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It's amazing just how much news there's been in the last few days behind the scenes of the Rosia Montana project. It keeps coming at a rate of knotts. Hoards of it. Revelations, provocations, absurdities... So I'd better get it all down on paper before anything else happens. (Photo source) First of all, the National Audiovisual Council of Romania (CNA) banned all broadcasting of TV spots in favour of the Rosia Montana Project two days after TV presenter Eugenia Voda's open letter became public, insisting on "immediate and complete... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source) UPDATE 19h Thursday evening: News just in: Chevron has announced that activities for shale gas exploration have been suspended in Silistea, Vaslui. The communiqué comes after three days of protests (see below) from local residents who formed a human chain to block Chevron's access to the site, along with a huge solidarity rally in Bucharest last night. "Chevron can today confirm it has suspended activities in Silistea, Pungesti commune, Vaslui county," the US giant said earlier this afternoon. "Chevron is committed to... [Lire la suite]

The news today that yet ANOTHER demolition in Bucharest approved by Bucharest mayor and demolition fiend oprescu (who says it's all peeeerfectly above board despite the fact that this particularly beautiful house on str. Cristian Tell is both a historic monument aaaand in a protected zone) is imminent and will probably be carried out over the weekend unless someone does something to stop it depressed me so much I needed to write something to cheer myself up (and you too, perhaps) - insensitive though that may seem. I realised earlier... [Lire la suite]

After having read THIS article yesterday in Business Magazin.ro, my curiosity was piqued. I had to go and see the apparently dull-as-dishwater Romanian stand here in Paris at the IFTM, for I simply could NOT believe a country in need of tourism (read also understanding) would make so little effort at this important international venue running until 27th September at Porte de Versailles. I was drawn in to a stand for 'Incredible India' first. Books, music, ladies in sarees. Full of vibrance and colour, I was somewhat transported and... [Lire la suite]

(Photo source: Daniel Vrăbioiu) It is truly wonderful to see!!! TRULY!! Tonight, the 15th consecutive day of protests in Bucharest against the gold-mining project aimed for Rosia Montana, tens of thousands of people have hit the streets protesting in the capital alone. The Romanian press report 8-15,000 but those out there say there must be around 25,000. Protests are also taking place right now in other major cities across the country (Alba-Iulia, Cluj, Iasi, Craiova, Suceava, Buzau, Constanta, Timisoara, Sibiu, Targu Mures and... [Lire la suite]

(Photo: Sarah In Romania) Protests have erupted throughout Romania and across Europe with people flooding the streets in their THOUSANDS, triggered by the Romanian government's approval of a draft 'law' granting national interest status to the Canadian gold mine project aimed for Roşia Montană last Tuesday. Roşia Montană Gold Corporation (RMGC), controlled by Canadian firm Gabriel Resources, plans an open-cast gold mine in the heart of Transylvania - a region praised by Prince Charles for its natural beauty and exceptional wildlife.... [Lire la suite]

At approximately 30km from the city of Buzau, sculptures cut in stone from the limestone quarries of Naeni and Ciuta adorn scattered clearings in the hills of Magura. They are a tribute to local ancient stonecutting traditions and were created for the largest exhibition of its kind in the country and one of the biggest in the world. The Sculpture Camp, held between 1970 and 1985, was initiated by sculptor Gheorghe Coman and supported by the Union of Romanian Artists to mark 16 centuries since the first documentation of Buzau. The... [Lire la suite]

In Odobesti, jud. Vrancea, southern Moldova stands a church. Or the remains of a church. More the shell of a church. If there is anything left to see of it at all, it is no thanks to contemporary efforts made, but to a spankingly solid structure built to last two and a half centuries ago. It is a masterpiece in architecture boasting impressive quality material and majestral ornamentation. But one can see very little of that today. Found on str. Cazaclii in the Satul Nou neighbourhood, the history of the church dedicated to Saints... [Lire la suite]

Last week on a trip to Vrancea, I visited the impressive mausoleum of Marasesti built in 1919. An imposing site and final resting place to a prestigious list of Romanian military names amongst them Henrik Cihoski and Eremiah Grigorescu, the mausoleum holds the remains of 5,073 Romanian soldiers and officers killed in the First World War. It is dedicated to the commemoration of the Battle of Mărăşeşti and the Romanian army. The memorial took architects George Cristinel and Constantin Pomponiu 15 years to build and was unveiled on 18... [Lire la suite]

(Photo by Sarah In Romania) It's not often I write blogposts recommending restaurants, but this is an exception to the rule. Just before leaving Bucharest for yet another great jaunt, I was invited to lunch by a friend on str General Berthelot here in Bucharest. We went to Chez Marie, a lovely pad style 1930's owned by Maria Popa who is something of a star. With her thirty year career as head chef at the British Embassy behind her, she has cooked for an impressive list of British PMs visiting Romania over the years along with Prince... [Lire la suite]