Mihai Cirstea
@mihai-cirstea
Aggressive pedestrian. Non-avid cyclist. PhD in Microbiology. Big fan of trees and whales. #vancouver
What if this was a park instead, right at the bottom of the train platform and steps away from several towers and thousands of people?
The streetscape immediately when you exit the SkyTrain at The Amazing Brentwood is utterly depressing
Shocker: a councilor who hasn't written a single meaningful motion in 4 years, isn't running for re-election, and lives in Kelowna, thinks that getting through the rest of Council business is too much work. (It's actually not surprising at all, but pathetic that the rest of ABC went along)
This has been more of a personal thread than anything. Bucharest is a city of many faults but many joys and surprises. Thank you for reading if you did!
Bucharest is worth visiting for the food, the culture, and the night life. It's not worth it for the sights. The majority of the beauty was bulldozed by the Communists and what remained has been left to decay. It's a shame. But there's more to a city than that.
I was born and spent my first 4 years in an area like this one. There's still something very charming about it.
The city is full of spectacles. Fountains, light shows, music. It's nice. Some would argue that the money would be better spent on crumbling infrastructure. Probably true. But some nice things matter too.
Public makers sell local produce at good prices. All the stalls offer samples. They are a national treasure. Once threatened by new big box grocers, it seems that hipsters are shopping at these again.
You're never more than a few steps away from a pastry shop or small grocery store. This is a very good thing. Food is relatively cheap and high quality.
Patios are ubiquitous and they're amazing. The beer is cold and the food is exceptional.
Ads on buildings, very often blocking people's windows, are everywhere. They're hideous.
Most medium to large roads have their sidewalks protected by bollards. This is likely more about preventing parking than anything else.
Unfortunately, probably about 1/3 of the tram lines are closed for construction. Crews are very rarely seen working. Projects like these last 1-3 years, everything moves at a snail's pace.
Many of the trams are from the Communist era. They're not air conditioned. They're quite spacious.
On some major roads, tram ways double as bus lanes. This often makes transit very efficient.
There is one proper bike lane in the city, on Calea Victoriei. It's very well built. It connects to nothing else. Bikes are banned from using it between 9am-11pm on Saturdays and Sundays.
Unlike many other European cities, there is neither the culture of cycling nor the infrastructure in Bucharest.
Even with its love for cars, Bucharest, like almost every single European city, has a network of pedestrian streets in its center. It is by far the most vibrant, joyful, and well maintained part of the city.
Traffic is a constant nightmare across the entire city. Romanians love their cars like few others.
Off the main arterials, the streets are a maze. It's dense yet quiet, and fairly pleasant. They're full of trees, playgrounds, and parked cars. Once, in different times, most of these small streets didn't allow cars and were full of children playing.
There are many parks within the city and they are genuinely excellent.
Bucharest is actually very green. The trees are mature and well maintained.
Air conditioners are punched into the wall at will. Bucharest is more resilient to heat waves than many other European cities. On the sidewalk, water is constantly dripping on your head.