It's no longer a secret even to me that wherever I travel most of the time I walk. More time than I eat, sleep, rest, swim or sunbathe. Because my dear and heart place for any kind of vacation is at the sea.
Greece and the island of Thassos is the most spectacular place I've seen, it's a kind of lost paradise because I couldn't go there anymore. It's been three years since I haven't seen this island, also called Emerald Island, which remains a permanent wish and hope.
Fortunately, my second favorite place near the sea is much closer to where I live, in Bucharest, Romania. This second place, which I have visited dozens of times so far, is a small town and resort on the Black Sea called Balchik. It is a place more suitable for relaxing, resting and walking because it has few small beaches and is not too swimmer friendly. That's why the tourists who come here prefer walking, relaxing with a coffee, having a good meal at a traditional restaurant, and again walking along the seashore.
That's what I like to do but, in addition, I like to visit the Castle of Queen Mary of Romania, located by the sea and surrounded by beautiful terraced gardens and, even more, to walk through these gardens where every stone, wall, building are full of history.
Queen Mary of Romania was an important personality of the period between the two world wars of the last century. She was the wife of King Ferdinand of Romania and was, beyond her specific duties, a great lover of art, architecture, and nature. It was this passion that led to the creation of this castle and gardens. The land that the Queen bought for this development is on a slope, in fact, there are hills. Because of this, everything is terraced and the small alleys are on a slope. Visitors, tourists, and walkers are not bothered by these bumps and having to go up and down all the time.
Of course, there are also horizontal paths, resting paths, so to speak, very appreciated by visitors and their companions. Also, those with heart problems or too many kilos should avoid steep slopes.
Here is a perfect place for walking that combines the beauty of nature with the architecture of the buildings. The Queen also built five villas for her children. Now in these villas, there are different shops, restaurants, and exhibitions.
The walk is enjoyable but tiring and the necessary rest is very easy to obtain. A few minutes are enough to restore your strength, it is hard to stay longer because curiosity pushes you to go further.
Now I have come to what I wanted to show in this post. What you see in the last photo, in the background, is a waterfall!
The hills on which these gardens are laid out are full of springs and this is one of the reasons why the Queen bought them. Her landscape architects have managed to create a spectacular waterfall!
It's a pleasure for the eyes, ears and nose. The beauty of nature, the peaceful sound of the water and the scent of flowers and herbs make this a favorite for all who come here.
Well, encountering a waterfall by the sea was a great surprise to me twenty years ago when I first arrived in these gardens.
The climate here is the Mediterranean, or rather with Mediterranean influences, which explains the abundant nature. As the climate changes, it will be an entirely Mediterranean climate in a few decades. I'm already sorry that I won't be able to see how everything will change.
The beauty of the gardens, the trees, and flowers, the springs, and the waterfall capture the attention of all who walk. You almost forget you're at the sea, but luckily, if you look over your shoulder, you remember it immediately.
The castle and gardens of Queen Maria of Romania are, together with the botanical garden, the main attractions of Balchik. Now, these places are in Bulgaria, and rightly so. I feel a sense of gratitude and joy that some of my compatriots, be they crowned heads, haha... have contributed to the creation of these beauties.
@tattoodjay