7 things about Bucharest, Romania

December 15, 2025 Sud-ScribeAteneul Român, Bucharest, europe, history, Pele's Castle, Romania, Stavropoleos Monastery, Transylvania, TravelLeave a comment

1. History and identity

Romania’s history is one of repeated absorption and re-formation. The land that is now Romania was first inhabited by the Dacians and later folded into the Roman Empire. Over the centuries, the region saw successive waves of control by the Cumans, the Ottomans, and later the Habsburgs, even as a Romanian identity began to take shape under figures like Michael the Brave. Medieval principalities such as Wallachia and Moldavia eventually consolidated into a modern Romanian state in the late nineteenth century. After World War II, Romania became a socialist republic under Soviet influence. When that system collapsed, it re-emerged once again as a modern republic. That sense of continuity under repeated disruption is central to understanding the country.

2. The city itself

Bucharest was better than I expected. It feels dense and sprawling at the same time. Parts of the city reminded me of Mexico City, perhaps because of Herăstrău Park, a vast green space in the center that plays a role similar to Chapultepec. The wide boulevards reflect Soviet-era urban planning, and the brutalist buildings reinforce that impression. Bucharest has been the capital since the formation of the Romanian state, and its coat of arms is derived from that of Wallachia, another reminder of how deeply history is embedded in the city.

3. The Palace of Parliament

Also known as the People’s House, the Palace of Parliament is excess made physical. What it lacks in taste, it attempts to compensate for with scale. It is the largest civil administrative building in the world and also the heaviest. Built between 1984 and 1997 during the communist era, it houses the Parliament, the Constitutional Court, and several museums. Despite this, it is estimated that nearly seventy percent of the building remains unused. Tours are offered daily and tend to sell out during the summer, which says something about our fascination with monuments to ambition.

4. Music and architecture

The Romanian Athenaeum, or Ateneul Român, was built in 1888 by the Romanian Athenaeum Cultural Society and remains one of the city’s architectural highlights. The neoclassical exterior is regal without feeling overwhelming, and the ornate domed roof stands out immediately. Inside, the entry halls and staircases create a sense of ceremony before opening into the main concert hall. It feels like a building designed not only for music, but for occasion.

5. Old Town and living history

Bucharest’s Old Town is relatively compact and dominated by heritage buildings owned by government bodies and local institutions. The Stavropoleos Monastery feels like an anachronism. Built in 1724 by the Greek monk Ioannikios Stratonikeas, it began as a monastery supported by an inn, which was common at the time. Earthquakes and nineteenth-century demolitions destroyed most of the complex, but the church endured. Today it is complemented by a twentieth-century building housing rare icons, fresco fragments, and a small library. Nearby, Cărturești’s Old Town location stands out for its bright, open interiors and layered floors. It is an easy place to linger and a good stop for thoughtful local souvenirs.

6. A day in Transylvania

Exploring Transylvania was one of the things I was most looking forward to, but travel delays forced me to cut Brașov from my itinerary. I still managed a day trip. Romania’s train system feels like a holdover from the Soviet era. It is not glamorous, but it is functional and reliable. Sinaia, the gateway town, has the feel of a hill station, with cooler weather and greenery that offered relief when Bucharest was reaching forty-four degrees Celsius. I skipped Bran Castle, often marketed as Dracula’s Castle, because of its Disney-like reputation and the weak historical link to the legend. Peleș Castle, on the other hand, was worth the effort. Once the summer retreat of King Carol I, it is opulent without feeling kitsch. Technically a palace, it blends Neo-Renaissance and Gothic Revival styles reminiscent of Neuschwanstein, with Saxon and Baroque influences throughout. Its one hundred and seventy richly decorated rooms showcase themed interiors and an extraordinary collection of art, arms, and decorative treasures.

7. Food and small surprises

Romanian cuisine is unapologetically meat-forward, shaped by agrarian roots and cross-cultural influences, particularly from Greece. Many classic dishes are rich and filling, often paired with polenta. Caru’ cu Bere, a historic beer hall in Bucharest’s Old Town, is more about atmosphere and beer than exceptional food, but the setting alone makes it worth a visit. In Transylvania, the cuisine shifts closer to Hungarian flavors, with dishes such as langoși and colaci. A completely non-traditional highlight was French Revolution, a patisserie in Bucharest. The éclairs, especially the pistachio, were exceptional and could easily hold their own against the best in Paris.

5 things about Vilnius, Lithuania

November 3, 2025 Sud-Scribeeurope, Gediminas, history, Lithuania, Pink Soup, Travel, Užupis, VilniusLeave a comment

1. Vilnius is the largest city in the Baltics, home to over 600,000 people and a magnet for students from across Lithuania and neighboring countries thanks to affordable housing and generous student subsidies. According to the 2024 World Happiness Report, Lithuanians under 30 are the happiest people on Earth, and it shows in the city’s easy, upbeat vibe. Vilnius traces its origins to Grand Duke Gediminas, who founded it with a modest wooden castle and invited merchants to settle in the area. Granted city rights in 1387, it became the heart of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania before centuries of Russian and Soviet influence shaped its history.

2. Vilnius’s Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1994, has seen a remarkable transformation in recent years. Many heritage buildings have been restored and repurposed into lively mixed-use spaces, driven by a tourism boom and government support. The Gediminas Tower, part of the Vilnius Castle Complex, is worth visiting; the original 15th-century brick fort was expanded in 1933, and the top offers sweeping views of the Old Town and the Neris River. I also enjoyed wandering through Vilnius University’s historic campus, where Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque buildings coexist beautifully.

3. After Lithuania converted to Christianity in 1387, church building flourished, leaving Vilnius with a skyline rich in spires. St. Anne’s Church, with its red-brick Gothic façade, was my favorite. The nearby Vilnius Cathedral stands out for its simplicity, while the bell tower next door offers lovely views of the city. Saint Casimir’s Church in Rotušės Square, painted in pink-orange tones, adds yet another burst of charm to the Old Town.

4. Across the river from Old Town lies Užupis, a bohemian enclave that reminded me of Copenhagen’s Freetown Christiania, though with a lighter and more whimsical character. Founded by artists, Užupis declared itself an independent republic in 1997, complete with its own constitution, currency, and president, though all in playful spirit. Its national day is celebrated on April 1st, a nod to its sense of humor. Once a neglected area, Užupis was revived by artists and is now filled with galleries, cafés, and quirky public art. It even has honorary ambassadors, including the 14th Dalai Lama, and a small Tibet Square named in his honor.

5. Lithuanian food is rich and comforting, full of fried doughs, potatoes, and meats, but the pink soup (Šaltibarščiai) is a standout both in flavor and appearance. Made from kefir and beets, and topped with cucumbers, dill, and hard-boiled eggs, it’s refreshing and visually striking. Another local staple is kvass, a fermented rye-bread drink that is sweet, malty, and surprisingly addictive. Both are great introductions to Lithuania’s hearty yet soulful food culture.

10 things about Berlin, Germany

October 26, 2025 Sud-ScribeBaumkuchen, Berlin, Berlin Wall, Currywurst, Doner Kebab, East Side Gallery, europe, Germany, history, Kreuzberg, Travel, Zeit Fur BrotLeave a comment

1. Berlin began along the River Spree in the 12th century when German settlers under Albert the Bear turned a stretch of marshland into a small trading center. Two towns grew side by side: Berlin on the north bank and Cölln on an island that is now Museum Island. They shared bridges, markets, and families, slowly becoming one community. By 1432, the two officially joined as Berlin-Cölln, setting the stage for a city that would keep reinventing itself for centuries to come.

2. By the early 1700s, Berlin was no longer a cluster of river towns. In 1709, nearby settlements like Friedrichswerder and Friedrichstadt were brought together under one administration, creating Greater Berlin. Under Frederick the Great, the city filled with palaces, wide avenues, and cultural life. The Industrial Revolution gave it new momentum, and when Bismarck united Germany in 1871, Berlin became the capital of a growing empire. Its population exploded from under a million to four million by the 1920s. Even today, Berlin feels different from cities like Munich. It is gritty, diverse, and full of contradictions. I know it is an unfair comparison but its soul feel so different from that of a typical German city.

3. Berlin was once the epicenter of so many historic events leading up to World War II. It has tried to move on from many painful memories but preserved just enough as a reminder not to repeat those mistakes. The stretch of the Berlin Wall along Bernauerstrasse, culminating in the Berlin Wall Memorial, documents the lives of ordinary Germans who were affected by the wall. The stories were so well presented that they put me in the shoes of those who lost agency, faced harsh realities, and even perished during that time. Another section of the wall, now called the East Side Gallery, has been turned into an open-air art installation, almost as if the wall’s weight has been transformed into creative expression. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe is another moving monument dedicated to the Jewish lives lost to the Nazi regime.

4. The Reichstag is the German parliament building. It was constructed between 1884 and 1894 and served as the legislature of the German Empire, the Weimar Republic, and later Nazi Germany. A fire in 1933 forced the legislature to move out, and although it was restored after World War II, its location in West Berlin prevented its use as a parliamentary building for decades. After reunification, the building was redesigned by Norman Foster and re-commissioned in 1999. Its most striking feature is the glass dome, symbolizing transparency between lawmakers and the public. The dome is a beautiful piece of architecture, and visitors including foreigners can visit it for free.

5. Berlin is a city of museums, in fact it has 170 of them. It even has an entire island block, Museum Island, home to some of the best ones like the Pergamon and Neues Museum. Tränenpalast is a small museum at Friedrichstrasse that punches above its weight. Originally a border checkpoint connecting East and West Germany, it has been mostly left as it was. The stories of people who passed through are deeply emotional, and its name fittingly translates to “Palace of Tears.”

6. The Topography of Terror museum is a powerful and detailed documentation of the systemic violence inflicted by the Nazi regime through the Schutzstaffel (SS) under Himmler. It’s revealing to see how a seemingly ordinary protection squad evolved into the primary enforcer of the regime’s discrimination and extermination policies. The museum is text-heavy, but the free guided tour helps make sense of the narrative.

7. The city truly comes alive at night, especially along the Spree near the Berlin Cathedral. People picnic, dance, or simply relax by the water. Berlin has a unique energy after dark that feels spontaneous and free, and I’m not even talking about its spectacular club scene. Urban decay isn’t really a European phenomenon, and certainly not in Berlin.

8. The food scene is wonderfully diverse, covering everything from regional Chinese cuisines to Lebanese, Indian, Vietnamese, Somali, and Ethiopian. Kreuzberg is the best neighborhood for food lovers, closely followed by Prenzlauer Berg, Friedrichshain, and Charlottenburg. We missed the Sudanese falafel place (Sahara Imbiss), but the Levantine food at The Hummussapiens was as authentic as it gets. The aubergine at Sababa in Prenzlauer Berg could easily have come from a café in Tel Aviv.

9. Berlin’s native culinary invention is the currywurst — a sliced sausage covered in curry sauce and dusted with curry powder. It perfectly captures the city’s melting-pot spirit. I tried the vegan version at Curry61, and it was better than any I’ve had before. Another Berlin staple is the döner kebab, a Turkish import turned local classic. It’s believed to have originated in the Ottoman Empire, where vertical meat roasting began, but became popular in Germany during the wave of Turkish immigration in the 1960s and 70s. Made with roasted meat (or falafel as a substitute), salad, and garlic or spicy sauce in a cut-open flatbread called pide. It is the perfect street food – affordable, filling, and full of flavor.

10. German bread is great, but Berlin has its own baking culture. Zeit für Brot is a local favorite known for its Schnecken – spiral-shaped sticky buns layered with cinnamon and raisins, or modern flavors like white chocolate and raspberry. Baumkuchen is another local specialty, a “tree cake” baked on a rotating spit that gives it its signature rings. It’s a simple butter cake layered with patience, and Konditorei Buchwald makes the best version in the city.

5 things about Ohrid, North Macedonia

June 29, 2025 Sud-Scribeeurope, history, North Macedonia, Ohrid, TravelLeave a comment

1. Very few countries still carry the identity of a civilization from over 2,000 years ago. Macedonia takes its name from the ancient kingdom of Macedon, where King Philip II—father of Alexander the Great—once ruled. The name itself carries weight and pride, though not without controversy. Due to Greece’s long-standing objections over shared cultural heritage, the country officially renamed itself to North Macedonia in 2019.

2. Though only the eighth-largest city in North Macedonia, Ohrid holds immense cultural significance. It began as Lychnidos, a name you’ll find in ancient Greek texts, and has been shaped by everyone from the Illyrians and Romans to the Ottomans and Yugoslav communists. It’s most famously known for having once had 365 churches—one for each day of the year. That number is much smaller now, but as you walk through the old town, it really does feel like there’s a church around every corner.

3. The Ancient Theatre of Ohrid is one of the oldest and best-preserved Hellenistic amphitheaters still standing. Sheltered by surrounding hills, its acoustics remain remarkably clear. During Roman times, it was repurposed for gladiator fights and public punishments, including the persecution of Christians. Locals were so repulsed by that legacy that they buried the theater after the Roman era. It remained hidden until the late 1980s, which helps explain its exceptional condition today.

4. The Church of St. John at Kaneo sits quietly on a cliff overlooking the lake, and it’s one of the most striking sights in Ohrid. Built in a cruciform style and dedicated to John of Patmos (who many believe was also John the Apostle), it’s both humble and timeless. The frescoes inside date back to the Byzantine era and have somehow survived through centuries of weather and conflict. The view alone is worth the visit.

5. Lake Ohrid is one of the oldest lakes in the world, formed by tectonic activity millions of years ago alongside Lake Baikal and Lake Titicaca. Its deep blue waters are shared with neighboring Albania, and the whole area feels incredibly serene. I took a boat ride on a warm afternoon, and it was easily one of the most peaceful experiences of my trip. The water shimmered under the sun, and for a moment, it felt like the rest of the world had paused.