My Trip to Romania

When I was around nine years old, I remember seeing Bram Stoker's Dracula for the first time. Partly to blame for this overexposure at such a young age was probably on my babysitter at the time, and likely unrestricted HBO. It wasn't all her fault! I also recall watching Full Metal Jacket around this same time as well, which is a whole other post on its own. However, Dracula really stuck with me, and it wasn't until years later that I picked up the actual original novel by Bram Stoker to experience the true essence of the story. What hit me the most wasn't just the vampires and werewolves or any type of medieval superstition or fantasy that existed. There are plenty of those however, stories that are more than just myths as well. It was the portrayal and representation of a land and people which grasped me the most. The characterization of a land on the edge and periphery of Europe. One of the last frontiers to be explored.

Romanian Orthodox Church, Lipscani Quarter, Bucharest.

I told myself that one day I would visit, and I finally did last year. The Romania that I saw was a country filled with intricacy and mystery. A place mixed with a unique history blended with East and West, and a modernity that is often unrecognized. I think of all countries in Europe, Romania has to be the one who unjustifiably is stuck with one of the most mystifying reputations. Of course, whenever you are located, outside of mainstream Western Europe, general perception is usually going to be the only reality to form one's opinion, as with many other places and things. Ever since Romania joined the EU in 2007, albeit with many restrictions and limitations, all aspects of the country and its people were highlighted and on display. Of all former Eastern Bloc nations to turn to the West after the fall of communism, Romania is definitely one of the most interesting. It has yet to capture the attention of Western tourists such as the Czech Republic, mostly in part due to misleading myths and tales about Gypsies, and embellished stories of an exorbitant crime rate. All of these were just some of the reasons why I found Romania so intriguing and why it made for such an amazing trip. Here are a few pics from my time spent in Bucharest.

Palace of the Parliament, Bucharest. 

Nicolae Ceaușescu's megalomaniacal dream. A true beast of a building. The Palace of the Parliament. It really was unlike anything I had ever seen. Apparently after the Pentagon, it is the second biggest structure in the world in terms of overall size. Ceausescu demolished entire neighborhoods in order to construct it in order to lay plan to his vision of Bucharest as a preeminent European capital. Even though he is no longer running the show or anything else for that matter, his legacy still remains. The Palace of Parliament is the seat of the Romanian government to this today. 

Central Bucharest near Piaţa Romană

Carol I monument outside the library of the University of Bucharest

Winter ice skating by Piața Universității

Of all the cities I have visited in Europe, Bucharest especially left a lasting impression on me, and very positive one at that. It is not often on the itinerary of many travelers to Romania, and may not be the most aesthetically beautiful city compared to other European capitals, yet as you find yourself exploring each neighborhood in depth, the historical gems to be found are actually quite amazing. From neoclassical European architecture to communist and Ottoman influences in the midst of a modern thriving metropolis, there is really so much to see.