I really struggled to come up with a tagline for Bucharest, least of all because I didn’t particularly like the city, though that certainly played the part. As a result of it’s history, Bucharest doesn’t really know what it’s meant to be. On the same street, one can find sleek modern building, grey Communist-era flats, and baroque constructions (though those are quite rare). Part of the reason for this was the dictator Ceausescu demolished much of the once-picturesque Old Town to replace it with flats and his gigantic and oppressive Parliament building. Add to this the fact that the city feels dirty and unkept, and it starts to become apparent why I didn’t enjoy this city.
General Impressions
The introduction is harsh, as I intended it to be. There are some positive sides to Bucharest, and many of its downsides can be viewed as upsides. It is certainly unique amongst European capitals in how it looks, and where one man sees a mess, another sees art. Lovers of the brutalist architectural style of the Eastern Bloc will certainly find themselves at home in the city.
I will repeat however, that the city does feel dirty and unkept. There a lot of damaged, or even outright ruined, buildings. Rubbish in the streets, and car fumes and cigarette smoke in the air, and noise of traffic and public transport everywhere. It does not make for a pleasant experience of visiting.
Food
Time for a confession. Mine and Tayla’s guilty travel pleasure is going to McDonalds. Even though it tends to be expensive in certain countries, and is not a good reflection of local food at all, we do enjoy visiting the local Maccies. It started as a whim, and now it’s a tradition. So, of course, we had to try Romanian McDonalds too, and here I’ve had one of the best fast food meals in my entire life. A pork patty in a roll with onions, gherkins, and a delicious horseradish sauce make up the fast food masterclass that is the Pork McSandwich, which I would recommend to anyone visiting Romania.
Drink
Like most countries in this part of the world, Romania makes wine. It lacks the rich traditions of winemaking in countries like Italy or Hungary, but they can make some very decent bottles of red which I greatly enjoyed, and would recommend.
My Favourite Parts
The Casa Poporului
The Romanian Parliament, called the House of the People, is a massive and intimidating structure that projects power all over its surroundings. It is one of the biggest buildings in the world, and the shadow it casts over Bucharest is enormous, both metaphorical and literal. The effects of Ceausescu’s dictatorships are felt to this day, within the Romanian psyche and the architecture of Bucharest. Nevertheless, the building is very impressive to see, and great for photographs.
Church Hunting in the Old Town
Many churches in Bucharest had to be physically moved, to keep them out of sight of the atheist Romanian communists. Romanians, being a deeply spiritual people, were ready to go above and beyond to preserve their churches, which included physically relocating them to other locations. As such, there are churches littered all over Bucharest, sometimes in the most unexpected places, and it can be found to go out hunting for them, and seeing how many one can find.
Therme Bucharest
Located outside of Bucharest is a huge waterpark. There are plentiful slides, relaxation pools, and many other luxuries. We had a lot of fun, and it was great way to relax. I would recommend taking an Uber or Bolt to the place, as it is very far from central Bucharest, and such taxi services are not expensive.
Umbrella Street
A very picturesque street featuring colourful umbrellas that are perfect for Instagram pictures. There little more to say about this, so I’ll let the pictures do the talking.
We May Roam 