Playing tourists in our own city
Inside the world's heaviest building, bopping around Bucharest + travel news
Life Lately
It feels like we’ve gotten to know Bucharest more fully the last few weeks.
Since moving here three months ago for our first Foreign Service posting, we’ve been so preoccupied with housing appeals and getting acclimated we haven’t had time to properly visit many of the main tourist sites.
This month, that finally changed!
We toured the Romanian Palace of Parliament, which is the heaviest and second-largest building in the world, behind only the Pentagon.
We attended a Harry Potter themed orchestra performance at Palace Hall (Sala Palatului).
It seemed like every millennial in Bucharest was there!
We ventured through Obor Market and discovered why Bucharesters flock to this large produce hall for their weekly meat and veg.
We even soaked in the mineral waters of Therme Spa Bucharest again and unwound with a couple glasses of Romanian wine.
In addition to exploring some of the main tourism sites, we also discovered some great places to eat, including a Texas-style barbecue joint, a Mexican taqueria and a great brunch spot offering a classic English breakfast. I wrote about these and other top restaurants in Bucharest on my blog.
Each time we venture out, we see a new side to the city and discover more interesting places we’d like to go.
Travel-Related News
Wine and climate experts fear rising temperatures are forever changing the winemaking landscape across Europe.
Extreme weather is pushing viticulture north and forcing traditional vineyard regions to adapt.
Starting May 7, American travelers must be REAL ID compliant to board domestic flights. Passports are still valid for international travel.
Romania topped Vogue Magazine’s list of the best places to travel in 2025. The country is set to join the U.S. visa waiver program in the coming months, meaning travel between our two countries will be easier than ever.
Lastly, Eurostat shared some interesting graphics outlining overall life satisfaction as well as trust in others in the EU. Unsurprisingly, Romania was near the top on both. My sense living here is that Romanian people are very proud and self-assured. The low crime rate also contributes to greater trust, I’m sure.
What to Watch
Wicked – I know this one’s obvious. I approached Wicked with a bit of skepticism, thinking the film had been over-hyped. While I’m not the biggest Ariana Grande fan, I have to admit Wicked hit all its marks. The pacing, set design, music, acting… it’s all there. We really enjoyed this take on the Emerald City.
Missing: The Lucie Blackman Case
This gripping true crime documentary tells the story of a British family’s quest to find their daughter who went missing while working in Japan.
The film delves into the complexities of cross-cultural communication between the victim’s family, detectives and ultimately the media attention that helped solve the case.
That’s all for now! Feel free to comment on anything I mentioned or whatever has been on your mind.
Cheers,
Michelle
@AmericanExpatAbroad
“Traveling outgrows its motives. It soon proves sufficient in itself. You think you are making a trip, but soon it is making you – or unmaking you.”
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