The Iron Gates

The day was spent sailing up the Danube through the Iron Gates. We entered the Djerdap 1 Lock at around 8:30 AM. It was a two step process that raised us 100ft. After leaving the locks we navigated the 60 miles Djerdap Gorge or “Iron Gates”. We passed through the narrowest channels of the Danube including the Great Kazan Gorge less that 500 feet wide. At around 1 PM we stopped at Donij Milanovac, Serbia to clear customs. None of us had to get off.

Later that afternoon we passed the Roman Emperor Trajan’s table erected in 102 AD commemorating Romes victory over the Dacians. We then sailed by the towering face of Decebalus, King of the Dacians and Trajan’s opponent in the first century AD.The face was carved into the rock outcropping in the late 1990s.

In the evening had a Balkan dinner in The Bistro and then participated in the Trivia games in the lounge. Our team, “the Brilliant Ones” won first place! So now I have another ball cap to add to my collection!