Smida Jazz Festival

As hoped, I can have breakfast in the sun again on Friday (25.08.2017). A short time later, a car comes from the road and turns into the neighboring property. There are plenty of beehives there and after a short chat with the beekeeper, I can buy a jar of forest honey. After packing up, today's route leads me from Poiana Horea northwards towards Lacul de acumulare Beliş-Fântânele. At first, it goes uphill again and then downhill to almost Giurcuța de Sus. At the entrance to the village, I speak to a cyclist who seems to come from the village with his son. The quintessence of the short conversation is that the next small shop can be found in Doda Pilii and there is a jazz festival in Smida over the weekend. The descent to Giurcuța is not worth it. So we set off for Doda Pilii. Shortly after we start walking in the shady forest, Rango disappears and no one responds to my calls. I decide to keep walking somewhat relaxed. After about 10 minutes, I turn back. Another 10 minutes later, the big guy reappears - as if nothing had happened. For the next few kilometers, he stays on a leash - he can't handle too much freedom. About halfway to the Konsum, the opportunity arises to ride in a car. At noon, I had declined a ride on the back of a truck, now the jazz festival is tempting and I take advantage of the opportunity. Although the driver is not fluent in English or German, we manage to have a small exchange during the quarter of an hour together. Arriving in Doda Pilii, we head straight to the Mixtmarket. I replenish our supplies and treat myself to some coffee and ice cream. On the terrace of the shop, I start talking to a young man. He is on his way to the jazz festival and is waiting for his friends. He has covered the journey from Cluj by bicycle (about 80 hilly kilometers). After sharing a beer, we decide to head towards Smida and look for a suitable camping spot. The first attempt leads us to a marshy section on the Someşul Cald riverbank, which is definitely unsuitable. We decide to wait for his friends and then make another attempt together. Shortly afterwards, Sissy's (nickname of my newly found companion) girlfriend Sandra and Sylvie arrive in Smida. After finding a suitable camping spot not far from the festival area, we set up our camp and I am invited to a small dinner. The three go to the festival, and I join them about half an hour later. The festival is bigger than I expected, so it takes a while to find the three of them. After that, we spend a long evening with mostly good music. The rapidly dropping temperatures can be countered with the help of the schnapps from Gelu and Ioanna, and after the last band, a detour to a bonfire helps to warm up. I return to the tent shortly before three o'clock and keep Rango company for the rest of the night.

Saturday morning mostly goes by without us. I don't get out of my sleeping bag until about 10:00 am and use the peace and quiet to take a little stroll by the water. Back at the tent, we have a small breakfast, and then we head to Doda Pilii to replenish our beer and food supplies. We relax on the terrace of the small shop with coffee and cake. In the afternoon, more friends of my camping neighbors join us, and a relatively large group sets off for swimming and fishing towards the reservoir. I try to fish with a float and grasshopper, but quickly switch to spin fishing. Vlad catches one perch after another right next to us using the same method. I don't catch any perch with spin fishing, but I land a small trout - my only catch of the day. I spend the evening at the tent with a small campfire and good food. The rest of the camp crew is at the festival grounds, but they come back relatively early to warm up. The skinned and then fried perch also tastes delicious late at night.

On Sunday morning (August 27, 2017), I offer Rango a lovingly prepared rice pan with tomatoes, cheese, and some perch. The big guy doesn't even taste it - very disappointing. I spend the day shopping in Doda Pilii, as well as swimming and fishing at the reservoir. Sissy, Sandra, and Sylvie have to return to Cluj in the evening, so we exchange numbers and plan to meet again when I arrive there. I also receive a bottle of palinka (homemade plum brandy from his parents) as a gift from Sissy. I spend the evening by the fire again, with good music and delicious food.

Originally, I had planned to continue the march on Monday, but in the course of the morning, I decide to stay for another day. The weather is not so great and I'm quite behind on my travel reports. Apart from a trip to the surrounding forests, not much else happens on this day.