Constanta, Romania

Ovid, we have arrived.

We had low expectations for our visit to Constanta. On our Black Sea cruise of 2014, when I asked why there was no stop in Romania, the group leader declared “There is nothing much to see in Constanta.” Wrong. We had a thoroughly excellent visit to this, the largest Black Sea port. (In fact, several score ships were loitering off the port, loaded with Ukrainian grain and waiting to unload).

It was a 90 minute drive from Fetesti, where our ship was docked for the day (and the coming night), to Constanta. Our guide was superb. This was particularly good news as he is to be our guide for the remainder of our time in Romania. 

An aside on how we are organized for our day tours: The twelve graduate associations with participants on this cruise have been divided into four groups, a separation that has been maintained throughout the trip. We (West Point Association of Graduates) have been paired with the “National Trust” group as the “blue group”, with, for each tour, an assigned guide and bus. While evening meals have open seating, most tables tend to be occupied by birds of a feather. I know, TMI.

Our four buses. As for the ship, we often double and triple parked, once even quadruple parked. While docked, it was a rare occurrence when we had a clear view out of our cabin balcony.

The statue of Ovid, who was exiled by the Roman emperor Augustus to this city (then Tomis) for his satirical writings. He hated the city.

Several of the buildings around Ovid Square.

The Great Mosque of Constanta, also know as the Carol I Mosque. Carol (Charles) was the king of Romania and built the mosque for the city’s Moslem residents. King Carol ruled over the country during what is now considered Romania’s “golden period” up until World War I.

Against my better judgment Frances and I climbed the stairs to the top of the minaret. Somehow I made it. It was a great view of the city.

The House of Lions. Almost all the homes of the well to do were either destroyed by the communists or occupied by them. This house was an exception and stood empty throughout the communist period. It became the discrete meeting place of dissidents.

Streets of old town Constanta.

The Romanian Orthodox Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul.

No one outranks the custodial staff. The priest asked her to quit vacuuming while our guide was speaking to our group. She stopped for less than a minute, then turned the vacuum back on and continued her work.

Next to the cathedral are ruins from the Roman city.

The wife of King Carol wrote and published poetry under a pseudonym until her identity was discovered. The purpose of the building being renovated is TBD.

We finished our visit to Constanta with a late lunch at a restaurant on the Black Sea. Salad, soup, pork ribs, two types of chicken, dessert, and a steady flow of wine. Yet another light lunch.

Who knows what the story is for this boat. Frances and I got one more view of the Black Sea before heading back to our bus for the trip back to our ship.

Some added tidbits: In an early blog posting I said that I knew none of the other West Point grandfathers on the trip. That proved not to be the case. Sam Wilson, a graduate of 1966, and I were in the same cadet company his last two years and my first two. Neither of us remembers the other. Obviously I kept a satisfactorily low profile my plebe year and his senior year he was on battalion staff, hence not in the company area. Still, I should have remembered an upperclassman. It was a requirement that plebes know the names of all upperclassmen in one’s company. He (and his wife) became doctors.

We have been really, really lucky with our weather. At almost every cruise stop, the previous day had been rainy and even windy. By our arrival, the weather was clear and, for the last several days, unseasonably warm. I’ve even broken out my short sleeve shirts. I only hope I haven’t jinxed our luck for the rest of the trip.

With Constanta, our time on the Amadeus Mozart has come to an end. The last two days of the standard trip are to be spent in Romania’s capital, Bucharest. Then a subset of the group, including us, will be traveling the Transylvania for several days. Dracula, here we come.