Beach day in Constanta

Although I never felt that I truly belong to one country or another nor experienced any sort of patriotic feeling, I always enjoyed visiting my hometown, especially the beach.

Throughout the years the city changed, some parts for the better, others for worse. Each time I get here I see more new buildings as old neighbourhoods transform, new malls, restaurants or playgrounds.

A few years back the beaches in the city were extended. Thus from one small strip they turned into a few hundred meters wide.

When I was a child I used to spend a lot of time on the beach playing with my friends. Back then we did not have to use sunscreen, wear swimming long sleeves or to worry but avoiding sunlight between certain hours.

Skin cancer was not on everyone's lips as it is nowadays. We were there in the sun the whole day, playing, swimming, snorkelling or diving for oysters.

Times were different and there were not as many dangers in terms of safety for children. We had no parents supervising us, the older siblings were responsible for keeping an eye on us.

Yes, we could have drowned but I guess we were lucky since we had no such incidents in our group of friends.

We weren't bullied, we were taught to respect the older siblings. I don't recall any of us complaining too much about having his ears pulled, otherwise he would have had to stay home.

None of us wished to spend time alone at home when the whole neighbourhood was at the beach. That would have been the worse punishment ever.

At the beach was where everything was happening: new alliances were being formed, secrets were shared, crushes were revealed and plans were being made.

Needless to add that twenty or thirty years ago the beach looked different. We had no chaise longs, umbrellas or beach bars. Even so, we had an incredible amount of fun.

Trei Papuci was my favourite beach in the city because it was more secluded and no tourists ever ventured there. During the summer months, Constanta city is filled with tourists. Those who can't afford to go to the Mamaia resort, go to the beach in the city.

To access this beach we had to either climb down the steps towards Modern beach and cross it or go down a steep hill, through a narrow path with tall bushes on the sides. Obviously, we preferred the later, because this was faster.