Our final leg of the trip consisted of a short jaunt out to the city of Constanta (pronounced ConstantSa) for a quick 2-hour look-see of the Black Sea port city, and an overnight stay and partial day-stay in Bucharest.  We had planned to spend the better part of a day wandering around Constanta, but due to our 10 a.m. train simply not showing up to the Bucharest train station, we had to take a later train at 2 p.m.  That train got us into town at 5 p.m. and we had to be back at the station by 7 p.m. for our return trip.  Oh well. . . next time we're in town we'll have to stay longer!

Dream fulfilled: me at the Black Sea

The flat farm lands of south-eastern Romania heading out to Constanta

Fun little sailboat on the Black Sea

Above and below: the lovely port of Constanta.  Umm. . .

If you love concrete, you'll love the port!

Amy walking down to the only "beach" area of the port.  Basically a tiny pit of crushed shells.

Amy on the hunt for a souvenir.

"Look at us!  We're at the Black Sea!"

Seaside Casino at the boardwalk.

Constanta has a history that stretches back more than 2,500 years as it was once the port city Tomis of Greece.  Ruins from the Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Empires can be found all around town.  Today Constanta is Romania's second largest city and serves as a bustling commercial port, an important military base, as well as a national cultural center. 

The Constanta boardwalk along the Black Sea

Our friendly taxi driver who gave us a 60 minute tour of the city for a mere 500,000 Romanian Lei (US$15).  English speaking and friendly to boot!

The crazy Constanta train station traffic

Random packs of dogs running around the train station

Romanians waiting for their daily transport

Amy and I on our way back to Bucarest

Poor gypsy (a.k.a. "Roma") girl begging from passengers at a small train station stop in southern Romania

Old lady walking by beating the large white mat with her stick

Parliamentary Palace

And according to Let's Go:

Tin looking window frames on front door of the Parliament.  Kinda cheap for a $3.5 BILLION dollar building!

The beginning of Boulevard Unirii

Boulevard Unrii

Parliamentary Palace - big, and half empty

Our hotel: 92 euros a night ($110).  Definitely worth it in Bucharest where I have a feeling that if you go cheap, then you go scary.

Had to splurge for a little bit of luxury in the big city.

Deformed man with odd shaped spine and triangular nub-for-foot hoping to earn donations from passers-by.

The inside of our sleeper compartment left and the the ritzy hallway of our overnight train car on the right.  Folded up in the walls of the compartment are the three beds that can be folded down once it's time to go to bed.  The reservation basically cost the same as a moderately priced hotel room, but it was DEFINITELY worth the expense, both in terms of privacy and comfort.  There was even a small shower at the end of the car.

Above and below: Amy and I having already gone crazy on the first leg of our 24-hour train trip back to Germany.

Note the alcohol.  ;-}

Farm land as far as they eye can see

Bye bye Romania!

24 hour train ride back to Germany, and then 12 hour flight to California!