Bike Ride, August 2008
It was August 22nd when our two minibuses and a bike trailer left Siret with four English, one Dutch and fifteen Romanians to drive to Turgu Secuiesc. The Pension Voros catered well for us and after a good sleep and omelettes all round the bikes came out and we headed for the hills of Baile Balvanyos. The lake St Ana was our destination for lunch but the climb up the mountain went on forever and we decided to give up and stop for lunch on the camp site. We almost gave up on finding the lake but Joseph was sent as scout to check the road and came back quickly to take us down. It was such a surprise to find a beautiful lake with many people swimming, boating and sunbathing. The cycling was abandoned and cooling off in the lake with great joy and much splashing was the order of the day! Wet but happy we drove onto Lacu Rosu to find our accommodation had been let! Half of us spent the night in a flat over the police station and the rest in a caravan!
The next morning was spent by the lake side watching the boats and quad bikes. The ride by the Bicaz lake side was very pleasant and we went on to Farcasa and up into the mountains to join the Christian camp where 20 children and a team of volunteers met us but the heavens opened as we arrived and the rain was so heavy we sat in the minibuses looking at the tents with fear! Soon it stopped and let us in for the sing song, evening meal and camp fire. We few English escaped to the village and found a Pension for the night. A day of rest was enjoyed by all the next day, though the rest turned out to be football, volleyball and chopping wood! One very kind lady, Anna, took pity on us and slept us adults in her lovely home in Farcasa.The bikes came out again next day and Claire was determined to get ahead and stay there. She was first in Vatre Dornei - tired but triumphant. The stay at the Baptist church was luxury after the camping.
Homeward bound now we drove up to the top of the mountain pass to the Palma monument and all the bikes shot down to Sucevita Monastery and then on back to Radauti and Siret. It has been a very happy time when troubles and worries were all forgotten. Now seven of our young people face unemployment as the Swedewood factory closed a week ago and will move into the Ukraine. There are few jobs around here and they will struggle to get work.
Beryl Beynon
Minibus setting off
Lake Ana - Cool rest for hot cyclists in Romania
Meal time at camp
Volley Ball at the Camp
One of Many Painted Monasteries at Sucevita