Almost Here

The holidays are almost here. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year to all!
Irina

Night Walk

The old center of the town is a nice place for a night walk. Especially on a warm quiet evening. The night gives every building and every street a special charm, and if you can pretend not to hear the cars and the music, you can feel you went back in time. Here are some of my favourite places and buildings.

The Cismigiu Garden.

And opposite to it, the building of the State Archives.

The National Military Circle.

The Victory Avenue and the Capsa Restaurant.

The National Theater and the Intercontinental Hotel.
They will be waiting for all of you.

It's Autumn

“The autumn knocks/ into my window one last time./ Donnez-vous la peine d’entrer, Madame...?"
This was Ion Minulescu’s question under the same sun a century ago, among the same copper leaves whispering under the lovers’ steps, under the same feline moody weather.
In 1943, as he was writing this, on the beautiful autumn days, the dwellers of Bucharest were making the Victory Avenue very crowded. A carriage could hardly go by there between 11 o’clock and noon. From the fashionable Capsa restaurant till the Palace Square, the side pavement was a real exhibition of ….everything. But most of all, of ladies’ outfits.
Different worlds coexisted here: some entered a store and got out as quickly and preoccupied, some were brought here by business, others just strolled out of boredom. Some came here because they had to, the others made it a habit.
The autumn is far better shown by the Victory avenue than by the thermometer or the calendar. Just like a real lady, she’s always dressed accordingly to the sky’s caprices. As long as you can see light clothes here, the autumn has not arrived in Bucharest yet.
These days, the street’s face was changed. No blue sky, no white clothes, no open terraces. Big raindrops were knocking in the shops’ windows, breaking on the pavement.

But today, the changing autumn weather brought us back the sun and the coming ad going began again, from the Savings Bank’s Museum to the Royal Palace…

White Night

Bucharest turned last Saturday night into a huge stage. The sleepless had the opportunity to take part in the first such event in our city, at the same time as the dwellers of Paris, Rome, Madrid, Bruxelles and Riga.
The day coincided with the 548th anniversary of Bucharest's first mention in an official document. After nightfall, the House of People became a huge screen for the lasers displays of the artists of "Urban Art". The ones who prefer concerts, theater shows, acrobats, extreme sports, huge dolls, parades or craftsmen could also chose according to their taste. There were contests and demonstrations, fireworks, grafitti, a multimedia show on Dambovita river and even an homage to Pavarotti. The museums were open all night long for their visitors. You could look at the town's panorama from he top of the Arch of Triumph.
Those who sacrificed a good night's sleep say it was worth it. Maybe I'll go too, next time, and tell you more about it.

A new beginning

Here we are again. New books, new students, new tasks. Lots of work to be done concerning our common project.
The Comenius project is going very slowly in our school because I have not met the teachers in our team. The general timetable has not allowed it yet. On the other side, we have not received the financial contract. So, we have not booked yet.
What about the rest? I only know about Irina.
Hope we can really start working.

A Beginnig: the Theatre

The Romanian theatre was born in 1816, in the residence of the Caragea family. The famous princess Ralu, the ruler’s daughter, had this initiative. At that time, she had already translated a book about he history of Greece, she was reading Schiller and Goethe and she was listening to Mozart’s and Beethoven’s music.

She improvised in her own quarters a stage where the pupils of the Greek school acted. They performed “Oreste”, “Daphnis and Chloe” and a few other plays.

It was a success, so she thought to found a real theatre. In 1818 the legendary “Cismeaua Rosie” (The Red Waterpump) appeared on the street then called Podul Mogosoaiei (Mogosoaia’s Bridge), now Victory Avenue, the oldest street in Bucharest. Its name came from a red brick well near the still existing White Church.

The theatre burned in1825, but we still have its description written by a great historian, V.A. Urechia: ”There was a stage and in front of it a big red velvet sofa. Benches, small and big, in rows, musicians in red clothes and the fireplace was lit by wax candles in enameled candlesticks. The entrance fee was one ducat for sitting on a big bench and one “leu” for a small one. The audience could have sweets, refreshments and brandy at each one’s will.”

On this first stage plays as Schiller’s "The Thieves, or Goethe’s "Faust"
were performed for the first time for the Romanian audience. It’s been a long time and Bucharest has now many theatres, famous actors and very dear memories.

Impersonal

I'm not so fond of these modern buildings that have appeared in Bucharest the last years.
Of course they seem modern, functional and "Western" and they look better than the old grey blocks of flats, but they do not say much.
They could be anywhere in the world and shelter anything. They have no personality, just a lot of glass.
I like the old Bucharest buildings more, with their "wrinkles" and their past.

What do you think? How about your place?

Bucharest by Night

Bucharest is never completely asleep. There are always works that must take place during the night, shops that never close, young people in the streets, lights, traffic.
I like going out and walking at night and feeling that life goes on. But what I like the best is seeing a lit window here and there. Someone is there awake, thinking, reading a book, working or just watching TV. And it's almost company.
To those sleepless ones, a warm thought.
And to all of you, too!

Our crossing with nature

About 20 Km from Ávila, Peñalba Mountain Range spreads. It is an old range with small round mounts where human presence is easy to be found. Neighbours from Peñalba, a very small village built terraces on these mounts to grow their harvests. They kept cattle in yards surrounded by stone walls and planted fuit trees, mainly pears.
Nowadays, there is no agriculture any longer. Vegetation is scarce: thorn trees, blackberry bushes, small oaks and grass. Pear trees have gone wild and their fruit impossible to eat. Cows walk up and down the soft slopes and the old shepherd house is in ruins. From time to time, a bicycle, a mororbike, a quad crosses breaking the peace and silence and making rabbits afraid.
Even so, it is peaceful and sort of strange in this arid land.

A Winding Destiny

This small church on the Dambovita's shore has many strange features.
First, its shape is unusual for the Orthodox churches, because it has no towers.
Then, it's position: it stood at first on the left bank of the Dambovita. Due to the river's channeling, it now stands on the right bank.
As the ground went down after the works, it now is one meter lower than the street's level, so instead of climbing stairs to get in, you have to go down.
It is the only Orthodox church in the world that has the inscription above the entrance written in Greek and Arab instead of Slavonic.
Last, but the most important: this is not the original church, the one built in the 17th century. That one was destroyed in 1987 during Ceausescu's regime. As it was so small, one afternoon was enough for the bull-dozers to tear it down. It was rebuilt in 1992 on the same spot and using the parts that had been preserved from the old church: the entrance with the inscription, the columns, the window-frames and the icons.

Outside

Right outside the town, a wild peaceful spot. Seeing the tall buildings and stacks enhances the escape feeling.
No more smog, noise, rush or worries. Just grass, a puddle, a tree, the sky and the silence.
What else do we need to be happy?

The Fountain and the Villa

When you enter the town coming from the Otopeni Airport, Bucharest greets you with some of its representative buildings and monuments, aligned along the Kiseleff Avenue. The first of them are the Miorita Fountain and, across the street, the Nicolae Minovici Art Museum, also called „The Crystal Bells Villa”.

The fountain is made of Dobruja granite and it was designed by the architect Octav Doicescu.It was inaugurated with other monuments in the year 1936, during the „Bucharest Month”. It took its name after the best known ballad in our folklore, „Miorita”, because its sides were adorned with black-and-white mosaic scenes from the poem by the sculptor Milita Patrascu. According the specialists, the fountain and the villa are in a perfect harmony. The fountain was recenlty renovated.

The Nicolae Minovici house, also called “The Crystal Bells Villa”, because of the 40 bells that were tinkling in its balcony, was built in 1905. The villa has rich carved stone decorations and a plaque with its owner’s favorite motto:”Improbus Labor Omnia Vincit” (Tenacious work conquers all). It is considered an architectural monument and its model was shown as a representative illustration at many international exhibitions. The collections it shelters consist of traditional costumes, rugs, furniture, pottery, musical instruments, every day objects, icons painted on wood or glass. There are more than 4000 objects. The villa also used to have a very nice garden, with rich stone ornaments in the 19^th century manner.

Processions, potaje and hornazo

Processions are the most famous characteristics in Spanish Easter. The ones in Ávila are very silent and austere. Although the weather does not allow all of them to go out, people attend with great devotion.

Such as religious rules suggest, many people fast or refrain from eating meat in favour of plates with legume, vegetable and fish, as potaje.

But on Sunday, hornazo is very popular. Hornazo is a kind of bread stuffed with sausage, ham, meat and pieces of boiled egg. Originally, only eggs made part of it.
They were considered meat, so they couldn't be eaten in Easter. People boiled them and kept them for Sunday.
These boiled eggs may be the only connection with other traditions in Europe, such as the painted eggs.
Diana cooked this hornazo for us last year.

Painting Easter Eggs

Painted eggs are the symbol of Easter, but what to paint them with? You can try using water colors or acrylic ones (these will have a life-span longer than the hen that laid the eggs has).

For people who like the traditional way, here are some more natural alternatives for the artificial paint you can buy in the stores. To be honest, the colors will be pale and undecided, it will take a lot of time and you’ll need to explain to the guests what you tried to achieve, but it could be fun, nevertheless.

Here is what you should boil in the witch’s copper:

For red eggs: red onion peel, beet pieces, common marjoram, red apple leaves (where to find them? Easy, in the grove, of course.)
For yellow: parsley, hardhay, saffron.
For green: nettles, spinach.
For blue: red cabbage, kept in water and then boiled
For brown: coffee, nut-tree or poplar leaves, but who would want brown eggs?

Any of the above ingredients will rather paint your hands, the pots you use in the process, the towels in your kitchen, than the eggs. It’s hopeless trying to avoid it. You can add some vinegar to the concoction, to strengthen the effect, but the smell…

In order to make the eggs glow, you can grease them with oil or fat. Now they will still be ugly, but they will produce stains, too. But it was fun, right?

After all this work, one more piece of advice for nice-looking eggs like the ones in the photo: do as I did this year, buy them already painted….

San Agustin Monastery

San Agustín Monastery, in Madrigal de las Altas Torres, where queen Isabel was born, has just been declared a Cultural Interest Building. Unfortunately it is almost in ruins. it belongs to a neighbour from the village.
He has tried to sell it several times because he can't afford restoration works. According to him the price is not very high, just enough money to buy a flat in Valladolid. But the possible buyers did not finally get the building, as the whole restoration would be very expensive.
The owner and his father had already done some works but he complains people do not respect the surrounding area, so it is badly damaged.
He asks the regional government to invest more money and help this kind of buildings owners.
Preserving historical buildings involves a great effort. Who should make it?


(Images taken from aviladigital.com)

Details

There are a lot of nice details on the old buildings in Bucharest. Most of them belong to the buildings from the time it was called "Little Paris".
They give it a special atmosphere, as if taking a walk through time.
Unfortunately, our tight schedule leaves almost no time for such a thing. We always hurry, looking around from unexpected cars, under our feet for steps or puddles,or into ourselves for our worries, but seldom up, to the high buildings or the (sometimes blue) sky.
We should enjoy these things more.

Art ?

Stencils, grafitti or just a tree-stump carved in the shape of a crocodile. People need to express themselves in an unconventional, unique way. It's usually young people, rebels, seeking for their own identity and for their independence.
Some consider it art, some say it's garbage.
Does it exist in your towns? What is your opinion about it?

Too Many Eyes!

I wonder if there was another window shape the architect forgot to add. I know nothing about architecture, but as far as I'm concerned, it's too much. It looks like a "Window Encyclopedia" to me.
What do you think?

The gate in El Grande behind the fence

Works are always uncomfortable. Both tourists and citizens have to suffer inconveniences: noise, dust, blocked streets. It must be hard getting closer to one of the most popular monuments in Ávila to find it almost fenced.
Yet, even tourist cities need reparations to make citizens' life easier.

The Stavropoleos Church

The small and beautiful Stavropoleos church is hidden behind the National History Museum, between higher buildings.
According to its story, it was founded by a Greek monk named Ioanichie, who settled down here.
It is built in the Brâncovenesc Style, a typical Romanian style from the 17th-19th centuries. It can be seen in its columns, pedestals, balcony and the carved ornaments showing plants and animals.
The church survived many earthquakes, starting with two very bad ones in 1802 and 1838, but now both the building itself and the surrounding area need major rehabilitation.

Skeleton

This is a building I like and I've showed you before, but only recently I found out what it was.
It's the former headquarters of the fierce "Direcţia a V-a"(The Fifth Direction), the most dreaded part of the "Security", the political police during Ceauşescu's regime. On top of these premises, ruined during the 1989 revolution, the Architects' Association built the new structure for their use.
I like the symbol of old and new, of progress supported by history, but most of all I hope that what the old building hosted will always be a skeleton.

When reparations are needed

Old towns with lots of history frequently need reparations. Nothing lasts forever. Even the best mansions suffer. New social necessities turn palaces into official buildings, museums, libraries. The ancient flavour remains in the walls but our towns change their faces from time to time.
Sometimes, the skeleton stays in front of our eyes for us to witness a part of our past.
Wood, iron, stone and the sky to cover our history

More eyes

There's social history in these windows. Look at them carefully. The lowest one, without any decoration might belong to a servant's room or to a kitchen, the one in the first floor might be a secretarial room or even the library, the one in the middle with the coats of arms to its sides must belong to the lord of the house and the one at the top could be the a maid's room. The whole social scale history narrated thorough the windows.



In a cold sunny town closed balconies are very dear. They provide the old houses with light and heat. They were used to sit down and have coffee, read or sew. Today, they don't have the same use. They are just there, waiting for somebody to enter them and look at the cathedral.

Spring in Bucharest

Spring in my town is usually as short as teens love. There's even a joke: we say it comes on a Thursday and lasts for half an hour.
The first to announce it are the magnolias in the Cismigiu Garden, then suddenly weather becomes warm and trees burst into bloom. In no time at all we notice there's shadow on the park alleys because leaves grew already and the chestnut trees on the boulevard near my house have lit their chandeliers.
So we take out from the closet the summer clothes and ask each other nostalgically: "Have you noticed the short spring we had this year?"

1st of March

Today was the "Mărţişor" day, everyone was buying and offering amulets that should announce the arrival of spring and bring good health and luck.
I'm offering all of you a virtual one.
Have a sunny season!
Irina