

Hiking from Zărnești to Plaiul Foii in the Barsa Mare Valley

Hiking from Zărnești to Plaiul Foii in the Barsa Mare Valley

Hiking from Zărnești to Plaiul Foii in the Barsa Mare Valley

(Piatra Craiului in the distance)

Hiking from Zărnești to Plaiul Foii in the Barsa Mare Valley

After 3 hours of hiking I finally arrived at the Plaiul Foii Cabana only to be greeted by two workmen informing me it was closed for renovation! They suggested I walk a little further to find somewhere to stay for the night. It wasn't long before I arrived at the 7 Crai Cabana where I was greeted by a young lady by the name of Sinziana who spoke very good English. I was also greeted by her wonderful St. Bernard dog called Boris! Sinziana was somewhat surprised I was travelling on my own, and told me this time of the year it's normally just local tourists that visit her.

My room was wonderful, the best so far in Romania! The cook of the Cabana very kindly cooked me some soup followed by Schnitzel and chips which I devoured as I was incredibly hungry! So far there has been no mention of the price for my room or the food, but I am sure it will be reasonable.

After a little sleep in my room I decided to go for a small walk, with Boris at my side! It was great to fill my water bottles at the nearby stream with the freezing water. The views high above the forest were quite spectacular.

Plaiul Foii in the Barsa Mare Valley

Back at the Cabana I was later provided with another meal of steak and chips, all washed down with a beer. I later learned that Sinziana's father was once a great climber in his day, and had actually conquered Everest in the 1980's!

Day 4 - Hike from Sinaia to Poiana Regala (Prahova Valley) & return, followed by Sinaia to Brașov (by train)

I left my hotel at about 7:30 am and walked through Sinaia heading in the direction of Dimitrie Ghica Park and past the war cemetery. It had snowed a great deal during the night and the temperature had also dropped by quite a bit. I saw a few gritter lorries out and about and even some losing grip on the icy roads!

 Sinaia

After walking up the steep road out of Sinaia and crossing the bridge (as I did yesterday), I headed deep into the forest wading through the deep snow. It wasn't long before I reached Poiana Regala where I climbed up the lookout post to look down over the valley of Sinaia, unfortunately the views were hidden by the thick mist. As I continued on my way passing some chalets, I had a few problems trying to locate the steps down towards the Prahova Valley, as everything was covered in deep snow. When eventually I did find the steps and clambered down I was greeted by three very large boisterous dogs, which nearly knocked me over! Soon two men appeared (one spoke a little English), and so I introduced myself and explained that I intended to hike to Caraiman Cabana. I got the impression they thought I was a little crazy with all the snow! They pointed me in the right direction, continuing along a dirt track before heading back into the forest.

 The Sinaia Monastery in Sinaia

 

Sinaia

Sinaia

 

Toboggans in Sinaia

 

Pine forests heading out of Sinaia

Pine forests heading out of Sinaia

Looking down over Sinaia - Poiana Regala

Looking down over Sinaia - Poiana Regala

Poiana Regala - Sinaia

Poiana Regala - Sinaia

After walking along the dirt track for a while (with the very friendly dogs in tow!), I then headed back into the forest and started climbing again. The snow was really deep and I wasn't entirely sure I was heading in the right direction as I saw no signs or markings. I decided to head back down and continued walking further along the dirt track for a while. As I reached the bend in the road, I came across a group of mountaineering rescue guides clearly in the middle of a training course! They confirmed I had headed in the right direction earlier, but told me it was too dangerous to continue and I would be better off taking public transport to Bușteni, and then hiking from there. After a little consideration I decided to take their advice and head back the way I came and back down to Sinaia. As I approached the chalets again I was greeted by the very boisterous dogs again, which were a bit of a hindrance as I tried to clamber back up the steps in the deep snow! It didn't seem to take too long to descend through the forest and back to Sinaia. I made it back into town by midday.

After some thought I decided I would catch a train to Brașov, and so I made my way to the train station where I was in luck as the next train was due to leave at 12:50 pm. I purchased a 2nd class ticket for 17.5 lei and had time for a coffee at the café on the platform, (with more friendly dogs hanging around!)

Sinaia Train Station

Sinaia Train Station

It was great to board the train and relax in a nice warm carriage as I was a little tired after my short hike. The views along the way were quite spectacular with the snow-capped mountains in the distance.

I arrived in Brașov at 2 pm and once outside the train station I spotted the #4 bus and quickly purchased a ticket from the nearby kiosk (2 lei) and jumped on board knowing it would take me to Parc Central. It wasn't long before I reached the centre and with my guide book at hand I soon found the Aro Hotel and paid 54 lei for a room (with shared bathroom). It wasn't the prettiest of rooms, but quite cheap for the centre of Brașov and the reception staff were all very friendly and accommodating.

Brașov

I later headed off in search of a restaurant as I was really hungry. I decided to visit the restaurant called Gustari (near Black Church) as it had a good write up in my guide book. I ordered Ciorba Taraneasca de Vacuta (pork soup) which was very nice followed by a mixed grill with fries (extra) which was a little disappointing (and the meat was cold). The overall cost for the meal including a beer and a cappuccino was 55 lei.

Ciorba Taraneasca de Vacuta in Brașov

I spent the last hour of daylight walking around Brașov before heading back to my hotel with a caramel and vanilla covrigi, which was very tasty!

My plans for tomorrow are to catch a train to Zărnești and then hike all the way to Plaiul Foii.

Day 3 - Bucharest to Sinaia (by train)

I was up early after very little sleep during the night as I think there was a lot of talking down at the reception area until the early hours. I was too scared to use my ear plugs for fear of missing my train!

On arrival at the train station I bought some covrigi for breakfast and a coffee from the café next door to McDonalds, (so much cheaper!). My Train was already at the platform, and I boarded it with plenty of time to spare.

The train finally left a little late, stopping at quite a few stations along the way. Half way into the journey it started to snow which was great to see, as some of the views were quite spectacular from the window. I arrived in Sinaia at 9:20 am. Once outside the station (and wrapped up well), I headed south along Bulevardul Carol I, and made my way to the Paltinis Hotel, but was soon told they were closed for the winter! I then decided to visit the hotel next door called 'Bulevard' where I was greeted by a very friendly man. I bargained at 50 lei for a single room and when I was shown the room I was suitably impressed. I had my own bathroom, fridge, TV and Wi-Fi! It was also nice the room didn't smell of stale cigarette smoke either!

 Sinaia Train Station - Prahova County

After settling in my hotel, I decided to head out and walk to Dimitrie Ghica Park which was very pleasant. I then continued further up the hill and made my way to Peles castle which was unfortunately closed for the winter, but I did have a good wander around the grounds. I bought some nougat at one of the few stalls which was open for business, before heading further up the hill (as far as the sign telling of the dangers of bears!). On the way up it had started to snow quite heavy and by the time I entered the forest all around was a blanket of white.

 War Cemetery in Sinaia - Prahova County

 Toboggans in Sinaia - Prahova County

 Peles Castle in Sinaia - Prahova County

 Peles Castle in Sinaia - Prahova County

 Sinaia - Prahova County

Sinaia - Prahova County

Beware of the Bears! - Sinaia (Prahova County)

After I short while spent in the forest I decided to head back down the hill and back into town. I was really hungry and whilst waking along Bulevardul Carol I, I decided to visit the restaurant called La Cervac (if I remember?) and ordered Fasole cu Cârnaţi (sausage and beans), which was absolutely delicious (23 lei). Unfortunately I had to quickly finish my meal towards the end, as a couple entered the restaurant and sat nearby and both started to smoke! Not sure why they felt the need to sit so close to me as the restaurant was empty! After my meal I crossed the road and visited a very nice café and ordered a posh cake and a coffee (9 lei). It was a great little place to relax and read for a while.

Fasole cu Cârnaţi - Sinaia (Prahova County)

 

Before heading back to my hotel I decided to buy a few provisions for my planned hike in the morning. (My plan is the hike to Caraiman Cabana and over to Bran over 2/3 days, however with the weather deteriorating quite dramatically I may have to rethink my plans.) One of the things I needed was some methylated spirits for my camping stove. After having no luck with any of the small supermarkets, I visited a small wooden hut where I man was selling alcohol. I explained to him what I needed and he soon presented me with a bottle of 'Sorana' which appeared to be some form of alcohol used to dress wounds which also had a rather fetching picture of a sexy nurse on the label! I thought for the price of 6.5 lei I might as well give it a go!

Back at my hotel room I tested my stove with the bottle of 'Sorana' and I was very delighted to discover it worked a treat! I was also grateful for the central heating in my room as it was clearly getting very cold outside and the snow was continuing to fall.

Day 2 - Bucharest

I had a good night's sleep, even though I had a street lamp shining into my room all night! (My room only had a net curtain!) After leaving my hotel, my first task was to find a bank to exchange some of my English currency. The first bank I visited wasn't interested, but when I visited a Raiffeisen bank they were more than happy to accept my English currency. With the wonderful polymer banknotes in my pocket, I headed back towards the train station as I wanted to book a train out of Bucharest in the morning. (I'd decided yesterday I wanted to first visit Sinaia.)

On arrival at the ticket kiosk I was actually quite amazed at how few people were around, as it was a Monday morning. I purchased my ticket for Sinaia without any issues for the fee of 19 lei (2nd class) and the train is due to leave in the morning at 6:35 am and should arrive at 9:14 am. I then returned to my hotel and decided to pay for another night (90 lei), as I really couldn't be bothered to look for anywhere cheaper for the sake of one night.

I first headed into town to explore Bucharest and on the way I decided to knock on the door again at the Oblik Hostel, but unfortunately there was still no answer. I bought some covrigi for breakfast and then made my way over to the huge Palace of the Parliament and walked the full circumference around the building. I noticed there was a huge police and security presence, and when I enquired about taking a look inside I was told it was closed to tourists for the next three days. After taking a few photographs I made my way over to the historic quarter which was very nice, although it did all look a little expensive.

Palace of the Parliament

 Graffiti in Bucharest

After relaxing at the Serendipity Tea House for a while which was a great place to chill with a nice cup of tea, I headed back towards my hotel and decided to knock on the door of the Oblik Hostel for one last time. I was a little surprised when I lady opened the door! I introduced myself and she seemed to recognise my name straight away. She told me she had been in hospital all through the night and most of the day. I made it clear I wasn't particularly impressed and just left, as I couldn't really understand why she couldn't have organised somebody else to have greeted me? Even a small note pinned to the door would have helped!

Before heading back to my hotel I bought some food from the nearby shop to take back with me.