Bucharest and the castles of Transylvania. Tour of Romania

The decision to undertake this journey was born from the desire to support as part of the world championship of Qwan Ki Do, our teacher and Italy during the competition that would take place just in Bucharest.

We therefore organized all our trips and visits on the basis of this event, limited and the visit to the city. Nonetheless we managed to visit almost all the major sites and monuments of interest.
Following are the travel diary

 

An unlucky departure: MYAIR, An airway to avoid

We bought the tickets via the internet because the only airline easyJet, which proposed to link directly Milan - Bucharest addition to Easy Jet, however, from Malpensa.

The times were really the perfect choice to take full advantage of the bridge, with the departure from Orio al Serio at 7:00 of the 1st November and return at 21:00, 4 November.

The departure, however, has been repeatedly re-scheduled a few days before, by defining, in the end time of takeoff to 17:15.
Arriving at the airport all together (9 persons), we find that the delay was even 4 hours!
Estimated time of departure 21:30: the chaos to follow draws a veil pitiful.
The ideal, in our case landed in Bucharest to Bucharest Baneasa, 4 kilometers far from the city center to the city is to use the bus 783 which connects the airport directly to downtown.

Unfortunately, landing at midnight, the bus service, Bus No. 783 connecting the two airports to the city center (Piata Unirii) was already over, are attempting to join with other passengers to take advantage of the only 3 taxis available.
Taxi drivers are bargaining on the price, the debate is quite lively and eventually you get to pay 100 to taxi.
All this is wrong because they should simply turn on the meter, a friend who lives in Bucharest, told us that those, in reality they were not licensed taxi and that we should call the police but, as you know, almost never works that way.

The fact is that eventually our driver very kind, brings us to our hostel, complete with explanation of the city-style guidebook. A target of 100 is asking you agreed.
Our companions, however, live a completely different experience. The taxi arrived at the hotel the other passengers stopped in a street quite isolated, and called 200 on her head!
Begin to discuss why The pacts were different in the end, even a little 'press the situation is not so sure you pay 200 for the race to be divided in 3. It also leaves our traveling companion alone, several miles from our hostel in the heart of the night in an area a bit 'fringe.
The first impact is not the best.
Our hostel, The Midland Youth Hostel, however, is still nice, clean, and in a good position. The staff, all very young, is very courteous and helpful.
Booked through sitohostel world the cost per person for three nights is 40 euros and includes breakfast.

We are the Champions my friends…

Start a little taken back by a 'turbulent, we meet at 9:00 at the sports center which is located in the middle of the park ... for the presentation of teams racing and the start of the fourth World Championships 2007 Qwan Ki Do

Our hostel, right next to the University is just convenient because, besides being in the old town, is very close to the subway. Buy a daily ticket (4 her). The subway is fast, convenient, understandable and clean and we will use often. We get out at the national multi-purpose sports complex in Bucharest - Calea Rue Piscului No. 10 and, we walk around the park, a beautiful trek in the Open-kept.
From the park, overlooking the city, among them being the huge white Parliament.

The competition, with fierce fan base, will keep us busy until the evening with one break to eat in, take the opportunity to confirm the tour booked by email to castles, close to our hostel. Agency's staff Romadria (rodica@romadria.ro) is professional, punctual, courteous and very helpful. The tour is confirmed for Sunday.
The championship is a clash between Romania, France and Italy that wins several medals in all categories (Grade: national teams Cinture.Nere and CoVoDao, Fights: national teams Degrees male and female)

At the end of the competitions, together with a friend moved to Bucharest go to eat in the brewery's most famous and old city, Caru 'cu Bere. The restaurant dates back to 1875, it offers a Gothic style, so appreciated by having to book to find a place to sit. (Address: Str Stavropoleos 3-5, Metro: Piata Universitatii / Piata Unirii 2, Tel: +40 21 313 7560)


Beer lovers will be at ease in Caru 'cu Bere. The oldest brewery dating back to 1875 in Bucharest and offers a Gothic style inspired by Dracula.
Address: Str Stavropoleos 3-5
Metro: Piata Universitatii / Piata Unirii 2
Tel: +40 21 313 7560

Let's explore the city!

The day, at 9.00 provides for the National Black Belt Fight Female and male, but among the group who returned at 6 am and we, frankly we would like to visit the city consciously decide to "bigiare" and, with my boyfriend, map and Lonely Planet in hand we visit the most interesting places in the city.

The main attractions of the city are:
1) Old Town (churches, palaces, places of memory)
2) Parliament
3) National Museum of Art
4) Park and Village Museum

According to what I was advised by colleagues from Romania, the city can be visited in one day (not spending time in museums), but unfortunately we do not have all day and are forced to abandon the National Museum of Art . We start from the historic center, close to our hostel, retracing the streets, visit the night before.
We start from square Universitaria (Plata University), next to our hostel, which was the scene of some of the most brutal phases of the revolution of 1989, looking for signs of bullets on buildings and 10 stone crosses in memory of the victims and the black cross that marks the point where a to 17:30 on 21 December 1989 died the first demonstrator. I did not! But how? Eventually my boyfriend makes me notice the median ... remain desolate, to the point of not even take a picture! We start walking, a little 'cold, the old town.

DOWNTOWN
E 'impressive as between tall buildings, some modern and others clearly inspired by Parisian Parisians are discovered, unexpectedly, the tiny churches packed into themselves surrounded by tall trees that seem to protect them from metropolitan life.
We have entered almost all the churches, Orthodox, all very similar, without success, however, to visit the interior for an ongoing "strange ceremony" Out of the first meet a girl and wonder what's going on. With great courtesy and good English, explains that it is the anniversary of the dead (true!) And that in their tradition the whole morning is dedicated to the functions and during which the faithful bring food, drinks and dishes of all kinds. At the center of small and a little 'twisted asks winds a long table where the products are blessed. You know the traditional bottle of coca cola! At the end of the function, families bring home the food blessed and offer them to relatives and friends in the afternoon will find them, <
Orthodox masses are very suggestive: the "priest" enveloped by the thick incense smoke that moves rhythmically, with a firm step forward, hidden in his long black cassock, black cap and long beard among the chorus of worshipers bent on rosaries . The cadence of the prayers, the darkness of the close churches, and the strong faith of the participants are similar in all the churches. For this reason we can not go beyond a few inches from the threshold. We are only spectators, and do not want to disturb their dedication foolishly.

Deserves absolutely beautiful Church Stavropoleos a small architectural gem, with an old back porch, fabulous frescoes and, during the autumn covered in thick gold leaf.

Over again even via Lipscani, although the historical center still seems a battleground, homes destroyed along the path of the center. Stray dogs are everywhere, but fortunately they are not aggressive. Even the "question" the dogs is a remnant of the old regime.
SETTING UP The communist regime took place at the end of the Second World War and marked a permanent change for the city of Bucharest.
About one-sixth of the inner city were cut down to build impressive buildings and buildings at the behest of the dictator Ceausescu. The owners of houses valuable evicted to give space to the leaders of the party.
The results were many: all the people (lots) were evicted included in "blocks" that is a cube tower blocks of the system, all the animals abandoned on the street because it was forbidden to introduce them in new homes.
Whole areas of the Belle Epoque, with churches and palaces only destroyed.
Irony of "regained freedom" are the thousands of fights in court to regain ownership of the old houses now in positions economically attractive. (if you are lawyers, in Romania, you may find a gold mine!)

After a long walk, which usciscono also our companions, we reach the Unirii Square, which is the huge fountain, which stops the boulevard leading to the "House Poporului.
The Boulevard, desired by the dictator, is specially longer than 6 meters in Paris.
You go through a long avenue immersed in autumnal colors of the large trees lining the avenue with the Parliament that constantly dominates the view. It seems to touch him, to have arrived but it is not so! Just arrived in the palace there ssi realize the size clicopiche.
Despite its construction was ordered by the dictator, the "House of the People", ie the Parliament, is loved by the citizens. Second building in the world after the Pentagon as land of the United States, with over 1,000 rooms is the pride of the work of the greatest architects and craftsmen Romanians, all materials (marble, crystal, carpets, fabrics, etc.) come from different areas Romania.

The visit, which necessarily led in the Romanian language or English, enabling them to visit only 5% of the building and takes 45 minutes but it really deserves. He remains amazed by the workmanship and the amount of white marble carved. (Entry 15 lei).
From the central balcony you can admire most of the city and remains the most affected by the size of the building.

Returning to Piata Unirii and head towards our next stop dedicated to the Cathedral of the city, unfortunately bundled. The functions have now finished and you can admire the gold and frescoes. The Patriarchal Cathedral, the hill next to the Patriarchate collects if a complex of buildings is the most interesting and imported for the Romanian Orthodox faith. Inside, I immediately searched the icon of 1658, including age structure, depicting the patron saints Constantine and Elena of Romania. The atmosphere was a bit 'unreal, between the mysticism of "permanent" hidden by veils blacks concentrated in treating their rhythmic chants from the rosary in his hands gnarled and girls in an apron who washed the floor with the broom after blessing the food!

The road is also the Monastery and Church of Prince Radu Bucur the Shepherd, built in 1743 and dedicated to the legendary founder of the city, so why Bucharest was (legend), founded by the legendary shepherd Bucur (joy) even if the first document attesting to the existence of the city was just signed by the "legendary" Prince Vlad.

At 15.00 we would be present for the technical demonstration of various Martial Arts and the Delegation of WUQKD with the participation of founder Master Pham Xuan Tong, and falls just in time to the sports center.
The park, with light brushing and a mist on the fields just mentioned is even more beautiful.

At night

That evening, we want to try a traditional restaurant but it's Saturday and it seems impossible to find a place without having booked. We are nine and not everyone has the patience to wait, folded, then, in the one who accepts us (after "knocking on doors about 7"). And 'the theme restaurant of Dracula.
The environment is nice, cute is also the price on the menu. We limit ourselves to simple dishes of traditional Romanian, leaving (for boys) until after the meal itself.
Food is scarce and not a little good. AVOID THIS RESTAURANT.
Divided again retrace our steps to find a spot again Caru cu Bere.
Finally we accept. We drink very good beer and the kids eat, finally with perzioni appropriate, and especially anything with gusto!

In the evening we try to enter different clubs but not because we want to stay very tired, so let's just peep into the various parties animated by students.

Sibiu, Peles, Bran, Brasov