Barzava – Deva – 100 kilometres
In the morning, I fixed the slow puncture that had been giving
trouble for some time. Afterward, we made our way toward Barzava.
The countryside was fascinating, with small communities scattered
throughout. We saw real-life Roma with horse carts and elderly ladies
dressed in black. It reminded me of something from a forgotten era.
However, the Roma were a tad disappointing as they weren’t dressed
like I had imagined. Think long, bright, flowery skirts and blouses
adorned by gold coins and headscarves.
Cycling was challenging and sometimes downright dangerous as the
traffic was hectic, and the main road was jam-packed with trucks of
all shapes and sizes. Nevertheless, the rural villages were quiet, and
residents found us as different as we found them. Generally,
communities only had basic facilities. Water was collected from a
communal well and farmers worked the field by hand. Filling our
water bottles took lowering a bucket into the well and then bringing
the full bucket up using a pulley system.
Our overnight stay was in Deva, situated on the left bank of the
Mures River and dominated by the ruins of a citadel perched atop a
hill.