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Tuesday, July 30, 2019

Day 10, by bus from Giurgiu to Bucharest, Romania

Day 10 on June 12, meant the ending of our PASSAGE TO EASTERN EUROPE cruise with Viking...
So we left our luggage in the hallway early for being picked up and transported separately to our hotel. Great Viking service and they know how to handle all the details!
After our final breakfast, we left our Longboat Viking Lif and we got on the bus by 9:00.
So from our Port of Giurgiu, Romania we now would head some 60 km north to Bucharest by bus.
Giurgiu is on the River Danube and facing the Bulgarian city of Ruse where we were yesterday and only needed to cross the Danube for docking on the other side...
About one hour by bus away from Giurgiu, we came across this Saint Spyridon the New Church, Bucharest.
By passing by on the E70, we only got to see the actual back side! Click here: Saint Spyridon Church in Bucharest
Just click Saint Spyridon Church Bucharest to learn that it is actually the LARGEST CHURCH in the Romanian Capital at Unification Square! The Old Saint Spyridon Church is behind the United Nations Square...
Only about 15 minutes on our way, we crossed a river in the Ilfov County in which Bucharest the capital is also located.
Also after one hour driving time, we could catch a glimpse of the Palace of the Parliament, seen on the left of the 2 lanterns to the right, with fountains in front. Will show later more up close.
University Palace, on University Square, Bucharest
We even did pass by this Arch of Triumph in Bucharest, Romania!
On our way from this Arch of Triumph to Park King Michael I...
By 10:30 in the morning we reach this special Museum where they did bring Modest Rural Dwellings to this beautiful Park area for viewing...
It is a special outdoor Muzeul National Satului, also known as the Village Museum where they literally did bring together different dwellings from all regions into a kind of village.
Quite a task for relocating and reassembling them!
This is an old wooden Church that got relocated here inside Park King Michael I.
Rural home that is partly built inside the ground for insulation reason, also relocated to Park King Michael I.
Very old Chapel in Park King Michael I.
Even though we did have the BEST guide we had on our entire Viking cruise's bus tours, a very knowledgeable young man, that knew everything about history and told it as it was, I walked fast back to the bus...
Just before exiting through the building I came upon this local Romanian Egg Painting Artist as she got interviewed by TV.
What an ART and how much I'd love to buy some, however not a smart idea for traveling across the Atlantic Ocean with delicate eggs...
Instead of covering a wider area, I went back to my dear husband who had been oh so ill during the night. Running a fever, shaking and difficulty breathing with an acute bronchitis.
Pieter was far worse than I, and we both did not want to see a doctor in Bulgaria but instead make it out of the country as good as we could, by resting enough to regain some strength.
Such a trip is quite demanding for any nonagenarian...
Around 11:00 I got back to the bus where husband Pieter was taking a nap for regaining some strength for the next lengthy Old City Walk after lunch...
Yes, he wore his linen blend sweater, due to having had fever at night.
We did a lot of praying!
By noon we approach our destination Restaurant Pescarus for lunch!
All within this beautiful green Park King Michael I.
Pescarus Restaurant in Bucharest Romania, click through for more info.
Good to know that this is from 1939 and that they had quite some famous people visiting: King Juan Carlos from Spain; Shimon Peres the former President of Israel; great chess master Anatoly Karpov...
Our guide took lunch orders from each passenger in the bus, after naming giving us the choices.
He then informed via smart phone the restaurant so they could have it all ready upon arrival!
Really great organizing and good food.
From the ABOUT US we learned that they could seat 400 people inside and 600 in the summer in their garden!
The interior looked incredible and as husband Pieter remarked, glass hanging down from ceiling was very much resembling the blown glass from Murano, near Venice Italy!
No wonder: Pescarus by Twins Studio just click the link and here above you see the long rows of tables and the incredible glass hanging above. There was another long row behind the lamp to the left. This is from the second part of video.
During this lunch at "PESCARUS" Bucarest, we could enjoy local Romanian Musicians and a lively folkloric performance again. Just click on pink link.
Back on the bus by 13:30 and I had to capture this tower of Vodafone as it was our server in Romania! Yes, we had an International Travel Plan with our Verizon Server and it worked perfect in all 7 countries we went to.
By bus we did pass by the University Library with the equestrian statue of King Carol I.
Born Prince Karl of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, was the monarch of Romania from 1866 to 1914.
Did sell once this vintage box with blazon of the Royal house of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen in Romania before  WWII.
In Latin 'NIHIL SINE DEO' and translated into Romanian as 'NIMIC FARA DUMNEZEU'.
Pronounced in old Romanian as 'NIMIC FARA DUMNEDEU'.
Translates to: Nothing Without God
C.E.C. Palace from where we would begin our Old Town Bucharest walk...
From the bus taken as we passed to park nearby.
Look at the weather on our final day...!
C.E.C. Palace of Bucharest
Feeling very happy for having arrived in the country whose language I understand, as we lived and worked in Italy, near Venice for about one year and I often watched the Romanian TV.
Did mention that in earlier writing... see link below post.
This architectural gem: Bucharest Centennial The C.E.C. Palace, a landmark of the changing capital just click for more of its history and info about the now 101 year old building since July 4, 2019.
Our very knowledgeable and courteous guide, a tall slender young man, walked us now through Bucharest Old Town to this Stavropoleos Monastery.
Click to see more: The Church of Stavropoleos Monastery in Bucharest, Romania and its iconostasis.
We should have sat down here too, at this beautiful patio from The Church of Stavropoleos Monastery!
The National Bank of Romania The Old Palace now museum (WHY did I tilt my camera that way...?)
The Old Palace of the National Bank, considered "the most beautiful building in Bucharest" by architect Ion Mincu, impresses through its monumentality, regularity, distinction and size. The contrasting interior, with an "ample and spectacular configuration that is very well contained" (architect Nicolae Lascu), is suited to the esthetic and functional needs of a central bank at the end of the 19th century. It is the first important bank building in Bucharest, the most imposing building of a financial institution, which can be compared with other great constructions of the time in European capitals. 
The National Bank of Romania The Old Palace now museum click for more info
Carturesti Carusel bookstore in 19th century building
Click to see more: Carturesti Carusel Bookstore
Dacia Palace what would become the Jewish Holocaust Museum...
Elie Wiesel, Nobel Prize winner and Holocaust surviver who died on July 2, 2016 was also Romanian born.
By the way, Bucharest has its first female mayor: Gabriela Firera.

The C.E.C. Palace comes in view again and that's where we get back onto our bus.
Palace of the Parliament, mind you only part of its right sight!!!
The People's Salvation Cathedral an Eastern Orthodox Church
This is still under construction and will become the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
It is the tallest and largest Orthodox Church in the world by volume and the 3rd in the world by area. 
The People's Salvation Cathedral in Bucharest, Romania - Tur virtual al Catedralei Mântuirii Neamului click link for a short video of how the end result of this Neo-Byzantine architecture will look like.
On November 24 of 2018, they did already the very solemn lengthy rituals The People's Cathedral in Bucharest, Romania Sanctification - Sfințirea Catedralei Mântuirii Neamului Romania
We walked here and I tried hard for capturing this HUGE Palace of Parliament without having all the cars below that are parked there... I had to crop it.
To the left, you still see the main tower of the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
Ceausescu's expansive Palace of Parliament is the largest civilian building in the world, with 3,000 rooms and 24-carat gold ceilings.
So that was our day, filled with very impressive and unique architecture.
By 16:15 the bus dropped us off at the luxurious Radisson BLU Hotel, where we took a good rest as this was a long day, especially for Pieter who was not in the best condition.

Relive 'By bus from Giurgiu to Bucharest, Romania + walk'

Our short Relive.cc video: By bus from Giurgiu to Bucharest, Romania + walk
Short Relive.cc video: Walk in Bucharest Romania, Old Center

Thank you for your visit and comment!


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Friday, July 26, 2019

Day 9, Russe, Veliko Tarnovo & Arbanasi, Bulgaria

Here we are, on June 11, starting our day 9 and still in Bulgaria.
Both, husband Pieter and I had gotten rather ill from an acute bronchitis and having difficulty breathing.
The long Shore excursion starting at 9:00 till 17:30 meant for both of us a tough day!
But here we go...
Driving through the city of Rousse or Ruse, Russe, you encounter all kinds of architecture.
This is a lovely building on a street corner.
Those typical Communist era Apartment Blocks as ugly as they can be...
Ruse, Bulgaria St. Petka Church by architect S. Bobchev.    
Hope for the crumbling temple "Sv. Petka" in Ruse just click on link
This St. Petka Church got built in the late 30s of last century near the only remaining gate of the old fortress city. But it was in terrible decay.
This article is from December 27, 2018 so I'm very happy to read that they will start to repair it and also got the funds through a European program!
With a little over an hour driving we pass here over the Yantra River and view this exceptional bridge built by genius Kolyu Ficheto! It is considered an achievement of Bulgarian Renaissance engineering construction and architectural art.
Would have loved to stop there for a closer look and more photos than just this from a riding bus!

Click here: Kolyu Ficheto's bridge over the Yantra River or Byala's bridge for more info.
Click here for great short video: 90 Kolyu Ficheto Bridge on Yantra River - town of Byala
the text reads: the Master Kolyu Ficheto, the most famous Renaissance master builder...
After almost two hours riding on the bus, we reach Veliko Tarnovo a fascinating medieval town, above the Yantra River. The old capital of Bulgaria!
You also see the Asen Dynasty Monument (obelisk with horses) to the right.
01 Veliko Tarnovo District, short aerial video
Veliko Tarnovo got built around Tsarevets Hill and its hilltop royal castle.
Veliko Tarnovo, royal castle...
We did have a very nice coffee break with some sweets at a hotel, before moving on.
Veliko Tarnovo with its Cathedral of the Birth of the Theotokos. 
Veliko Tarnovo Cathedral, Bulgaria. Completed in 1844 and reconstructed in 1913.
For link click: Veliko Tarnovo.
Veliko Tarnovo where we did explore Samovodska Charshia, a tradional street teeming with handicrafts.
Funny kitten sleeping on the wood carved man's arm!
Husband Pieter found the bench for resting a bit after lots of walking, all still before lunch.
Arbanasi, Tarnovo around 13:00 we walk towards our lunch address.
Hotel IZVORA 2 is right across and we entered into Restaurant IZVORA, behind the tiled roof wall with large garden.
 Arbanasi, IZVORA Restaurant, where we enjoyed a lunch that got served in rooms with sliding French doors and garden views.
In that garden, a local folklore group danced and came closer in front of the open doors around 13:45.
Click to see video: traditional dancers Arbanasi-Bulgaria at the very restaurant gardens where we had lunch + show!
Arbanasi, Nativity Church from 16th Century with incredible frescoes where we walked around 14:15
17th Century Merchants Home/Museum and 16th Century Church of the Nativity in Arbanasi Bulgaria 2016 click for very short video about this 17th Century Konstantsalieva House about how a wealthy merchant used to live.
Church of the Nativity ARBANASI in Veliko Tarnovo (click link for the best photos)
As we entered this 16th Century Church with our guide, the electricity went off so the above is my ONLY capture... Hence the link for more views!
Short Relive.cc video Bus ride from Russe to Veliko Tarnovo & Arbanasi.
Tarnovo, Bulgaria walk
Info with my iPhone photos is Tirnovo but on brochures etc. it is Tarnovo...

Short Relive.cc video from Arbanasi, Bulgaria walk
Very short Relive.cc video where our Viking Lif Longboat is Crossing the Danube to Romania...

Thanks for your visit and comment!


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