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The fabled Transfagarian highway


Today we were back in our element - riding over high mountain passes. The Transfagarian highway is the most famous road in Romania. It is called "Cescescue's folly" as it was built as a military road by the now despised despot on the 1970's.. It was then later "discovered" by a newer despised despot called Jeremy Clarkson  who said it was " the finest road in the world". He appeared to have made the same comment about The Stevlio pass in Italy. That's our Jeremy ! 

So anyway off we go  towards the mountains. The pass is in the distance 

 


Up we go winding up through the forest on a delightful road 

 

 

And above the tree line  following a now defunct gondola. I hope it was defunct - the cabins were not moving and looked as if they had not for a very long time. 

 

Then the pass steepens. The road was lovely. The corners were not as tight as the Stelvio  Pass which made life a lot easier and more fun for the chauffeur up front. 

 

You can see the GPS picture in the left hand corner
 

There is a tunnel at the top and then it is down the other side with an easier gradient  

 

Then hey we must be in New Zealand - there are sheep being shepparded  along the road 

 


 
We drive across the top of a gynormous hydro dam 

   

Then back into villages with their big and distinctive churches 

 

There are lots of horses and carts  interspersed amongst the modern cars 

 

 

And freshly made hay stacks 

 

 
And thus we rode into a little mountain village just near the town of Bran where we stay the night. It us just like being in Switzerland. In fact I think I even heard a cow bell !  There was thunder and lightening and heavy rain all night - rather nice to be snug in a nice hotel instead of on a bike. 

Where is Dracula?  Well that is now put back until tomorrow as we visit his home at Bran Castke. 

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