Alba Iulia

The first attempt to come to Alba Iulia by bus was unsuccessful on Monday. The requested bus companies refuse to take Rango on board or only allow it with a cage or in the luggage compartment (!?). So I spend another night with Berti and Reka, as there is no reasonable train connection available on the same day.

On Tuesday afternoon (12.09.2017) we continue our journey by train to Alba Iulia via Teiuş. Once arrived in Alba Iulia, we head directly towards the center and the Cetate. According to a website and my map, there should be a camping option at the Ryma Cultural Center. Unfortunately, the internet entry is outdated, camping has not been possible there for 2 years. In conversation with two waiters, I am advised to try my luck a bit further out at the Panoramic restaurant. On the way there, I decide to check out a few hostels. That's when I start talking to a woman who apparently wants to offer me a room. With the help of her daughter, we can communicate and the supposed room turns out to be a private apartment. Consisting of a hallway, bathroom, kitchen and living room with balcony, it offers a magnificent view of the fortress grounds from the 6th floor. It's a bit above my budget, but too tempting to resist. So I get a small dinner sponsored, take a walk around the block with Rango, and then enjoy the evening on the panoramic balcony.

I start Wednesday with an extensive walk through the outskirts of Alba. Besides tower blocks, some churches, and typical Eastern European small town structures, I couldn't find anything worth mentioning. I'm back in the apartment in the early afternoon and enjoy a cup of coffee on the balcony. In the evening, I head back to Alba Carolina Fortress with Dicken. There you can find a university, several cathedrals, a few museums, tennis courts, pubs & bars, a hotel, allotment gardens, and all of that behind or inside the well-preserved fortress walls. A very heterogeneous place. Many of the freshly renovated buildings are illuminated at night, giving them a completely different appearance. A beautiful spot. Late in the evening, I'm back in the apartment. I enjoy a small dinner and then end the day on the balcony.