Constanţa is Romania’s largest and most important port city on the Black Sea; in summer, it’s also the gateway to the country’s seaside resorts. Accommodation here is cheaper than in Mamaia and maxi taxis cover the journey in about 15 minutes, so it may be worthwhile to consider basing yourself here even if you’re only coming for Mamaia’s beaches and discos. While the city shows obvious signs of neglect, especially around the port area, there are some very good museums, and a pretty portside walk. The restaurants are the best in this part of the country.

During my two days stay in Constanţa, I was lucky to find a last minute couch with a Polish family. The father is working in Constanţa while the wife stays at home to take care of the child, Stephan. Stephan is really adorable and although he does not speak, we interact by doing silly stuff, giggling and taking selfies. Like any other modern day child, give him a tablet and it will keep him occupied throughout the day. Since the bus ride from Bucharest to Constanţa took about three hours, I decided to spend more time to explore this city instead of making it just a day trip.

The first day I just wondered around town and walked along the whole stretch of beach on my own. The waters were not very azul, but many Romanians were busy suntanning on the beach, with children running around or swimming in the sea. I had my first Black sea swimming experience and it felt refreshing. Since I was alone, I had to find a secluded spot on the beach to place my belongings and while wading in the water, I could not go out too far, having to constantly keep watch on my bag. Actually, I placed it near a family because they seemed harmless and I don’t think anyone would want to steal my backpack.

Other than the beach, I think Constanţa has nothing much to do. Even the old town was not filled with tourists on a hot summer day, unlike other cities like Paris or Rome which are crowded all year round. I enjoyed the clear blue skies and when it got too warm, I decided to soak in the sea again. In the evening, I drank a pint of beer to make use of the free wifi for customers to contact my host and we arranged on a meeting place. The pram for Stephan was unique in the sense that it is hardy and suitable for the uneven ground in Constanţa and I heard that Michal even pushes the pram with Stephan while going for runs around the neighbourhood. He is indeed a fit dad because he has participated in several marathons and triathlons, with a podium finish for his age group. His wife is tall and friendly, she quit her job to take good care of Stephan and treats her stay in Constanţa like a holiday.

The second day, I went out with the wife and Stephan to the beach where we spent the morning chatting with other mums and playing with their children on the beach. Sometimes I don’t understand why kids cry all of a sudden, it also surprises the mums sometimes because it is difficult to read the kid’s minds. Either they want to swim, play with toys, sit in the pram, eat some snacks, take off their clothes etc..too many possibilities that only the experienced mum can guess and attend to her child’s needs. In the afternoon, I visited the museum of history which has an impressive exterior and the museum contains many artefacts of Constanţa as a shipping town. Then it was time to bid Constanţa goodbye as I caught the evening bus back to Bucharest. Stephan cried because he was sad to bid me, his new friend, goodbye just after getting comfortable with me. awww