19 Monday, 6.6., Schässburg (Sighisoara), 112 km

There is a nice breakfast and I start into a dull morning on the Cycle Route Nr. 2 leading through lonesome forest areas. At first there is another pass Sicas, 1000 m. At the summit there is something like a quarry. From this point we will have a stretch of 40 km unpaved road. There is one pothole aside the next, gradually filled with water for we have a pretty rain meanwhile. It would be much work to investigate the depth of each pothole before you bump into them. At one place some lumbermen just pull a mighty tree trunk just across the road. After some time I can transcend the trunk but strike my shinbone against it. At the next rest I detect some blood but it is no serious problem.

The only way to pass this road is to stay on one side on the sod. On the other hand this route is traffic free - you will know why. And it leads mostly downhill, what a joy it would be to run down here with fine weather and on a paved road. But today this is no pleasure. At last we pass a lake and thereafter the road gets slightly better. In a village I see a strange long haired creature. A sheep, a goat or dog? And where is the front and the backside? Seems to be a dog and the front side is at it's walk direction. Unfortunately the camera rests in the depth of the panniers.

I now reach a town with three tongue breaking names: Odoheiu Secuiesc or Szekelyudvarhely or Oderhellen. The first is the Romanian name. The second the Hungarian because many Hungarians have settled here as well. The third is the German name and we know that about 700 years there was a German culture at Transylvania or Siebenbürgen. Since the end of the socialism 15 years ago this traditional era was abandoned by the migration towards the golden western paradise. What a pity, it is a wonderful country. And I stand around like a drowned rat this day.

We now ride along the swollen river Tarnava Mare. I have a rest on a bridge, but after two heavy trucks have passed it at the same time I better leave this trembling construction. After a boring last stretch and an enjoyable comfortable section on the E60 we reach the town of Schässburg or Sighisoara, world heritage of the Unesco and one of the main destinations of my tour. The first photo is difficult to produce with the roaring traffic in the foreground.

Schaessburg

The main street in the city is not so busy and got its name from Hermann Oberth, a space pioneer who went to school at this town. May be this is the reason for the later progrss of space research? I look for a proper hotel. At first a local talks to me and seems to offer an accommodation. But there is no chance to understand each other. And enventually I face the Hotel Claudiu, check in for two nights and find the room of my dreams. A fast photo before all the stuff out of the panniers will spoil the nice impression.

	Hotel Claudiu	Kommunizierende Dachrinnen
	Ein Zimmer, wo alles stimmt...

Everything is perfect from the minibar to the toothbrush tumbler. Out of the window there is a nice view, not to the town panorama but to some backyards and roofs with adventurous communicating gutter constructions.

A short walk around the Stundturm (Clock Tower), the town's landmark and the dinner - another pizza - after this hardest day of the tour.

20 Tuesday, 7.6., Schässburg

We have a breakfast buffet and the lady of the reception comes down to the restaurant to check any behaviour of the hungry guest. Later I enter an Internet shop - it is still raining and so I can delete my spam mails and send some mails to family, friends and some (former) collegues.

Finally the weather gets better and we start for the obligatory inspection. Behind the Stundturm there is the Dracula building (Casa Vlad Dracula), but this is not my field of interest. Some distance ahead there is the "Schülergang" (Pupils Step), this is a roofed stairway up to the German Bergschule. Today those stairs are closed because someone produces a television exposure of a historic theater. The other way leads across the cemetery "Bergfriedhof" which shall be one of the most scenic of Transylvania. And in fact the deceased (verstorben) people, all German names, enjoy a nice outlook from below - sorry. The surviving family members meanwhile will have wandered to their ancient home from 700 years ago.

The next attraction is the Bergkirche and a small entry fee is to be paid. Photos not allowed, so I wonder afterwards how the Altar of this church has slipped into the camera. Moreover the visitor gets an information paper, but this must be returned and I have no copy of it. Finally we enter the Stundturm - a must in this town. There you get a "Foreigner's Ticket" and then you are allowed to visit all museum-like rooms of this building. One chamber is dedicated to the H. Oberth mentioned above. But remember: the early attempt of skyrocket development was not space research during WW II (Peenemünde et al.).

At another room we find a nice model of the midiaeval town. It was a Citadel surrounded by walls with some fortification towers. And this ensemble kept unspoiled until today. Inside the tower we then pass the clock construction and the wooden figures of the clock. Those have hollow backsides, don't ask me why.

The view from the tower down to the roofs of the town is spectacular.

Outlook from the Clock Tower

At last - on the ground again - a view into the torture chamber with technical sketches of all the necessary instruments. You may be astonished that the artists of those times have created sensational and timeless works of art and on the other hand were so cruel to agonize other human beeings.

Alive again we have an omelett with cheese and then we plan for the next day.

Chapter 7: Brasov