Saturday 14th July 2018
We could spend a few days in Sibiu exploring all the tiny medieval alleyways and fine art galleries and stately buildings. But this is a bike tour, so onward we go.
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| Good breakfast at Pensiunea Chic |
After a fine breakfast sitting in the sunshine out front of the Chic Hotel we will head north through the Apuseni National Park up towards the border with Hungary. At first we ride 50km or so west along the new A1 motorway, a lovely road that tracks along the northern edge of the Carpathian range. We turn off the highway at Sebes and ride north to Alba Iulia before taking the back roads up into the park.
It is slow going as we ride through wooded valleys and over high hilltops through the forest. There are lots of broken sections of roads with a scattering of vicious potholes to catch the unwary. The horse and cart is still a very viable means of transporting goods in these parts as the farmers get the harvest in.
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| In the hills of Apuseni National Park |
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| Local transport to contend with |
We arrive in Albac, a small village at the south east corner of the park. It is very hot and we are beginning to flag from all the concentration required in pothole-avoiding riding. We look for a likely pension but the first we try are too busy feeding the large group in their restaurant so after waiting for ten minutes in the heat of their terrace for a receptionist who doesn’t come back we get back on the bikes and head north out of town.
The next place we try say they have no rooms so we decide to ride on up into the hills.
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| Up in the hills of the Apuseni Park |
Finally as we approach the village of Belis we ride around a big lake and find a faded communist-era hotel complex that has seen better days but has a room and is comfortable enough for us. The Fantanele complex lies high above the lake of the same name. Fortunately we are placed in the first of the housing blocks so only have 50 or so steps to climb up to our room.
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| The hotel Bianca, part of the Fontanele complex |
Unfortunately all views of the lake are screened by the forest trees that grow right down to shores below us. There is a lot of logging in this forest so it’s a pity they didn’t chop down this screen. The views would have been fantastic.
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| You can just glimpse the lake through the trees |
There is a TV in the room so we watch the second half of the third place playoff game between Belgium and England. Belgium win it 2-0 so this young English team are placed fourth in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. A very creditable tournament after so many disappointments in recent World Cup history for England. This year it ain’t coming home!
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