Fifth Journey Day 59: The Balloon’s Drag
Date: July 6, 2025
Location: Sibiu, Romania
Today started off slow — I didn't feel like I had to hurry. I arrived just before 12 p.m., and the atmosphere in Sibiu was calm and quiet. The buildings here are understated: pastel-colored exteriors with red-tiled roofs, slight imperfections in their angles, as if the city had gradually developed over centuries and wasn't too concerned about being slightly off-center. I walked from the station without a specific destination in mind, letting the buildings and structures along the way inform my pace.
I found myself in a peaceful café tucked behind a row of townhouses. The fan above me turned slowly, stirring the warm air. My glass of cold elderflower lemonade collected water droplets on the side of the glass, and I watched the pattern grow without wiping it away. Children passed by with balloons. A man read a folded newspaper, turning the pages slowly and carefully. The sound of utensils clattering together and a distant dog bark.
I didn't take any notes. I just wrote. I have four pages of thoughts that are all over the place. They include things I noticed, a line about how roofs lean into each other here, and a note about how the light softens the tension in my shoulders. I wrote that today I felt more like someone who listens than someone who speaks. It's not lonely, but it is quiet. This place doesn't require a reaction. It just offers a place to look, and maybe to stay a little longer.
It's an arrival that feels internal. It's not marked by landmarks or checklists, but by a change in pace. I will always remember Sibiu as a city that welcomed me not just physically, but also emotionally. I'm not done with it yet. That's not true.
