Today (Saturday 9/13) was the last rest day on our trip, spent in Bucharest, a city of 1.9 million that is the capital of Romania. We
spent several hours walking around the city, both to see the sights as well as
to restock on items such as cookies and candies that we carry along with us
while cycling. These items come in handy when we’re ready for a snack break but
are miles from the nearest eating establishment or food market.
Our walking was mainly in two areas: the old historic
district and the region around the massive Parliament. The historic district is
a mixture of well-preserved older buildings, crumbling older buildings, and
trendy street cafes. The streets and cafes were full of tourists speaking
multiple languages. Nightlife was hopping, including free street
concerts.
At one time, the extravagant architecture and cosmopolitan
culture of Bucharest led to its being nicknamed "Little Paris" or
“Paris of the East”. Much of this heritage was lost during the despotic rule,
from 1965-1989, of the Communist dictator Nicholae Ceausescu. His regime was brutal
and repressive, even by Soviet-bloc standards, and his megalomania led to the
razing of one-seventh of Bucharest to build the Parliament and adjacent grand
boulevard. The Parliament is the world’s largest and, in fact, the largest
administrative building and the heaviest building of any kind in the world.
Scenes from Bucharest:
 |
The massive Parliament building. It is a square structure, and this is one of the four equal sides
|
 |
| Templul Coral (Choral Synagogue) |
 |
| Plaque in front of the synagogue |
 |
| Outdoor concert |
 |
| Outdoor dinner at the Micul Paris ("Little Paris") restaurant |
 |
| Carpathian Bear for dinner |
No comments:
Post a Comment