After today's continous journey I finally made it back to Bucharest. Although I was considering sidetrips to Halmyris and/or Istria still, in the end I went straight back - thinking that I'm done adventuring and that it's time to just go home. Even considering of pulling my flight forward a few hours.
It's funny to notice how quickly a mood can change. After having checked in to the closest option for accomodation (a very quaint hostel with old British men and whole family albums up on the walls) and chilling in the kitchen with a cup of tea I felt some energy returning. Why go home early, and settle for dinner in McDonald's while I'm still in Bucharest - the city that positively surprised me only a few days ago? Or had that suddenly changed?
Starting the long walk into the city where L. had shown me around extensively on the weekend I could see again why I enjoyed it so much. The roughness, the unpretensiousness, the feeling of being alive - it's all there. It's definitely not a 'pretty' or 'nice' city but it's worth getting to know I think.
P.S. But not in the middle of summer - it'll be awful with 30/35C temperatures, too muggy, dirty, dusty.
Showing posts with label romania. Show all posts
Showing posts with label romania. Show all posts
May 07, 2009
Observations from a village festival
Visiting the Danube Delta was high on my wishlist for this trip. I'm not a bird person but the area sounds beautiful so after leaving L. in Bucharest on Sunday I departed for a new adventure: reaching Sf. Gheorghe - and maybe more importantly - coming back to Bucharest in time for my flight home.
All the ferry schedules I had found, gave different information so after arriving in Tulcea (an easy-to-forget city) I decided on Monday morning to just go and see what would happen (knowing that there are only three ferries a week so turning around halfway wasn't an option).
The ferry there was absolutely packed - not only with people but also building supplies, food, plants, the list goes on. After asking my neighbour she said it was because of a local festival this week.
*PANIC*
In my usual unplannedness I had expected Sf. Gheorghe to be as deserted as everywhere else so far and had not booked anythign ahead. Once off the boat, it turned out that there wasn't a map of the town anywhere, no discernible streetnames, and no clear signs for the pensions. By then I was picturing myself wandering the dirtroads of Sf. Gheorghe for the rest of the night, unable to find accomadation.
The place I did find with the help of some locals was a lovely cute pension where I was all of three guests. With the hour my host had a grilled fish dinner ready and I'd discussed plans to share a boat for a trip up the Delta with my Romanian fellow guests (a Bucuresti-couple who looked bored for their whole stay).
----
Currently I'm sitting on the upper deck of the ferry back at 6:30am - three days after the above happened. Well-rested, I suppose (apart from the 6am wake-up) - after two days of enforced laziness. I spent half of both days lying at the beach. A pretty much empty, long stretch of shelly beach on the Black See. Deserted, apart from a couple of cows, and myself of course.
The rest of the time was spent sitting at one of the boat jetties, reading and looking out over the water, and for a short two hours on a little boat to spot white pelicans in the Delta.
And then there was the festival. A celebration of St. George, patron of fisher men, but on the date of the old Russian Orthodox calendar. It started off with a ceremony in the local church, with a huge meal in the churchyard. After that, the party moved to the main square where a big stage was set up. Throughout the day there would be performances of the local band, ropetowing & dancing competitions and the highlight of the evening: a Ukrainian song and dance troupe, boated in for the occasion (the Delta stretches out into the Ukraine and the people have a shared history with many people in Sf. Gheorghe speaking Russian).
So, I had fun watching and observing the village celebrating the party of the year. All of the above was of course combined with plenty of beer and meat.
At some point, I had collected a fanclub of kids trying out their "Do you like [sports/pink/chocolate/etc]" phrases on me. And I had to do my best to keep a straight face when a Bucuresti dude in a cool PUMA-jacked told me about his trip to the Netherlands two years ago to see a concert of his favourite band, BZN....
But for now, my adventures are up. I'm heading back to Bucharest (a long day of ferry and bus) before flying home tomorrow. It's been a good two weeks, for the moment my travel bug is sated again.
All the ferry schedules I had found, gave different information so after arriving in Tulcea (an easy-to-forget city) I decided on Monday morning to just go and see what would happen (knowing that there are only three ferries a week so turning around halfway wasn't an option).
The ferry there was absolutely packed - not only with people but also building supplies, food, plants, the list goes on. After asking my neighbour she said it was because of a local festival this week.
*PANIC*
In my usual unplannedness I had expected Sf. Gheorghe to be as deserted as everywhere else so far and had not booked anythign ahead. Once off the boat, it turned out that there wasn't a map of the town anywhere, no discernible streetnames, and no clear signs for the pensions. By then I was picturing myself wandering the dirtroads of Sf. Gheorghe for the rest of the night, unable to find accomadation.
The place I did find with the help of some locals was a lovely cute pension where I was all of three guests. With the hour my host had a grilled fish dinner ready and I'd discussed plans to share a boat for a trip up the Delta with my Romanian fellow guests (a Bucuresti-couple who looked bored for their whole stay).
----
Currently I'm sitting on the upper deck of the ferry back at 6:30am - three days after the above happened. Well-rested, I suppose (apart from the 6am wake-up) - after two days of enforced laziness. I spent half of both days lying at the beach. A pretty much empty, long stretch of shelly beach on the Black See. Deserted, apart from a couple of cows, and myself of course.
The rest of the time was spent sitting at one of the boat jetties, reading and looking out over the water, and for a short two hours on a little boat to spot white pelicans in the Delta.
And then there was the festival. A celebration of St. George, patron of fisher men, but on the date of the old Russian Orthodox calendar. It started off with a ceremony in the local church, with a huge meal in the churchyard. After that, the party moved to the main square where a big stage was set up. Throughout the day there would be performances of the local band, ropetowing & dancing competitions and the highlight of the evening: a Ukrainian song and dance troupe, boated in for the occasion (the Delta stretches out into the Ukraine and the people have a shared history with many people in Sf. Gheorghe speaking Russian).
So, I had fun watching and observing the village celebrating the party of the year. All of the above was of course combined with plenty of beer and meat.
At some point, I had collected a fanclub of kids trying out their "Do you like [sports/pink/chocolate/etc]" phrases on me. And I had to do my best to keep a straight face when a Bucuresti dude in a cool PUMA-jacked told me about his trip to the Netherlands two years ago to see a concert of his favourite band, BZN....
But for now, my adventures are up. I'm heading back to Bucharest (a long day of ferry and bus) before flying home tomorrow. It's been a good two weeks, for the moment my travel bug is sated again.
May 05, 2009
The end of the world
Last week in Sighisoara I spoke to someone who was telling me how great the Danube Delta is, and that the small villages on the coast feel like the end of the world.
I am now in Sfante Gheorghe (or, St. George) and it does feel a little like the end of the world. It's only reachable by boat, in the village itself I've seen maybe three cars (the main form of transport is horse and carriage, and there are no paved roads.
I'm fascinated by these remote little places - they seem so cut off from what I consider to be the real world, but yet there are people living here, working here, going to school (up to 14 at least) and just living life.
For myself, I can't imagine living here - 5 hours by ferry to reach it, and then only a few times a week. But spending a few days here is bliss. I wish I could show how quiet it is here. Or actually, it isn't quiet at all - the noise is deafening: frogs, cows, lots and lots of birds, chickens, dogs, etc. Plus, if you chose your spot well - the Danube waves breaking against small fishing boats. Or even better: Black Sea waves coming in to land at the deserted beach.
I am now in Sfante Gheorghe (or, St. George) and it does feel a little like the end of the world. It's only reachable by boat, in the village itself I've seen maybe three cars (the main form of transport is horse and carriage, and there are no paved roads.
I'm fascinated by these remote little places - they seem so cut off from what I consider to be the real world, but yet there are people living here, working here, going to school (up to 14 at least) and just living life.
For myself, I can't imagine living here - 5 hours by ferry to reach it, and then only a few times a week. But spending a few days here is bliss. I wish I could show how quiet it is here. Or actually, it isn't quiet at all - the noise is deafening: frogs, cows, lots and lots of birds, chickens, dogs, etc. Plus, if you chose your spot well - the Danube waves breaking against small fishing boats. Or even better: Black Sea waves coming in to land at the deserted beach.
May 03, 2009
On Bucharest *
I've had an afternoon on the bus to think about what I want to write about Bucharest. The city doesn't have a good reputation: grey, dreary, full of communist remains and not-so-safe. At least, that's what I was expecting.
With a friend living in the city at the moment this weekend was the perfect opportunity to find out what holds true of the above image. As it turns out, not much.
The word that describes the city best is unfinished. It is, quite literally, a city that isn't ready yet. Of course, every city builds, rebuilds, renovates - but Bucharest is the extreme version of it. Some buildings are really not finished; such as Ceaucescu's Palace. He was executed before the second biggest building in the world could be built the way he wanted it.
And there are so many old buildings which just stand empty, of of which only the front is still standing. And buildings that have scaffolding put up around them but no one seems to actually be working on those buildings. The same goes for plenty of broken-up streets.
Luckily, sometimes, there is a building renovated - back to what it was in the early 20th century. Seeing those buildings, and the potential of so many others, it's no wonder Bucharest was once called the 'Paris of the East'.
In the midst of all this urban chaos it mostly feels as a city that's coming alive. People out on the streets are either dressed in expensive brands or just very cheap stuff (there is no in between) - but they are out in the city. Eating, drinking, shopping. Because there's a big range of restaurants and plenty of cool bars and cafes with an edgy underground feel to it.
It's the type of city I like - one that you can see growing, evolving, finding a new fit for itself. Budapest is similar but much further ahead (more later). I wonder what Bucharest will be like in 10 years from now...
* Pictures to be added in later
With a friend living in the city at the moment this weekend was the perfect opportunity to find out what holds true of the above image. As it turns out, not much.
The word that describes the city best is unfinished. It is, quite literally, a city that isn't ready yet. Of course, every city builds, rebuilds, renovates - but Bucharest is the extreme version of it. Some buildings are really not finished; such as Ceaucescu's Palace. He was executed before the second biggest building in the world could be built the way he wanted it.
And there are so many old buildings which just stand empty, of of which only the front is still standing. And buildings that have scaffolding put up around them but no one seems to actually be working on those buildings. The same goes for plenty of broken-up streets.
Luckily, sometimes, there is a building renovated - back to what it was in the early 20th century. Seeing those buildings, and the potential of so many others, it's no wonder Bucharest was once called the 'Paris of the East'.
In the midst of all this urban chaos it mostly feels as a city that's coming alive. People out on the streets are either dressed in expensive brands or just very cheap stuff (there is no in between) - but they are out in the city. Eating, drinking, shopping. Because there's a big range of restaurants and plenty of cool bars and cafes with an edgy underground feel to it.
It's the type of city I like - one that you can see growing, evolving, finding a new fit for itself. Budapest is similar but much further ahead (more later). I wonder what Bucharest will be like in 10 years from now...
* Pictures to be added in later
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