The lack of space in the small Bucharest apartments certainly did not impede the preparation of an absolutely amazing homemade meal given to me on my first night in Bucharest. Here are a few of my observations of life in Romania.
The Food
Romanians adore fresh fruit and vegetables, and non-processed foods. Almost everything is prepared by hand and does not come from a box or out of the freezer.
The vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions, are the freshest and most amazing vegetables I have ever had.
It seems that many fruits and vegetables in the US are imported, processed, or genetically modified to make them big and shiny, yet their natural taste has been diluted.
My first meal consisted of a tomato, cucumber, and onion salad with red wine vinegar, a freshly made yellow bean soup, red peppers stuffed with a mixture of rice, sausage, and spices, and freshly made crusty artisan bread.
The Transportation
After a good night's sleep, I was off to explore Bucharest. There are four ways to get around Bucharest. You can walk, take a taxi, a bus, or the subway. I partook in all four methods.
Obviously, walking short distances is the easiest and cheapest means. There were plenty of sidewalks, and the city felt very safe and comfortable. Never did I feel endangered.
Judging by how thin the Romanian people are, I would guess they also do a lot of walking.
The next-cheapest means of transportation is the bus. A bus ride to anywhere along its route costs $0.30 US. You purchase a ticket at ticket dispensers throughout the city and hop on a bus.
The buses were all very modern and clean; however, most lacked air conditioning, so on a hot August day in a crowded bus, it could get pretty steamy.
The subway system in Bucharest is extensive and modern, and can take you from one side of the city to the other.
The subways also seemed very safe, and I didn't observe any shady characters loitering in the subway areas. One trip on the subway costs about $0.50.
And the final way is a taxi. These are prevalent in most areas and are easily accessible. The taxi drivers seemed to have limited English-speaking ability, but their abilities varied widely.
A word of caution: the price per kilometer is clearly posted on the door of every yellow cab, and this can vary from $0.50/km to $1.50/km.
Always look for the taxis that charge 1.4 Leu/km (~$0.50/km).
People
Before I discuss the details of my trip, I would like to talk about the people of Romania. I found the people of Romania to be generally thin and attractive.
The Romanian people seem to be taller than the world average and predominantly brunette. But more importantly, it was the kindness and extreme generosity of every single person I met on my two-week adventure.
People who had never met me before would take me into their homes and welcome me as a member of their own family.
Since I spoke no Romanian and many Romanians had at least some English proficiency, they would attempt to speak English whenever possible to make me feel more comfortable.
And finally, the Romanians are extremely proud people. They are proud of their country, proud of their history, proud of their place in the world, and everything they have achieved.
I really enjoyed meeting new people and creating new friends in a faraway land.
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About the Author: Karl is a physicist and avid photographer who only recently decided to set out and explore the world with his camera. Catch more of his adventures at https://facebook.com/kbarth
