Later, Remembering …
The people I’ve met so far in Hungary, Croatia and Serbia seem doggedly cheerful and resilient. They make no secret of their pressing concerns about what is going on in their respective countries. Upheavals, protests, cataclysmic political change. Hungarians in Buda, the oldest part of town, show anguished faces when speaking of dictator Viktor Orban. They did the same last year, in Pest (where we stayed on my first visit), the more modern part of the city.
As before, I saw numerous well–armed policemen and women, stationed in pairs or small groups along the streets. They wear grim or bored expressions. They seem unapproachable. I have seen some of them shivering on my early morning walks. It’s cold sometimes!
Back to Beograd … Tomorrow on our last day in the city. We move downriver to Golubac Fortress, on the right-hand side of the Danube as we approach the Iron Gate area, spectacular gorges that lead us to Bulgaria.
The Golubac Fortress is a splendid medieval pile, formidable guardian of the Danube, huge imposing gray stone, like a gloomy castle. We “parked” for a while so anyone who wished might explore it or simply walk around (my own choice). It was built to ward off (or intercept) invaders from either direction – and Balkan history is richly packed with invaders of every ilk!
On the way down the river earlier today, the winds were wonderfully wild. Exciting like being home in Wyoming! Raining off and on, rough river waves leaping high above the small window (just at water line) near the ceiling of my stateroom. Later – calmer and warmer, found a seat Top Deck, with a perfect view of the old fortress.
Met a Viking employee (50’s?) of evident Asian heritage who briskly walks many, many laps of the walking path up there. Finishing her workout, she stopped to help right my chair as the wind seized it when I rose to watch a bird land on the roof of the wheelhouse (or whatever the captain’s lair is called). We naturally fell into conversation as the wind blew our hair around our faces …
Turns out she lives in New Hampshire where I have a treasure house of special memories and associations! Of course we each shared our stories, most especially common memories of time spent on Lake Winnipesaukee, our love of listening to the loons on moonlit nights, sail-boating, swinging our legs off the dock, drinking our morning coffee: universal sorts of pleasure…
I think she is one of the people who keep our ship spotlessly clean – mostly when we are not around. My own special admiration is for the women who wash the staircases by hand several times a day. I was thinking of that when this hard-working 90-lb wonder gave me a warm hug as she returned to work.
I am glad she has friends to bring her to the lake in N.H. I suspect she herself was not heir to one of those family cottages along Lake W – as my surrogate son Seth’s large, old New Hampshire family was. And as I’ve been blessed by others’ generous hospitality, I suspect my N.H. Viking worker friend may have been as well.
Cleaned house for a woman east of Dubois, Wyoming, where I lived (1976 – 2010) who also needed her staircase washed by hand – but only once a week!! My wage was $4 per hr. It’s one of the ways I saved up to take my Viking trip last year. The staircase cleaners bring back memories!
After breakfast this morning I felt compelled to seek out the head chef, that diminutive, shining soul with a musical last name – Indonesian, perhaps? – lots of warm vowels, which ripple along the airways like a tender arpeggio. He has a radiant look.
Last evening, this chef, while helping me down the stairs, eagerly recommended to me his planned specialty for tomorrow – a Serbian Chicken-something, with steamed vegetables, roasted potato chunks, special seasonings… so I ordered it at dinner and it was wonderful.
I wanted to thank him in person this morning. So I did. He seemed pleased.
If you have just come to the journey at this point, please start the chronicle from the beginning to learn the rest of Lyndie’s fascinating story.
Lyndie sacrificed the experience of a previous journey on the Danube, for which she spent most of her life savings, to help a blind companion who had fallen ill. You can read more about this in Chapter 3.
Friends and strangers have raised nearly $3000 to help Lyndie (re)live her ruined dream of a trip to Eastern Europe. We are still working to restore her depleted savings. To learn more and (if you can) contribute any amount, please click here.
Lyndie's Journey 