Sunday 4 November 2007

Bucharest / Bucureşti

Bucureşti... is the Romanian capital city.

I had loads of prejudice when I was told to go there for evaluating the final exam papers. I had some bad memories about Bucharest, as I was there only once, in the darkest period of the communist era and all my fresh information I got from the news and TV. Therefore I was anxious to see how it is in reality.

The Royal Palace

I have to tell you, after getting down from the train at the Gara de Nord, my first reaction was... wow... Am I Gara de Nord, in Bucharest, in Romania? Or I am dreaming? Is this that notorious train station? It was... but it was beautiful, welcoming, neat and clean... As every main train station should be anywhere in the world!

Gara de Nord

Leaving the building the next shock was not as pleasant, as it was extremely hot outside... as usually in Bucharest during the summer. I had to pour the water what was left in the bottle on my neck and head to survive while we were going to the car. It was around 42 C (108 F), but there were hotter days this summer.

The traffic is always busy, with traffic jams during the day, making a nightmare to travel by car or by up-ground public transport in the hot summer days, the underground is cooler, but also busy.

In a traffic jam

Later in the evening all is going back to normal and it is a pleasure to drive on the wide boulevards around the city. Bucharest is amazing by night, all the streets and the most important buildings have beautiful lighting.

The Atheneu

I had the chance to see during my short visit lot of interesting and beautiful places in Bucharest as our host took us for a walk every day. Yes, for a WALK, as we walked nearly all the way, more than 15 km a day! We walked all around the center, and thus I had the occasion to see a lot, not only the main boulevards with rows of block of flats, but also some pretty little streets with beautiful old houses that succeed to survive the destruction of the old Bucharest during Ceauşescu's rule.

The University Square

Lipscani, the old commercial district

Covered street

Caru cu bere

Cismigiu Park

Cismigiu Park

I visited the Palace of Parliament, former House of the People, one of Ceauşescu's megalomaniac ideas. The building and the surrounding buildings are situated on an immense area, where 30000 houses were demolished (old and new as well) to make place for this "house". It is the biggest building in Europe and the third in the world. It is massive and scaring... as you approach it is as mountain, it grows and grows and when you are near it, you can't see the top, having 86 m up-ground.

The House of Parliament

Colorful fountains

It worth to see and appreciate the quantity of work and materials used to build it, and if you see through the pompous decoration and immense dimensions of the halls and rooms, you will see all the suffering, struggle, sweat and sacrifice that the Romanian people endured for decades to complete such a monster.

Candles

Considering all, I was pleasantly surprised and delighted about Bucharest, as in the past 17 years a lot of work and money were invested in to transform in a European capital city. Usually the news presents the rear side of Bucharest, with bumpy roads and poor outskirt neighbourhoods, but all the city is in a process of changing in better, and you can see the results of this: newly paved boulevards, old monument buildings under restoration, new office buildings, new public transport vehicles, new commercial areas... Of course all need money and loads of suspicion are around corrupt businesses and blackmail, but... the city is developing, changing in better, better for the country and for its inhabitants, as well as for its image, and this is important.

New bank building

Calea Mosilor

Bucureşti... is a European capital city!