Here we go again! Two years have passed since our first journey,(http://2cvtouringeurope.blogspot.com/). Two years, too much time! Iuli's weeding (a dear Romanian friend with whom I’ve lived in Brussels) made us start thinking. No “u turn”. The snowball was on motion on its way down the mountain and we knew it could only stop rolling in Istanbul. So, finally the transportation company from Porto till the former Constantinople Emin and I idealised back in 2004 is finally going on business!

The ingredients didn’t change much over these last two years. The law student became a trainee at a law firm, the “2 cheveaux” recovered from a crash that threatened both our lives keeping the same will for the road, the time frame is again about a month and the adventurous (some would say mad) spirit remains untouched. But this time we will head eastern. The plan is, as always, merely indicative. We do know we will be in Bucharest on the 18th of August, will leave the capital of Romania on the 26th and on the 30th of August we’ll be at the Alli Sami, with Emin, my Turkish brother by my side, to finally watch live my second favorite team: Galatasaray! As for the rest, we still have to negotiate it with the road.

Till Romania, we plan to stop in Rimini for 1 or 2 nights (can never resist Italy), then the Balaton lake (Hungary) for 1 night and finally Kosice (Slovakia). Here I was promised by a bunch of absolutely crazy natives to be shown some of the most precious national “monuments”, isn’t that so guys?

Romania will for sure be the highlight of our journey. Not only for the country, but mostly for the people, “my people”! Blue Team, the great 4 from the Boulevard Général Jacques, 239, Ixelles part on another mission: Operation Bride in Pink! Isa, Emin and I, together with Nico and Noel, will be spending a week traveling through Romania, before the Iuli and George’s weeding on the 25th. I guess no one but the 4 of us (Isa, Iuli, Emin and I) can understand the connection, the intimacy, the complicity we share. Believe me, we will take profit from it and enjoy every single minute of each others precious company! Can’t wait to meet you all again!!!!!!

After crying a river saying goodbye to “my second family”, we’ll start heading to our furthest destination: the unique city of Istanbul! Nuno, a friend from Lisbon, should join us in Bucharest on the 26th and remain with us till the 5th of September. With him along, we should cross the Romanian and Bulgarian black sea cost, loose ourselves in Istanbul, seduced by its unique and irresistible charm, visit Sofia and cross the Balkans till Pula (Croatia). There Nuno will take off and possibly (and hopefully) Cesar, dear, dear friend and companion of some other crazy adventures, will join us on for the last part of our journey, driving back to Porto following the wind’s blow. Only two spots which can not be missed: Osijek (Croatia) and Trieste. The first will be a visit to an amazing and as well mad group of people we met one year ago in Dubrovnik (a visit with a delay of one year) and the second to fully appreciate one the most surprisingly beautiful cities in Italy.

Well, it’s quite a plan, hey? I hope I’ll have the chance to meet many of you along the way. If you know me around, please, let me know. Besides the good company, I can always use a nice warm meal lol. For those I won’t have the chance to meet, I hope you keep me company through this webpage. I’ll be more than glad to get your comments on my posts. I’ll make my best to find internet corners along the way and keep you updated on our journey.

Cheers,
TMA and the “deusch”