August 20, 2021
Before heading to Bucharest, I stop at 43.12 again. Then I go to the bus stop using the local bus, and catch my small shuttle to Bucharest. Everything went smoothly, and they let us off close enough to my hostel.
Sleep Inn Hostel is a decent hostel on a nice property. I felt a little uncomfortable because of the volunteers (and/or just normal workers, I’m not too sure). I think they were just friendly pot smokers, but sometimes it’s hard to tell. As much as I’d like to vibe with people like that, you have to listen to your instincts as a solo female traveler. Sometimes that means missing out on opportunities. I do my best to balance all of these feelings when I’m traveling.
I need some flavor so I head to Sharkia, because they serve Lebanese food. It was in the bottom of a hotel, and I sat outside. It was pretty good!
August 21, 2021
I’ve read some mixed reviews about the Transylvania Tour, but I’m in Transylvania on a full moon so I’m going to take my chances. I booked on GetYourGuide through One Excellence Tour, and they had several pickup locations. Luckily one is nearby in the old town.
To be honest, the guide annoyed me and the castles weren’t that worth it. I knew that the castles aren’t really presented in literature and media as they actually were used, so the tour is a bit silly, but I was hoping to at least hear some cool stories. The guide did give us some bits of relevant history, but nothing super interesting. The one benefit of this for me was that I got to see Brasov. We stopped there for lunch so we got to see the old town there which is really beautiful and different from Bucharest. Brasov is known for being a ski town that is packed full in the peak season. I already liked Bucharest, but Brasov is even lovelier. I’ll definitely be back to Romania soon, because I’ve only heard great things about the other cities, towns, and nature.
For lunch we ate at La Ceaun in the town center, per our guide’s recommendation. Even though I wasn’t a fan of the guide, this was a good recommendation. It’s Romanian food but with a bit of a modern twist.
When I get home I’m starving so I stop in the old town at Bistro Van Gogh. The food was alright, but I felt like they were afraid to serve me alone, which is never a good vibe.
I haven’t met anyone here and the workers at the hostel are giving me weird vibes so I’ll probably be staying in tonight. I make a stop at Arcade Café for a traditional dessert, to make my Saturday night a little more interesting. It’s a nice little cafe, and the dessert was really tasty. It’s called papanasi and it’s like a donut with berry and cream toppings. I like desserts that aren’t too sweet, so this is great.
The longer I stay here, the more impressed I am. The old town here is super lively, and it was great to see it on a Saturday night even if I didn’t go into the clubs. The spirit of resilience in some Eastern European cities is so strong, and I feel it here.
August 22, 2021
This morning I’m going on the Story of Bucharest Tour. It’s a nice tour but I think it was just a bit too long. I learned some interesting stuff and met some interesting people, so I would still say to try it, especially if you’re more interested in history than I am.
I go to Simbio because I’m craving brunch. It’s super cute and the food is pretty good, so I give it my seal of approval.
For dinner I head to Hanul Lui Manic, which was recommended by both the tour guide and tour goers. It’s a traditional restaurant with lots of tables and live music, which is one of my favorite parts of traveling. I definitely recommend coming here when you are in Bucharest.
August 23, 2021
Today I’m praying for some things to fall into place. I have to stop in Edinburgh on the way to Spain, which means I need a COVID test. I opted for this because there are supposed to be COVID tests for $15 here.
I head to Unilab Covid Testing, and indeed get a COVID test for $15. They were a bit rude, and I had to go twice because they were busy the first time but they let me set up an appointment.
With my COVID test in hand, I can make my last stop in Bucharest: The Village Museum. I’m really excited for this because I love hands on museums.
This was super cool, but only a few houses were open. I wonder if they rotate them every day, so that they can manage the wear and tear. The student ticket was cheap, too. I think the ticket is for an entire week so maybe plan to come twice for a shorter time, and maybe you can see more houses that way. It could also be cool to do a guided tour if you’re like me and don’t like reading. It was pretty hot so it wasn’t a super comfortable experience, but this still goes at the top of my list of museums.
I saw a pho restaurant when I was walking in the old town the other day, so I figure I should stop by. It’s called Toan’s Vietnemese and it has pretty good pho at good prices. I also tried the fried spring rolls which I was pleased with.
I take the bus to the airport, which was pretty seamless, and I board my flight to Edinburgh.
Check Out My Guide to Bucharest ⧉
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