Crossing the Black Sea
The train from Sofia to Istanbul leaves every night at 7:30 pm and arrives at
Sirkeri station in Istanbul at 8:00 am. A one-way ticket cost $60.
There are many inexpensive hostels in Odessa.
The Duke is clean, $10 a night, and right smack dab in
the middle of the center.
The Caledonia ferry from Istanbul to Odessa leaves every Tuesday at 7:00 pm
and arrives in Odessa the following Thursday at 12:00 noon. A one-way ticket for a In Odessa, don’t forget to check out the Potemkin
four-person bunk without toilet/shower is $130. For more details and booking check steps, the Old Market, the Opera House, and the beach
and clubs at Arcadia.
out www.ukrferry.com.ua.
Getting around the city was rather easy with
buses and trolleys.
Beaches and Vampires in Romania
we
Aspje toboarded the bus from SkoSofia, we had no idea
All in all the time spent in Romania was well
what kind of trip we were in for. I
worth any obstacles that came into our paths.
was unable to sleep during that five
There is a lot to see and do...just make sure
hours of swerving and weaving
you contact your credit card company before
through the Macedonian and Bulyou go!
garian countryside so I had plenty of
time to think and get excited for the Busy old world style streets are one of Romania’s many charms by Laura Masters
vacation ahead. We never expected
that there would be lost reservations, Visa card blocks that
Closer to home - Beautiful Brajcino, Powerful Pelister
led to the inability to leave the country or to purchase a phone
card to wish my mother a “happy birthday”, lost and/or stolen
If you want something a little closer to home, the village of Brajcino, on lake Prespa and
swimsuits, and a castle so commercial it made McDonalds
close to Resen, is one of the gems in Macedonia’s quickly growing rural tourism sector.
look like a neighborhood restaurant.
Getting to Bucharest was the easy part. We took a bus to
Sofia and a train from there to our final destination, Brasov.
Also, travel within Romania was rather easy. Trains ran regularly and were clearly marked and usually on time.
The cities to visit are Brasov and Constantia. If you’re looking for a large party and beach town then Constantia is wonderful. The beaches are great and though the food can be on
the expensive side, it is usually worth it. There are people
standing at the train station trying to rent out empty rooms
in their apartments and you can do this for a week or just a
weekend for a really good price.
Brasov is more of a quiet m ?[?Z[? ???\?H\?H? ????\?\? ?\ ?[? \?\?XH ?Y? ???]?\?K???[ ? ?[ ?B?[??] [?H ? ?Y? \??H ?\??8?' ?X?[x?&\??\?x?'H
B??Z?H?JH[? ?\?YK [?x?&Y?H?] \??? ?[?[?? H^ ?B??]?H?\???[??\???Y? ?????Y[? ?]?YK??]Y?\??H\? ?] [?H?]?K H8?' ?X[8?'H ?X?[x?&\??\?H\? ???H ?\ ????H??\??] ?[?HH^x?&\? ?\ ? H ?Z[???H?\?H\? \? H ??H[?[?Z[?[? [?H]\??[X????Y? H K
?H ?Z\?? ??] ? H ?X\?\?H \ZXY ?H ?Y]?\???X] Z?[??[? [?H?[? ??[K??[X??^H??Y[ H\??[??H[?[?Z[??[? ?Z[????X?\?\? [?^H?[?[? ?\???]X? ? ?YK?] ?\?B??\??X??\][?] H ?]??[??^ ?K\?X?X[ ???\??B?[?]?\??] H\?XH\?H??\H??X]??[ ?[? X? \?H Z?[??? ? [?]Y\??]??[?? ] ??[XZ?HYH ?] \?????M? H ]^?B????Z??[??\??\?Y[? H\?\?? H?X?H[?[?Z[?????H ?Z?H ?\?K?H ?[Y?H\? L ? ?? ?\?Y[? ? ?YH??Y??X?H?Y[???XZ?\??Y\?H ??\??[??\?]\?[? [?[?[??YX?H[?\?\?H ?] N?Y ?H?]?[?[?? ???\??B? ?Y][?[[??\?[?H?YH?[??B?\??[??Y ?Z?[?? ?Z[ ?X??[?[? \?\?XH\? ?[\?HX\??Y ?Z[[ B??^H ?[\?\??][?[\??[? B?[?[?Z[??\?H ] ?] ? [?\? B??[[Z] ??^? \??\?\?H\?H ?]
?Y[?Y\[? H[?[?Z[????Z??[??[??Y\?]?\?[?H ?]?[?\?\?Y??[?H?YY ??]]?^H[??[?] ?Y[?H???[?[?Z[?Z\?[?]?HH ?X[???H?XX?Y?XH\?] ?\? L YX\??Y????YH ???Z??[????\???Y [H?[[Y\?
H^HX]?[???\?[?K?LK ???[? ?? ?] \??[?? ??\?[?
K
??
KN?
H LN?
H ?MH[?
?MK??[?\? ??Y [H \?H\??? ??? ???[?? ?\ X??] L?[???Y[???XZ?\? ?8?$? [? \? \???[?? Y\? ?[??YH ?[??? ?X???[???[??XZ?\??[?\?\?H H?Y? H ??[? ??[
?[?
????[?? [?\???H[? \?H? B??[?]?[?
?[???X[ ??H\??[?Z[ H[? H[??[??[?[? H]?[?[???\?\??][???? ?Y\[??X???[[?][??[? ?Y][?[YX[ ?[?H?YB?
? MM?M?LH?K[XZ[ ????Z??[?? XZ????B?XX?H?? ??? [?Y\?X??YH?Y? ]?\?[???Z??[????[?H[???X][??[??K[XZ[?
?KNMNKN M?X??Y? ?P XZ????B??HX??YH?Y? ??