We had decided to head out early because rain was predicted for this afternoon. Breakfast was included with hotel room so we went downstairs to the restaurant where a breakfast buffet was available. I couldn't get over all the offerings. There was a coffee stand with all kinds of coffee, teas, fruit juices, a refrigerator with different kinds of milk and yogurt. We went down 2 steps and there were bread, rolls, croissants, pastries, cereal. On the other wall were the hot dishes - omelets that looked like scrambled eggs, different fried meats each day, different vegetables, French fries. Next came the luncheon meats, cheeses, salads, tomatoes. I know there were more options that I am forgetting. I've never seen so much for breakfast!
We took an Uber down to the Old Town and started exploring - it was early - places weren't open - there were only a few tourists around - it was great! The restaurant workers were cleaning and delivery vans were dropping off supplies. I apologize in advance for all the pictures but it is Bucharest or "The Little Paris."
We started at the CEC Palace which houses the Savings Bank - one of the oldest financial institutions in Bucharest - a landmark building in Bucharest for its eclectic architecture. I don't know very much about architecture but I love this building with its glass dome!
Look at the details on this building - you've got to love it! And that glass dome in the picture below!
The palace was built on the site of the ruins of St John the Great monastery. The 16th century church was renovated between 1702-1703, with an inn where the most famous merchants lived until the end of the 18th century. The church was famous for the miracless that happened to the sick people who stepped inside. Later the church was left to deteriorate. In 1875 it reached the point where authorities asked for its demolition.
The palace was built between 1897 and 1900 as the new headquarters for Romania's oldest bank, the public savings institution - the cornerstone was laid by King Carol I of Romania. The land was bought and the building constructed with the institution's own funds.
The CEC Palace remained intact after two big earthquakes (1940 and 1977), after the Soviet bombing (1941), and after the Anglo-American bombing (1944).
Tall skyscraper to the right.
I noticed that the old building was reflected in the newer glass building on the right so I wanted a picture of the reflection.
Farther to the right as you look at the Palace, you see a beautiful old building with a modern larger than life advertisement beside it.
To the left of the Palace is another beautiful building, but look a little farther left below and you see an ad for Head and Shoulders Shampoo!
Just look at the details in this corner of the building.
"That's Amore!
Pizza Italiana"
on St Stavropoleos
Sectorul 3"
These beautiful buildings are wrecked by graffiti.
Even the undersides of the decorative work are decorated! Look at the roof above and under the balcony below.
Stavropoleos Monastery dated from 1724 - it included an inn on its property which was a common practice at the time. It quickly became one of the wealthiest churches in Bucharest thanks to its many rich worshippers. Unfortunately, the monastery deteriorated in the 19th century due to fire, poor administration and earthquakes.
The old monastery and inn were demolished at the end of the 19th century, but the church was restored and the monastery rebuilt in the early 20th century. The small inner court became an open-air collection of stone crosses and fragments of churches that no longer exist in Bucharest. In fact, between 1904 and 1940 the church only functioned as a museum.
I walked up onto the porch and realized services were going on - I knew I could not go in but hoped for a quick peek in through the door. A woman came up to me and said that a funeral was going on and no visitors were allowed. I took a quick look as I walked across the porch down into the courtyard where there were old headstones from other churches.
We did come back later in the day - the inside was spectacular - so many old frescoes and paintings. I lit a candle for a special intention.
I am so busy looking at the ground because of cracked and missing tiles and cobblestones that I happen to notice sewer covers! I couldn't get Google Translate to tell me what it says.
Just a random door that I liked.
A different sewer cover!
Just because I liked the design of the door and decorative trim above the door and scroll on the columns.
There were hundreds of loose dogs and cats every place we went in Romania, Bulgaria, and Macedonia. Apparently they are not neutered so they just keep multiplying. Some cities chip them and vaccinate them but not all. Some are so shaggy and dirty I felt like giving them baths and haircuts.
So many gates are similar to this one everywhere we've been - some are highly decorative - some plain. But in Bulgaria we noticed that the open spaces in the gates have been covered - for more privacy I suppose? They don't want nosey people like me looking through the gates.
The back of the National Museum of Romanian History.
Another church I tried to visit but a service was going on.
Original bell from bell tower.
Pretty obvious - services going on - please be quiet! Google Translates: "We only talk to God."
This is where I would have lit another candle if I had been able to go into the church.
We were prowling around the streets of the old town. Kind of an eclectic bar.
JB looking to see if he can get into the Maximum Security Prison of Sexy Womans. Sing Sing.
The Irish quarter! 3 Irish bars on this street!
We came back here to eat. Fish & Chips on the menu!
This is the place that the waiter and busboy both told Tina that they had no ketchup. Leave it to Tina who spied a bottle of ketchup on an empty table and grabbed it.
I wish I could have seen the whole mural on the roof - this street was spectacular.
I took a couple of pix to show the graffiti that defiles these otherwise beautiful buildings. There is lovely street art in each country but the graffiti and dumping of trash is very sad. I said to JB that these countries need to start Tidy Town campaigns to clean them up. While I am at it, the smoking is so annoying! It is everywhere - there are no non-smoking areas that we found - the first thing the waiter puts on your table is an ashtray. Cigarettes and vaping seem to be major pastimes. The European Union encourages non-smoking and other bans, but I think it is up to the individual countries to institute non-smoking policies
More graffiti on the left.
Beautiful building and roof.
Look at this gorgeous building's details then take a right turn here for the art museum celebration of women.
This is an art museum decorated in pink - an Art Safari of Women.
Queen Marie of Romania was the daughter of Duke Alfred of Edinburgh - 2nd son of Queen Victoria. Her mother was Grand Duchess Marie, the daughter of Alexander II of Russia. She married Ferdinand, the heir to the Romanian throne, and they had 6 children. When King Carol I died in 1914, Ferdinand and Marie became King and Queen of Romania. Queen Marie was an artist and was very interested in politics. She did a lot for Romania which apparently is why she is included in this celebration of women.
We walked by this beauty on our way for coffee.
The Rembrandt Hotel is beside the well know and popular Grand Cafe Van Gogh.
We couldn't get a seat inside without a reservation - the hostess told us that some people make reservations up to 2 years in advance! A place to see and be seen I guess.
My black breakfast tea in a Van Gough mug. I noticed that the black tea in this area has a slight taste of mint to it. Nothing like Barry's!
We got to see the inside when we used the rest rooms.
There were copies of Van Gogh's paintings everywhere.
Colorful cafe.
This was a great little museum. The owner has set up the apartment as an upper class Romanian home around the turn of the century. He had all kinds of furnishings, clothing, pictures, everything and more that a home would have. He still had a pull chain toilet which actually is not that unusual for this part of the world. He had so much history of Romania that I could have sat and talked with him for hours!
Heading out of the alley where the Little Paris Museum is located.
More sedate but gorgeous architecture - I loved the gates!
Another little beauty with new windows!
A branch of the National Bank of Romania. Check out the door and the descriptive arch.
"Supplier of the Royal House of Romania" per the words surrounding the coat of arms. The Rooster and Cat on either side of "Home Beer Original Recipe 1879." Caru' cu bere means beer cart? This is also a very well known and popular destination - you again need reservations to eat inside so we were able to sit outside because it was still early.
We ordered the Papanast/Romanian Doughnuts which is a Romanian specialty.
This is an individual serving that we split 3 ways! Not quite as good as I had expected. The 2nd picture shows the ashtray that was on every table - Dunhill.
We stopped inside a former market that now has cafe/bar after cafe/bar after cafe/bar!
I love the details on this building! We were heading back to the Museum of Romanian History.
Map of the Old Town.
We went into the Museum of Romanian History - I couldn't do the whole museum - my bones were aching. So we decided to head back to the hotel - the problem was that a lot of streets in the Old Town were closed off. So we walked to a street that seemed to be open and called an Uber even though there were taxis nearby. Uber is less likely to rip you off unlike taxis.
We rested up at the hotel and called an Uber about 7:30 to take us to the fountains for the water and light show. The street in front of our hotel was closed as was the square further up - apparently several areas of town close off the streets on Saturdays and Sundays.
The square we were going to was packed! There were so many fountains in the Piata Unirii. At 8 pm the music and colorful lights started. It was a cool and windy night so the water from so many fountains was spraying everyone. The music was upbeat and the lights and fountains were synchronized to it. It was pretty spectacular. It lasted 45 minutes and everyone immediately headed out - no applause or anything.
We headed across the street and called an Uber - JB positioned us so that the Uber would have to drive down the street to the House of Parliament which we could see lit up from where we were standing. What a monstrosity! Such a waste of money that could have helped so many people. The Uber driver told us that all of the 1000+ rooms are used.
Apparently after an earthquake in 1977, Nicolae Ceausescu, the Romanian Communist leader, was inspired by his friendships with the Chinese and North Korean leaders to build his own imposing palace in Bucharest. He built it on the highest hill in the city. He bulldozed entire neighborhoods - it is estimated that 20 churches as well as temples, factories, hospitals, and the homes of 40,000 people were destroyed. When he died, there was talk of demolishing the 60% of the building that had been built in 10 years. But it was decided that this would be too expensive so the leaders decided to complete the building and put it to public use.
The Uber driver dropped us off at the hotel. I went into my room but JB and Tina walked up the closed street to see what was going on. We agreed to head to Therme tomorrow and then on to Transylvania!
