Arriving In Bucharest
Fairly average flight to Bucharest departed Luton at 8-50am and arrived slightly ahead of schedule at 13-55 local time. Had been warned that Banessa Airport wasn't up to much and so it proved. Entry into Romania was a slow process as we queued in the small entry hall. You could already see,through the window, all the taxi drivers waiting to swoop. Passport control was so long that the bags were on the carousel by the time I got through.
Must have beeen approached by about a dozen guys wanting me to take their taxi, but I headed over to the main road intending to get the bus. Problem was trying to find a place to get a ticket for it and I ended up back at the airport. Was speaking to one guy and after first refusing, took him up on the offer when he said it would be €10.
Was staying at the Ibis Parliament Hotel, and as the taxi headed down through the town you just couldn't help but be impressed by the sheer scale of it, and how in your face it is. Certainly not the prettiest building in the world, but with it's macabre history and place in the revolution it held a fascination for me at any rate.
Got into my hotel, despite them not being able to find the reservation on their system and had to put the details through from my printed copy . Decent enough room and a view straight out over to the parliament. A nice welcoming card in the room from the Ministry Of Interior :-D
Headed out and decided to walk it into the city centre to explore the place.
Wandered up the road towards Universitate. Most of this area,Lipiscani, is all that is left of the old town, but much of it was like a building site and the side streets looked appauling. The pavements were really uneven and you had to watch your step as you walked along.
Guy at reception gave me a map no problem and pointed out where the place was. Decided it was time to suss out the metro and went down and bought myself a 10 journey ticket which only cost 8Lei (£2), and used it to go back the one stop to Piata Unirii as I had seen a small restaurant there that advertised Ciorba De Vaccuta (a kind of sour soup made from cows intestines), which I had made my mind up I was going to try, especially after being dared by one TB :-D.
Then I headed round to Bordellos and there were about another 10 Rangers supporters in, but it was pretty full with locals a lot of whom were in and ordered food. Spent the evening here chatting over a few beers and it developed into a bit of a sing along as part of the meet up arangements had included the bar offering to have some suitable music ;-)
Eventually about 1am my long day started to catch up with me and decided to head back to the hotel, which i managed to find easily enough in the dark.
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Metro stations are not particularly visible, mostly the name signs with adverts and ones with a small blue M. Isvor station is ''hidden'' in the park across from the Parliament.
Very cheap with a 2 Journey ticket costing 2-50 Lei (65p) and a 10 journey ticket just 8 Lei (£2), so you don't feel so bad if you use it to jump just one or two stations.
Comprises of 3 and a bit lines (line 4 is still in the process of construction out from Gara De Nord.
Line 2 seemed to have newer trains where there was no breaks between the carriages and it was like hurtling along in a long thin metal tube.
Platforms at the Piata Romano ( and maybe another one or was I just there twice) have large arched pillars right at the edge of the platform leaving about 2 feet of platform.
Strange feature, just remembered and edited in ;-),is that at the end of each platform there is a digital clock to tell the time. Beside that though is a clock that counts up in 5 second intervals from the time the last train left. Really useful to know that you missed a train by 35 seconds :-O
Has it's own secutity people and they are very visible at the stations and were aboard nearly all the trains I was on, no matter the time of night or day, and is probably the safest way to get about Bucharest. Feels like it anyway.
Like a few places in Bucharest they are not keenon photography, so apologies for some of the pics as I was trying to be discreet using the camera on my phone
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It looks nice from the front, all glass with wooden frames. Tables are situated on a slightly elevated level.
Not very brightly lit, but adds to the atmosphere.
Service was quick,and the waiter spoke English( big plus from my point of view)
Menu had a wide selection of local and more standard dishes, which I had a quick glance through and they all seemed reasonably cheap.
I'd already gone in with the aim of trying the local 'delicacy' Ciaorba De Vaccuta ,which is a kind of soup full of vegetables and meat and made from cows intestines.
I had also gone in with the intention of that if was completely replsive I would just ditch it and order something else, which from the menu I could afford to do since it only cost 10 Lei (£2-50).
It was actually OK :-)and came along with some bread and a sour cream.
The waiters were attentive and I got another beer and the total came to 27 Lei ( just less than £8)
Not particularly big inside, and about half the tables were being used, but still the two waiters had time to sit about and to help me with directions on my map 8)
Like with almost every bar and restaurant in Bucharest smoking is still permitted.
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