It has happened ! Really ! Ukulele Road Trips (my two ukuleles, my backpack and me) has finally made it to a new country. Really ! We got the credits for the previous class, only just, and we're now roaming (or rowing, as you will see in the video) in Romania. Yes, Romania.
Starting of course, as anybody would on a musical-blogging ukulele adventure, with the capital, Bucharest.
And to discover and learn about this intriguing city, you can listen to the Bucharest PODCAST, recorded with locals, helping you take your first steps with the Romania language, history and basic techniques for moving churches. This is Romania 101 ! A bit like PowerPoint presentation on the first day of school, except with rapping, songs and jokes. And no PowerPoint presentation.
"Come on, give is a song then!" - Outside the Bucharest Athaneum
One of the things you've probably taken notes about while studying the podcast, is that Bucharest used to be called "the little Paris". And not without reason. Here's a little explanation in walk-about sing-along song which would fit perfectly between two slides with colourful charts about demography and the consumption of croissants and wine in Romania.
The Cișmigiu Park (pronounced Chiche - mi - gou if you trying to sound French in the 1890s) is one the defining parks of that particular period. "This Viennese Chap Meyer" was the horticulturist in charge of most of the park as it acquired it's high-society status during the second part of the XIXth century. The very elegant style of his planting can still be felt today. "As we walk through the trees", we really get the old-fashioned feel in the Chichemigou park. Boats, ducks, name signs that look just like the ones in Paris...
As for "Thierry's Restaurant", it was an actual french-owned place, quite charming from what I've read - so, exactly the opposite of the restaurant which is now there, funnily enough (little hello to the comically unfriendly staff - it is worth a "glass of white wine", it's hilarious, and definitely gives it a certain Frenchness).