Romania

Before joining our ship we visited Dracula's lair in Transylvania. The cruise took us through Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia and Hungary. All were Communist before 1989. All are now members of the EU except Serbia. Serbia and Croatia fought a war as part of the break up of the former Yugoslavia. Bucharest has developed considerably since the demise of the appalling Ceasescu's. Yet some 30% of the population vote PSD a party dominated by ex Communists.Educated youth often leave to find work. Leonard Miron, our Programme Director, gave a graphic and succinct account of growing up under Communism: including photos of the queuing for food necessitated by the export of local produce to pay off the country's debts.. Despite the continued fall out from Communism, Romania is moving fast in the right direction.

Bulgaria

We had two stops in Bulgaria and saw limited evidence of progress. Nevertheless the country appears stable. After dominatiion by the Ottomans, involvement in four wars during the 20th century and Soviet domination after 1945, Bulgaria has clearly opted in to the new Europe.

Serbia

Belgrade has many fine buildings and they are mostly in good condition. The government is working towards EU accession nd there is majority support particularly from younger people. There is a long way to go before they can meet EU entry requirements. There is still evidence of NATO bombing in the city centre. Kosovo , now under the control of the UN. Remains an unresolved matter. Yet the country does seem committed to democracy. There seems little appetite for the nationalistic grandstanding that characterised the Milosovic regime There is evidence of a more open society.

 Croatia

The Damatian coastal. area  fully integrated to the modern market economy. Dubrovnik is one of the jewels   the crown of our Eurppean heritage. The country is on track for entry into the Eurozone by 2020. However, we saw a different Croatia. Vukovar endured  siege lasting 87 days in 1991. The town has been rebuilt mostly: though there remains much evidence of the fighting, A majority of the inhabitants are Croat but there is a large Serb minority. This is a divided town: as is Osjiek the capital of Savonia province.

Hungary

The country  is full integrated into EU systems and will join the Eurozone shortly. There has though been a tendency towards authoritarian government and rising support for extremist organisations. Hungary has a Schengen border and immigration from Syria and elsewhere is a major concern. However, the Budapest seen on television at  time of the 1956 uprising has been transformed utterly. Budapest now stands  with Paris, Berlin and Vienna as one of the great European cities.

Danube

!inking all of these countries is the river Danube. Over centuries the Ottomans followed he line of the Danube all the way to the gates of Vienna. Today all of them barring Serbia are committed to NATO and the EU. They look with optimism to a future of peace, prosper and freedom. Communism pis dead but, as Karl Marx put it, the 'spectre of Communism haunts us' still.

Reading

 Between the time of the 1867 compromise and the Balkan wars. These countris experienced a period of calm. This is is the setting  For thrTransylvanian trilogy published  in 1930 by Count Miklos Banphy. The titles are:

They were counted

They were found wanting

Tgey were divided.

the author was Count Miklos Banffffy (1873  - 1950)

CReference: the Book of Daniel chapter 5 verses 25 - 30.