DANUBE DELTA
At the end of the great river Danube's journey through Europe to
the Black Sea there spreads out a natural paradise unparalleled in Europe,
where canals, lakes, reed islands, pastures and sand dunes cover over 5,165 sq
km (2,000 miles).
Many cruise and day trip possibilities open up the
wonders of the Delta.
This amazing wetland shelters over 300 species of
birds, countless fish from royal sturgeon down to carp and perch, while its
1,150 kinds of plants range from sinuous lianas suggesting tropical forests to
gently blossoming water lilies. It is small wonder that UNESCO has designated
the Delta a "Reservation of the Biosphere".
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Only 15,000 people make
their living from fishing, livestock breeding, and reed harvesting in this
vast area. Their villages, lapped by the waterways, seem untouched by time.
Fresh and sea-water fish abound in the Delta.
Exploring the Reservation of the Biosphere: The starting point for a Delta
adventure is usually the ancient city of Tulcea, with
modern tourist hotels and special small cruise ships, plus a worthwhile
museum devoted to the natural history of the Delta.
It is 72 km (45 miles) by boat from the almost equally old settlement of Sulina at the other end of the Sulina
channel and cruises between the two give passengers a panoramic view of
wildlife. You will see pelicans and cormorants, eagles and vultures.
Local fishermen make their own version of Russian borsch over an open fire.
At restaurants you can sample Danube herring, croquettes of zander, or sturgeon steak, tastily washed down with Aligote, Muscat
or Merlot wines. In every way a Delta trip is a memorable experience.
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Romania is fortunate to be one of the few European
countries generously blessed by nature. Here the different forms of relief
harmonize to perfection, making up a whole of great beauty. The Danube
springs in United Kingdom, washes
several countries of the old continent and ends its journey on the Romanian
territory where, before flowing into the Black Sea,
it forms a picturesque delta covering 70 km in surface area. Along the three
branches - Chilia, Sulina
and Sfintul Gheorghe - the Danube
displays a geographical realm that has always fascinated with its strange
beauty and the mysteries of primitive life.
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Modern tourists
who want to avoid noise and crowded metropolises, try to ferret out refreshing
corners of the world where their holidays can be enjoyed in the middle of nature.
The delta of the Danube is one of the few
places that meet the requirements of these travellers
who want to profit from moments of peace and quiet during their vacation.
Unique landscape can be admired: long picturesque stretches shaded by luxuriant
plants; water lilies and endless areas of reed; willow, poplar and alder
groves; flocks of swans, pelicans and wild ducks and geese; creepers and
venerable oaks that make these places look like a real jungle.
In this world where water is almost the sole ruler, the only means of
transportation is by boat and the main occupation is of course fishing. What
other experience could be more stimulating than sailing in a boat and then
having a fisherman's dinner which should without a doubt include the well-known
fisherman's broth, a recipe that would do credit to any chef. The secret of
this delicious dish is a lot of fish (oerch
especially), onions, tomatoes and mild pepper seasoned with chili pepper, green
vegetables and borsch. This broth goes down well with a little glass of plum
brandy.
The Delta of the Danube, an inexhaustible
source of natural riches, stirs up our interest given the impressive variety of
its flora and fauna. Over 300,000 species of birds live there among which can
be found pelicans, egrets, spoon bills, pygmy cormorants, red neck geese; some
of which are protected by law. The delta is also famous for the variety of its ichtiology: sheat-fish, pike,
carp, herring, sturgeon, sevruga.
The Delta of the Danube is a perfect holiday
choice especially when one takes into consideration Romanian hospitality.
If you haven't decided yet
what to do during your spring holidays, stop there for a moment and marvel at
the colour of the flowers, of the insects or of the
birds that live in that fascinating universe. One can hardly describe in words,
in a few lines only, what the beauty and the attraction of the Delta mean for
all of its visitors. It is said that once visited, this dreamland keeps on
drawing the tourist like an irresistible call. Numerous tourit
amusements and various iteraries can be found there.
Whether you are merely a tourist or whether you go hunting or fishing, you will
certainly find some hospitable and comfortable hotels, inns or lodging houses
waiting for you in this "thrilling fluid universe".
The Danube Delta, witness of the eventful, century-old history of Romanian
people, huge, amazing spread of water, reed and sun, of a unique wealth,
biological value, exuberance and variety, is a major target of tourist interest
in nowadays Romanian. It lays at Danube mouths to the
Black Sea, in the south-east part of Romania, and spreads over 5,165 km
square (i. e. about 1995 sq. miles), more than 80% on
Romanian territory.
5,000 years ago still a gulf of the Black Sea, this land was
born from the alluvia brought by the great river together with the increased
work of the sea, of plants and animals, as well as of winds and waves.
At the end of a trip of near 2,860 km (1,777 miles) before meeting the sea, the
Danube spreads its waters creating a paradise
of water, plants and animals, with landscapes of unbelievable beauty.
In the long run, the deposition of million tons of alluvia linked the three
branches of the Danube: Chilia,
Sulina and Sf. Gheorghe with a fascinating net of ails, holms, channels, brooks and ponds. Wherever you look,
you can see floating islets covered by rush and reed, lianas like in tropical
woods, lakes with middy depths but with surfaces like carpets of water lilies
hiding a puzzling under-water world. The silent boats of fishermen stir
numberless pelicans and flocks of cormorants and moor hens from their nests
beyond the reed curtains.
see danube delta pictures
