As so often in Romania, things are not as they seem nor as you have been told.
The necessary legal documents to buy the ‘dream house’ (see previous post) were not in order as we had been assured they were and, more important, the elderly lady – D-na Saveta – owning it has two daughters, one of whom was keen for her to sell it but the other – who wasn’t answering the phone or communicating in any way – didn’t want her to sell it at all it turned out. She needs ‘permission’, and a legal agreement, from both to sell it.
We haven’t yet given up entirely but it seems unlikely; to get the documents in order would take at least a year (though that time scale would not be a problem for us).
Tomorrow we’re hoping to have another chat with D-na Saveta after erecting the tents in the garden here to dry as we packed them rather damp in Săliște. It should be sunny here tomorrow morning.
The route back – first part
So, we are back in the Bucovina having spent about a week in Săliște, Sibiu, returning to Iași on Thursday. The villages and small towns around the city of Sibiu are quite wonderful with their multi-coloured, well maintained saș (saxon) architecture. I put a few pix on my Facebook journal, Dusty2Romania, but Petronela has put far more on her Facebook. Having ‘done’ the spectacular ‘Transfagărășanul’ last year we thought we’d try Romania’s highest main road – Transalpina, 2,145 metres – this year. I wasn’t so impressed though it seems extremely popular with motorcyclists and occasional cyclists.
Very noticable throughout Romania was a massive increase in the number of cyclists – lycra, helmets and all – not only foreign tourists but many Romanians.
Back in Bucovina
We arrived at my ‘honorary grandmother’s’ house, just 7km before Câmpulung Moldovenesc, a couple of hours ago. We will leave most probably on Monday to follow the route shown above rather than the way we came, via Baia Mare, Sighet and Borșa, so then skirting the Ukrainian border. There is camping at the spa town of Marghita (not named on the Google map above but the last thick black circle before the Romania/Hungary border I think) so we aim to spend a night there then on to Budapest, where we have selected another campsite.
We will then go through Budapest, hopefully avoiding the M0 motorway around the south of the city which is a really scary drive – maniac Hungarian drivers sticking 2 metres from your boot at 90mph – on the way to Austria then Germany but haven’t decided on a route yet. So far we have seen four bad accidents this trip, one on that Budapest ring road and one today on the way here from Iași which, to get round it, took us on what was really a forest footpath – fun in other circumstances.
We fancy trying to pick up the Rhine valley which we really enjoyed in the classic mini in 2006, where there were some excellent campsites. I’ll probably be able to do another post somewhere along that route.
November 11, 2017 at 9:47 am
Thank you for sharing. I love the way you work your way through information, stories and opinions. So smooth. Not quite as grumpy as I expected, but I see where you are coming from. Bradford is a shadow of its former glory
August 31, 2017 at 5:48 pm
I had a holiday in Iasi a couple of years ago, George Todica is from that City and I visited Piatra Neamt with Peter another pianist friend of ours from that Town, beautiful places, the scenery is outstanding.
August 27, 2017 at 11:18 am
Well, yes, things are not what they seem oftentimes. But loaded with a large amounts of optimism, positivism and (legal) papers we might get lucky 🙂 Here we need a lot of papers for everything, I never understood why.
I think they are not very determined to sell or maybe they want to bargain a little more.
I have told you we need to invent a word for the pain in the knees due to cycling exertion 🙂 I have noticed an increase in the number of cyclists too 🙂
Your trip back is just a dream. Drive safely! Give my best to P. XXX
August 27, 2017 at 5:53 pm
Thanks Iulia. We might look at another house on our way out of Campulung. I think the ‘papers’ thing is common to eastern Europe. You know, when I lived here, I got so frustrated with the ‘stampila’ I had one made which no-one could understand and stamped everything. It solved a lot of problems 😂😈!
August 26, 2017 at 8:20 pm
It sounds like it is here in Latvia. One sister wants to sell but other don’t. And there usually isn’t a good reason. Mostly it is – my children will live there…. If you ask children – all of them has houses or apartments they not willing to leave. Sad, but true. All you can do is wait I guess. 2 weeks usually solve a lot of things. Good luck!
August 27, 2017 at 5:56 pm
Thank you Ilze. We’re looking at other possibilities and from time to time I guess I’ll do a post about it.
August 27, 2017 at 6:18 pm
Oh, please do! I’m curious!