Saturday, October 12, Bucharest

Parliament was the first stop.  We had thought disorganization and running late was just the Pro Vita way, but it's universal to the Balkans. Got there by 10:30 for our 11:00 tour but milled around waiting for our security clearance.  First time we've had to turn in our passports in exchange for a security tag. More thorough search than most airports except for me.  I got waved through when I couldn't do the x- ray.  So we began our 2 hour tour a half hour late.  But it was well worth it.  This is the palace for which Ceausescu tore down homes of 20,000 people.  It was called the people's palace, but he and his family were the only people who got to use it.  Again, in typical Romanian fashion, it was never completed.  The 1989 revolution ended his and the Communists' reigns and it became the seat of Parliament.  (Actually it was Parliament under the Communists too, but everyone was in the same party and it was just a rubber stamp.). Anyway, it is the second largest building in the world, after the Pentagon, but the beautiful marble, crystal chandeliers, and carpets outclass the Pentagon by a long shot.  Many, many stairs until for security reasons you cannot use stairs but must take the elevator to the rooftop terrace.

It's hard to get the big picture

Personal hygiene doesn't seem very important outside the palace

Mary and Craig of York PA

I took my pedometer off for security so none of these corridors or steps counted

Only a small part of the building is currently in use, for meetings, expos, and private affairs as well as state occasions.  

George Bush was here and so was Michael Jackson.  One of them was dumb enough to speak from the balcony to crowds below and refer to his host city as Budapest.

From here we went to the Old City and saw a little more of the area than we had two weeks ago.  Had a great lunch -- Italian again and then free time.  We opted to walk back to the hotel; everyone else was tired from the museum-paced walk through the palace and took the vans.  Stopped at a busy open market, mostly food stalls and crafts we didn't want.  Tried again to get into the Atheneum but no luck.

This is a bank headquarters. I continue to look for attractive buildings in decent condition

This, however, is more typical in Old Town

Piata of the Revolution the red signifies blood, not vandalism

Then a neighborhood restaurant for our farewell dinner. I had the worst meal of the entire trip, in a smoky and noisy place.  But of course a good time was had by all and we are a rowdy crew.  It was one of the (3) Judy's birthday and the van drivers and our girls sang "Happy Birthday" in Romanian followed by the English version from the rest of us.

Kayla and Cori, our brave kids; leading the seniors was like herding cats

Janos and Joey, our drivers

Whole group photo at the palace

And so ends our Romanian experience. The service project was lots of fun, we saw a slice of life we never would have seen otherwise, we met great people, and I'd do another any time.  But I have no illusions that we made a difference in the lives of anyone at Pro Vita, and I'm not sure they needed our help.  Everyone there is happy and well cared for, living in family type settings, and managing just fine without any outside do-gooders.  They have a group of college kids coming from Idaho in December and 200 (!) Romanians coming next summer.  They're going to run a summer camp.

13,102 steps (though really many more at the palace) 5.6 miles

P.S. the answer is Michael Jackson

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