This is my granmother's (Bunica's) tiny kitchen. We stayed in her apartment, which my mom and aunt now share, while in Bucharest. The apartment is very small but well situated, downtown Bucharest. I have many memories there.
Typical streets and sights around Bunica's apartment.
A short distance away from Bucharest center, this is the area where I grew up. My dad was in Bucharest when we got there, and he came to visit our old apartment building and street with us. I twas actually really nice to have him there to show us and especially the girls and talk about his experiences.
This is Mamaia's building that will forever be deeply etched in my memory and being. I spent many many hours here. She lived on the 7th floor.
The street from Mamaia's apartment building to ours. It was only a 3 minute walk, which made it easy for her to come and take care of my sister and I every day while my parents were at work.
Sena and Aiyana posing in front of a Trabant, one of the few cars that people had while i was growing up. There are many more cars in Bucharest now, and of all kinds. Seeing this Trabant though was special.
The school I went to from the age of 6 or 7 until 12-13. It was less than a minute walk from my house, literally right in front of our apartment building. I think that part of who I am right now, for better and for worse, was in no small part forged in this institution.
In front of the apartment building where my family lived. I spend innumerable hours on these steps, playing with my friends, talking, doing what kids did back then. I was with my friends every spare moment I had, meaning any time when I wasn't in school or had to do homework. I think that allowed me to build social skills, because it was kind of like growing in a large extended family, always with other people around, always having to read them, and learning to get along. All in all I am grateful for my childhood, all I learned and all I experienced.
Showing Sena and Aiyana around our old neighborhood. It was really special to be able to share this with them. They will never feel the way I felt back then, that world is truly gone, but at least they'll know about it in an abstract kind of way and they will have some sights and places to imagine what it was like back then.
The old man and woman in the background came from the country to sell a few bunches of parsley in Bucharest. Many old people have it really tough in Romania right now. Their pensions are often not enough to even buy basic necessities, and many of them are reduced to begging or literally barely scraping by.
The outdoor market in our old neighborhood. Mamaia went here every day, as do many people still, to buy fruits, vegetables, and other food.
Driving in Bucharest - the girls really liked these artesian fountains near the center
One of Ceausescu's buildings (built opulently while people were barely getting by). Apparently he wanted it to rival the Pentagon.
Very close to Bunica's apartment, this is Dimbovita River at night
Downtown Bucharest
Many street vendors with fresh flowers everywhere - the custom still is in Romania, that if you go visit someone you bring flowers.
A nice new bookstore near Bunica's apartment where the girls and I had a treat.
Bunica's apartment door. There are many keys and locks.
Walking around one evening, we came to this free live concert.
And a protest the next day (we were told it was for the reunification of Basarabia to Romania).
Peace
