Black Sea Beaches

The Black Sea is a massive body of water, with extreme importance in sea faring trade throughout history. The beaches along the Black Sea are equally important today as a place for social gathering, family outings, and relaxation. The people of Ukraine flock to these often topless beaches that serve up cheap beer and fresh seafood. Although not the most attractive beaches in the world with ruff and rocky sands, they still offers a great place to soak in some rays and unwind!

ODESSA

The bustling Ukrainian port city of Odessa has played a pivotal role as a major site of trade in the Black Sea for 100's of years. It once served as the busiest port in the Soviet Union, until it's collapse in 1991. Today the city, with a population of one million, now serves as a Ukrainian naval base, ship building industry and fishing port. A walk through the old city streets will remove any post-communist feel but rather induce a sense of Mediterranean charm with it's classical architecture, palaces and opera house. It is a city with a colorful night life of bars, restaurants and clubs and full of parks and beaches for family entertainment. Certainly one of Ukraine's more vibrant and cheerful cities.

 
 
 

TRANSNISTRIA

All the guidebooks and internet resources say to avoid visiting or transiting across the Moldovan breakaway nation of Transnistria. In 1990 during the fall of the Soviet Union, Transnistria declared independence from Moldova and was followed by 2 years of bloody war before a cease fire agreement was reached. Today the “Nation” of Transnistria is a self-sustaining communist nation, printing their own money, with their own president and up their own borders.

The rumors I had heard turned out to be true from the get go. At the border I was asked to handover my passport and entered an interrogation room. The officer made friendly talk with me while flipping through my passport. Then said there was a problem, and that I only had one stamp into Moldova and he could get the second one for me if I gave him “a gift”. I laughed, snatched my passport from his hands, left the room. I had heard of these bribe tricks and refused to be another victim. I went to the counter and got my 10 hour visitor permit stamped by the friendly border patrol woman with no problem. Unfortunately the bus had left without me.

When I finally got to the capital city of Tiraspol, I had no clue as to where to go or what to do. I began walking through the streets while mapping out my way back to the bus station. The symbol of communism was on everything and not a word of English to be seen or heard but all Russian. In the city center memorials to those killed during the war fill the city center along with a battle tank to remember how the conflict is on going. The people continue the effort to gain international recognition as an independent country.

ORHEIUL VECHI

Listed as Moldova's number one attraction, the cave monastery of Orheiul Vechi is disappointingly miniscule, but whose history and isolated setting make the trip worthwhile. Way out in the Moldovan countryside 13^th century Orthodox monks carved out deep caves into the limestone cliffs overlooking the Raut River, creating a monastery. The perfectly preserved caves offer great vistas over the bountiful Moldovan countryside and an excellent day trip from hectic Chisinau.

CHISINAU

Upon arrival in the predawn hours in Chisinau, Moldova my first thoughts were that I needed to get out! It was quite terrifying with packs of street dogs, broken glass and syringes littering the ground, and right in the city center I came across a pile of freshly blood soaked newspapers and bloody hand prints crawling away from the scene. Horrified I found the hostel and dropped my bag off and began my tour.

While walking around for the day there are not too many sights in the city and the level of poverty and homeless people is a bit overwhelming, considering it is a European capital city. It is a very green city with parks throughout, and containing some cheap and interesting museums. The central market removes you from the sense of being in Europe and feels more like a Latin American or South East Asian chaotic market, packed with beggars and people selling everything and anything. It is a bargain shoppers dream and a claustrophobic's nightmare.

Beyond it's rough exterior, poverty and corruption; Chisinau makes for an interesting experience that cannot be had anywhere else in Europe. It also makes for the perfect base camp for day trips to other parts of Moldova, namely Europe's largest wine cellars, mountain monasteries and the renegade nation Transnistria.

RASNOV

On the road from Brasov to Bran one will find another Romanian Hollywood white sign for Rasnov. Atop the hill s citadel was built in 1215 and overtime turned into a fortress. Today the view from the fortress offers outstanding vistas of snow capped mountains, lush green pine forests and the red roofed town of Rasnov. Rasnov is just another beautiful and awe-inspiring sight of Transylvania.