A bustling, evolving and happening place
By Linda Griffin
Wow, it has been a year – it is hard to believe I took the helm of the Athénée Palace Hilton on 1st September, 2010. Time has moved quickly and I have had a few adventures and learned a few things in my brief time here.
If you are new to Bucharest, you are no doubt trying to sort out the traffic rules or in some cases lack thereof, the politics of the country and the economy. A year ago, when I was asked about Romania – I fed back that the government was about to be toppled and that there seemed to be quite some intrigue in the papers about various personalities… I now understand that this is daily fodder for the press and there is no need to get too excited.
I have also come to understand that Bucharest is a city with potential – there is a need to harness all the energy that is spent speaking negatively about it and turn that into positive action. Yes, it is a challenge, but one I think will be worth the effort. Have you had the chance to visit some of the parks? – they are beautiful and sometimes quirky – a wonderful way to spend a weekend day – walking, riding or running through one of the multitude of city parks is a pleasure – I have not had the privilege of living in a European city with so many green parks available to enjoy. This was honestly a surprise to me as my previous visits to Bucharest had both been in the early winter, a few years prior.
Bucharest also provides you with a chance to appreciate culture – if you are an aficionado or just curious – you can afford to experiment and watch wonderful performances at the Atheneum, Opera House or National Theatre. One of the performances I really enjoyed however was going to see a Dan Puric Production – no translation required – just go and open your mind to the drama on stage.
It took me some time, but I was delighted once I left the city and managed to venture out to the mountains and countryside – it is beautiful, with many lovely towns and sites along the way. “Why did it take me so long?” is a question I immediately began asking myself and it was again due to the negative ‘PR’ – this time regarding the road network and how long it takes to get to places. After my first trip, I realized that the best way to enjoy this countryside is to ensure that you make the drive a part of the journey – not just what I must endure to arrive at my destination. Be adventurous and explore the little villages en route, marvel at the landscape, just be ready for the unexpected as you are driving along I have found that there is not a lot of notice of upcoming road works, so do not be surprised when you stumble upon them.
I have lived in several countries over the last decade and a half, what I have discovered here is that you definitely need some patience and you should plan for things not to be planned … take the new city tour bus – suddenly announced – a hop-on hop-off bus. Great! Bucharest needs this type of investment – but it was launched without the audio functioning, without bus stops installed and without information distributed to help promote it. This is now mostly in place… but perhaps a more little planning would have been a good thing. So what I guess I am saying is do not be surprised!
As I reflect back on all of this, I recall the first time I came to Bucharest in 2004 – I was in town just one day for a meeting, and upon completion of my meeting, I had time to take a walk. It was a damp, cold November day but I needed to get out, so I left the Hilton and wandered towards Lipscani – an area that at the time was difficult to navigate in work boots – let alone my fancy dress shoes… now look at it – a bustling, evolving and happening place – actually – I guess this sentiment applies for all of Bucharest.
