My father wanted to go outside of Bucharest, just to see what the countryside looks like in Romania. Of course, the landscape varies from region to region, but to get just a glimpse of it, I booked a half-day tour to Snagov. We are picked up at a nearby hotel […]
Bucharest , culture , Romania , travel
Bucharest – Village Museum
I take my dad to Muzeul Satului because several Romanian friends have encouraged me to go since I arrived here. It’s in the Herăstrău Park in the north of Bucharest, and I still didn’t see it yet. It’s a hot May day, lovely for a park outing. The lady at […]
Bucharest , Romania , travel
Bucharest – Restaurants, mostly Fish
My dad is a self-proclaimed foodie, and I have to say he really does enjoy good food and wine, and importantly is able to distinguish good quality from the mediocre. Of course, I had to take him to good restaurants, but also wanted to show him a few typical Romanian […]
Bucharest , culture , Romania , travel
Bucharest – Parliament Palace
My father visited me in Bucharest for a week—what a lovely surprise when he threw his concerns over board and decided to come to see me. It was even lovelier to watch him completely revise his opinion about Romania, which used to be steeped in prejudice about the Romanian people. […]
Bucharest , culture , Romania , travel
Bucharest – History Walking Tour
After getting back to Bucharest and saying goodbye to my friend, I go on another walking tour—this one is called “From Monarchy to Communism” and goes through the history of Romania’s four kings, Romania’s involvement in the two world wars, the communist regime, the Romanian revolution, and what came after. […]
Romania , travel
Râmnicu Vâlcea
We stayed overnight in Căciulata, a small town north of Râmnicu Vâlcea. The river Olt runs through both towns, and the area is well maintained and clean. Căciulata is very small; there really was nothing to see, so we went back to Râmnicu Vâlcea, the city that received the questionable […]
Romania , travel
Polovragi and Costești
We stay in Polovragi overnight—the place is near the Pologravi Monastery, but we decide not to go inside. Instead, we visit the cave, Pestera Polovragi, which is located in a gorge which was carved by the river Olteț. It’s an impressive landscape. The cave is a little walk away from […]
culture , Romania , travel
Târgu Jiu
Târgu Jiu is known for the Brâncuși Ensemble of sculptures. Constantin Brâncuși was a Romanian artist who made career in Paris; he is considered one of the most influential sculptors of the 20th century and a pioneer of modernism. Brâncuși grew up in a village close to Târgu Jiu, so […]
Romania , travel
Bigar Cascade, Băile Herculane, Orșova
We make a fairly big detour in order to see the Bigar Waterfall. To get to it, we walk along the road for a few minutes after parking our car on a deserted parking lot—deserted of cars and people, but there are two dogs that greet us, friendly and hopeful […]
culture , Romania , travel
Alba Iulia, Reșița
Alba Iulia’s tall three-dimensional white cross is a monument that was built as a tribute to the Great Union between the regions that now make up Romania; the union act was signed in Alba Iulia in 1918, and thus a unified Romania was founded. Cathedral of the Coronation (bell tower […]