Although I was born in Bucharest and spent many formative years of my life there (from the age 14 to 24), I was never a huge fan of Romania’s capital city. Too crowded, too dirty, too hot in summer, too full of slushy black snow in winter, and Bucharest people have a reputation for being rude and impatient. Pretty much like any big city, then! However, I quite enjoyed my latest visit there (despite the ongoing family and admin issues) and could imagine spending a couple of weeks there every year, especially in May or October, when it’s at its prettiest. I had a bit of a wander around the university area of town, where I spent many a happy day in my youth (also, many a sad or dangerous day, but you forget those when you get all nostalgic, don’t you?).
The Faculty of Letters (to the right), containing mostly female students, was and still is nicely ensconced between Maths, Geology and Architecture (all of them mostly male students at the time).
We spent many a peaceful afternoon at the ‘bar’ of the Architectural Institute, with its leafy canopy.
The library of the Faculty of Letters was a favourite spot, although I spent the majority of my time at the main University Library or the Central State Library, which had more of the books I needed.
Happy to see some of the iconic Art Deco buildings being cleaned and renovated in the centre of town.
The beautiful neo-Hausmannian building belonging to Coana Mita Biciclista (Madame Mita the Cyclist), a famed courtesan at the turn of the 20th century. She was one of the first women to be seen riding a bicycle through Bucharest, hence the nickname.
Another iconic building: the interior of Cafe Capsa, a cafe that reminds me of Vienna, opened in 1852, where all the great artists and writers of the time congregated.
The area around the main university building always was and still is full of bookshops, this one is within the Architectural Institute…
…and specialises in art books
Above all, I had fun exploring all the hip new cafes that seem to open up every month in Bucharest. This one on Henri Coanda Street also has a vintage clothing store attached.
findingtimetowrite 