Vama Veche, this small fishing village located at the seaside, next to the Bulgarian border, is one of the most popular destinations for Romanians during the summer. Ever since the second half of the 20th century, it has earned the reputation of a place for bohemians, dreamers, outcasts, who come together and create their own world. And rightly so! It is a place where you can let go of your inhibitions, forget about constricting social norms and even about the passage of time. Days and nights become blurred here, while the rhythm of the music continues for hours on end.
It is a modest and unpretentious seaside resort. People can go there with just a tent in their backpack and a little money for food and drinks. You can camp right on the beach and be lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves. Or, if you don’t want to, you don’t even have to sleep, because there are plenty of other things to do.
There is always something happening. There are live concerts on the beach, where the band plays among the people, there are camp fires on the beach, where people play folk music on acoustic guitars and everybody sings along, there is rock music, an amusement park, and best of all, there are pancakes! And if you are anywhere near the Stuf terrace at sunrise, you will enjoy the view while listening to Ravel’s Bolero.
A landmark in Vama Veche is restaurant “Papa la Soni”, which has created a cult following due to the tasty food and the warm atmosphere. If you eat here, it is very likely that you will make lots of friends in a short time span and possibly, even befriend the owner, Soni. Those who have been there say that Soni is a big hearted person because he occasionally lets people eat and pay him later. He loves to eat and to drink and he takes great pleasure in seeing people enjoy his food. Sometimes, he offers specialties that are not on the menu to customers he becomes fond of.
Although still a bohemian resort, Vama Veche has lost some of the quiet and peace that used to characterize it a few decades ago. People who grew up in the ‘70s and ‘80s say that it was much more beautiful back then. The beaches weren’t so crowded, there were no hotels (that apparently ruin the local architecture), no electricity and no restaurants. Tourists had to bring their own supply of food and water, because there was no place to buy them. However things may have been in the past, Vama Veche is still one of the preferred tourist destination in the summer.
Sources:
“‘Cui pe cui se scoate’. Miile de turisti din Vama Veche au luat-o iar de la capat cu petrecerile”, Știtile Pro TV, Available at: stirileprotv.ro/stiri/travel/distractie-non-stop-in-vama-veche-turistii-petrec-fara-inhibitii-asta-i-vama-fiecare-vine-cum-vrea.html, Accessed: 09.12.2015.
“Mamaia vs. Vama Veche! Tu in care tabara esti?”, Perfecte, Available at: http://www.perfecte.ro/travel/mamaia-vs-vama-veche-tu-in-care-tabara-esti.html, Accessed: 09.12.2015.
“Restaurant Papa la Șoni”, Restograf, Available at: http://www.restograf.ro/restaurant-romanesc-papa-la-soni-bucuresti/, Accessed: 09.12.2015.
Ana, “10 motive sa NU mai mergi in Vama Veche”, Metropotam, June 24th 2013, Available at: metropotam.ro/Locuri-de-vizitat/10-motive-sa-nu-mai-mergi-in-Vama-Veche-art8325296310/, Accessed: 09.12.2015.
Marcu, Iulia, “’Doar boemii care-şi refuzau condiţia de marginali veneau aici, hotărâţi să-şi construiască o lume doar pentru ei. Mai bună, mai dreaptă, mai fără sutien şi chiloţi’, povesteşte Lucian Mîndruţă. Vezi ce îşi amintesc alte trei vedete despre Vama Veche.”, One, Available at: http://www.one.ro/lifestyle/timp-liber/boemii-refuzau-conditia-marginali-veneau-aici-hotarati-construiasca-lume-buna-dreapta-sutien-chiloti-povesteste-lucian-mindruta-vezi-isi-amintesc-trei-vedete-vama-veche-12553982, Accessed: 09.12.2015.
Andra Mihaela Cimpean
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