Constanta, Romania

Went through our last bunch of locks as we exited the Danube and sailed into the Black Sea. Finally seeing some weather also. No complaints though, Vienna (where we started has had snow and Halstatt is below freezing. 🥶)

Apparently our ship was the 1st visit of the season into Costanta (pronounced kōstanza, like George from Seinfeld) so we were met by TV crews. The town was named after Constantine the Great, Roman emperor from 4th century when Romans were here.

Factoids about Romania, the Black Sea, and Costanza (a pin drop of a town, which we all agreed was pretty boring):
- Romania has been part of NATO since 2004 and EU since 2007, but not using Euro yet.
- Country is 90% Orthodox (possibly Greek Orthodox), next largest is Moslem followed by Catholics and Protestants, all 3 with single-digit percentages.
- Romania is the only Latin-speaking country in this part of Europe; Slavs migrated through here but didn't settle, but continued through to Bulgaria.
- Romania was also saved from the Turks by the Russians in the late 19th century, and sided with the wrong side in both world wars.
- Black Sea is called that because Turks designated names of bodies of water based on where they were.
- The Black Sea is the world's largest anoxic basin, where over 90% of the deep water contains no oxygen and is filled with hydrogen sulfide from mixing with saline bodies of water that come into it. Oxygen is restricted to the upper 70–150 meters (where it's fresh), supported by surface mixing, while the denser, deeper layers do not mix, making them nearly lifeless and preserving ancient shipwrecks. 
- Following the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the blockading of the Ukrainian Black Sea ports led to renewed interest in the port of Constanta as one possible outlet for transporting grain to the rest of the world.
- This is the largest harbor on the Black Sea. 
- Costanta is one of the largest cities in Romania and the oldest continually inhabited.
- There are lots of Roman ruins but many archeological sites are still under the modern city.
- We saw yet another inactive synagogue, less than 50 Jews in Costanta.
- Roman poet Ovid, who wrote Metamorphosis and Art of Love, was exiled here. He thought he was sent here because of his less-conservative views on cohabitation in a time Rome was getting more conservative, (or maybe it was his secret love affair with the emperor's granddaughter).
- St. Peter and St. Paul Orthodox Cathedral, from late 19th century was bombed during WWII by Soviets and the harbor was destroyed (Romania partnered with Nazis...oops).
- In the cathedral we interrupted a private memorial service, apparently held 41 days after they die (giving the soul time to stop it's lingering).
- The casino was built 1910 to 1914; its heyday was in the 20s when this was a seaside resort. It's no longer a museum but is a historical piece, renovation finished last year for 40 million euros (half from EU, half from Romania).
- Queen Marie of Romania, granddaughter of Queen Victoria, apparently loved the Romanian people (after she died, she left her heart here), and loved the sea and spent time here.

Last night on the boat and off to Bucharest tomorrow.Read more