Leaving Sighisoara the train travelled through small villages, gentle rolling hills & farm land. I saw many shephards guarding their flocks of sheep.
Men with horse & wagon were seen toiling in the fields. There were even shephards watching over cattle grazing in the fields! The countryside in this area is not green, very dry looking. There were not many trees with autum colors. Very picturesque & pretty nevertheless.
At the train station I had met Steve from Vermont, a Professor of Sociology who was teaching for year at the University of Bucharest. Steve had done the same 8 years prior. We did not sit together in the train as I was in 2nd class. Steve found my car & invited me for coffee in the dining car. He offered to help me locate my accommodation which was near the train station. That was so nice of him, as I was apprehensive of this big city. Half way through the trip the train started climbing up into the mountains. The orange colors of autumn were spectacular!
Got checked in and set about exploring. What a lot of traffic and vehicles!
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| DeGaulle Square statue |
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| Arcul de Triumf |
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| Phone booth on way to park |
The majority of trees were loosing their leaves. A lot of the walkway, roadways were getting covered. It was an endless task for the city workers as they tried to keep up with the removal of these leaves.
Park Herastrau is a massive park surrounding Lake Herastrau. Fall was a great time to be here, the tree colors were so gorgeous! There were many unique statues throughout the park. Plus check out this cool bike rack!
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| Entrance to Park Herastrau |
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| European Union Member heads |
Village Museum sign
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The Village Museum has on display typical early houses and farm implements from villages throughout Romania.
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After touring the park and visiting the Village Museum I walked back down on the other side of boulevard.
This took me past some of the wealthier homes and consulate areas.
To Revolution Square
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| Man on horse, Revolution Square |
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Old building from 1989 Revolution left,
new built on top, unique way
to preserve history! |
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| See the bullet holes in brick! |
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| He's been sitting there all day! |
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| Statistics Building |
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| Military Academy building |
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Presidential Palace - 12 floors,
you enter on 3rd floor |
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| Presidential Palace, only Pentagon is bigger! |
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| Hallway |
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Looking out onto Unification Blvd
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My last night in Bucharest I was treated to an evening at Athenaeum, listening to a philharmonica symphony orchestra. It was fantastic night, the music, accoustics and building!
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| Athenaeum |
I ended up spending more time in Bucharest than the one night I had orginally planned. I had been sick with a very bad cold or virus & spent some days recovering in Bucharest. Steve who with his knowledge of the city took me on tour of some sights plus introduced me to the subway. I don't believe I would of seen as much of the city without Steve's help.
The next morning I was on a train bound for Ruse, Bulgaria, located just over the border.
