Mamaia was a ritzy beach even in 1968, then largely colonised by loud Germans. It is a ten kilometre strand running north of Constanta with hotels, beach bars and “camping villages” – eat your heart out Frankie Howerd. It is considerably upmarket of Blackpool and nowhere near as bad as Sunny Beach, which is down … More Day 10: Constanta to Tulcea
Fighting to escape Bucharest this morning, I realise I have little inkling what it is like to actually live here. For starters, it took me ten minutes with the help of the manager of the Z Hotel (the sticking up modern building top centre above) to persuade some drivers to move their cars from completely … More Day 9: Black Sea side
Staying in the heart of Bucharest, I have a sense of both the cultural strength of Romania and its contested history. It may be 25 years since the Revolution here, but there is still a struggle for the soul of this nation. Another demonstration is taking place today outside the Government Building in the Plata … More Day 8: Capital Considerations
I stayed in Craiova because it was en route to Bucharest, but stayed on to catch the Art Museum in the morning, since I had arrived too late to gain admission. This rococo, hundred-year old former palace had hosted royalty and a variety of historical events, including the signing of the Treaty of Craiova in … More Day 7: Craiova to Bucharest
Sterling’s newfound strength in Europe made a stay at Beograd’s best Communist-era hotel, the Moskva, an acceptably modest indulgence, red carpet and gargantuan breakfast included. Not only did the nomenklatura stay there but so – according to the portraits which line the corridors – did a galaxy of stars, from Monica Vitti to Laurence … More Day 6: Beograd to Craiova
Croatia was the latest – the 28th – country to join the European Union, in July 2013. They like to herald the fact that in their referendum 66% voted for joining, but only 44% actually voted, meaning only 30% of the population expressed a positive endorsement, so they suffer from similar levels of political … More Day 5: Zagreb to Beograd
On leaving Dachau yesterday, the German equivalent to Radio 3 – BR Klassik, which also plays full works unspoiled by ads – was playing a Mozart piano concerto, which caught perfectly my reflective mood. It was followed by a Vaughan Williams piece, and then by a Klezmer romp from the David Orlowsky Trio called ‘Happiness’. … More Day 4: Salzburg to Zagreb
Germany is freighted with so much meaning, it is hard for me to unpick it all. Born just five years after the Second World War, to a family who had ‘done their bit’ both on the home front and on the high seas, it is not surprising my view was coloured from the … More Day 3: From Mainz to Dachau
Belting through Belgium, going briefly Dutch, and today in Germany, I am taking Europe at a trot, if not as a Trot. It is interesting how similar much of it is, with autoroutes smoothly transitioning to autobahns without let or hindrance, though I did notice several German police cars at the reststop on the border, … More Day 2
I left Dover at noon today as I have so many times before, the first time being in 1968. But the last time I saw the white cliffs of Dover was on television, over Nigel Farage’s shoulder, the cold one he wants us to turn on the European Union which has effectively employed him since … More Day 1
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