Romania day 2

All hopes for a shower in morning were dashed when nothing but glugging sounds came from the taps. Lonely Planet really got it wrong this time.

Quite a bit of snow had fallen over night and was still falling. I had a bit of time before I was due to catch my train so I took a last stroll around Brasov. I explored the old walls of the town. I got a different perspective on the city. Brasov was wedged in between 2 hills, partly riding up one of them. When the city was 'modernised' in the 19C it wasn't convenient to create the new roads that towns then (and now) needed so instead of a ring road, the old main road of the old town was expanded. This had the negative effect of ripping out a lot of the character of the city centre but preserved the sections of the city on the hill side walls. From above the city on the hill the older character of the town was more visible.

After my walk I took the train to Sighisoara. The train journey from Brasov took me through a white winter's landscape. I was always on the lookout for cycling paths, the roads looked terrible. Many of the ones that could be seen from the train window were of dirt, cycling would have been a nightmare. Though I'd still love to have done it, it annoys me so to not travel by bike.

Sighisoara is lovely. I tried to get a room at the Lonely Planet 'author's pick'. Given that the place in Brasov was also an 'author's pick' I'm glad that they were full. The Elena Hostel was a nice place though not in the thick of the old town, I got a friendly reception and a nice warm room. After installing myself I headed into the citadel/old town, which was situated on a strategic hill. With plenty of room below the hill and nothing better to do with the space occupied by the old town it survived intact.