Good Views from Golubac Fortress: 7/13/2025

In some ways, today set out as a normal day; but it wasn’t! It was mine and Archer's 6th year anniversary, which was of course exciting, but also very fitting for the excursions for the day. That is, the 6th anniversary is apparently themed around “iron” and today we explored and sailed through the Iron Gates! But we’ll get to that later. We began, of course, with a hearty breakfast, supplemented by glasses of champagne before heading out to our first excursion shortly after 8:00. 

We met our guide at 8:10 for our first excursion which would begin with a hike to the top of the Golubac Fortress. This was an awesome excursion! The first few minutes were a gentle walk through the pristine grounds of the national park to the base of the fortress itself. All the while we approached through clean-cut grass and well manicured rose beds. The sun we rising high above the fortress while the Danube flowed along our left-hand side. The fortress stood tall on the cliff faces before us and we learned about much of its history. We learned that the fortress had never been conquered; sure it had been sold or given away from time to time, but it had never throughout history been taken by force. We learned that it was not always a preserved monument, and that at some point a bus-line would drive between its archways. And we learned that part of its design was to keep all nine of its towers independent of internal connections; therefore forcing invaders to conquer each tower individually.

We reached the base of the steps in the fortress and began our ascent to the top. The views along the way, and at the summit, were breathtaking as we climbed the 290 steps to the top. And, these steps were no easy feat; parts were of uniform metal grating, but other sections were a combination of original and restored stonework. The steps were not level, and the sizes of the steps were uneven. While we climbed steeply to the top of the second tallest tower we heard about the variety of historical finds in the ruins as well as how and what weapons were used to defend this place. We saw cannon-balls of all sizes, a catapult, a trebuchet, dozens of arrow heads (including those suited for poison and fire), chainmail and more! Then, the views from the tower we reached were amazing. We could see far down the Danube in all directions, and it was so clear the importance of this junction. Simply, you could not travel the river without passing within range of this fortress! 

The journey was certainly difficult, the excursion was described as “demanding” and that was accurate! But, it was also well worth it. This was easily one of the most interesting visits to a castle, palace, fortress, cathedral, or other in my many trips to Europe. But, be warned if steep steps or heights are a challenge for you, as both are highly present. 

After the visit to the fortress we boarded a bus for a near 1-hour drive along the coast to the Derdap National Park. Here we took a brief hike (roughly 2 km) to a viewpoint over the Danube. The trail included some small hills, but nothing extreme, and along the way we learned more history of the area and of Serbia more generally. Much of the narrative we heard while hiking was about the local wildlife, ranging from eagles and falcons to boars and wolves. The hike emerged from the forest to a stunning outlook over the Danube. We were also looking out over the small village of Donji Milanovac, which has apparently been fully flooded and rebuilt three times. Specifically, the construction of the hydro-electric dam that we would need to pass by later led to a 50 meter rise in the water level, and then the village had to rebuild their settlement notably further uphill. This viewing was also the first time that we learned that the “Iron Gates” referred to the entire region, not just the dam we needed to pass through. The rocks in the mountains here were apparently packed with iron, hence the origin of the name. When we finished our viewing we hiked the 2 km back out of the park to the bus. Of note, we saw a turtle(!), though none of the previously described wildlife. 

We returned to the bus, but before heading back to the ship made one final stop at the small village of Kapetan Misin Breg. Here we had another set of views (and saw our ship – the Viking Ulur – heading to it’s nearby port to pick us up), as well as a brief meeting with a local artist. He was a sculptor, using wood and antlers, and we were treated to a small set of snacks, including a fried leaf, a locally grown plum, and a honey brandy (which was delicious!). But, it was a short stop and we were soon on the road again to get back to our ship. 

The next few hours on the ship were quiet. We had time to relax, eat lunch, and generally rest. Mostly, we were excitedly waiting for the scenic views as the ship left port to sail through the Iron Gates (and the Iron Gorge) shortly after 3:00. We learned on this voyage that the “Iron Gates” referred to this entire strip of the Danube, flanked by mountains and rocks with high iron concentration. Meanwhile the “Iron Gorge” was a much more select strip of the river that was particularly narrow with steep walls. Finally there was (again) the “Iron Gate,” the name given to the dam and the locks that we needed to pass through later on. All this to say, we were sailing through the “Iron Gates” for a long time.

The views were, of course, stunning. Constant greenery on all sides with a light breeze in the air. Meanwhile the river was rocking, though not enough to make the boat uneven, and the skies were clear. As we traveled down the river we were flanked on either side by massive white cliffs and thick forest. There were also the occasional landmarks of ancient plaques, statues, monasteries, carvings, and caves. All the while the crew provided a terrific narrative. Most of the time this came in the form of historical significance to the many areas we passed, but sometimes it was also legends. My favorite referred to a love story between the sun and the moon and the Danube. The story was one of jealousy and became an origins story for the river and the mountains and forests that surrounded it.

Later in the afternoon we finally reached the locks of the Iron Gate. This wasn’t at first obvious, but we were in our room and there was suddenly a wall beside us, and then the wall began to move … upwards! It felt almost otherworldly! But, we quickly realized what was happening and scurried up to the top deck. We were fortunate that no other ships were in the area looking to pass through the locks or we’d have had to wait. Through two locks we descended a total of 115 feet - nearly a complete football field. If you’ve not been through a set of locks before, it is well worth being present and watching, it is an engineering marvel!

Finally, it was time to head inside for dinner. Unlike most nights we were not provided with a menu and numerous options. Instead this was a celebratory meal with many of the local traditional foods of the region. We were first provided with some sliced cheeses and meats, accompanied by a chopped vegetable salad (with no leafy-greens). That was followed by an oyster-mushroom soup, and then an assortment of meats (including lamp, pork, and chicken). Accompanying the meal were servings of honey brandy, and that was really the highlight from my point of view. There was of course too much food, but it was once again, incredible.

 Nautical Term of the Day: Taken Aback

“In this dangerous situation, the wind is on the wrong side of the sails, pressing them back against the mast and forcing the ship astern. This was most often caused by an inattentive helmsman who had allowed the ship to head up into the wind.”