At a Loss

How can I blog about this recent travel experience when I only tiptoed into other countries, other cultures, for a few days? My husband and I traveled on a river boat on the lower Danube River from Romania on the Black Sea, through Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria.

For the most part we were in the capitals, the largest cities in each country. We had wonderful, informed local tour guides who filled us with their history, past and present. These are my overall impressions, for what they are worth. What all of these countries in Eastern Europe had in common were centuries of wars, domination and oppression, beginning with the Romans and Turks to the more modern times under Hitler and Communism.

The scars of Communism are still visible in Romania and Bulgaria. There are hundreds of vacant factory buildings dotting the land, abandoned when the Soviets left after four decades. Stray dogs are everywhere, even in Bucharest, many of them discarded when the citizens were forced off of their land and homes and herded into tiny, sterile apartments in the city, a calculated way for their foreign leaders to keep a close watch on their helpless, uprooted victims. Today there are signs of hope and renewal. I saw numerous, beautiful parks in all of the cities, tended by what I was told were many volunteers. There are men and women vigorously cleaning and sweeping the streets, perhaps one way to sweep away the painful memories of years of oppression. Historic building are being restored, at times by hand, one brick at a time. There is little sign of modern equipment on the farms. The farmers are using horse and wagon, pitching the crops by hand. There is a brain drain in some of these countries. Because the unemployment rate is high the educated young men and women are seeking jobs elsewhere. Many of the them seem eager to return to their homeland one day, hopeful that their struggling democracies will improve in time and offer them opportunities for a good life under a freely elected government.

Driving through Bulgaria I could see litter everywhere in the countryside. Our guide told us that after the Communists left their country, many thought that one sign of freedom was to throw stuff anywhere and suffer no consequences. In most of these countries they are struggling with the idea of freedom, many torn between the "security" under the communist rule and the struggle and conflict that comes with democracy. Freedom comes at a price that some of the older generation are unwilling or unable to accept after a lifetime of having someone dictate their job and their life. Whenever I think of Bulgaria, I will think of their roses. They are the biggest producers of roses. From roses come their lotions and perfumes. Rose oil is one of their major exports. It takes 3000 kilos of red petals to make on liter of rose oil and 5000 kilos of white roses. Bulgaria is the "Country of Roses".

I thought I was at a loss for words about my travels, (not good for a blog person), but I realize that I was feeling overwhelmed by information overload and I needed some time and freedom from jet lag to process  my thoughts and feelings.  I have a bit more to say about my visits to the other countries along the Danube. The rest can wait for another day.