Snagov and Steaua – Saturday 29th September

Today started with a say trip to Snagov to see the lake and Vlad Tepes’ tomb in the Monastery. With a pool car courtesy of those lovely people at Aviva I set off with my visitors – elder brother Neville and his son Anthony. Unfortunately the planning hadn’t extended to actually finding a map on the internet and so we set off with all eyes peeled for road signs. The first sign took us off to Snagov village and requests for directions in my Romglish were met with very blank looks indeed. Having driven down a few rough roads to dead ends with no sign of a lake we headed back to the main road to try to find another turning on the assumption that we were nowhere near the lake.
The next turning quickly took us into a large gloomy forest and soon we came across a sign to the “Historical Site – Vlad Tepes”. This sent us into the forest down a very narrow twisting and turning road that eventually emerged near the lake.
We were rowed across to the island by two young locals for the rather exorbitant fee of 100RON, although this was the cost of a “return ticket”!
The monastery in its current form is primarily early 16th century with the richly decorated interior dating from the mid 16th century. Unfortunately there is extensive damage from vandalism although there is a massive restoration project under way that will complete in two to three years time. What murals are still in place are magnificent but the 20EURO camera tax for such a small monastery seemed exorbitant even compared to the cost of the “ferry”.

Now I have learned that sometimes postcards are better and the results for the photo collection can be just as good.

Returning to Bucharest suitably stressed from my first driving experience here lunch is ollowed by some beers with colleagues before setting off for the Dubliner for Wales v Fiji. Suitably depressed after Wales' exit from the Rugby World Cup we headed off to the Stadionul Ghencea for the football - Steaua v Vaslui kicking off at 8:45 is easily the lastest kick-off time I've known.

The first-half is woeful full of long aimless balls, diving and feigning injury. Steaua just about edge it in the "shamming" stakes. The second half sees Steaua dominate for long periods with the only goal of the game coming with a good header from a corner. The game ends controversially as only one minute of the three minutes of time being added on gets played resulting in a "robust exchange of views" between the referee and the Vaslui manager.

So an interesting night out, despite a disappointingly small crowd and a poor game overall it took a while to find a taxi back home but we are back just after 11:30 to plan our day out in Bucharest for Sunday.

Work and pain weekend - 23rd and 24th September

Saturday's expectation was to be working at home with the benefit of a break for the Mighty Bluebirds being on live for the second weekend running and perhaps a stroll to the park for some fresh air and sunshine. Overnight though I suffered a severe leg cramp and never got further than hobbling to the PC to review some documents.
Sunday was more work but at least I was fairly mobile and able to make a trip out for some "muscle relaxant".
At least with my brother visiting next week I'll have to drag myself away from work for some trips out then!

More work and no play! Sunday 17th September

Got up and did some work before going for a coffee with colleagues and then on to the Pensions Office. I learn that dress code is “business suits” for the evening and given that my nearest attire is chinos and a cream jacket I just know I’m going to be getting called “waiter” all night!
A late lunch with colleagues and then home to work (just managed to catch the end of the GP) before setting off again at 7pm for the business dinner and Pensions Launch.

Aviva completed the first pension application at 12:01 am.
Home at 2am – oh well back to work tomorrow (oops – today!!).
The tour will (hopefully) resume next weekend.

Anyone had their postcard yet?

All work and no play? Saturday 16th September

Well work finally intervened in my travel schedule this weekend so the day started with some document reviews at home over breakfast. Still with some shopping to do it means I can check the local shopping at Mario Plaza as it’s closed on Sundays when I’ve been in Bucharest to date (as are the vast majority of shops).
The shops here are very “posh” with prices to match and I have to say it’s a bit of a strange place – maybe it’s the poor coal-miner’s son from the valleys in me! Unfortunately the mission is to secure a yellow tie for Sunday’s Aviva Pensions Launch, in a suitably Aviva compliant yellow, and of course the only suitable one is at the most expensive store! So this clearly calls for more extensive research and I set off around Bucharest seeking alternatives. Two hours later I’m back where I started to buy a horrendously expensive 35 quid tie and on the way home so I can do some more lovely work.
The rest of the day was quite frustrating as I set off to The Dubliner for the Wales v Australia match, arriving in time (I thought) for the start of the match to find Wales trailing 23-10! It dawns on me that the official website carries French times for all games so I am an hour out! Unfortunately I am in time to see Stephen Jones’ howler finish off Welsh hopes and add to the already gloomy atmosphere.
Things got worse as the Chelsea game coincided with the Mighty Bluebirds so it was a quick dash home for the depressing first hour of the game, before the magnificent fightback to grab a point – well done Thommo!
So not such a bad end to the day and at least it’s another day off tomorrow – LOL!

Around Bucharest – Sunday 9th September

Up at my usual time today for breakfast and down to some work before venturing out at 11am for the Natural History Museum. It’s a bright sunny day today albeit with a very cool breeze so it’s a pleasant and familiar walk from home to Piata Victoriei.

In many ways this is a fairly typical museum of this type, but the specimens generally are in exceptional condition and some interesting dioramas have been devised. The fossil section also contains some excellent examples and some very good copies form other collections. Pick of the bunch is the Giant Deer.

I’m home for some lunch and some more work before the Grand Prix which is the now customary procession interspersed with “exciting tactical” pitstops (YAWN) – I really am beginning to wonder why I bother and to think I used to get to 3 or 4 a year!

With the weather still fine there is still time for a walk over to Herastrau Park to spend an hour with a book before heading home to check on the egg-chasers and write up my blog – before some more work!
Did I mention work at all? I’m a bit busy, there is a lot to do here but then if there wasn’t why would I be here!

ENJOY!

Siniai - Saturday 8th September

A shorter trip this week and a relatively late start for the 8:30 train to Siniai at the northern edge of Wallachia – yes I managed to stay out of Transylvania (just).
With the weather cooling I took the precaution of taking a pullover rather than my sun hat along and certainly needed it. In fact as I got off the train I was a little concerned that everyone else seemed to be sporting a nice big anorak!
The plan was to head for the cable car to take a walk in the mountains first (weather permitting), unfortunately with the top of the mountain swathed in mist this was not a sensible proposition. In fact all day it tried very hard to rain although fortunately no more than a few spots actually fell.
Crossing the main road it’s a steep climb up some steps to the park that sits alongside the centre of Siniai. The guidebooks say there is a museum here, there are two hotels a very scruffy local “art” gallery and the casino.
Leaving the far side of the park near a small WWI cemetery it’s another steep stepped climb to Siniai monastery. The monastery complex dates from the 17th Century when the main church and the smaller winter chapel were originally built.

The winter chapel is currently under restoration but has a magnificent fresco at the entrance. Next to the chapel is the mausoleum of Tache Ionescu (a prominent politician during WWI and briefly Prime Minister) that comes with its own relatively modern frescoes.

The complex was extensively expanded in the middle of the 19th century with the building of a new court around the main church including an impressive bell tower.

From here it’s a steady climb up (at least it’s not steps this time) towards Peles Castle through a market lining the path up the mountainside through the woods.

The Castle appears in a clearing as you climb and is certainly a magnificent sight albeit clearly not a “castle” in any meaningful sense of the word. This palace was built at the end of the 19th century for King Carol, and the formal grounds and the larger park are as impressive as the palace itself.

Inside everything is fairly dimly lit to protect both the extensive woodwork in the fabric of the building and the many artworks, not surprisingly flash photography is prohibited and so it wasn’t difficult to decline the “Camera Tax”.

The building is very richly decorated throughout, the hall being particularly impressive lined in wooden paneling that is richly carved with a very ornate oratorio and spiral staircase in two of the corners.
The arms and armour collection is very impressive albeit in no way related to the history of the palace. The tour is only of the lower floors due to the condition of the palace although it is planned to extend the tour to the bedrooms on the last Tuesday of every month from September 2008 – so get it in your diary! The rooms also include a dining room to seat 36, a theatre and several themed lounges. One particularly interesting feature is that the basement houses an electric vacuum pump connected throughout the house for cleaning – they claimed it still works but didn’t say if you could still buy the replacement bags.

The courtyard with frescoes.

A little further up the mountain is Pelisor Palace built at the start of the 20th century for Prince Ferdinand, King Carol’s nephew and adopted heir. This modest “palace” provides some interesting contrasts with the majority of the rooms very simply decorated and a predominance of basic white painted furniture (particularly in the bedrooms) but with a two very richly decorated “Gold” rooms and a rather grand dining room. The same camera conditions as Peles though so no interior shots.

The views across the valley here are great but with the weather not improving it was time to head back to Bucharest. Playing strictly “by the rules” today I came on a single ticket on an “Accelerat”, knowing if the weather truncated my visit that the rail schedule meant I’d be returning on a “Rapid”. So with my ticket bought and my seat reserved I was more than a little baffled when the same train configuration arrived as for my trip out in the morning. This meant that I had traveled more cheaply in first class in the morning than in second class on my way back – but on the same train taking the same amount of time. So maybe I haven’t quite figured out how the railways work here yet!

So today I’m home by 6pm via the supermarket with time to do some work before trying to watch Ingerlund against Israel which is on “free to air” here. Not surprisingly Ingerlund’s turgid football soon sees me fast asleep on the sofa. Fortunately I’m awake just in time to get out to The Dubliner to watch a very disappointing Wales lose to Germany. Also it seems I’m the only Welshman in the village – but at least the Germans bought me a drink!

Around Bucharest – Sunday 2nd September

Today started with memories of India in 2004, to be specific the effects of climbing too many steps up the minaret at the Jama Masjid as this morning my thighs are “revolting” (any ex-girlfriends following this blog need not post comments) in response to the three towers I climbed yesterday.
It’s not a bright start to say the least so I ruled out the trip to the park and instead headed off for a tour of Piata Revolutiei and the Art Museum.
The Piata is home to a memorial to the dead of the 1989 revolution with this rather strange monument that sometimes attracts a rather derogatory local epithet – suffice to day that it is highly descriptive and the park beneath is popular for walking dogs,
Opposite is the Biserica Crutelscu, a Romanian orthodox church built in 1720 that has some magnificent frescoes inside and out.

Unfortunately no photography is allowed inside and it is packed with worshippers on a Sunday morning,

Also nearby is the National Art Museum which is housed in what was formerly the Royal Palace in the 19th century. Making it’s return after a welcome absence was the dreaded “camera tax”, although no flash is allowed making most of the exhibits completely unphotographable anyway due to the low lighting. This is particularly annoying as the older exhibits seem not to have been significantly restored and are uniformly rather dark. Coupled with some poor lighting this makes the exhibition rather disappointing although there are some interesting works in a good condition and showing wonderful vibrant colours. The museum itself is divided into two distinct sections, being European Art in one wing and Romanian Art in another.
The European Art offers an interesting mix of works albeit dominated by religious themes but interesting items include a gilded astronomical clock.

Most of the rooms have rather disappointingly been “museum-ised” and are very bland but the odd room displays traces of the old palace in the roof and wall panels.
The Romanian Art is only “interesting” in terms of its uniformity being entirely based on religious imagery. At least up to the point where I got bored and left it was, although my demeanour wasn’t helped by the “no photography” rule. Having said that some of the recovered wall frescoes and altar screens are quite impressive if highly derivative of so many other similar works.
So home to rest the legs before they strike a deal with my aching feet and some time to get the blog up to date. A coffee later in the afternoon with come colleagues leads to a difficult situation as the question of a “swifty” at the White Horse comes up and so we compromise by trying Dantes. At least at Dantes we can sit outside and the prices are the same as the White Horse but the service is prompt and efficient – so we have a new “local” identified!
It’s a trip to The Dubliner later for some schadenfraude as Chelski lose and then on to The Haveli for a curry. Ordering the”5 star spicy” works a treat and my primitive Hindi gets a work out too!
Finally it’s home to update the blog and get ready for another week’s hard work.

ENJOY!

A gloomy day in Sibiu – Saturday 1st September

After much deliberation over timetables and weather forecasts I finally decided on Sibiu in Transylvania (yes –again!) and my first trip by “Rapid” train on the 6:30, for the 5 hour trip. Yes, two distinct trends here – Transylvania and ever earlier departures! The “Rapid” as a very modern design if a little cramped even in 1st class, but definitely a cut above the “Acclerat” trains I’ve been on to date although coming with a price to match – a stonking 163RON (34 quid).
The “day”started poorly with a storm at 5am but at least that meant I wasn’t going to miss my 5:30 alarm and the Romglish was deployed once again to good effect and I was safely in my seat by 6:10. The journey up the Praihova Valley is becoming familiar now and is not unlike a trip through the South Wales valleys, river with limited flat land and steep forested mountainsides, with the occasional semi-urban settlement showing signs of industrial decline – no sheep though!
Arriving in Sibiu at 11:30 the old town is within walking distance and I made my way around the outside of the ramparts. There are three lines of rampart the last defended by towers and then the medieval town itself.

The stairs in the tower here were very steep and particularly difficult coming down although the view along the rear of the rampart of the medieval street was worth it.

Continuing around the outskirts of the town there is a marquee for some of the “European City of Culture 2007” events. I can’t quite understand why they are advertising a Jethro Tull concert though, maybe as a contrast to all the cultural events!
Heading towards the centre of town past the Orthodox Cathedral (wedding in progress as usual – and I don’t “do” weddings) I stumbled on an open doorway running under the old merchants houses with some magnificent murals.
From here it was on to the history museum with a fairly typical collection of medieval arms and armour, but also some moderately interesting Roman statues and grave stones.

Alongside this museum sits an Evangelical Cathedral built over a period of two hundred years having started in 1320. It’s not particularly attractive inside (although they do charge for entrance) there’s one spectacular crucifixion mural and a number of impressive tombs and memorials including that of Mihnea the Bad, son of Vlad the Impaler (there had to be a Dracula connection somewhere) who ruled for just three years before being killed right outside this very cathedral! Also you can climb the tower and the views are magnificent - unfortunately this is a no photography zone but probably worth the visit nevertheless although I’d suggest not bothering with the tower as you can get the same views elsewhere.

The town here centre here sports a large square similar to Brasov and today there is a massive market of very brightly decorated crockery and earthenware pots. This square is lined by brightly coloured merchants houses dating from the 16th and 17th centuries and in its Western corner by a large 18th century Catholic Church and the late 18th century Brukenthal museum.
The church is solid and unspectacular on the outside but magnificent inside and free to enter with no camera restrictions. Having made my contribution to the church restoration fund (Evangelists note 10RON voluntary for not having silly rules is a lot better than 3RON compulsory!) it’s on to the Brukenthal museum.
This museum is a mix of rooms presented much as they were when Samuel von Brukenthal was in residence and a large art collection. Brukenthal was governor of Transylvania at the end of the 18th century and the scale and splendour of this building speaks clearly for the trading success of the region.
The art collection is impressive and well organised with the obligatory collection of dull portraits broken up nicely by all the other works. There does seem to be a significant Dutch element for some reason so not a particularly “Transylvanian” collection. The museum does however include a large number of altar frescoes and statuary from around Transylvania although nothing that I found particularly attractive.
Photography is allowed here but no flash, which is entirely understandable, and the whole museum is kept in a sort of half-light making it a slightly gloomy experience.

On the opposite end of the square is the Councillors Tower which offers views over the town and allows cameras (hence no need to climb the tower at the cathedral).
So we have the view out to the station which is right of the square beyond the 15th century Ursuline church. The main square the Piata Mare, the Evangelical cathedral and the smaller Piata Mica square and the medieval rooftops of old Sibiu.

After browsing the market in the Piata Mica it’s into another very small museum in the “Butcher’s House” that is made up of primarily heavily decorated Transylvanian furniture – but no cameras allowed. I set off form here down under the Liar’s Bridge around the back of the old town looking for what the guidebook describes as the 13th century “passage of stairs”. Well there may have been stairs here since the 13th century but it’s all brand spanking new 21st century concrete steps now! At least alongside the “stairs” there’s a good view of the ramparts below the cathedral.

So back to the station feeling pretty tired and despite being a gloomy day throughout at least my umbrella wasn’t needed. The trip back went smoothly although the ticket inspector got quite agitated that I hadn’t reserved my seat but was sat in the same seat number that had been reserved in the morning. I have noticed before on my return trips that there is a little bewilderment when my return ticket gets checked – maybe I ought to check exactly what the “rules” are LOL.

After evading the dodgy taxis at Gara du Nord I’m home at 9:30 for a quick shower and then I could do with a beer. Being pretty tired I decided to sample the local “hospitality” at the White Horse – after all maybe they were just having a bad day last time I was there.
Well like most people I don’t have to be kept waiting around long and being ignored to exercise every customer’s prerogative and take my business elsewhere and the local supermarket is open all day, so I’m soon back home with a pack of Ursus to write up the blog.