A bit of a disappointing start
I had passed through Romania three times only in transit by car on the way to the airport. In early 2023, I found a day trip to Grabo, a destination of Constanta and Mamaia, with a visit to the Casino, a panoramic tour of Mamaia, several museums and churches, an aquarium and a MALL.
I was with my husband and overall we were disappointed. In Constanta, the Casino and Aquarium were closed, so we made do with the archeological museum and a few churches. We took a panoramic tour of the famous Mamaia resort, which did not impress us at all, at least not from the bus window. We visited the wooden church and instead of being taken to the zoo (it wasn't on the program either), we went to the mall. There I was tempted to buy some smoked Romanian cheese and some meat products - well, let's have a bite. Nothing special. I also took a t-shirt and sneakers, at least I wear them. My husband was impressed that their roads are perfect and the cars are brand new. Too bad for us.
The second excursion
My second visit to Romania was on December 2. "Grabo" again. The natural science museum, the Christmas market, the old town. I was satisfied. My husband absolutely refused to come with me - we had to get up at 4:30, a whole day's drive, get home in the middle of the night and he at work the next day... I decided that I would regret it myself. However, I called a friend and she decided to come with her husband. At 5:20 we were in front of the bus. We boarded and I was happy to find that since I was driving alone, I would occupy both seats. We had to wait for one passenger for about 15 minutes...it happens.
On the way two girls were chatting behind me and playing some interesting cards. When one of them mentioned the "collared lady with the blue hair who is on duty" I turned and asked with a smile: "Where do you study?" And I was sure of the answer - Humanitarian. We talked. I didn't know the girl, but I recognized the colleague they were talking about. The world is small.
We traveled peacefully, there were several small children. The girls were gentle, and when they weren't sleeping, they were funny. However, the boy started to get on my nerves. He was with his grandmother. And he didn't stop grumbling that his grandmother was bothering him, that she was touching him, that I don't know what... It was both funny and annoying. The little man only wanted to play on the phone, and the grandmother was strict. At one point he must have fallen asleep because it became quiet.
We took more people from Shumen and gas to Ruse. We took a rest there without going to the Danube bridge. The weather was excelent. But at the border – 13 buses in front of us, plus another column of cars. I didn't count the trucks, they were in a separate column. All in all, various excursions to Romania had left from all over Bulgaria, one-day, with an overnight stay... I went down to get my feet wet. The tour guides gathered in a small group and had some animated conversations. It was fun. Our tour guide was a very nice woman, she told us interesting facts about Romania and about the sites we will see along the way. Meanwhile the column was moving slightly. After about an hour of waiting, we passed safely. The woman asked us to be punctual and not late so that the program would not be messed up. If someone was late, he would sing songs. Read us and "The Tourist's Prayer"
"Our Father, who art in heaven, grant us good weather,
so that we can fully enjoy our trip.
Protect our luggage and suitcases at airports so we don't start all over again with anger.
And give us a nice and clean hotel room, and if possible, Lord, have a terrace!
Give us strength to resist at least some of the appetizing temptations,
which each country offers to return with a thin waist.
And save the technique, God, so that we have enough ways
to take nice pictures to upload to social networks.
And keep our internet speed, or at least in Europe,
so we can tag from all those beautiful places as well as from the airport.
Keep the women away from the shops so that we can go somewhere on the next holiday.
And keep the men! - Not to look at foreign exotic women in bars and hotels,
and do not forgive their sins for the sake of another little,
because alcohol is a sin, and you do not love sinners!
Give us the strength not to shout at the pesky souvenir sellers,
that follow us every step of the way.
Give us a good tour guide so we don't regret it,
that we have again chosen an organized excursion,
and to be able to tell when we return
to relatives and friends for our exploits!
Amen!”
We laughed, but inwardly everyone must have been praying for it.
Grigore Antipa Natural Science Museum
Natural Science Museum - photos here
The journey from the border to Bucharest went very quickly, at least for me. Our first stop was the Natural Science Museum. The Grigore Antipa National Natural History Museum was established on November 3, 1834. It is considered one of the best natural history museums in Europe. It was renamed in 1933 after Grigore Antipa, who managed the museum for 51 years. Antipa is a Romanian biologist, zoologist, hydrobiologist, oceanologist and limnologist. The museum's collection consists of over 2 million specimens. The collections include geology and mineralogy, paleontology, comparative anatomy, ethnography and anthropology, vertebrate and invertebrate collections, a large collection of butterflies, a hall dedicated to the Black Sea and dinosaur fossils.
My companions decided not to go in and walk around. We agreed with the tour guide what time we should be in front of the bus and lined up for tickets. 20 lei - no work. The museum was full. Several groups of Bulgarian tourists, quite a few Ukrainians and of course Romanians. I went into the gift shop first, but nothing caught my eye. I only took one magnet-booklet.
The museum impressed me. I've only been to one in Troyan, but this one is huge. Animals from all over the world, incl. dinosaur bones, from polar bears to penguins, representatives of Africa and the Amazon jungle - birds, fish, mammals... there were ones I had never seen, as well as ancient mammals from the ice age. They were arranged in imitation of a natural environment behind glass and a kind of 3D landscape. I was also impressed by the many models of people from different eras and races - they were like the real thing. In an artificial cave with rock paintings, the roar of an erupting volcano could be heard. In the end sections there were displays of minerals and insects (butterflies were a joy to the eye), many models of the cardiovascular system of various biological species and embryos, incl. human. I guess the last ones were real because they were stored in a glass of liquid, it's clearly not just a mockup. I snapped a lot of pictures, but somehow I couldn't enjoy walking around peacefully, I kept looking at my watch... that's the downside of organized tours - you get the point.
I arrived at the appointed place ten minutes early, we were at one stop and we were waiting for the others. Behind a fence there was something like a bazaar - food, trinkets, Romanian folk costumes, Christmas decorations... I went in to get a coffee. I couldn't drink it, it was boiling hot, and we had to go. My two companions were confused and we had to wait for them. We joked that we would listen to French chansons (my girlfriend is Bulgarian, her husband is French). The tour guide was worried that they might get lost…but they soon arrived and we were off.
Victoria Palace and Parliament
The beautiful monumental building that rises on Victoria Square opposite the Natural Science Museum was built in 1937. The offices of the Prime Minister of Romania and his assistants are currently located there. During communism, the building housed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and then the Council of Ministers. In 2004, the "Victoria" Palace was included in the list of historical monuments of the country.
We took a panoramic tour of the Parliament - the building itself is impressive. The stories along the construction and – too. With a length of 270 m, 1100 rooms - 440 offices, 30 conference rooms, 4 restaurants, 3 libraries and a concert hall - the Parliament of Romania is a symbol of the city and one of the most famous and visited buildings in the country. It is the second largest public building in the world after the Pentagon in Washington. There is an opportunity to explore it from the inside, as during the tour you can also explore the Palace Museum, the Museum of Communist Totalitarianism and the National Museum of Contemporary Art. The building was built during the communist era by Nicolae Ceausescu entirely with Romanian materials, mainly wood, marble and stone. According to unofficial data, this cost the Romanian people several tens of billions of lei - it was literally starved by the people. That is why many Romanians dislike her.
About 20,000 workers took part in the construction of the huge monument, and the architects alone numbered 700. Ceausescu mainly used prisoners or political opponents for labor. Many died during the construction, as basic safety conditions were not observed. After the fall of the regime, the building is still unfinished, and the initial desire of the people was to blow it up and destroy it (besides the above-mentioned facts, there are also rumors that Elena Ceausescu conducted sinister experiments there). However, it turned out that it would be cheaper to finish it than to destroy it, and in the end it was decided to turn it into a memorial to those who died during communism.
Romanians call it Iceberg because the building is 86 m above ground with 12 floors and 92 m below ground with 8 floors. And of course a secret bunker in one of the dungeons for connection to the airport, subway and other convenient places for a quick escape.
Unfortunately, we only watched it from the outside, it was not included in the program. The interesting thing is that a tourist alone cannot go on a tour, he must necessarily join a tourist group.
Parliament, Victoria Square and the Old Town - photos here
Old Town
We stopped right in front of the Parliament. It was noon. We agreed that at 17:30 we would meet at the same place for the return trip. The program was as follows: whoever wants to visit the old part of the city goes with the tour guide, the others stay at the Christmas market (it was exactly where we stopped) or do whatever they want. My companions stayed at the bazaar, and I went with the group to the old town. We were walking very fast and a woman in the group made a remark to our guide to slow down a bit. We were walking along a central street, it was beautiful, the trees were still decorated with colorful, wilting leaves... a warm, beautiful autumn. I even took off my coat and spent almost the whole day in flannel. I was trying to remember the way because I assumed I was going back alone. We walked for about 20 minutes, and from the whole journey, my lower back pains started calling. Noooo… I gritted my teeth and decided I wasn't going to give up. I have come to cheer, not to sit in one place.
Centrul Vechi or the Old Center was first mentioned in 1600, but its real development began after 1660, when the city became the capital of the province of Wallachia. Here are the ruins of the old palace of the Wallachian governors, and to the right of it is the church... The old town is undoubtedly a multicultural place. Neat streets, museums, ancient architecture, bars and restaurants - all gathered in one place, echoed around the clock by the noise of people of different nationalities. The most famous street here is "Lipscan", and all the buildings are hundreds of years old.
We stopped in front of Stavropoleos Church - the small church in the heart of the city with wonderful architecture and a beautiful courtyard. It is in Brankovianu style and combines elements from different cultures. It was built in 1724 by a Greek monk, and in 20 it was restored. In the churchyard, you can also see fragments of frescoes, architectural elements or tombstones that were restored after the destruction of churches in the Old Center during the communist regime in Romania. There, our guide gave us directions on what we could see and where, and we all had a blast.
Cărtureşti Carusel or "Carousel of Light"
I headed to the Cărtureşti Carusel or Carousel of Light bookstore. Opened in February 2015, today it is one of the main attractions in the very historical heart of Bucharest. 6 floors and an area of about 1000 sq.m., I can boldly define it as the Paradise of books. The white spaces, the natural light and the curves on the stair railings give the feeling of being in a fairy tale. The ground floor is for souvenirs, tea, stationery and other beautiful trinkets, the first floor is for fiction, the second is for specialized and materials for artists and creativity, and the fifth is a secluded niche, especially for reading, in which cushions are thrown for greater convenience. The top floor is for the bistro, from which you can see all the way to the basement - it is intended for multimedia.
I decided to buy some small themed gifts for the kids - I have a musician, a sailor and two animal lovers. I walked around, I looked... I felt at home. Only the coat thrown over my bag caused me discomfort. It weighed, the desert. I hiccupped at the checkout. 610 lei, and I had more or less that much in cash. I paid with a card, went out and leaned on some table on the street to arrange my things. And I realize I'm missing a glass. I turn and look at the cashier who has come out, how he looks for me, doesn't see me and goes back inside. I stirred the people, there was a melee in the streets. I took my cup and started back.
The streets in Centrul Vechi they were small and neat, they reminded me of Italy. Everywhere shops, restaurants, full of people of different nationalities. It struck me that there were many Italians and all young people. Were they studying here or had they just come for a walk... I sat down on a bench to finish eating what I had brought from home. I continued down, easily oriented. Around the corner I ran into a toothless old man playing a little accordion "Bella, ciao" and trying to sing. He looked very gracious. I made a short video, gave him a few lei and continued to the exit of the old town.
The bag of presents weighed heavily on me, apart from my coat. I wondered if I would find my way to the Parliament, where the Bazaar was, by myself... probably yes, by asking... But I saw three taxis and was tempted. One driver was smoking in front of the car, I asked him if he spoke English and how much he would take to the Parliament. 50 lei - I don't know if it was a lot or a little, but I decided that I could afford it. The taxi stopped right in front of one entrance to the Christmas Bazaar. I looked at the clock - I had a full 3 hours. Great. I started looking around for a familiar face from the bus. I measured a pair but they were in a different direction.
The Christmas market and Kartureshti Carousel - photos here
The Christmas Bazaar
Big, noisy, colorful with a 30-meter decorative Christmas tree with 70,000 lights. Artisans, creatives and local producers eagerly awaited their customers, offering a variety of seasonal products, culinary delicacies, toys, souvenirs, handmade items, cosmetics and clothing. And all this to the background of Christmas carols. There was a stage by the tree where some band was playing. And Christmas music echoed from other loudspeakers, but on such a large area one did not interfere with the others.
In the middle they had placed tables where a person could lean and eat. However, there was not one bench, not one chair for a person to sit on. And there was plenty of time until 5:30 p.m. The paper envelope with the gifts started to tear... I walked around wondering what to buy. I liked a lavender candle, I also wanted some lavender cosmetics, but strangely they all smelled like citrus. I also bought themed gingerbread men for everyone – BMW, cat, snowmen and hearts.
I wasn't hungry, but I couldn't help but take a bite. I bought two sausages and what I thought was mashed potatoes. It tasted good, but it had nothing to do with potatoes. It turned out to be a mummy. I hadn't eaten until now. I like it. I talked to a young Romanian couple. I asked them if 50 lei is too much from the Old Town to here. "He didn't rob you, but he could have taken less from you" - they answered me with a smile. I said goodbye to them and decided to call my companions. I found them in front of the Christmas tree. We chatted, we walked... and the bag got really heavy on me. I put it at our feet by the stage fence and my friend tripped over it. We laughed and I decided to leave her in one of the ambulances on duty, but it crossed my mind that the ambulance might be leaving and I decided against it. I bought mulled wine with lemon and apple. It was delicious... and I don't like mulled wine in general, I prefer it still. I also ate a cannoli... and I couldn't wait to leave.
It was dark and the lights were shining. Beauty. My friend said she went on the ferris wheel and the view from the top was stunning. The wheel was big and had booths, but I missed it. With a full stomach and unstable vestibular apparatus it was not a good idea. The bazaar was nice, creating just the right festive and euphoric feeling. But it was kind of… American and commercial. The music, the tinkerers at the stalls - I was missing the specific and unique. Otherwise the decorations and lights were amazing.
We're leaving
We looked at the clocks and decided to move to the stop in front of the Parliament. At the entrance, I asked two policemen - a man and a woman to take a picture - I'm building a collection, lol. They didn't refuse me. The people from our bus were already gathering at the appointed place. We found out that one of the women had her purse with all her personal and bank cards stolen. The darlings... had ruined her walk. And instead of walking around looking at beauties, the woman ran to the embassy. I could no longer feel my lower back and legs at all, but there was nowhere to sit. I dropped the bag on the ground…and my friend tripped over it a second time. But why did she order my bag like that!? I shout "Three for luck"…good thing the woman didn't fall because of my trinkets.
The tour guide came and said that the boulevard was closed because of some Coca Cola event, it was visible, there were a lot of police, so we had to go around because our bus was in a parking lot nearby. We had all gathered, there were no latecomers. Only 60 m away was the bus... But it was not 60, but much more. We walked, crossed, walked again and crossed again.
We left tired but satisfied. And here we are at the border. I went down to the toilet because I wasn't sure if I would last until Ruse... and I got lost. Well, our driver explained to me to pass on the right… I went on the other side to enter Romania. I still found the toilet, it was for people at dawn. I hurried back, but the bus was not moving, and I lit a cigarette. Then we moved quickly, about 30 min.
The wacky companion
We left, I must have dozed off and didn't realize when we reached Varna. And as a finale, we had a little action. The man who left late turned out to be a complete cuckoo. When the people from Shumen got off, he didn't stop going around the seats, he didn't find a place. At the traffic light on Mack Drive, we stopped at a red light. This one stood next to the driver and nervously ordered, "Hey, let me get off, I'm on medication!" - in a tone that doesn't tolerate objection, as if it's the most normal thing in the world to get off a bus at a red light. Naturally, they did not open the door for him, it was even politely explained why he had to wait. And the man went mad. He started raising his voice, insulting rudely and threatening. "It's not enough that I put up with her... with her cigarette, but now you keep me here by force" - apparently some unscrupulous passenger had smoked an electronic cigarette, which is not allowed, but... the epithet to her, as well as other rudeness to the driver and tour guide will I save them because they were too vulgar and vile. He threatened to fight... He insisted that they stop him at least at a stop. I know from experience that drivers do not refuse to stop on the way back to a public transport stop, but with such behavior... The driver stated categorically that he would stop where we left. Our companion was already foaming with rage, I was worried that he would jump into battle while we were in motion. Thank God we got away with only the "rabid dog" barking, no biting. He must have really been on pills. We got off and I was now telling my friends what happened because they were sitting way back. They added the story of how the gentleman almost didn't slap the smoker. He leaned over her and started yelling at her rudely and threateningly. That she was in a shoot is clear, but we don't need to fight.
It was around 11pm. I suggested to my friends that we use public transport, there were still buses, and the stop was two steps away. They categorically refused. We went home by taxi, it was faster and more comfortable.
A shower, a cigarette, I hid the presents and sank into the world of dreams.
Sunday spa for relaxation
The next day I had presciently planned the spa at St. St. Constantine and Helena. In the morning I barely got up, folded in two, everything hurt so much. The towel in the jacket and march to the stop. Without a car, because I walked to the hotel for 15-20 minutes, which I needed to get around. I smeared myself… and sponged all day in the pool. But the swimming and water exercise did me a lot of good, and in the evening I had no memory of the pain after the trip. There was also an outdoor pool with warm water, and by noon the weather was nice enough to go outside in a bathing suit without freezing to death. And the view was like in a fairy tale. You splash in the warm water, you are met by sand, sea and stones and the sound of the soft lapping of the waves.
I left in the dark, after 5 p.m. It was already cold and raining. I didn't judge my time and waited a long time. I plan to repeat soon, the spa at Sirius Beach the hotel is nice and the prices are quite decent.
© 2023 Iliana Dechkova