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On 9th May this year, a permanent exhibition, 'Memory as a form of justice' of the Sighet Memorial to the Victims of Communism, opened in Bucharest. To many, it is unthinkable that there was nothing here in the capital to serve the purpose of memory and education for such a period in Romania's history up until now, but thanks once again to the dedication of Ana Blandiana and Romulus Rusan, it is finally here.  The Sighet Memorial in Sighetul Marmatiei, northern Maramures, was established in 1997 as a reminder of the crimes... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) It was with enormous sadness that I learned this morning of poet Anni-Lorei Mainka's passing - and I still cannot believe it. It is impossible to say that 'she died', because people like Anni-Lorei never do. Her enormous heart, immense compassion and empathy for every living thing, her humour and her courage will remain always and her timeless poetry, ever present, all-embracing, will outlive us all. I never had the honour of meeting her in person. We became friends via Facebook several years ago - and it was as if I... [Lire la suite]

Tennis player Simona Halep doesn't shriek or grunt when she hits the ball, serving or otherwise. She doesn't sulk, doesn't stomp, wiggle or partake in court theatricals. She doesn't get involved in scandals. She isn't a sex bomb and neither does she have legs up to her ears. Simona Halep is the nice, respectful girl-next-door. She struggles with injuries. She is small. She is quiet. She is shy.  Simona's rise in tennis has been fast and brilliant, and yet she is STILL largely ignored by the international press. WHY? Ranked n°... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source: Mircea Basescu) Never a dull moment when it comes to scandals in the Romanian news. The latest polemic involves President Basescu's brother Mircea, who was placed under preventive arrest for thirty days last Friday for his alleged role in a corruption case. He is under suspicion of taking a bribe amounting to 250,000 euros in return for influence peddling to secure a reduced sentence for convicted underworld mobster, Sandu Anghel.  Sandu Anghel (better known as Bercea Mondialu') was convicted in May 2011 to 8... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) After my initial howls of helpless laughter, the news of Patriarhul Daniel and his holy roller-on-a-pole blessing technique (zic BBC) used to inaugurate the studios of church-owned Trinitas Radio and Television has left me with a terribly dismal feeling in the pit of my stomach. The whole silly charade has become a viral internet sensation both at home and abroad, leading to finger-pointing and lots of guffawing on an international scale - see the BBC, Gawker, Business Review, The Daily Mail, The Daily Star and VICE... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) Simona Halep, the first Romanian woman to have made it to a tennis Grand Slam singles final since Virginia Ruzici (today Halep's manager) in 1978, has given her compatriots a good and worthy reason to be proud of one of their own. It comes at a time when unearthing a contemporary national figure to look up to is more than just a struggle (check out the politicians for proof of that), and the love and support poured out for Simona is all over the social networks. I have seen 'proud to be Romanian' again and again... I... [Lire la suite]

(Image: source - VN) Canadian company Gabriel Resources is planning to bash the Romanian government in a Vienna court for billions over the blocked arbitration of its highly controversial gold mining project in Rosia Montana. This probably doesn't come as much of a surprise to anybody since Ponta predicted the possibility of such a lawsuit even before Gabriel threatened to sue for "multiple breaches of international investment treaties" last autumn. The Romanian parliament’s chamber of deputies is to vote on a bill (PL-x 520/2013) on... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) Pianist Raluca Stirbat is forever tireless in her love and determination to save George Enescu's mother's house in Mihăileni, Botoșani. Its deplorable state has further degenerated since THIS post in January 2013 - scandalous in a country that professes to hold its national composer so dear, along with the endless promises from authorities and the house's inclusion (finally, after much faffing about) on the list of historic monuments last November. I won't even mention the huge success of the George Enescu Festival... [Lire la suite]

(Image source: Viorica Ana Farkas) Hristos a înviat! Paste fericit tuturor alaturi de cei dragi! What better day for a post bursting with joy than this? I have always adored Naïve Art, particularly from Romania. This post is therefore dedicated to all those who love it too, along with the artists who have filled and continue to fill our hearts with such energy and unbridled exuberance. According to Wikipedia, Naïve art is often characterised by a childlike simplicity in subject matter and technique. While many naïve artists appear... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) Too busty. Too voluptuous. Too suggestive. Doesn't correspond to reality. It must go! According to the Ministry of Culture, this sums up the bust of Arethia Tătărescu by Paul Popescu erected in Targu-Jiu and inaugurated last October in the park named after her. The nearby bust of her husband (also rather voluptuous) Gheorghe Tătărescu, who served twice as Prime Minister (1934–1937; 1939–1940), three times as Minister of Foreign Affairs (interim 1934 and 1938; appointed 1945-1947) and once as Minister of War (1934) is... [Lire la suite]