Travel

Olympic Games from Bucharest

August 15, 2008

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peoples-palace-bucharest-romaniaWe took the morning train to Bucharest and walked from the station to our hotel.  It was already noon, so we took the metro to the “Champs-Elysées” of Bucharest and to see the People’s Palace – Romania’s Parliment building and also the second largest buidling in the world, after our very own Pentagon.

Bucharest is not my kind of city.  It seems rather soulless and eerily quiet. Perhaps it’s the history.  If I had a week here, I’m sure I’d find all kinds of things to keep me busy and great little places to prove me wrong, but for now I’m quite glad to only be spending 24 hours in the city. I’m itching to get back outside already.

Did I mention that I’m quite taken with the Olympic Games this year?  I’ve been watching the games every chance I get, thankfully they’re playing the Olympics in most little shops and restaurants, and the few channels on TV in my room are tuned to the Olympics, although I have no idea what’s being said. I can hear the announcer in English and then it’s immediately covered by the Romanian translation, so I only catch a few words!  They’re also only airing regional participants, so I’ve seen a lot of Belarus, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Poland and Russia competing.  Bring on the shot put, hammer throwing, weightlifting, and kayaking!

  • Cristina
    June 24, 2012 at 7:17 am

    I don’t like Bucharest either. The only things I could stand for a while were the parks (Cismigiu Gardens to be exact). It’s too hot during summers, too cold during winters and absolutely crowded during workdays. Ugh.

  • sac
    March 7, 2011 at 2:27 pm

    Should have went inside – it was very impressive

  • Tabitha
    August 25, 2009 at 10:14 am

    Yep, Bucharest isn’t my favorite either. It’s just another big city, compared to all the beautiful countryside places you can visit in Romania. Did you take the tour inside Casa Poporului (er, sorry, the House of the People)? It’s obscene to learn how much money Nicolae Ceausescu wasted on all of his rugs and crystal chandeliers and stuff. I think I remember hearing that he depleted the country of 2/3 of its natural resources during the building of the House.

    • poweredbytofu
      August 31, 2009 at 12:59 pm

      Good to hear! No, I didn’t end up taking the tour. I looked from across the street. :)

  • Sljiva
    August 15, 2009 at 3:42 am

    nice post I’m going to visit it, its close to my country.