Week 26 - Which country am I in?

This week has been one of steady progress north, one week and six countries; Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland and finally Lithuania. Sounds like I've been rushing, but in reality that's all within 2000 kilometres.  Part of the reason for the onward flight has been the feeling that I'm running out of time but it's also been driven by the weather; steady progress northwards has allowed me to keep the sun and reasonably warm days whilst the rain has been continuously closing in behind me. Not certain how much longer my luck can last but so far the worst I've had to deal with have been a few heavy showers and the cold nights that the cloudless days have brought.

I'm writing this in the town of Druskininku which I'd never heard of until yesterday until I stopped here almost by chance. It's turned out to be a beautiful small resort town where traditionally people have come to take the waters at the spas (the east Europeans and Russians are still very keen on this). It's situated on a network of rivers and small lakes, full of flower beds of blooming tulips, lots of interesting old and new architecture,  cafes and bars abound and everything is smart and clean and in the spring sun is really beautiful - probably not the picture that comes to mind when I say "Lithuanian town" to you.

The whole week has been one of lovely sights. This part of Europe in spring seems to be particularly bright and green and with blossom on everything; combine that with some glorious, lightly touristed, old towns and you have a mixture I really enjoy. Must come back here for a longer trip soon - there's a little seed of an idea for  spending a few months doing a loop around the edges of Europe germinating in my mind at the moment (as ever though it's competing with a few other ideas as well).

Anyway enough writing, here are a few pictures

Springs is here in eastern Europe 

Passed in Bulgaria - that's 45 degrees covered since the equator in January (and and 32 to go until I reach Nordkapp)

The back roads of Romania abound with the horse and cart still - and also beautiful old fortified churches

Following the backroads you also come across many villages that feel like they haven't changed much in fifty years

And also more than a few old run down and abandoned industrial sites

Bardejov in Slovakia - just picture perfect and not a tourist to be seen

Roadside lunch

Not certain why they were there- but I liked them

And this might explain why the nights are still cold - snow on the Carpethian Mountains