EU investment was starting to show - a number of the old streets were undergoing renovation - we caught this one at what might be termed 'stage one':

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A lot of the French baroque style buildings had deteriorated during the communist years - many had lost their lead and copper domes, but these are slowly being replaced as the two photos below of the same building evidence:

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Bucharest stands on the Dambovita River, a section of which is shown below:

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and the city also boasts the world's second largest building (the first being the Pentagon) in the People's Palace of Ceausescu's days - now known as the Parliament Palace:

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Back nearer the centre of town, there's the university district, which is adjacent to Lipscani, and this has a number of fine buildings, most noticeably the Romanian Athenaeum, apparently as grand on the inside as it is on the outside (we couldn't gain access to the inside unfortunately) - and if you're wondering who that idiot is with a stupid grin on his face, that's my pal Geoff, with whom I made the trip:

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I love construction shots like this.

But as much as they try to get it right when renovating, they can also get it wrong - McKinsey deserve to have their assets frozen for producing this monstrosity as their Bucharest headquarters!

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Not quite what we'd like the new millennium to be remembered for!

Then, as might be expected, there are the monuments created during the sombre communist days. A fine view into town when looking away from the monument, but, even though it is meant to be a tribute to the missing of wars spanning the late 1800's through to the Second World War, one can't help thinking when looking at the monument itself, 'you know, I have this sudden craving for a Big Mac!':

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So, overall the city is a great place to visit. Plenty to take in from the grand architectiure shown, to the evidence of its communist past as in the first picture below. But its French origins shine through with wide boulevards criss-crossing the city as in the second and last picture I am posting - this road being the one leading back from the Parliament Palace into the city centre.

The end of communist influence and the free western lifestyle that know dominates is most noticeable when visiting the bars and restaurants. Here the age of cleints rarely exceeds about 30, and those beyond that age (present company excepted) in Bucahrest and its suburbs usually display the signs of their austere former communist existence. Not so the young who are very fashion conscious and full of enthusiasm - these are clearly the future of Bucahrest, and it shows.

Catch it if you can, while it still represents good value for money, as, like all things EU, this situation won't last for long!
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