The love of Bucharest

Dear Everyone,

How good it is to know that there are some nice things happening in and concerning Roumania instead of the sad, depressing and intolerable things that happen on a day to day level. What am I talking about? Blogs! Blogs have my attention today!

Out there are people who still care, who still photograph and write about the gems, the jewels, the teardrops and the sighs of a jaded Little Paris, the city of my heart. They take the time, extend their hearts and arms to share their knowledge, thoughts and feelings. We learn about the incredible Art Nouveau in Bucharest, the history of Calea Rahovei, the Vila Mathilda.... anyone who says that Bucharest is a dump with nothing worth gazing at needs their eyes tested. But then again, I always said that!

Valentin Mandache's blog has been listed here for a while (see right). Not only does he really get around, rubbing shoulders with the best of them (hey, Tom, you knew about this blog!! You got there first!!) but he also has a fascinating biography: Roumanian, living in London, passionate about architecture and specialising in historic houses but also just as passionate about piloting hot air balloons!! His blog is written in English, which I have to say is wonderful since it takes me hours of dictionary pouring and annoying others to get through any kind of intelligent article in the language of my heart. Thank you, Valentin!

And then there is the superbly, beautifully written Unknown Bucharest, scribed by Cristina Iosif in Roumanian. Her photos, too, are exceptional. She clearly loves history and knows how to tell a story, visiting places that most people wouldn't. She analyses everything - what the street was known for, how it got its name, who lived there - she breathes life into a neighbourhood and sings its story - a history that was all of its own - a history that Ceausescu tried to destroy along with the destruction that came before him due to the housing shortage after the war and the influx of people who flooded in from the countryside. Balta Alba (Titan), for example, a cluster of apartment buildings, settlements even, that became towns within themselves, such as Drumul Tabarei and Berceni for example. She makes a point of describing the beauty of Stavropoleos for example, superb churches either visible today or mourned for. Fascinating info and such fun to learn.

Bucharest wasn't only a Micul Paris, of course - this was just the high bourgeoisie and nobility's city with their schools of architects (Blanc, Berindey etc) working on commission. There were the architects that promoted the stunning Neo-Romanesc styles in their clusters...beautiful, beautiful buildings, villas and small (and not so small) palaces that today manage to make me cry by their sheer elegance and breath-taking splendour however down at heel and worn out they may be. The non descript buildings of the boulevards and main arteries are NOT what Bucharest is about and the fun is finding the jewels. Blogs like Valentin's and Cristina's are history lessons, architectural guides... pure joy! I am transported to the city of my heart via words, pix and imagination, and how good it feels!

There is also Bucuresti Noi si Veche by Stefan Micu (see listed at the right of this text), another superb blog. He takes pix of a certain house rather than an area and writes its history. The style is different - taking his info from articles and photos sent to him as well as taken by him, documentaries etc all listed and recorded in his texts. Again, the photos are excellent. His indignance of Bucharest's destruction is cutting and well placed. In his descriptions of houses under the axe, the casei care plang, it is impossible to look away, to feel unconcerned, uninvolved... His blog is a requiem to a city and the comments are often just as interesting as his posts.

And that's only three. There are heaps. For everyone who says something negative about this beautiful, rich city, there's a blog that says, 'maybe you're right, but look!' So, please do!

I saw one title to a blog the other day - Bucharest is Dead. Let me tell you, my dears, that as long as we bloggers, we lovers of the city of my heart, we who love history, architecture and the simplicity of the stories told by bricks and mortar, the feeling of stepping on the very flagstones that the past has flooded, trampled or danced over, well, Bucharest is far from dead. It lives and breathes and cries out for tenderness.... Some still care enough to embrace it