Where was I?
 

A short city break last weekend, but can you tell where I was from the photos below? I'd be interested to hear where you think it was...

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Not sure yet? Try these extra pictures then...

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Well, maybe this stylish new open-aspect Metro train will finally give it away...

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Obviously European (duh!)
From the grandiose architecture I'd suggest a Balkan state.
From the Metro (is it called that?) I'd have a stab at one of the more successful states.

Romania? Bucharest?
It looks like some pics I've seen before.

Okay, laugh's on me if it's Paris :)

I'm going with Lyon, France, because that's the first thing that popped into my head.

Montreal

Someplace they speak a Romance language, and have a red-yellow-blue flag.

Croatia?

Yeah, I was going to say Italy, but couldn't guess at a city.

Where was I?
 

Intoxicated. ;)

Sundae gets the cigar - Bucharest it was. Bruce would have almost qualified if his answer wasn't quite so obvious.

Quite an intersting place - EU investment is starting to show with much of the historic area (where these photos were taken) inthe midst of renovation.

Well worth a visit - essentials such as food (restaurant supplied|), accommodation and transport working out at about half UK prices - so the dollar will go further.

More photos when I get home tonight....

I honestly didn't see the flags - I'm rubbish on flags anyway.
There was a chance HM was going to work in Bucharest for 6 months, and he said I should come over to visit him - I was so excited! (It fell through)
Lots of filming on location over there for tax reasons, and as you say it's just so much cheaper to put up the cast and crew.

If I had disposable income I'd seriously be considering a city break (although Tallinn and Riga are higher on my list - Baltic rather than Balkan)

Looks wonderful anyway. Look forward to more photos.

Apologies for the slight delay - had a meeting I forgot about, plus some hectic times in personal life I may tell you about some time.

Anyway, to the photos, First some more of the historic district, Lipscani.

There are many small narrow streets here crammed with both modern and old architecture, like Stavropol Street below, where a popular bar/restaurant known as Carul cu Bere (the Beer Cart) is located:

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They do a great line in steaks -- I had a fair sized (overlapped the plate!) rib steak with trimmings for the equivalent of £10!. The building is actually a converted church and the interior has been more or less preserved with fine painted, vaulted ceilings and a raised lectern complete with its spiral staircase - just visble in this photo of the bar that's set up in front of a fine pair of stained-glass windows:

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We found this place, eventually, after a lot of foot slogging around the district on our first day (you've seen some of the photos already), and managed to catch this christening, complete with proud grandmother!

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