Train trip from Bucharest to Constanta, July 2004

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Early morning at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, about to board the plane for Romania via Italy.

View from Air Italia on our way from Paris to Milano. I believe these mountains are the Swiss Alps.

The very friendly Italian waiter that prepared all kinds of food for us at the airport in Milano.

After arriving at the airport in Bucharest, Gigi, the very friendly uncle of my friend's wife picked us up at the airport to drive us to the train station. After racing through the streets in a small car with our luggage stacked to the roof, we made it to the train station just before departure. Gigi helped us buy the tickets and to find the right train. Here he is calling the folks in Mamaia to tell that he has placed us on the train and that the train is about to leave.

About the leave the train station in Bucharest.

We shared passenger compartment with an 18 year old student and his mother. They were from Constanta, and had been to Bucharest for the day to shop for clothes. Cristian was a very bright and ambitious student of Orthodox Theology - determined to earn his Ph.D in the field. This was our first conversational interaction with the people of Romania. We learned a lot about the country by talking to them. His English was excellent, and he translated for his mother who answered some questions we had about the Soviet era. Cristian's knowledge of world cultures and global political issues was very impressive. He was a man of faith, tolerance, and understanding. We also learned about all the hardship the country has been through. This was the only day Cristian had been able to take off for the last three months. During the summer vacation he worked at a restaurant from 7 am to 11 pm, seven days a week. It was a real pleasure to be in the presence of such good and honest people, and to learn about the country during the three hour train trip. We exchanged e-mail addresses with Cristian, and have been in contact after the trip.

The train conductor is checking our tickets.

Many of the train cars were filled with people, but in our car all the compartments were empty except for the one we shared with Cristian and his mother. We walked around in the car and ran from side to side to take snapshot pictures out the windows.

For parts of the journey the railroad tracks went alongside the freeway. I think the trees are marked with white paint to act as reflectors for tired night drivers.

Working people taking an afternoon break at a bench near one of the train stations.

Unlike in the western world where horses are mostly used for recreation (the exception being tourist operations), the horses in Romania had to do hard work.

Someone adding a second floor to their house.

Petter hanging out the window as we pass through one of the stations.

Curious girl looking out the window from another train.

Cristian getting some fresh air from the window. There was no aircondition, so wind from the windows were the only way to cool down.

Another train station, and more things to see.

Passing another train at a train station.

Crossing the Danube River. The old bridge is shown on the other side.

What's the discussion of the day?

Local store or station next to the rails.

Near Cernavoda, Cristian told me to prepare to take pictures of the Cernavode Nuclear Power Plant. Construction of the five Candu-6 heavy-water reactors started in 1980. The construction of reactors 2-5 was halted in 1991 to focus on reactor 1, which became operational in December 1996. The reactor provides 10% of Romanias electric energy. In 2002, the Cernavoda-1 reactor unit generated an annual output of 5.1 terawatt-hours of electricity, equivalent to 5.1 billion kilowatt-hours. The unit's load factor, measuring operational efficiency, was at 89.37%. Operational tests are scheduled to be carried out on Cernavoda-2 in the fourth quarter of 2004, with commercial operation expected in 2007. Recently, work on Cernavoda-3 has resumed, and units 4 and 5 are also planned to be operational by 2020. Romania is a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) since 1970 as a non-nuclear weapons state. It is member of the Nuclear Suppliers' Group. The Additional Protocol in relation to its safeguards agreements with the IAEA came into force in 2000.

Old house in the countryside of Romania.

Passing an old locomotive from the Soviet era.

Stopping at another train station as we get closer to Constanta by the Black Sea.

Petter hanging out the window in the compartment in front of me. There was very little clearance between trees and things we passed on the way, and it was scary to stick your head or camera out the window.