Romania

Romania was there and gone faster than you can say Timisoara. The primary destination was Timisoara where we arrived later in the evening. We scored our most lavish, 3-course meal of the trip for under $25, which we considered justifiable considering our campsite accommodation ran us $5. Dinner included probably the best appetizer I've ever had - plum tomatoes with an eggplant cream filling; a chicken entree served with a traditional mushroom sauce; and we finished with an apple and cream filled pancake that had been deep fried. Yum. Oh yea, our server was awesome, noting his appreciation of our appreciation for the simple things in life, i.e. bike riding and good bread.

Our exploration of Timisoara consisted primarily of the ride into town. The city center was quaint, featuring several nice, but not overly-lavish churches, with a good amount of public park space. We made our way onto what appeared to be the main, cobblestone pedestrian corridor of the downtown area. Many of the shops were closed as it had gotten late, but it nonetheless provided that taste of cosmopolitan living that feels so good after a long day of riding through fields.