October 17: The Iron Gate Gorge & Golubak Fortress

 Morning Scenic Sailing

We were told to set our clocks back an hour last night despite NOT leaving the port in Romania.  Everyone was confused to a degree but the ship began operating on Central European Time this morning since that's where we will end up this afternoon.  But the highlight of the morning - and for me it's been the signature moment I've looked forward to was the sailing past the carved rock of Kind Decebalus, the last king of Dacia who resisted the Romans as long as he could until the Romans prevailed in 106AD under Emperor Trajan.  King Decebalus opted to slit his own throat rather than be captured by the Romans when the battle and war was lost.  It was a gray and chilly morning on the top deck, but there is nothing like the scenic sailing on a European river!

Coffee with a view

Muted sunrise on the Danube

First look at the king

Required selfie by Romanian law (I think I heard that!)

The king up close and personal

Medieval monastery on the bend

Close-up of the monastery

Exiting the gorge

A cave fortress

Golbak Fortress

At 1:30 a large portion of the guests had left for their optional excursions.  We originally intended to go on one but with the adjusted schedule the new plan was if you did not do the optional then you got three plus hours of sailing on the Danube, so we opted for the sailing and had a leisurely afternoon.  We arrived around 5pm and toured the reconstructed fortress.  It was a short excursion and only a five minute walk from the ship.  Even Kim said, "That was a nice fort" :)

Close-up of the fortress

The picture doesn't do this justice - it's over 125 steps up and the five tall towers like this were designed with the entrance to one tower on the inside of the fortress, the entrance to the adjacent tower on the outside so invaders would have to climb all the way up, go all the way down and all the way back up

The obligatory photo :)