Snapshots with famous Vama Veche nonconformist seaside resort by Romanian photographer got viral after their author shared them worldwide through boredpanda.com.
“A place in Romania called Vama Veche where people come from all parts of the country and express themselves and have fun.
My name is Cosma Alexandru and through this photography project I wanted to put my passion to the test and tell everyone I am a photographer,” the Romanian national describes the resort on the Black Sea shore.
His post gathered over 17,000 views and 5,800 likes.
Alexandru posted several photos from the nonconformist seaside resort, the last one of the Romanian Black Sea shore, mainly depicting youngsters having fun, singing and dancing while unconformably dressed.
The photographer describes this photo above as his favorite one.
You can find the full photo coverage here.
About Vama Veche
Vama Veche, a small village located a few kilometers South from 2 Mai resort, near the border with Bulgaria, has become a very popular summer destination in recent years, due to the nonconformist atmosphere and good prices for accommodation and meals.
It was founded in 1811 by a few Gagauz families, originally being named “Ilanlîk”. Its current name literally means “Old border checkpoint”, named so after South Dobruja (the Cadrilater) had become a part of Romania in 1913. In 1940, however, that region was given back to Bulgaria,and the village has since lain once again near the border, but the name stuck.
Vama Veche had a reputation of non-mainstream travel destination even during the communist regime, with this reputation increasing after the Revolution of 1989. During communism, the free-spirited resort became a hangout for intellectuals; paradoxically, the generally repressive regime of former dictator Nicolae Ceausescu chose to tolerate this countercultural oasis, as long as people had their identity papers with them. Accommodations consisted of tents or rooms rented from peasants or fishermen. While camping is theoretically not permitted, to this day, many visitors or semi-permanent residents still stay in tents on the beach.
Famous for its beach for nudists, since the late 1990s Vama Veche has experienced development and gentrification, which has led to a “Save Vama Veche” campaign that is lobbying for the area’s environmental conservation and a halt to development and mass tourism.
A major part of the “Save Vama Veche” campaign is the 2003 founding of the Stufstock music festival, mainly attracting rockers, punkers and bohemians. Both “Save Vama Veche” campaign and Stufstock Festival were initiated by the “Association for the Conservation of Bio-Cultural Protected Areas” NGO.