Getting Caught Up in Bucharest

My aunt and I had just spent a week in Bulgaria, winding our way on an organized tour towards Romania. To be honest, I didn’t know much about Romania, but I expected certain similarities to Bulgaria. Beautiful scenery, quaint towns, the slow pace of relaxation…

But Bucharest was like a pulse of energy.

Our ever gracious guide offered to take us on an informal walk through the city. But as we walked I started to outpace the group. I wanted more than to stretch my legs. I wanted to pace through the streets, sucking in all the electricity and liveliness and mystery. Bucharest felt like an unrestrained Paris, full of mischief. This city was intoxicating. Winding cobblestone streets, sidewalk cafes spread so deep there was barely a pedestrian lane, and, as I would find out, a wild wild nightlife.

But first, Bucharest during the day. Every single kind of architecture you could want – including one of the most grandiose excesses of the Communist era, the Palace of the Parliament.

Bucharest is renovating their Communist-era apartments, making them more modern and cheery.

Medieval Orthodox churches that are still in use. I couldn’t quite get a glimpse inside the Stavropoleos Monastery because locals were packed in for a service.

While we were admiring the 17th century Romanian Orthodox Patriarchal Cathedral, a family came by, the young boys dressed in traditional clothing.

My favorite building was the CEC bank building. Glass and iron ceilings are very romantic to me and cause daydreams of Victorian World Fairs.

I also loved lunching at the Caru’ cu Bere – a beer house with a gorgeous art nouveau interior. It looks like a library. Or a church. Or a holy brewery.

You can also visit the Village Museum, an open-air museum that showcases Romanian architecture from all over the country through history. Talk about an impressive steeple!

And Bucharest at night…

This was early in the evening, right after dinner. Then the sidewalk cafes and streets filled with young, gorgeous Europeans until you could barely squeeze through. The party still hadn’t quieted down when we headed back to our hotel at 3am. We went to a basement bar, near choking on the cigarette smoke but still singing along as the band played hits from the 90s.

There were dancers swinging BALLS OF FIRE in front of one restaurant. You would definitely need a permit for that in New York.

Bucharest pulled me into its current. It enticed me and teased me and I left with daydreams of moving there, getting a dingy apartment and living the romantic life of an expat in a post-Communist but outrageously chic European city.

New York and Bucharest – they both go ‘round the clock. But Bucharest didn’t feel tired because of it.

Oh and the fashion! Denim on denim, always an excellent choice.

Have you ever been to Bucharest? Were you able to keep up with the Romanians as they partied?