The Turquoise Chronicles

Aaaaaaaaand we’re back! That’s right – the 2023-2024 school year is underway 🙂 I’m back in Istanbul for Year 2 and, boy, is it nice to no longer be a new hire. So thankful to come back to an apartment which is set and ready to go, to students I’ve already taught, and some good friends living nearby.

Before school kicked off, however, I took a little trip to Romania. Partially to beat the jet lag, partially because I’d heard the architecture was amazing (and it was!). So off to the land of Nadia Comăneci I went.

Just a little over an hour’s flight from Istanbul, Bucharest is yet another fascinating, Post-Soviet capital with a culture all it’s own. Part of my long-term quest to explore the Balkans, Bucharest was just the gem I was hoping for.

For a little context, Romania is a country which sits upon the reputedly (only because I’ve yet to visit) lovely Black Sea. To the north, the country is bordered by Moldova and Ukraine. Owing to Romania’s NATO member status (2004), however, I felt it was safe enough to visit during this time of war because, well, if something happened in Romania, WWIII would most definitely be on.

Leaving those dark thoughts behind, I’ll share my two favorite activities while in country. Bucharest, a city of 2 million on a work day, is walkable and truly lovely. Neighborhoods are going through a Renaissance and though there is a lot of graffiti, I honestly found it charming – a lot of street art and paste-ups.

But let’s talk architecture. Thanks to the widely varied history of the country (did you know that Romania switched sides during World War II?) and the major French influence dating back to the 1500s, Romania proved again and again to be a delightful surprise.

As I was traveling solo, I booked two walking tours to meet people and get to know my surroundings. The first – a food market/history tour – was fantastic. The three hour Airbnb Experience quickly stretched into five after a tour of the Jewish Quarter, a stop at a local market for fruit and produce, and a shady spot to enjoy some beers and chat with my fellow travelers.

Most of our group was poised to take a cruise down the Argeș River, linking Bucharest to the Danube, and subsequently the rest of Europe. Lured by cheaper cruise prices, buyers beware – I hear there are about 30 locks on the 45 mile stretch of river. Our group quickly bonded and had a great time swapping travel stories. I even came across a few international teachers who had lived in Norway and Nepal over the course of their careers.

My adorable Airbnb was also a gem – styled in a mid-century modern motif, it was charming and, turns out, also in a famous historic building. Love those Art Deco front doors.

The second tour I took was really the pièce de résistance, the reason I had come to visit. I’ve followed a number of Bucharest photographers on Instagram for a while now – @monica_maracineanu and @adinacrimu, with @raidenburcharest being the most prolific. The way he captures Bucharest, a city he clearly reveres, really impressed me and when I sent him a DM, I learned that he gives tours through TripAdvisor.

No surprise, he came very prepared, with a stash of hard-earned images capturing pivotal historic movements throughout 20th century Bucharest – a history replete with coups, Nazi shelling, and Communist addresses. Much like Latvia and other Eastern European countries, Romania has really seen more than it’s fair share of hostilities, particularly in the last century.

We began at the Romanian Athenaeum, now a gorgeous opera house, and made our way around Constitution Square to Victory Avenue. And the architecture – oh, the architecture! Art Deco placed alongside Neoclassical and Art Nouveau. A Byzantine church in the courtyard of a Neo-Gothic building. Just phenomenal.

Our tour culminated in a visit to the Cotroceni neighborhood of Bucharest. I can only describe these homes (see above and below) as gingerbread houses for an architecture buff, each with their own unique decor.

Upon my tour guide’s recommendation, I rounded out the afternoon in the garden of Infinitea, sipping an iced black tea topped off with a scoop of sesame ice cream. Perfection.

All too quickly, it was time to head back to Istanbul and prepare for the start of the school year. Luckily, I had this little goober waiting for some cuddles at home.

As of today, the school year is off on the right foot and I’m excited to continue exploring the ever-impressive Turkey. Next up… Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar!