From The Atlantic To The Black Sea - EV6: Day 57

Today I headed further north to the city of Brăila. It is a major port town but I had read that unusually its old centre had largely escaped the ravages of communist modernisation and as such decided it might be an interesting place to visit.

With a shortish day and fewer hills than yesterday I did not rush my departure. I made good time over the flat of the first few miles, firstly through woodland and the sandy landscape of the area - parts like some strange, alien landscape of tall, rounded dunes encroaching on the road - before zig-zagging my way across the flood plain through a patchwork of green and gold. I followed quiet roads from village to village, each visible across the flatness as a distant and shimmering blur of green and red sitting against a backdrop of hills, and each with a single glittering point of light, the dome of the village church reflecting the sun.

Roadside dunes

I stopped for refreshment at the village of Traian, the shaded tables outside the shop occupied solely by men in groups, talking loudly and animatedly, each new arrival ritually greeting everyone - including me - with a handshake before sitting to join the throng. Shortly after I turned in the direction of Brăila on to 20 miles of straight, fast and busy road with no hard shoulder. It was another road I was happy to eventually get off despite the sweeping views of the countryside from its high points and the progress it allowed me to make: most Romanian drivers give you plenty of room, but there are more than enough that decide a close pass at speed with a cyclist is the preference when they are faced with oncoming traffic.

The last few miles were more comfortable, a wide hard shoulder on the new bridge across the river and on its access road distanced me from the traffic. I crossed its two kilometre span, stopping halfway to enjoy the view from high above the river; some miles distant I could see the outline of Galați, tomorrow’s first big town, its dark, industrial silhouette looking like some dystopian Gotham City. But that was for tomorrow, I still needed to finish the last half hour of today's journey.

I liked Brăila. Single storey, village like outskirts contained an old centre that was peaceful and full of character. Old buildings were around every street corner, admittedly some in serious need of refurbishment, but nevertheless the town had charm and a lovely feel about it with lots of independent cafes and restaurants on the high streets rather than the logos of international consumerism. I wandered to the old square with its bust of Trajan, an old clock tower with maritime symbols, beautiful old 19th century buildings, and a looming socialist architecture hotel across the road, an eclectic mix but one which I liked as it seemed to span key aspects of the history of the city. After dinner I walked to the more modern Independence Square, a magnet for children and families enjoying the cool air from the various fountains there. I had gone to see one in particular: the Kynetic Fountain, an imposing and beautiful stainless steel structure commissioned in 1988. The large number of water jets, varying in intensity and patterns, and the coloured lights are quite mesmerising, particularly by all accounts at night. Unfortunately I did not feel I could wait for the dark which was still some time away. In hindsight I could have enjoyed a day's rest here, there is more I would like to have seen and the city is certainly a place I could return to and for my money a city more deserving of the 'Romanian Vienna' epithet than Ruse.