Bored and depressed in Bucharest - Saturday 6th October

Maybe I'm exaggerating slightly but it just about rhymes. I have hit the missing home "wall", especially the entertainment system and the cat. Things aren't being helped by the dodgy TV at the apartment and difficulties at work.

Adding to the glum atmosphere this week was the weather forecast that said rain everywhere.
Things improved slightly after breakfast as I stumbled across the qualifying session for the Chinese Grand Prix and was able to see Lewis Hamilton edge a little closer to a record making Championship victory with another pole position. So with a day planned for wandering Bucharest I set off for the Unirea Shopping Centre for a look round (very boring) and then on to find the Radu Voda Monastery. The Monastery dates from 1601 and was moved in 1985 leaving it damaged. Currently it is covered in scaffolding and today it was closed with the restoration work that is scheduled to go on to the end of next year.
At least it wasn't raining although the heavy cloud was in a marked contrast to the rest of the week's bright sunshine.
After some lunch I made for the Maps Museum on Strada London. Really fascinating collection here of original maps from 17th Century onwards although no photography allowed. I got the impression I was the only visitor today as I got a full run down on the maps in reverse Romglish and the changes in the borders through the course of the ebb and flow of the Austro-Hungrian Empire, the Ottoman Empire and Tsarist Russia. Very strange to see on many of the maps reference to "Romania" south of Bulgaria, while modern day Romania was still recorded as Wallachia, Transylvania, Moldavia, etc. So I can see some internet research coming on this evening between the football, rugby and Ursus.
More tomorrow - let's hope the rain holds off and the Grand Prix is good.