That little creature apparently loves it. But, even people we met from Bucharest knew the limitations of their town. It was in need of a good Spring clean. Still, smalls gems could be found everywhere.
The whole city seems to be under renovation. Even the billboards have advertisements for renovation projects.
A small plaza (piata) near our hotel. The Social Democrats are one of the main political parties in Romania.
Biserica Sfantul Nicolae is a Russian Orthodox church in Old Town.
Stavropoleos Church (Biserica Stavropoleos), a former monastery, was built in 1724. Like most churches in Bucharest, the interior was extremely dark. Large frescoes on the walls and ceilings were muted under layers of soot. No doubt from the multitude of candles that have been lit continuously for centuries.
CEC Palace (Palatul Casa de Economii şi Consemnaţiuni) is a neoclassical building that houses the National Savings Bank.
The Cercul Militar National National Arts gallery.
TJ is perched perilously close to the gnashing jaws of the giant spider. All over the city, there were art installations made of discarded materials. Um, that's another way of saying trash.
I didn't know he was into that.
Chris on Bulevardul Unirii with Palatul Parlamentului in the background. The streets were wide. This one has a series of fountains along its entire length.
Even TJ didn't know what he was doing in this photo. If you have any suggestions, please offer them.
This fountain is located in a large traffic circle in Piata Unirii.
TJ taking a breather on one of the large (empty) fountains along Bulevardul Unirii. Moments after this photo was taken, two policemen came over and instructed us to place our feet on the ground. Then, they pointed to a park bench. In other words, no lying about like a bum on the infrastructure.
A statue of Alexandru Ioan Cuza looking out over the magnificence of...the Unirea shopping mall in Bucharest.
The Patriarchal Cathedral (Patriarhia) sits on a hill in Bucharest. It was built in the 17th century.
The entrance to the Patriarchal Cathedral.
Door of a side building near Patriarchal Cathedral.
Metal heart along the tunnel out of the Patriarchal complex. For K.
Doorway along the road out of the Patriarchal complex.
A church down the road from Patriarchal Cathedral. Like most churches in Bucharest, it was undergoing renovations. The large frescoes inside were being repainted. Seeing them without the layers of soot and grime was a bit of a shock.
The local trolley system.
More trolley fun.
TJ mocking the Antim Monastery (Manastirea Antim). The monastery was built in the early 18th century.
Ornate columns at the entrance to the Manastirea Antim.
The doorway to a side building at Manastirea Antim.
We arrived on May Day. And stumbled upon a May Day celebration. There was free beer and grilled meat. Unfortunately, we did not know it was free until after the fact. How sad.
The festival was held in a park across the street from the Palatul Parlamentului. The crowd was quite large. Some were sporting red hats and shirts.
The entertainer was a white Romanian rapper who had four young female backup dancers. He got the crowd going with his rhymes. or maybe it was those scantily clad dancers.
We checked the forecast before we left. And were expecting rain. May Day turned out to be a beautiful sunny day. Until about 40 minutes later when the skies opened up. Luckily, we were safely back at our hotel by them. These people, not so fortunate.
A Romanian delicacy. Grilled meat. Though, I am at a loss to tell you what kind of meat it was.
The imposing Palace of the Parliament (Palatul Parlamentului). Big is an understatement. There are 1100 rooms. That's a lot of maid service.
The Palace was designed and nearly completed by Nicolae Ceauşescu. He drained the nation's bank account to finance it.
With Greg, in front of Palatul Parlamentului. We met Greg the night before at a club. He and his friend, Ron, joined us for the tour of the Palatul.
TJ with Ron and Greg at the end of a broad fountain-lined boulevard that leads from city center to the Palatul.
Inside the Palatul Parlamentului. The scale of everything was grand. But the details were not over-the-top. This was no Versailles. Just some good old Communist era extravagance.
Inside one of the main assembly rooms.
It's all about the chandeliers. Several of them, including this one, weighed over a ton.
Another entryway. Another massive chandelier.
A call to vote! What else would you expect in a democracy?
Bwa bwa bwa. Game over. Mister Pac-Man is toast.
A eunuch mannequin seen along the streets of Bucharest.
Well, it did seem that way at times. There was a large and noticeable police presence in the city. Should make you feel safe. Made me feel uneasy.
Simon Says...
Pasajul Macca-Vilacrosse is a neat little partially-enclosed shopping arcade in Old Town.
The floor show at Caru' cu Bere. Audience participation is strongly encouraged. The wait staff with trays full of food dodge the dancers who spin and kick with wild abandon. The food was quite good too!
A conga line winds its way around the dance floor in the center of Caru' cu Bere. This restaurant is over 100 years old. The interior with its wood paneling and stained glass is stunning.
Bucharest - blending the old with the new. With mixed results.
Some former leader. Imposing. Austere. In need of a hearty meal.
Romanian Athenaeum (Ateneul Român) is Bucharest's main concert hall. Built in 1888, it is one of the more ornate buildings in the city. Both inside and out.
The design of the Ateneul Român is predominantly neoclassical.
A grand staircase. Lots of marble.
Interior of the Ateneul Român.
A fresco (75-meters long) spans the circular wall of the Ateneul Român's auditorium.
Kretzulescu Church (Biserica Kretzulescu) is an Eastern Orthodox church built in the 18th century.
Like most of the churches in Bucharest, large frescoes adorn the walls and ceilings both inside and outside the church. This is a view of the outside at the entrance.
These frescoes are on the entrance walls of Kretzulescu Church.
Candle cabinet outside the entrance to Kretzulescu Church.
Near Curtea Veche, this building is being renovated. The facade was quite plain. We wondered why they were going to the trouble of saving it.
Graffiti. Interesting commentary.
On the side of a building undergoing renovation, these electronic billboards added a bit of modern flash. Actually the whole city seemed to be undergoing renovation.
Urban renewal, Bucharest style. This street in Old Town was being updated. But, by the looks of the debris in holes in street, this project has been ongoing for quite a while.
TJ about to step underground and cross under the street.
The buses and trolleys used overhead lines all connected to utility poles like this one. This is an electrical accident waiting to happen.
In Parcul Izvor, across the street from Palatul Parlamentului, stray dogs lazed about.
Most of the stray dogs were wary of people. Cause, you know, TJ wanted to try and pet a few of them.
My advice to TJ: let sleeping stray dogs lie.
This street puppy was quite approachable.
Sidewalk heart. For K.
