Blogs from Muntenia, Romania, Europe - page 5

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Europe » Romania » Muntenia » Bucharest August 24th 2013

Geo: 44.4479, 26.09795:30am came pretty quickly. We were packed already so we got dressed, loaded up and down to the taxis stand for a trip to the train station. At the taxi line, all the cars were tiny and as I asked each one, they appeared disinterested in dealing with our luggage. Finally, a guy pulls up and puts one case in the trunk, one in the back seat with me and Mom rides up front. Problem solved. Like I said before, in this area the people have a hard time dealing with any challenges and prefer to ignore them.We got to the station and bought our reservations for 6 leu, that $2. The train was on time and we arrived in Bucuresti by 10am as planned, just less than 3 hours. Following the directions of ... read more
Typical Romanian station - we saw many.
In Bucharest buying train tickets to Istanbul
Mom buying something - an expert at pharmacy

Europe » Romania » Muntenia August 23rd 2013

The city of Bucarest is interesting because from what I understood has only been free of communism or past conquerors as of 1989. The residential and government buildings reflect this history well, they all look the same but are very large and impressively detailed. Bucarest is home of The People's Palace, the construction of which began by the previous dictator (whose name i can neither pronounce or spell), paused during the overthrow of his regime, and finished in the early 90s. It is currently the 3rd largest building in the world at some 350,000 square meters, has more lightbulbs than any other building in the world, and is home of the largest chandelier, which weighs 5 tons. It hold other records, couldnt remeber them all. Monica and I took the standard tour for 60 Lei (20 ... read more
Rolling down the red carpet
Communist Architecture

Europe » Romania » Muntenia » Bucharest August 19th 2013

Hello my fellow travellers! After a bumpy ride with no entertainment on it (man, I miss the Turkish buses already) I arrived in Bucharest at 8 am this morning. As I got off the bus I found myself in a very worn and run down neighbourhood despite being so close to the centre. The park nearby seemed to be the housing facility of a lot of homeless people and the buildings all bore witness to needing some serious loving attention. Still, I guess I had expected something after my seeing Sofia. Since I had just spent my second night in a row trying to sleep on a bus I was really tired and what followed was the worst introduction to a new country I've ever experienced. Here's a brief summary of how my first few moments ... read more
Palace of the Parliament
Church of Saint Anthony
Savings Bank Palace

Europe » Romania » Muntenia » Bucharest August 10th 2013

Next top, Bucharest, north of Sofia. I took the train leaving Sofia at 7pm. Very different story already...backpackers have gone, we are not anymore on the main Wien-Athens axis...this time, it's a little different. I'm in a 4 berths cabin...and the train is on it's way to Kiev...not for me yet. The train is pretty comfortable, and half empty. I'm sharing the cabin with a Russian guy...my age...who speaks...Russian! At 1am the train stop at the border. Do not forget, Romania and Bulgaria are both members of the EU since 2007...6 years already...and it takes us...4 hours to clear the two controls! They didn't get much involved into our cabin...they took our passport...and return them to us...4 hours later...crazy isn't it! We reached Bucharest by 7.30am...should have been 2 hours earlier, but I don't mind, I'm ... read more
Vlad....aka Count Dracula...
Revolution Square...yes...back in 1989...
Old Town

Europe » Romania » Muntenia » Arges » PITESTI July 11th 2013

Examene Cambridge in Pitesti in parteneriat cu British Council!! In luna iunie 2013, dupa un an scolar in care cursantii centrului nostru s-au pregatit nu numai sa invete limba engleza cat mai bine, ci si sa sustina un examen Cambridge potrivit nivelului lor, ziua cea mare a sosit! Elevii s-au pregatit folosind manuale Cambridge University Press si lucrand foarte multe teste cu tipsuri si strategii, scriind multe compozitii tip eseu, scrisoare, raport, etc, fiecare cu specificul ei si exersand mult pentru proba orala. Emotiile au fost foarte mari si aici sunt cateva poze ale zilei de 15 iunie 2013 in care s-au sustinut probele de scris pentru nivelele Cambridge: YLE Starters, YLE Flyers, KET si FCE. Cu 3 zile inainte, pe data de 12 iunie 2013, dupa un curs foarte intensiv, s-a sustinut examenul Cambridge nivel ... read more
CAE @ RAMADA Hotel
CAE @ Ramada Hotel
CAE @ RAMADA Hotel

Europe » Romania » Muntenia » Barcanesti June 17th 2013

The George Enescu Museum On Sunday I decided to walk north on Calea Victoriei from city center, Bucharest. I had seen a large park on the map and I wanted to see if people were enjoying the Romania on this perfect Sunday. About half way to the park, I noticed this striking mansion with an extremely ornate facade, even by Romanian standards. It had a wrought Iron fence that was open and no signage forbidding entry. I also noticed the front door was open. I called out but nobody answered, "Hey! Is anybody home?" No answer and no dogs barked. So I walked through the open gate and up the steps into the open front door of this great mansion. Life is an adventure if you have courage and act. Inside was a female guard who ... read more
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Europe » Romania » Muntenia » Bucharest June 17th 2013

I am on the train heading north out of Bucharest. At first it was farmland but now it is turning into rolling foothills. I am going to a town in the mountains called Brasov. There is a ski resort nearby so it is likely to have a decent incline. Dracula's Castle is near there. I have decided I want to live off the blood of women for eternity, so I am trying to find a vampire who can get that done for me. I hear that three bites of my neck is all it takes to make me into a vampire. Apparently, you have to find an honest vampire, because they can just kill you if they want. Maybe if I hang out in the pubs around Brasov, I can find a vampire that looks like ... read more
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Europe » Romania » Muntenia » Bucharest June 15th 2013

Today was always going to be one of the bigger challenges for the BBA V2 if only for what we have read about Bucharest and the perils tourists can face when visiting the city with scams,gypsies and roaming dogs.! The weather promises to be fine and the temperature projected to hit 30C+ but has dawned cloudy which might actually be better especially if we clock up a few kilometres touring the city. The hotel served up an expresso coffee with a croissant and we substituted that for the instant Nescafe as we felt it would give us a buzz enough to keep us going all day. The reception didn't know anything about a bus to the city and suggested a taxi at between RON 100 to 200 max or about €45 to €90 to get to ... read more
The Arc de Triumpf
Lovely park for the people
Home of Romanian rugby

Europe » Romania » Muntenia » Bucharest June 14th 2013

We left Tulcea with a mix of feelings regarding the Danube and its delta.We had come here because we wanted to experience the delta and its wildlife but had failed because we couldn't arrange a boat trip that we were happy with both from a cost point of view and a boat owner that we felt would give us what we were looking for in a boat that we felt safe in. However all was not lost as far as the Danube was concerned for us but more about that later. With a big day of travel ahead of us we got ourselves organised early and on the road to Bucharest. Vicky wanted to take us south on the E87,the road we had arrived into Tulcea on from Mamaia, and then west on the A2,the main ... read more
Romania in the foreground,then the Danube and in the distance, Ukraine
Loaded onto the barge
Incoming barge from Braila

Europe » Romania » Muntenia » Bucharest June 9th 2013

Hey guys! Just over a week ago I took a trip for a few days to Bucharest, capital of Romania, after having wanted to visit the city for many years. Being the capital of a communist satellite state, the city retains many strange features not present in other places, making it a unique tourist attraction. The city is famous mostly for the Palace of Parliament, the second largest, most expensive, and heaviest building in the world - containing several different functions of the running of the state. It is also open for tourists to visit, and on the second day of my trip I took a tour, visiting many rooms (including state meeting rooms and a theatre), the basement and the rooftop terrace. The building is almost completely made out of marble with huge chandeliers, and ... read more
Boulevard Unirii
Marble Interior
Inside a House




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