Lacul Babadag

The Friday (10.11.2017) starts again drizzling and cloudy. No reason to hurry. I have breakfast calmly and bake some bread on the side. In the meantime, I am visited by the Romanian authorities. After my personal details have been checked and I assure them that I will dismantle the tent on the same day, the two officers let me go. We are ready to go by one o'clock and head back into the Romanian forests. Our route today takes us from Ciucurova to the south, which is not easy to find the right path among the many possible paths in the forest. The next village we reach is called Făntăna Mare. At the entrance to the village, there are several properties with a variety of beehives. In the middle of the village, I try to ask for a coffee. I am told to take a seat in front of a kind of garage, and the coffee will come in half an hour. Said and done, and the host arrives punctually at his establishment and serves me a cup of hot coffee. It is now shortly after four and it starts drizzling again. I decide to casually ask the group of locals who have gathered here for overnight accommodation. I am lucky and Marian invites me to his home. After a beer together, we drive to Marian's place. We are warmly welcomed by his visibly surprised wife, Maria, and any skepticism towards Rango quickly disappears. The young couple (he 32, she 34) live in a typical rented house for the area. Inside, several wood-burning stoves provide cozy warmth. There is electricity in the house, but only water in the courtyard. A small garden is used for growing vegetables, and a rabbit as well as several cats and dogs have their home here. The two have a daughter who is currently attending school in Bucharest. They both consider themselves poor, sometimes having difficulty paying the rent for their accommodation and have had to move several times as a result. Marian only finds work in the black market after trying his luck in Italy and Germany. In the evening, we are served bean soup with bread and pickled vegetables. Alongside, there is homemade wine stored in two large wooden barrels in the shed. Despite the language barrier, we spend a very enjoyable evening together.

Saturday morning starts early, Maria serves fresh coffee at seven o'clock. After having a light breakfast, we say goodbye warmly and I set off with Rango just before eight o'clock. We pass meadows, forests, and fields towards Slava Rusă. Sunny weather is already announced at the beginning of the tour, which should last until evening. Just before reaching the town, there is a monastery where I refill my drinking water and ask for a place to wash myself. The priest then explains to me that this is a monastery and not a hotel. Well, it was worth a try. We continue walking to Slava Rusă, I take a look at the excavation site of Cetadea Ibida, and treat myself to a little snack in town. Afterwards, we continue towards Babadag. There is a large lake on the outskirts of the town. I hope for a cozy camping spot and the opportunity to swim there. After another hour of walking, we can hitch a ride on a small truck. The kind person takes us almost to the lakeside. There, I set up the tent in an idyllic spot, wash myself in the lake, and enjoy the evening sun.

On Sunday morning (12.11.2017), I set up my solar panel at sunrise and retreat to the sleeping bag. The past few days, I have already developed a few blisters, so I decided to take a break. My spare battery is also almost empty, so the timing is right. After a brunch, I set off for Babadag in the early afternoon for a coffee and a small shopping trip. On the way back to the tent, I pass through a mostly Roma inhabited neighborhood and am accompanied by a horde of children. In the evening, I have a stew for dinner, before peace settles by the Lacul Babadag.

On the following day, I relax in the warm tent by the lakeside under sunny weather. There is not much more to do than going on another trip to Babadag and the surrounding area, so we have replenished some energy for the next stages.