A Long Way East

A travel day, a new city, and reflections on choosing where to go next

The last few days have involved a lot of transit. By the time we landed in Bucharest from Lisbon on Wednesday (via Frankfurt) we had traveled about 1,800 miles, roughly the distance from New York to Denver. Add in a two-hour time change heading east, and it turned into one of those days that felt longer than the miles suggest. We left our hotel in Lisbon at 4 a.m. and arrived at our Home Exchange in Bucharest around 6 p.m.

We did intentionally skip over a large portion of Central Europe. The purpose of this trip was always to prioritize places we had never been but always wanted to visit. The kind of destinations that too easily fall into the “we’ll get there someday” category. Right now, we’re in a season where we have the health, the time, and the opportunity to do it, and we didn’t want to waste that.

We were fortunate earlier in our military careers to spend two years stationed in Germany, and we made the most of it—traveling extensively through Germany as well as Italy, France, Belgium, England, Austria, Czechia, and Hungary. This trip is about touring all the places we haven’t yet gotten to but said we wanted to.

Our Home Exchange in Bucharest was about three miles from the city center, in an area our Blacklane driver described as “the old Soviet bloc.” The buildings matched that description: tall, square, gray, and unmistakably utilitarian (the building in the photo is not where we stayed). Even the stairwell felt untouched by time.

Inside the apartment, though, was a completely different story. Fully renovated, modern, and filled with natural light. A comfortable and welcoming place to land after a long travel day.

We spent Thursday exploring Bucharest’s Old Town. Since it was just over three miles away and a beautiful morning, we decided to walk. As we entered one of the main squares, the women running a café called out to us and asked if we wanted a table (this is pretty typical in touristy areas we’ve been to). We hadn’t planned to stop, but it was mid-morning, and by now, a coffee break has become part of our routine, so we said yes.

From there, we wandered the cobblestone streets, taking in the architecture. Much of Bucharest was destroyed during World War II, but what has been rebuilt still carries a sense of character and history.

Bucharest is often called “Little Paris of the East”, and we could see hints of that in the architecture and layout. Even the street signage near Old Town reflects that influence; though instead of “arrondissement,” the city is divided into Soviet-era “sectors.”

I had read several recommendations for Caru’ cu Bere, known as much for its interior as for its food. The building dates back to 1879, when its original owner expanded his beer business into a full restaurant.

We went with local fare: a “light platter” with two eggplant dips and a bean dip to start, paired with Romanian wine. Our main meal was Bucovineană, described as a pork confit-style dish. And of course, we had to try the local liqueur, Pălincă.

Yesterday we stayed closer to our apartment. We considered visiting King Michael I Park, but instead explored the nearby Park IOR. With a lake at its center and trees just beginning to bloom, it turned into a peaceful and beautiful way to spend the morning.

Would we come back to Bucharest? Probably not. Would we come back to Romania to visit Transylvania with its picturesque castles and monasteries? Probably yes. The words of our Home Exchange host in Barcelona keep echoing: “Bucharest is not Romania.” While we found the city interesting, it’s not a place we’d spend a lot of time. The real beauty seems to lie in the mountains and along the coast.

We followed the same strategy in Romania as we did in Lisbon and moved to a hotel near the airport ahead of our early flight. Bucharest airport—like much of the city—is a little gritty, a little chaotic, but with an underlying sense of order. Twenty-five minutes after leaving our hotel room, we were through security.

So, another quick 48 hours in the books, and now we’re on to our next stop: the Bulgarian countryside and Sofia. Five days to slow down a bit before the next move.