The other day I was walking on Calea Victoriei with a group of friends. Two of them had barely arrived in Bucharest, trying hard to catch as much as possible from the landscape without breaking their legs on the monumental edges and marble stops dominating the street. I mentioned that the area has undergone a recent facelift redefying and narrowing the road to suite also a bicycle lane. For me as a driver it killed one of the city center streets where I could catch two consecutive traffic lights on green. I’m trying to console myself with the thought that the newly created track will convince me to try my skates. Calea Victoriei was the first big road paved with tree trunks called the Road of Wood. I wonder what name would fit today’s reality? And so you run into past deeds changing the perspective in which you know an area of the city. And so comes the next question: what do you choose to tell a stranger about Bucharest when he is here for only one day? The history of Little Paris, the 80s or simply take him to Lipscani and loose him into the frenzy nightlife of Old Town?
Until you think about the answer let’s see if you know this information about our capital:
- The first horse omnibuses were inaugurated in 1840 in Bucharest, Bucharest being among the first cities in Europe to have this means of transport
- The entry to Novotel hotel (Calea Victoriei) is the facade of the former National Theatre. On 26 August 1944 the German aviation bombs fail to strike Telephones Palace and hit the
- Bellu Cemetery was the favorite place for fur caps thieves. Perched on the wall, they used strings and fishing hooks to lift the fur hats from the ladies head. the precious accessories were then sold in Tineretului Park.
Maybe you’re curious to also know that …
One of the best known Romanian cuisine dish – mititei – have been invented in the late nineteenth century by Iordache Ionescu,the owner of “The idea” restaurant on Covaci Street. Faced with the lack of necessary intestines for the sausages, he decided to use the meat mixed with sodium bicarbonate directly onto the grill. As we well know now,it was a success.
As for us, we have chosen to take our friends to the Village Museum, to the 89’ Revolution Memorial Cross in front of the National Theatre and to the ruins of the Old Court. I have told them everything from food recipes, traditions and customs to how we spend weekend nights partying on the streets of the Old Center. And decided that this city deserves to be seen calmly. In a city break by the book. So I get to see my friends more often and they get to know the city better.
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