The Blue Danube: Iron Gate, Roman Memorials, Lakes, and Locks

From sunrise to sunset, the Danube River was the star today as we traveled further into the Balkans and toward Bulgaria.

We passed farmland rolling away from the river and lots of settlements before arriving at the gorge that ran through the soaring peaks known as the Iron Gate of the Balkans.

We saw castles before we went through the locks at the huge dam which supplies most of the power for the region.

We observed tourist boats going in and out of the caves along the banks.

We also passed the huge carving of a mythical character and a very old monument to the Romans who built the first road through the region.

During dinner, we went through the third lock of the day.

With Bulgaria on one side of the river and Romania on the other, the sun set gloriously.