Last months I have moved so much through my country that I really got fed up. Still, I have to touch some remote areas but I have revisited all my interest points (which happen to coincide with the biggest economic centres over here).
As the last run, I went through Galați city and stayed the night over.
Galați used to be a great economic point in Romania. Now, it's more like "we have to keep it alive for the sake of the ones that couldn't flee the place". It was home to the biggest siderurgy industrial complex in the country and one of the biggest in Europe back in the '70s-'80s. Back then Romanians were practically making the law in what used to be iron industry and economy on the continent as we had both extractions (iron AND coke), we had the labour force, we had this great investment that provided thousands of jobs in order to refine everything and the Danube, in Galați, was providing the logistics in a natural way. Both the raw materials and the final product (steel - in different shapes) were mainly shipped from this city's harbours (apart from the one that was feeding the city's shipyard). Around the steel industry, everything developed back then as a lot of things were needed in order to keep the giant melting iron and casting it into steel. Galați was booming back in communist times.
It just happens that the Danube is at its peak right now. All these abundant rains, both in the country and generally on the continent, have risen the level of the river close to "Danger Zone". Galați has 2 waterfront promenades, as the core of the city is situated on a small hill. Historically speaking I guess the Danube was always overflowing in this area (close to the end of its route through the Old Continent) before they systematised the area and built dams in order to control the flooding, so it is just normal that the city was, initially situated on higher grounds.
In days like these, the people of the place use to fish right on the bike lane of the promenade, between the branches of the partially submerged trees. And they catch things. I've seen it and I was sure about it as these people know better than to sit all day with the rod in their hands, in order not to catch anything.
This "ancient highway" still packs a lot of traffic. There's a lot going on along its banks but as well on its waters. I have booked a room in a place right near the old ferry point of the city. Cars are still being taken over the river in this small boat, making the lines of trucks and cars waiting pretty long. Still, a lot prefer to use one of the 4 bridges we have over the Danube, the one that is closer to Galați and Brăila. That's another Danube port we have, a little bit more upstream (25 kilometres from Galați).
It's an ongoing fight of pride and belonging between the citizens of the two cities, so harsh in their cultural veins, that I think the grudge goes way back into feudal times when most probably they were fighting for boats (clients). At one point in time, in Brăila we had a European Cereal Stock Exchange. And then WWII came, you know how it is.
Now both of these cities try to find another core to revolve around. Could the Danube be again that core? I don't know, but it sure would seem natural to leverage the odds in your favour when you have this great natural inheritance, which comes useful too.
The very sad fact is that young people are leaving these places. As old people are passing away, these lands tend to get barren and it seems that the alternative is left in the hands of the private sector to reinvent things, work hard (with low or no Governmental strategical support) and redevelop the area up to the point where it rebecomes appealing to youth again.