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Romania

Arrived in Bucharest, Romania the middle of April 2018 for the beginning of a journey through the old Eastern European Union of the Soviet Block . Bucharest, is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial center. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than 37 miles north of the Danube River and the Bulgarian border. It is a city of broad tree lined boulevards, well kept parks and a mix of architectural styles that combine Neo-Classical 19th century structures with monumental 20th century edifices built to satisfy the late dictator Nicolae Ceausescu. The statue is of King Carol 1.

Kretzulescu Church is an Eastern Orthodox church in central Bucharest, Romania. Built in the Brâncovenesc style, it is located at one of the corners of Revolution Square, next to the former Royal Palace.

The people of Bucharest are quite devoted to their chosen religion and that is reflected in the fact that approximately 86% of the population is Eastern Orthodox. Other religions in Bucharest are Protestantism, which and Roman Catholicism.

The square across from the Eastern Orthodox Church is where the revolution came to a head.

Bill board on the side of a building in Revolution Square showing today's style for ladies.

Our local guide, Egmond Puscasu, a revolution survivor, described what took place with the revolution in December 1989. The Romanian Revolution. Romania was the only country in Eastern Europe that has gone through a violent revolution on the path to democracy. Before the Romanian revolution, all the other Eastern European states had passed in a peaceful way to democracy. Listening to Egmond describe what took place in the very place we were standing was very interesting.

The Romanian Revolution was a period of violent civil unrest in Romania in December 1989 and part of the Revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several countries. The Romanian Revolution started in the city of Timișoara and soon spread throughout the country, ultimately culminating in the show trial and execution of longtime Communist Party General Secretary Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena, and the end of 42 years of Communist rule in Romania.Egmond shows us the center of the Romanian flag had been cut out to insert a head into the flag.

Egmond shows us a bullet from that horrific revolution. He and other speak to youth and those that will listen so that they never forget what so many sacrificed so that they have democracy today in Romania.

Romanian Flag. The most recent census of the city showed that the overall population within Bucharest was 1,883,400 people.

Statue in the foreground is of Corneliu Coposu at Revolution Square. The second square is referred to as the Baked Potato. I agree.

Library of the University of Bucharest which was burned and rebuilt.Education is a key component of a city's ability to be prosperous and, in this regard, the education system in Bucharest does face certain challenges due to the lack of emphasis put on the need for education. The risk of dropout is a staggering 94%, and those that are unable to attend even primary school remains at 71.4%. The standard education system within the city of Bucharest and that of the rest of Romania encourages students to attend an average of 8.4 years of primary school and 9 years of secondary school.

In Bucharest, children are quite fortunate as many organizations have worked to encourage the growth of the economy through helping children with their education. The numbers indicate that prior to these new programs there only 70% of children in the city could access education. Today that has grown to 86% and is growing further with each passing year. It has had the most effect on pre-school children who previously had little encouragement to attend school. It is hoped that these programs will continue to encourage children to learn and therefore develop the economy of Bucharest.

Entrance to the Eastern Orthodox Church

The church was commissioned in 1720–1722. Originally, the exterior was painted.. Restoration work was done in 1935–1936. The facade is made of brick. The frescoes on the porch date from the original structure,

Some of the things for which Romania is famous include: the Carpathian mountains, many fine wines, salt mines, medieval fortresses, "Dacia" cars, Dracula, stuffed cabbage leaves, Nadia Comaneci, primeval dense forests, the Black Sea, sunflower fields, wolves and bears, painted monasteries, the Danube Delta and their hospitality. .

Old and new architecture combined with glass and stucco.

The eclectic building of Romanian Savings Bank , Casa de Economi or CEC. This monumental edifice was built at the end of the 19th century.. The CEC was the first bank in Romania established in 1864 and during communism and was the only bank giving credit to the people.

Romania is situated in the north of the Balkan Peninsula on the western shores of the Black Sea. It enjoys great natural beauty and diversity and a rich cultural heritage. Romania enchants visitors with its scenic mountain landscapes and unspoiled countryside areas, and also with its historic cities and its busy capital.1

Over the last decade Romania had undergone a significant development and it is one of the recent members of the European Union. Tourists from western countries might still, even today, enjoy some surprising experiences in Romania. This is a large country which can sometimes be shocking with contrasts: some cities are truly Western Europe; some villages can seem to have been brought back from the past. While it has significant cultural similarities with other Balkan states, it is regarded as unique due to its strong Latin heritage.

Original architecture from the early 19th century with statues built into the building.

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