Crossing Europe by train: from the Cévennes to the Balkans

Before embarking on my adventure at Vegetarium, I was convinced that arriving in the village of Zhelen, and then at Vegetarium, would be an experience in itself ; and to fully enjoy it, I wanted to make the journey by train. For ecological reasons, of course, but also to feel the time and the distance, to watch the landscapes go by, to hear the languages change, to see the sun rise and set over new and ever-changing lands. By staying on ‘terra firma’, you realise that borders don’t mark radical changes, but that the natural and cultural environments you pass through have a continuity, a meaning.

From my home village, located in the Cévennes natural park in France, I went to the nearest station to board my first train: Nîmes, a roman and mediterranean city. I then crossed France towards Strasbourg, the city where I study, in the northeast of the country. From that moment, I took my first steps into the unknown : firstly Munich, in Germany, where I spent the night in a youth hostel and visited the city in the early morning the next day, before boarding the train again to Salzburg, then Vienna, in Austria, and finally Budapest, in Hungary. At nightfall, I boarded my sixth train: the night train from Budapest to Bucharest, in Romania. My travelling companion was truly incredible, and although we didn’t speak the same language, we had a wonderful time during those long hours of travel. When I arrived in Bucharest, I also spent the night there, this time in a flat-share, and visited the city at sunset. The next day, I took the train to Sofia : this train went to Istanbul, and I will always remember its three coaches : one Romanian, one Bulgarian and one Turkish, all wearing their colours. On this train, I also met some wonderful people, who made this tedious journey more cheerful.

Finally, I’m in Bulgaria !

At Sofia station, I met up with Joanna. Her happiness and warm welcome gave me new energy. We took the train to Svoge -my eighth and final train!- where Filip picked us up in his car to go to Zhelen. In the car, he told me lots of fascinating stories about the Balkans, the Iskar river and the village of Zhelen. It was a nice evening. The next day and the days that followed were a series of discoveries: I discovered the place, its old and new houses, its beautiful gardens and its many animals. Although I was not yet familiar with the place, the members of the community and their habits, I immediately felt comfortable and welcome. After gathering plants and taking care of the chickens and horses for the first time, learning a few cooking skills and trying out different morning practices, I am beginning to understand how people live here, and I like this way of life. I already feel more familiar with the place, and I look forward to learning a little more every day. 

Maya