Bucuresti

On our way back from Italy, we stop in Bucharest for a day and a half. We arrive at Henri Coanda Airport late in the evening, and Cristina and Gruia meet us there. We haven't seen each other in probably 10 years, but I find them unchanged. We grab a quick dinner at Taco Bell, then they take us to tanti Nadea's house, where we crash for the night. Tanti Nadea, whom I haven't seen since 2000, is the same sweet lady I always knew, and watching her dot over Mikey makes me feel like he has another grandmother in Romania.

On Sunday morning, after a quick breakfast, tanti Nadea walks with us to Grigore Antipa. This is a museum of Natural History, the biggest one in Romania, and I figured Mikey will like it. When I was probably 8 or 9, my grandmother brought my brother and I to the same museum. From that trip of long ago, I remember clearly two things:  the huge room dedicated to the butterflies and bugs ; and that my feet hurt and bled from the walking and the new Sunday shoes that I had to wear that day. So I figured it's time for Mikey to have the same experience, minus the shoes and bleeding feet.

In his element at Grigore Antipa

We spend a solid 3 hours at the museum, because it's big and Mikey is really into it. It has changed a lot from what I remember from a trip over 30 years ago. This time Mikey really pays attention, and I watch him looking carefully at all the displays, to the animals that he knows and those that he thinks he knows; and more impressive, for me, is that he finds their number in the display and tries to figure out their names; luckily, all the legends have the Latin, Romanian and English names, so he is able to do it himself.

Studying

Among other things, he gets really excited about seeing the pangolin and measuring himself against an elephant seal (who knew those things get so big!!!! )

The pangolin

The elephant seal

After the permanent exhibit, we go to the two temporary exhibits: butterflies and poisonous creatures. Right up Mikey's alley, I dare say. All in all, money and time well spent.

After the museum, we have some time just for the two of us. I have not been in Bucharest in over 20 years, and I feel lost. But in between my navigation app and very kind passers by, we find the subway and make our way to Herastrau Park. We are hungry so we stop for lunch, and I watch in disbelief how Mikey puts down a whole pizza and half of a huge profiterol.With renewed energy, we keep on walking to meet Cristina and Gruia.

Trying his might against the Profiterol... 

Holding up the Arch of Triumph in Bucharest

By now Mikey is doing something strange. He interacts some with us, he looks around some, but he prefers to spend his time with his Greek Mythology book. I mean, the boy is walking and reading at the same time, and most of the evening he does not put the book down.

Waiting for the bus

Cristina is impressed, but I am a bit taken aback. I know the boy loves to read and he is really into mythology now, but to me at this point it seems almost like a defense mechanism. I am wondering if I put him through too much with these travels and he just isn't comfortable anymore in his physical space and needs to find some comfort in a familiar book. I am not sure what to make of it, and promise myself that we will cool it off once we get back to Sibiu and spend a few lazy days with no travels.

The afternoon is nice, sunny but not hot, there is a breeze by the lake, I feel refreshed by the greenery and especially by the time with Cristina.

Herastrau Lake

We walk for a while, with Mikey in and out of the conversation, and with Gruia "testing" him. We stop here and there, on a bench and with little statues to take pictures, then go to a terrace for a beer and mici (little saussages if you like).

Turkey rider

Prometheus

We catch a bit of adult time, and I am happy for it. Cristina and I are the same age, we spent some time together in winters and summers through our middle school and some of the high school years, and we have a bit of history together. We went different directions a while back, but now this short day in Bucharest was a chance for us to catch up and see each other. For her and her husband to meet Mikey, and for Mikey to know them.

The rest of the evening goes by nicely. We go back to tanti Nadea's house, have dinner, then sit down and talk while Mikey reads his book. Adrian, her son, stops by for a quick visit, then we go to bed after 10. On Monday morning we head back to Sibiu, and by 5 in the afternoon we are back at base camp.

We only spent a bit more than 1 day in Bucharest. It is a big city, full of life and wonders. It's also crowded, dusty and hot this time of the year. The public transportation system is way better than when I last went there. People seem nicer, and services are better. It has its own history and beauty, but we did not get to see this side this time.  But this wasn't the goal anyways. Again, I wanted to stop there for a bit to see people, people who have been part of my life since I can remember, people who are dear to me and people that I missed. People who have seen Mikey in pictures but who haven't met him in person. People that I wanted Mikey to meet and know. People who, again, took time from their busy lives to host us, pick us up, feed us, walk with us, spend time with us. And once again, on this long journey, I feel grateful for this gift of time from family and friends.

Cristina, Mikey and Gruia

Adrian, Mikey and tanti Nadea

July 7-9, 2018