Let’s go visit the neighbours. That’s the starting point for a journalist and a photographer from Romania to do raw-style and deeply fascinating journalism travelling through the countries around the Black Sea.
The immediate result is a highly recommendable Blog taking the reader along to get a fascinating and insightful first impression of this particular region. And what pictures!
“The Black Sea for fresh eyes, some digital technique, Turkish and Russian dictionaries and much curiosity – a three months blind search” they declare on the front page of their Black Sea Blog.
Stefan Candea writes about their experiences along the road. These days the team is in Georgia, for example, travelling under police protection, as this particular part of the country has been marred by a criminal gang that not only attacked locals but also tourists. Stefan Candea is a double winner of the Global Shining Light Award for investigative journalism and winner of numerous other awards contributes with his observations along their road.
The fascinating pictures of the blog are taken by photographer, Petrut Calinescu, a Romanian freelance photographer working for a long list of media all over Europe and in the US.
Going by car from Romania via Bulgaria, Turkey, Georgia, the Ukraine and Moldova, they explore the EU-neighbouring countries, document their moves in word (English and Romanian) and with fascinating pictures.
As Stefan and Petrut rent a room to stay overnight we hear the story of the old lady renting out the room – she memorates her husband who was so bright and clever a professor, that the state gave them such a nice flat. And as they go up into the mountains we hear the background why police is accompanying tourists in this part of Georgia – to the level that they make sure Stefan is given the right amount of change in a shop.
Do use this unique chance and follow the Black Sea Blog.
#1 by Travel Guy on June 22, 2010 - 7:57 pm
On 1 March, the only official border crossing between Russia and unoccupied Georgia was reopened at Verkhny Lars (North Ossetia) to citizens of the CIS and Georgia only. Cross border traffic is strictly regulated and limited, and neither Russian nor Georgian visas are available at the checkpoint.
The border crossing is not open to tourists and it remains illegal under Russian law to attempt to enter or leave Georgia via the land borders with Russia.
#2 by Amy on August 21, 2011 - 1:46 am
This is definitely not everyone can experience or want to experience. I think this is awesome. Having police escort to visit some places? I can not imagine how dangerous can it be. Only because of these people who take risks to go to places like these let us know the truth.
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#3 by Zelma Donalson on September 8, 2011 - 2:14 pm
It’s a difficult travel and work but interesting at once. Such dangerous experience and also rare would last long not only on piece of photo papers but also on the memory of the traveller.