We learned from our past missteps and set an alarm this morning. By 7:30am, we were up and by quarter to nine, we were on our way to the car rental place. Arriving there, we were greeted by the local version of Lasnamäe, minus any actual car rentals. Calling the office didn’t help; they just confirmed that their only rental spot was at the airport and that picking up a car in Lasnamäe required booking at least a week in advance so they could find a team to bring a car over. So, off we went to the Grand Hotel's Avis office instead. The young man there looked at us and announced that his three available cars were already reserved for four different clients. However, after a few quick calls, he managed to conjure up a brand-new Dacia for us. Fifteen minutes later, we were in the car, and off to Constanța we went.
Our first stop was McDonald's because, in our rush to get out of the city, we skipped coffee. I was going on about how I’d order coffee, a pie and fries. Scott gave me a skeptical look and said, “You do know McDonald's serves breakfast in the morning, not fries and burgers, right?” I assumed there were no such limitations here and that a client could get fries whenever they fancied. When placing our order, I got my coffee, pie, fries, and yes, even a burger.
The 225-kilometer freeway to Constanța was a bug slalom; after the first half-hour, they hit our windshield like a dense rain, reducing visibility to 35%. We stopped at a gas station to wash the windshield.
Imagining Constanța, we pictured a seaside resort town with beautiful blue water and a charming old town. Turns out, the city's heyday was back in the 70s and 80s, and for every nice, renovated building, there were two that were crumbling or abandoned. The city center was bustling with cafes and noise though. The farther from downtown, the larger and more ostentatious the houses became.
I spotted a doughnut stand and decided I wanted five doughnuts. The young man behind the counter asked what I’d like on them. I asked what the options were, and he pointed to a list in Romanian over his head. Recognizing only chocolate and powdered sugar, I opted for the powdered sugar.
We visited Starbucks and a small Italian shop where Scott ate a ham focaccia, then we strolled to the casino. The seaside promenade was nicely done up, but the casino was still in scaffolding. They had thought of the tourists, though, who'd undoubtedly want a photo in front of the casino — there were photographers everywhere with canvases of the casino where they'd snap your picture.
Deciding it was time to head back to the capital, we took the 2 hour drive, parked the car back at Avis and walked to our hotel.
From April to October, Bucharest runs a pilot project every weekend where the main street is closed to cars and opened to pedestrians, street musicians, and food stalls. Unaware of this project, arriving at the hotel, our first thought was, "Is there a protest going on?" as the street was so packed with people.
Later, when we went out to eat, the streets were even more crowded. Every cafe, restaurant, and food stall had a line stretching around the block. We enjoyed some excellent tartare, gazpacho (almost as good as mine), and tomato salad with burrata. When paying the bill, the waitress asked if we wanted to leave a tip by card or in cash.
Our first stop was McDonald's because, in our rush to get out of the city, we skipped coffee. I was going on about how I’d order coffee, a pie and fries. Scott gave me a skeptical look and said, “You do know McDonald's serves breakfast in the morning, not fries and burgers, right?” I assumed there were no such limitations here and that a client could get fries whenever they fancied. When placing our order, I got my coffee, pie, fries, and yes, even a burger.
The 225-kilometer freeway to Constanța was a bug slalom; after the first half-hour, they hit our windshield like a dense rain, reducing visibility to 35%. We stopped at a gas station to wash the windshield.
Imagining Constanța, we pictured a seaside resort town with beautiful blue water and a charming old town. Turns out, the city's heyday was back in the 70s and 80s, and for every nice, renovated building, there were two that were crumbling or abandoned. The city center was bustling with cafes and noise though. The farther from downtown, the larger and more ostentatious the houses became.
I spotted a doughnut stand and decided I wanted five doughnuts. The young man behind the counter asked what I’d like on them. I asked what the options were, and he pointed to a list in Romanian over his head. Recognizing only chocolate and powdered sugar, I opted for the powdered sugar.
We visited Starbucks and a small Italian shop where Scott ate a ham focaccia, then we strolled to the casino. The seaside promenade was nicely done up, but the casino was still in scaffolding. They had thought of the tourists, though, who'd undoubtedly want a photo in front of the casino — there were photographers everywhere with canvases of the casino where they'd snap your picture.
Deciding it was time to head back to the capital, we took the 2 hour drive, parked the car back at Avis and walked to our hotel.
From April to October, Bucharest runs a pilot project every weekend where the main street is closed to cars and opened to pedestrians, street musicians, and food stalls. Unaware of this project, arriving at the hotel, our first thought was, "Is there a protest going on?" as the street was so packed with people.
Later, when we went out to eat, the streets were even more crowded. Every cafe, restaurant, and food stall had a line stretching around the block. We enjoyed some excellent tartare, gazpacho (almost as good as mine), and tomato salad with burrata. When paying the bill, the waitress asked if we wanted to leave a tip by card or in cash.
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