I live on the outskirts of a relatively large city, which is also the capital of the country. The fact that I live on the outskirts, in an area with lots of greenery and smaller houses, makes me feel somewhat like I live in a smaller, quieter and less crowded city. This feeling quickly disappears when I head towards the city center. All the unpleasantness of the big urban areas spills over... the crowding of people and cars, the ever bigger and more crowded buildings, the noise and dust.
I'm happy to live in the suburbs and try to stay there as much as possible, but, you know, the "city lights" call us incessantly and, for better or worse, I find myself in my car (less often) or on public transport (more often than not) bound for downtown, the city center! This happens mostly on weekends, especially on Sundays, because at this time the traffic is quieter.
The reasons why the center calls me are various, most of the time because there are concentrated cultural institutions, theatres, concert halls, museums and also favourite terraces and cafés. Sometimes I miss certain parts of the city, the old town, with its buildings from the beginning of the last century. There are some buildings that I really like. For one of them I made what I can call here a journey, a journey into the past to see the Romanian Athenaeum, the emblematic building of Bucharest, the capital of Romania.
I could tell you how this building came about but Wikipedia has a much more accurate and concise description...
The Romanian Athenaeum is a concert hall in Bucharest, located on Calea Victoriei, in George Enescu Square (on the north side of Revolution Square). The building, which is a combination of neoclassical and eclectic styles, was built between 1886 and 1888, according to plans by French architect Albert Galleron. The building was inaugurated on 14 February 1888.
What I will explain is that part of the funds needed to complete the construction were obtained by public subscription, using the slogan:"Give a lion for the Athenaeum" which means "Give a penny for the Athenaeum", because the "Lion" is the national currency of Romania.
This wonderful building is located in one of the most important squares of the city, the Revolution Square. In front of the Athenaeum there is a small park. Some trees were planted here and this was a mistake, in my opinion. I think that trees should have been chosen that don't grow too tall. This did not happen and now these trees cover large parts of this building and prevent visibility...
Fortunately, looking from the front, there is still the possibility to see the facade of this building, with its neoclassical and eclectic architecture. The small park of the Athenaeum is however a small place to rest, relax and sunbathe in this large square with a little greenery.
I suppose the view from this small park distracts attention in a certain direction (left) and leaves less possibility to see the statue in front of the columns. I've enlarged the image above to see it better (and removed the disturbing element)... Well, it is a statue and not just any statue. It is the statue of Mihai Eminescu, considered the greatest Romanian poet, the father of the Romanian literary language, the national poet, the last romantic poet!
A small fragment of a poem called "Separation", I hope well translated, because I remembered this poet, of course unknown outside my country.
To not forget our loving, should I a sign implore?
I'd ask for you, but dearest, you are your own no more.
Nor do I beg a flower from in your golden hair;
Forgetfulness, beloved, is but my single prayer.
This is how the Athenaeum is seen by those passing through the Revolutiei Square in Bucharest. This is how I see it every time I cross the square to get to the Old City Center. Then I realized that I have not passed behind this building for many years. It is not on my usual route, although it is only a few meters away. I decided to fix this oversight and change my route very slightly to revisit the small street behind.
I didn't get good shots of the Athenaeum in the back or side because the street is very narrow and I didn't have room to frame it better...
Instead I was surprised to discover that the short and narrow streets that connect the most important boulevards of the city, Magheru Boulevard and Victory Avenue, are full of small terraces and cafes, all with tables and chairs on the sidewalk.
A pleasant surprise, because everything was tastefully arranged.
I also met a florist looking for customers for her flowers.
This was a different street than the one I was looking for. My street is this one, which lets me see the side of the Athenaeum a little further away.
Here, too, small restaurants. This one belongs to a well-known chef. I didn't know it was there. Although it must be expensive, it caters more to foreign tourists staying in nearby hotels, I would like to go and taste some of the food of this famous chef (from Israel), whom I have seen in several culinary shows on TV.
The small street hidden among the old buildings has been rehabilitated. There is nothing special about it, except that not many cars pass by, which is unusual in this town. It also happens because it's Sunday.
The same contrasts of large houses, with early twentieth century architecture, and poorer, unkempt houses that I would think shouldn't be in the middle of town.
But there is something very special that is different and makes the place very beautiful, making the walk here very special. Something very beautiful but not due to people. It is the beauty brought by autumn!
This street that runs behind the Athenaeum ends in front of a museum that I really like. It's called the Aman Museum. It is the home of an important Roman painter, Theodor Aman (1831-1891). He was the founder of the School of Fine Arts in Bucharest, the first art school in Romania.
The studio and the house in which he lived, which was built in 1869 in the Pompeian style, was at that time a social place where Bucharest's elite met. Thus, about this monden place, it was said: "His studio (...) was the only artistic centre where the Bucharest elite of the time gathered".
I saw a poster announcing what exhibit is now set up in this museum. An exhibition I really must see...
It is about the gardens and parks where Theodor Aman painted. I want to see the paintings and see what interested him in those parks. Places that I want to see too, to see what is left after more than a hundred years.
This short walk ends in the same place where it started, in the Revolution Square. A very small part of the city center, an area where most tourists who spend a few days in Bucharest gather.
At the suggestion of 
......
I have mixed feelings about the city I live in. Love and hate, admiration but also discontent. I've been thinking about why anyone would want to visit this city, what places I would recommend if someone asked my opinion. I realized that there are many places worth seeing and many others to avoid.
I will try to write about as many special, unique and specific places that have already become a place of interest for visitors, but also about my favourites, perhaps less spectacular but with the potential to arouse interest.
......
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