A wet afternoon in Bucharest

Our hotel was a long walk from the Metro. By the time we took two Metro, I wondered if it would have been shorter to have walked the entire way ‘as the crow flies’!

Our room had an A4 sheet with a list of EVERYTHING (apart from bed, curtains and lights) to be charged in the event “you would like to keep one of the above mentioned products, we let you know the prices”.

On that basis, I thought a full audit of all room items was in order!😲

A bath towel is 80 Lei ($32). It does not indicate how much the TV is ... I would have thought it difficult to walk out with THAT under my arm!

We did in fact notice 2 things missing from the Mini-bar so we rang Receptie and the housemaid seemed to know all about said two Missing Items. Hmmm ...

We walked into the Old Town. It was predicted to rain - hard - about 3 p.m. which it DID! We took shelter in an Italian cafe and had a drink to wait it out. It is predicted to last a couple of hours, being less in the 2nd hour.

I was attracted to the cafe initially because of the ceiling of umbrellas - how prescient ! I enjoy my Aperol Spritz and go back to reading my book The Hare with the Amber Eyes that I have not touched since before I left Albury.

It well and truly bucketed down!

We arrived at the meeting point for our bike tour and Raznov offered to wait half an hour to see if the weather cleared. It didn’t. We waited another half hour, going off for a coffee as the temperature had dropped from t-shirt level to 3 layers!

We returned an hour after the official start time. Really, the weather is predicted to clear. Hmmm ... it was raining less ... We decided to give it a go - and got pretty wet in the process but it was fun-ny (sort of?) and we DID get to see the sights, but I had to give up on the camera as it was fogging up and so the i-phone camera became the best option. At one point, there was a HUGE clap of thunder that had us really looking at each other as if we were mad.

The meeting point is at the National Bank, Banca Națională a României in Strada Lipscani. In 1916, in the wake of the Central Powers' invasion, the valuables of the National Bank of Romania, together with many other valuables (the Romanian Treasure) were sent to Moscow for safekeeping, but were never returned.

Off we set along Bulevardul General Gheorghe Magheru which is one of the city’s central arteries and most historic streets. On this street too is the royal palace, which is now home to the National Museum of Romanian Art, the country’s finest collection of artwork. Opposite is the statue of King Carol I on horseback. Behind are some neo-classical buildings which is why Bucharest has earned the nickname “Little Paris of the East“! Further on is the brick Biserica Creţulescu, one of Bucharest’s most well-known churches.

We slosh through water along Strada George Enescu and Strada Nicolae Golescu to the Piața Revoluției, or Plaza of the Revolution, which commemorates the 1989 Romanian Revolution that ousted the nasty Communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu. The symbolism of the Memorial of Rebirth, the plaza’s most notable feature, is unclear among some locals, who sometimes refer to it as an “olive on a toothpick”. This is clearly NOT my photo! The buildings behind the plaza are the former Communist Party Headquarters where Ceaușescu gave his unpopular final speech before fleeing and being swiftly executed.

On then to the Romanian Athenaeum, one of Bucharest’s most iconic edifices.

On we cycle to Cișmigiu Park also known as Cișmigiu Gardens which is usually crowded with people - when the weather is good! The avenues of linden trees are lovely.

Nicolae Ceaușescu‘s megalomaniac vision for Bucharest knew no bounds, and the Parliament building is proof; Romanians say it is the only structure that can be seen from the moon! Ceaușescu constructed this monstrous edifice – the second largest administrative building in the world after the Pentagon – with the intention to house Communist Party offices and ministries, but it now houses the Senate and Parliament. The Parliament building was not the only egocentric brainchild of Ceaușescu: this project was part of a larger vision he had for reconstructing Bucharest’s city centre, based on inspiration from a visit to North Korea. Ceaușescu demolished many historic buildings and churches as part of this endeavour.

The rain finally eased - and almost stopped! - by the time we ride back along to the Union Square and through the Old Town. We thank Raznov for making the effort and quickly change out of our wet clothes in the back of the bike shop. From here, it is a (very) quick walk/run then to the restaurant I have booked: Caru’ cu Bere, a top spot for Romanian food or, basically a beer hall!

We have a great night here. The food is good. There is a great atmosphere with dancing and music. And we dry out! It really is a lot of fun.


Walking home, we pass the Athenaeum again, then the tiny Biserica Albă (White Church) tucked away. It was built in 18th century, and its holy patron is Saint Nicholas.