There and Back Again: A Black Girl’s Tale

Front page to the journal I’m writing in while in Bucharest.

Ah Bucharest, you’re starting to grow on me. Things are starting to feel familiar and I’m not as nervous running around on my lonesome without a translator, aka my husband. Also helps that I finally have my iPhone up and running. Bucharest beware! I aim to get out on my own for some photo shoots starting this week. I also hope to change up my way of sharing my finds through this blog. I’m not going to post every day, but if I see something cool or funny, I’m going to share it right away instead of waiting until I have a lot of pics. Hopefully it will keep my posts organized and not as long. And also give all of you that don’t have the privilege, or curse, of following me on Facebook or Twitter a better perspective of what it’s really like to call this city home. But for now, enjoy these slices from my time thus far in Romania.

Well, for right now, less ALL of Romania and more ONLY Bucharest. In my former job I crossed state lines twice on my way to work. So it’s weird for me to not have left this city in the near full month we’ve been here. I feel like I’m back in college without a car. At least that will change when my car arrives. Until then, it’s 24/7 Bucharest for yours truly.

Kiseleff Park and the Peasant Museum Market

A few weekends ago, we decided to walk to the Peasant Museum to check out the popular Antique and Artisanal Market. We ventured there by way of Kiseleff Park. During the summer weekends they close the main passthrough street and people come out to play basketball, pingpong, and just plain relax without the risk of a car running them down, which sadly does happen here. We were able to walk around the area, grab some gelato, and I snapped some pics. When we got to the museum the market was already buzzing with people. We didn’t go into the museum this time, but checked out the interesting items for sale.

Cool small park that I need to explore more

Summer Weekends in Romania, streets are closed and ready for play

Sign stopping traffic for weekend fun

Why did I really want to buy this?

Cool Mosaic art outside Peasant Museum

Closeup of Mosaic goodness

Hungry? Yum!

To buy or not to buy…

The Monument of the Infantry

Top of the The Monument of the Infantry

Lipscani

After our visit at the market we made our way to Piața Unirii to find the district of Lipscani. Lipscani was once the most important commercial center of Bucharest. Though it went through some sketchy times, in recent years it has been remade, upgrade, and is one of the most popular locations in the city. Decked out with restaurants, clubs, bars, and shops, local Americans say it’s like Georgetown in D.C. I have more exploring to do in this area, but snapped a few pics on my first venture.

I don’t think I’ll be wanting this kind of massage

Out for a stroll on a nice day.

All seem to have cigarettes on the menu

Architecture

I was asked to showcase more architecture, so here we go. Snapped pics of cool buildings when we journeyed to and from Lipscani.

A hotel nearby

Round apartment complex?

I think this is a bank

Herăstrău Park

I’m lucky to live close to the largest park in Bucharest—Herăstrău Park. With it’s twists and turns and funky layout, one can get lost in this pretty cool place. Bars and restaurants are scattered throughout the park, most with great views of Lake Herăstrău. On the 4th of July, a bunch of us did a pub / bar crawl in the park. Though I only went to a few locations, it was a great introduction to the park that you all are sure to see many pics of in the future. Three of the places we went to for drinks included Baraka, Biblioteca, and Hard Rock Cafe. Peacocks and black swans. Gardens and sculptures. And one fantastic lake. I can’t wait to really dig into the park and share my finds. In the meantime, here’s a taste:

I love this clock!

Record menu from Baraka

Rollerblading and skateboarding still going strong in Bucharest

Biblioteca decor

My first view of the lake

Paddle boats on the lake

Kind of creepy yet kind of cool.

I hear they have one for Michael Jackson. I am on the look out.

Drum heads on the ceiling? Pretty damn cool.

Miscellaneous Bucharest

And last, but not least, here are some random shots taken around town.  See captions for my comments.

Graffiti on the metro

Trying out the minature effects

Trying out the minature effects

Recycle Bins. Too bad the recycled stuff goes to the same place as the trash.

I will not be buying this

Inside the Vodafone lobby. Security did not like me snapping this pic.

Arch of Triumph. Again with a better shot.

Good German food! http://diedeutschekneipe.ro/

Really liked this place. Food was great. Decor was cool. Can’t wait to go back!

Shared a leather love seat with the hubs. Saw “Pacific Rim” (My movie Rating: 4/5. Theater experience: 5 stars)

Bathroom signs that more accurately portrays what’s going through your mind when you enter.