First Post of Photos

Ted took this photo through our window as it passed us on the river.  I think we were in Constanza, Romania getting ready to go on a tour.  I won't say what he said about them.

 

Here are a few photos Ted took in Constanza.  I missed the tour so only know it is a resort town on the Black Sea.  The notes indicate this is the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul including frescoes of God the Father, Jesus and the Blessed Virgin.  The red roof building is the Natural History Museum and is close to the ruins dating back centuries.

The beach looked nice and the director pointed out a failed communist undertaking, a restaurant to sit over the water.  It never was completed and the shell remains to this day.

Our next stop was Ruse, Bulgaria.  We took a tour to Veliko Tarnova and Arbanassi.  Veliko Tarnova was the capital of Bulgaria from 1186 until 1394. 

We drove on to Arbanassi which was a highly protective fortress where wealthy people chose to live in the 17th and 18th centuries.  Its 80 houses, 5 churches and 2 monasteries reflect a unique fortress like architectural style.

We visited the Church of Archangels Michael and Gabriel where we were treated to four men singing in what I would describe as Gregorian chant.  The church was very plain outside but was completely covered with frescoes inside.  Ted found himself a seat.

In town we visited a house from the Ottoman era.  It was very Turkish in its furnishings but very comfortable for its time.  They had warmth in the winter, a good cooking area and a hole in the floor for when they were under siege!

We had lunch where a chicken stew was served.  It was very good and they shared the recipe for it.  I liked it and will try to make it.  We were in a ship's contest where we had to take photos of 20 specific things and one of our team members had to be in it too.  Some were posed and others we took standing in the area of a person who was unaware that they were the photo subject!  Here our waiter is wearing Ted's ball cap which was one of our 20 photos needed

We continued sailing to Viden, Bulgaria where we visited Baba Vida, a medieval fortress of two walls and four towers.  This is the fourth largest city in Bulgaria and its main port on the Danube River.  The modern looking bridge was built but the government never got around to building a road to it on the Romanian side and it sat unused for a year.

I will end with this Day 6 and pick up Day 7 in another blog.