Garsoniere Victor Seaview, Constanta, Romania

I stayed in this studio "Garsoniere Victor Seaview" in Constanta for a few nights. The room is quite large, with TV, wifi and aircon, though the kitchen and the bathroom are very small. I was on the ground floor, so there wasn't any 'seaview'. It is close to the beach, though a deserted section of it -- which may be good or bad -- and a small 24 hr supermarket is nearby. The proprietor was very friendly and did not object to me checking in after midnight (due the trains missing their connections). It is rather a long walk to either the resort at Mamaia or central Constanta, though some restaurants can be found 10 minutes stroll up to the main road.

Hotel Sir Gard de Nord, Bucarest

View of gas station roof and station.

I arrived at this very inexpensive hotel in June 2017 and they offered me a clean room with its own bathroom above the gas station and not a bad view of the Gard de Nord, from where I could take a bus to the airport the next day. The location wass surprisingly pleasant and any rough types seem to have long been moved on. The air conditioning was not working (though it may be one has to ask for a control).

National History Museum, Bucarest, Romania.

This museum of haphazard history contains a selection of Roman and a few later medieval stones, combined with a reproduction of Trajan's column, which commemorates his defeat of the Dacians (who lived here before the Romans came). There is also an impressive collection of gold objects through the centuries, beginning with 3 fine helmets from about the 4th century BC. Puzzlingly, one can find hidden in a gallery with an entrance in the corner, and easily missed, an extensive and well contextualised exhibition of Romania in the first world war, with English translation. Obviously, to be a first class national history museum this has to all be put in to order and the gaps filled in! But not so bad as far as it goes.

Cafe del Mar, Mamaia, Romania

I dropped into the Cafe del Mar, an upscale beach bar and club on the Black Sea at Mamaia, Romania. The sofas were comfy and the beautiful people were lounging on the "sezlongs". A chilled mix played. Unfortunately the bass was largely provided by the neighbouring bar, accompanied by shouts from an adjoining volleyball court. Perhaps I am a little fussy. The cheapest beer was Ursus at 10 lei (£2) and cocktails about 23 lei (£4.40): about double the neighbouring bars, but still less than London. I could not see any particular reason to pay more to drink a second beer there, so went to a cheaper sunbed next door. But might be nice for some club activity late in the evening.