A Photo Series: Exploring Constanța

When I arrive in a new place, I like to take it all in from the first moment. I breathe in the air, look at all that is surrounding me and soak it all in. Last fall I had the privilege of traveling to Romania for the first time, spending three months there. I was mainly living in the city of Constanța, but did some traveling around the country as well.

With it being my first time in Romania and knowing I would be going to a country I’ve never been to before, it brought me so much excitement. I wanted to see as much as I could see, and do all that I could do while I was there.

The city of Constanța is a beautiful place. I stayed near the center of town, just a couple of blocks away from the Black Sea Coast. There was a lot to see within walking distance, or even taking the local bus.

I loved walking out the door, choosing a direction that I would take and just start walking. Some days I didn’t know where I would end up, but whichever way I went, I was always fascinated by the things I saw while exploring the city.

When traveling, I had to make sure that I spent time seeing things with my eyes and not always with my camera. I had to make sure I balance it out so that I don’t miss living.

Yes, I most definitely want to capture the things that I see when traveling: new places, new people, and new cultures. I want to be able to help others see places that they have never been to before and tell a story with my photos, as if they were there with me.

During my stay in Constanța, I really had two favorite places that I loved venturing to and exploring. One of them was walking down to the Black Sea Coast. With it only being a couple of blocks away, and since I love the ocean so much, I had to take advantage of my time and walk along the shore as often as I could.

When I first arrived in Constanța, it was at the end of summer. Summer in Constanța is pretty busy, especially along the coast. I was able to get a small taste of the summer vibes while there. The area was full of people, some locals and some tourists. All along the shore were tables and lounge chairs to sit and relax in, and enjoy the view.

There are small bars filled with drinks and snacks to enjoy. The first week that I arrived, I got to see how busy the beach was. As you look up and down there were people everywhere. Some were sitting in the sun, others were playing in the water. People were talking and laughing and having fun.

As the weeks went by, fewer people remained at the beach, especially when the weather changed and it grew colder. For me, it didn’t matter how cold it was, I tried my best to get down to the shore as often as I could, to walk along the water, breathing in the salty air.

Another place I especially loved exploring were the streets of Old Town Constanța. Like in so many other European towns, it is filled with so much history, beautiful architecture and old cobblestone roads, which I love. I visited this area quite often, maybe even more so than the Black Sea.

Each time I went, I was amazed at its beauty and couldn’t resist photographing all the streets that I walked up and down. I usually took the local bus, looking out the window as we drove along. One day, I ventured into an old tower in the center of Old Town and had a view of most of the city, from the Black Sea with its large port to the ancient buildings in Old Town and all of the surrounding area.

There were some days when I was walking around Old Town that the streets were pretty empty, and on other days the streets were filled with people enjoying the beautiful weather. A lot of the streets are a bit narrow, filled with apartments, coffee shops, restaurants and boutiques.

During my first week in town, I walked around the Old Town at night. The weather was perfect, the narrow streets were filled with people; there was live music all around. I walked down near the water with the port to the right and gazing at the shore to the left. Seeing the Black Sea Coast right there, looking down at the water from where I was standing at night, a light breeze of salty air was hitting my face, I felt that I was frozen in time.

I explored a number of places, not only in Constanța, but other cities as well. I know this won’t be my last trip to this beautiful country and wherever I go, whichever country I visit, city or village, I will always document my journeys.

Traveling and photography are my passion and in my blood. I will never stop traveling nor will I ever stop creating. So go out and explore, experience the beauty around you, and snap a photo. Not only will the memories live on in your heart, but others can also share in your art.