May 2026. Sibiu. Central Romania. Right in the heart of Transylvania, in fact, close to Vlad Dracul’s home in Sighisoara and a string of UNESCO fortified villages. Sibiu isn’t quite as eerily characterful as Sighisoara, it’s busier and a touch more modern (Starbucks next to our hotel), but has gorgeous architecture at every turn. And… Continue reading THE BIRDS EYE VIEW FROM SAINT MARY’S EVANGELICAL CATHEDRAL IN SIBIU
DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE
May 2026. Sibiu. Romania. The Untappd check-in map tells a tale of a well-pubbed town. Some doubts I’d been having about the strength of the Romanian economy (Sighisoara and Alba Iulia were very quiet by dusk) were removed that first evening in Sibiu, as hundreds of families and gentlefolk descended on the central square to… Continue reading DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE
SIBIU. THE EYES HAVE IT
May 2026. Alba Iulia to Sibiu. Romania. Day 2, City 3 in Romania, catching the 15.29 with what might be “Corofana”, one of the many totally reliable minibuses listed on Autogari.RO Mrs RM’s blog will contain much, much more detail on travelling around Transylvania, which I predict will become the next big craze for Gen… Continue reading SIBIU. THE EYES HAVE IT
THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD AT ALBA IULIA FORTRESS
May 2026. Alba Iulia. Romania. See ! This blog isn’t all closed micros and Singapore rice. Staying overnight within the Alba Iulia fortress gave us a best spot at the changing of the Austrian guard the next morning (Press PLAY). I’ve no idea what they’re guarding, or why they’re Austrian, but I think you’ll agree… Continue reading THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD AT ALBA IULIA FORTRESS
THE HASH BROTHERS, ALBA IULIA
May 2026. Alba Iulia. A night in the fortress city of Alba Iulia, and in the citadel trenches the only craft beer in town. The fortress had received an expensive makeover (some Romanians we met were scathing about the cost) to make it look shiny for an expected flood of tourists that hadn’t quite happened… Continue reading THE HASH BROTHERS, ALBA IULIA
TAKE THE SLOW TRAIN TO ALBA IULIA
May 2026. Alba Iulia. Romania. Seven days in Romania, five (5) different cities overnight, with the alarm going off at 6am far too frequently for one of us. An hour in Cluj before heading to the station, reminiscent of one of those heritage railways in Essex that host Thomas, Percy and the local CAMRA beer… Continue reading TAKE THE SLOW TRAIN TO ALBA IULIA
CLUJ. RUM TRUFFLES AND OSCAR WILDE
May 2026. Cluj. Romania. Unexpectedly, we seemed to have a week free between “hosting” (ugh) Americans and Pep Guardiola’s farewell (of which less later). As usual, Mrs RM was on the same wavelength as me. “Week in Cluj ?“. The flights to Romania’s second city cost less the large breakfast at Stansted Spoons, which is… Continue reading CLUJ. RUM TRUFFLES AND OSCAR WILDE
THE RED HART, BLYTH. YOUR A1 LUNCH STOP
May 2026. Blyth. Nottinghamshire. Off on our latest trip south to see Dad and source blog material from Transylvania. Sis gave me a book of lunch stops off the motorways a while ago, most of them at garden centres and alpaca farms. I missed the turn for the alpacas. A man cannot live on Greggs… Continue reading THE RED HART, BLYTH. YOUR A1 LUNCH STOP
AMERICANS IN SHEFFIELD (PART II)
May 2026. Sheffield. Joan and Dave reached the end of their world tour of Yorkshire in Sheffield, stopping overnight in Retired Martin Towers to admire the beauty of our “natural” garden. The cultural tour for Americans takes in the cathedral, Millennium Galleries, Town Hall, the former newspaper HQ that now houses German Doner Kebab, and… Continue reading AMERICANS IN SHEFFIELD (PART II)
PECULIER
May 2026. Masham. North Yorkshire. Half a dozen pubs (well, two of them brewery taps) and a golf club bar for 1,205 residents of Masham; time to see if the GBG has picked the right two (the red Ps). It appears Dave and Joan joined me in not making it back to the Bay Horse… Continue reading PECULIER
retiredmartin 