romania

Cluj trip and Depeche Mode concert

July 28, 2017 roxanaserbanescu5 Comments

Hey there dear followers,

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, it was really a hard time for me having to deal with a painful breakup, moving in Bucharest and getting my life back in order (I am still working on that). I planned a trip to Rome for April which didn’t happen and that left me with a bitter taste but hope I will see Italy soon.

Another trip planned for months in advance was the one to Cluj. The main reason was to attend the Depeche Mode concert and visit the city. I had very high expectations and in some points my hopes were met.

Let me start with the positive things – the old city center of Cluj is gorgeous, the architecture, the parks, climbing Cetatuia and seeing the magnificent views, the Botanical Garden is worth a visit too, every aspect of that was great.

The highlight of the trip was of course the Depeche Mode concert on Cluj Arena. It was my third time seeing my favorite band and the experience was really intense, I think it was the best concert ever (I have seen them twice in Bucharest, the first time they visited Romania in 2006 and the second concert in 2013).

The negative – service was bad and the slowest I have seen everywhere we went, for drinks and for food. The city was full of dust and a lot of construction and demolition was going on. Another thing that I didn’t like was that the communist part of the city is still the way Ceausescu left it.

It was a great experience and I am very grateful that I shared it with my best friend Alexandra, she is also the reason I started listening to Depeche Mode. The story is that one night when we were in highschool she texted me to watch their concert from Berlin on MTV and I was mesmerized.

If you plan on visiting Romania, Cluj should be on your list. For any information you can contact me anytime.

Hope you enjoy the photos!

romania

A summer day in Bucharest – 3 secrets

April 11, 2017 roxanaserbanescuLeave a comment

Dear readers,

Summer in Bucharest can be very hot mostly in July and August but it is also full of events. I will present to you 3 secrets of the capital of Romania as I lived there for 7 years.

If you want to stay away from the heat, you can do just that under the many umbrellas from the Victory Passage. You will find some nice places if you want a coffee, a beer or something to eat.

You can continue your walk on the Victory Boulevard, admiring the architecture until you reach the Eden Garden. Eden is a breath of fresh air waiting for you in the backyard of Stirbei Palace. It is full of young people of Bucharest and it is the perfect place if you are looking for new friends. It is not unusual to find people playing, reading or even working on projects here.

If you are planning on visiting Bucharest during the summer months and you have an interest in flying objects you should consider the time scheduled for the Bucharest International Air Show.. BIAS Romania is a summer event and this year it is on 22 July 2017, so save the date. The event in located at the Baneasa Aerodrome and the access is free of charge.

Hope you enjoy the photos. If you have any questions about Bucharest or Romania, I am more than happy to help you. 🙂

DSCN8222 — Me and my cousin Andreea strolling around Victory Boulevard

DSCN8297 — Bucharest International Air Show

malta

Summer trip inspiration – Mdina and Rabat (Malta)

March 16, 2017 roxanaserbanescu8 Comments

Hello people,

If you are looking for some summer trip inspiration, you are in the right place. I was in Malta last summer and it was amazing as you can see in some of my previous posts – Valletta, Gozo, Blue Grotto. Cruise around Malta and Something interesting about Malta. I will always keep a piece of Malta in my heart.

Today I will show you another part of my adventure in Malta and that is the stunning city of Mdina, the former capital of Malta. Also known as Citta Vecchia, Citta Notabile or Silent City, Mdina is located on a plateau in the center of the island. With its fortified walls and central strategic location it is no wonder why it was the island’s capital from antiquity to medieval times.

Stepping inside Mdina it’s like you are taking the time machine back to another era. High walls and silent small streets and almost white buildings with strange balconies set the mood. Stillness and calm are the words that best describe the spirit of Mdina now, but behind the walls is a lot of history. Phoenicians, Romans, Byzantine and Arabs treasured its importance.

Things to do in the Silent City include:

wandering the streets and finding great architecture;
get some souvenirs from the Mdina Glass shop;
visiting Saint Paul Cathedral and Saint Roque’s Chapel;
have lunch/dinner at the Fontanella Tea Garden enjoy wonderful views and admire Malta from the Bastion Square.

Another tip that I have for you is after visiting Mdina, cross the street and take a stroll in Rabat, originally the suburb of Mdina. You will find on the small streets full of charm the Parish Church of Saint John and Saint Paul Grotto.

Have you been in Malta or plan on travelling there? Hope you enjoy my posts and if you have any questions, I am here to answer.

Mdina

IMG_20160708_135718 — Saint Paul Cathedral

IMG_20160708_135736 — Yes, red telephone booths because Malta was for 100 years part of the British Empire

IMG_20160708_140201 — Saint Roque’s Chapel

Rabat

IMG_20160714_103912 — Parish Church of Saint John

romania

One reason to visit Romania – the city of Sibiu

March 10, 2017March 10, 2017 roxanaserbanescu8 Comments

Hey there people looking for adventure!

I think many of you don’t know a lot about Romania and I will try to present you some reasons to come and visit and see for yourself that it has a lot to offer. First of all, I want you to keep an open heart, Romanians are friendly and welcoming people. So if you plan a trip in Europe, you should put Romania on your list.

A very particular aspect of Romania is that you will find mountains, hills and fields, so you can climb the Carpathian Mountains one day, and the next day you can take a bath in the Black Sea or visit the Danube Delta. There are a lot of possibilities for adventure: the full of buzz Bucharest, castles (Peles, Bran, Cantacuzino and many more), the monasteries, the cities full of history (Brasov, Sibiu, Iasi, Sighisoara, Cluj Napoca, Timisoara etc.) and the list goes on and on. If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

As a matter of fact, although I am born here I find myself discovering new things about my country with every trip I take. That was also the case when we traveled to Sibiu. On the 1st of May – International Labour Day- some years ago, we decided to go against the popular destination of this holiday which is the seaside, so we picked Sibiu for a weekend trip.

The city of Sibiu (Hermannstadt) is located in the Transylvania region of Romania, 4 hours and a half from Bucharest by car, 6 hours and a half by train or you can arrive by plane.

First thing that I did planning this trip was to book a place in the center so we could walk freely everywhere and I found a chic studio near the Sibiu Philharmonie. That is my top priority when we travel everywhere and we are spending just a couple of days.

We arrived in Sibiu in the evening, because we left Bucharest after I had an exam at the university in the afternoon. The first impression was that Sibiu was charming, we went in a nearby bar, we drank a glass of wine and we walked a little bit in the main Big Square.

The next day, we climbed the Tower of the Council (Turnul Sfatului), where you can get an amazing view of the city. I made a lot of pictures from the top and you can see them below. A good thing is that the places to visit are very close to each other: The Big Square, The Small Square, The Lair’s Bridge, Lutheran Evangelical Cathedral and Tower, Brukenthal Museum and Astra National Museum Complex.We were not that lucky with visiting the museums because they were closed because of the 1st of May., but we will visit them next time.

Another thing that you should to in Romania is to try local food and drinks. You will find in Sibiu a lot of places where you can do that. Just try sarmale with polenta, mici, beans soup in a bread bowl and for desert some romanian cheese doughnuts called papanasi served with cream and jam. Forget about your diet, you are having fun here! You should try also tuica or palinca, local wines and beers.

Just wandering the streets is a nice activity and maybe you will discover something new and unique.Hope that I made you curious and if that is true, let me know with a comment!

img_20140430_235111 — The Tower of the Council

img_20140430_232039 — Drinks in the first evening

img_20140501_105048 — Nicolae Balcescu Street

img_20140501_110722 — Cafe in the Big Square

img_20140501_131409 — Lutheran Evangelical Cathedral

img_20140501_132959 — Big square view from the top of the Tower of the Council

img_20140501_133140 — Small square view from the to of the Tower of the Council

Germany

Our Eurotrip – last stop – Munich

February 15, 2017August 18, 2017 roxanaserbanescu5 Comments

Dear travelers and dreamers,

Our adventure continues with memories from our road trip’s last stop in Munich. After several days in Berlin, Prague and Vienna, (links: Berlin post, Prague post and Vienna post) on 11 July 2014 we arrived in the capital of the German land Bavaria. We were very happy because we planned to see Diana, a friend living in Munich for some years.

We met Diana in the city center in front of the splendid new Rathaus. We were so hungry and thirsty and after a bit of walking around we arrived at the Hofbrauhaus. We had a wonderful experience there and it’s the place to get a taste of Bavaria. After more walking and drinks we called it a night and went to the hotel.

The next day, as Diana suggested, we visited BMW Welt and the Olympia Park. BMW Welt was great, wonderful presentation and architecture, all the nice cars and the new technologies. You can find the newest BMWs, Minis and Rolls Royces. The entry is free at BMW Welt and for the BMW Museum it is 10 euros (for more information check here – BMW Welt).

A visit to the Olympia Park has a lot to offer, you can climb the Olympiaturm and get a nice panoramic view of the city and a Rock Museum, you can check the Sea Life and many other things (more info here – Olympia Park). We ate there too, at the restaurant Olympiasee, it was a great place for a quick and budget friendly bite.

After one park, we went to another park – the English Garden. What to do in this big park? Uhm…walk a lot, drink a beer, repeat until you get back in the city center. 🙂 That’s what we did.

Munich is the city I first tried sushi. I am very adventurous when it comes to food and I was very curious about sushi. I really liked it and I will eat more of it in the future.

Munich was so much fun, we walked a lot, smiled constantly, drank and ate loads. The weather was great and the city has a nice energy and cool vibe. I think that every summer day feels like Oktoberfest here.

Have you been or plan to go to Munich? What are your thoughts about it?

img_20140711_175806 — Touch this for goodluck

img_20140712_133007 — Walk of fame at Olympia Park

img_20140712_133853 — BMW Welt from Olympia Tower

img_20140712_134807 — Rock Museum at the top of Olymia Tower

img_20140712_172811 — Bavarian State Library

Austria

Our Eurotrip – part three – Vienna

February 9, 2017August 18, 2017 roxanaserbanescu6 Comments

Dear travelers and dreamers,

As I said in my previous posts about our Eurotrip from 2014, all was planned around the Metallica concert in Vienna. After two nights in Berlin (Our Eurotrip – first stop – Berlin) and a stop in Prague (Our Eurotrip – next stop – Prague) on 9.07.2014 we arrived in Vienna.

Vienna was all about music for us and I think that if you have an interest in art in general this should be the main reason of travelling here. Of course you get to see a very elegant city full of history as well.

We started our experience with the Metallica concert on our first day and with a lot of walking around of course. The Metallica concert was the highlight of our trip, it was a great show with a lot of energy and we had a lot of fun.

The next day we saw the sunshine in the morning so we went to the city center, wandering around and looking for a good place to get some coffee. It’s not hard to find that in Vienna, don’t forget that this is the place of the Sachertorte. So we took the metro to Stephansplatz and from there we took a walk admiring the views. We stopped at the Sacher Cafe to plan our day. We we’re lucky enough that it was early morning and not too crowded. On the other hand, because it was that early I didn’t feel like eating so I will try the Sachertorte next time.

We visited the museum Haus der Musik on our last night and it was very entertaining because it is an interactive museum of sound. I recommend it with all my heart (Haus der Musik site). A good thing is that it’s open daily from 10 am-10 pm (last admission at 9.30 pm).

Visiting the Schonbrunn Palace and Garden, Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, the Parliament, the Rathaus, the University of Vienn and taking a stroll along the Danube should be on your list.Of course, there are more things to experience in Vienna and I am sure we will go back someday soon.

P.S. A word of advice from a girl that almost froze in summer on the streets of Vienna, pack a jacket and long pants even if you go in July.

Have you been in Vienna or plan on having a trip there? Hope you enjoy my post and I will be very happy to hear your thoughts.

img_20140710_100827 — St. Stephen Cathedral

img_20140710_100844 — St. Stephen Cathedral

img_20140710_155958-2 — Schonbrunn Palace

img_20140710_163513 — Neptune Fountain at Schonbrunn Palace

img_20140710_182433 — Danube City buildings

Czech Republic

Our Eurotrip – next stop – Prague

January 26, 2017January 30, 2017 roxanaserbanescu2 Comments

Dear wanderers,

In the previous post I recounted the days we discovered Berlin and our experience in the German capital (Our Eurotrip – first stop – Berlin). As I told you, our Eurotrip was planned around these 4 major european cities – Berlin, Prague, Vienna and Munich.

After our last morning in Berlin, our road trip continues with half a day and a night spent in wonderful Prague. After a speedy check in at the Eurowings Hotel we storm out to get lost in the city.

Prague surprised us in the most enchanting way, I think maybe because we didn’t have a lot of expectations from it. To get a sense of the city we walked from our hotel to Wenceslas Square where you can find the National Museum. After that we really got lost :)) but that was an amazing experience. We found a nice park with sensational views over the city and also by accident we found the Dancing House.

We walked by the Vltava River enjoying the views, we found swans and happy people giving them food. We stopped for a refreshing beer by the river and although it started to pour a little, that gave Prague an even more alluring feel. When we arrived at Charles Bridge it started to rain heavily so we took a little break at its entry point. I have one big regret, that we didn’t have enough time to go on the other side of the river and visit the Prague Castle and its surroundings.

Walking in a rainy Prague on a summer evening was so romantic and such a lovely memory that will make us come back one day for a longer stay. If you get the chance to visit Prague, you will have a surprise and you won’t regret a moment of it. Don’t forget that the historic center of the city is a part of the UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Any comments and question, I am here for you. Enjoy the photos!

Germany

Our Eurotrip – first stop – Berlin

January 18, 2017August 18, 2017 roxanaserbanescu1 Comment

Dear friends,

Let me tell you about my first travel experience in a foreign country. In summer 2014, me and my Marian wanted to do something special. The main thing was to see Metallica on tour and as he was working in Germany and my birthday was on 06.07.2014, we planned out trip around their concert in Vienna on 09.07.2014.

I planned everything and because it was my first trip around Europe I was very excited to visit big cities. We picked Berlin, Prague, Vienna and Munich and we had just one week. On my birthday morning I left Bucharest and landed in Dortmund where Marian was waiting for me and so our journey begins.

We started our Eurotrip with Berlin. We stayed at the City Hotel Berlin East for two nights and from there it was easy to use the public transportation and get everywhere. After our check in we went to explore the city and our first stop was the Reichstag. Admission is free but you need to complete a registration online in advance. We got there using the double deck bus – 100 or 200 from Alexanderplatz. There you get to visit the rooftop and the dome that offer spectacular views over Berlin. I felt very special just to be there and admire the city and the great arhitecture.

After the visit of the Reichstag we walked a lot from the Brandenburger Tor, where we drank Berliner beer, back to Alexanderplatz through the Unter den Linden Boulevard. I recommend you to do the same to get the feel of this wonderful city. You get to see the Humboldt University, the Opera House, the Berliner Dom and many other museums.

The second day in Berlin was again a lot of walking (all the roadtrip was a lot of walking at the point that i got blisters on my feet but totally worth it). First stop for the day was the Berlin Wall Memorial with all its stories. It is really a place full of emotion and this gave me an uneasy feeling thinking about its history and meaning.

From there we found our way back to the center – Mitte – to get something to eat. We we’re nicely surprised that DDR Museum has also a restaurant and we ate there quite well. After that, the weather started to be rather rainy so we went and did a little shopping and went back to the hotel.

We had a little surprise in the hotel parking lot, we found our little private museum of vintage cars, probably because the owners were staying at the same hotel. Around 5 pm the rain stopped so we left the hotel thinking of going to get a feel of West Berlin in Kurfurstendamm. This is the place for shopping and having a good time. Many shops, bars and restaurants you can find here and I am sure there is a place for everyone.

Of course Berlin has much more to offer and the city deserves more than just 2 days to be discovered but we will leave than for the next visit.

Have you been to Berlin or do you plan on visiting this unique city? Please enjoy the photos, comment and let me know.

20140706_204824 — Berliner Dom and Fernsehturm

img_20140707_114858 — Berlin Wall Memorial

img_20140707_125532 — Three Girls One boy Statue

img_20140707_132755 — Food at the DDR Museum Restaurant

berlin6 — Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church

romania

3 Christmas Trees, 2 days in Bucharest, 1 magic winter holiday!

December 27, 2016December 27, 2016 roxanaserbanescuLeave a comment

Happy holidays everyone! Enjoy the time you spend together with your loved ones!

This Christmas I decorated 3 Christmas trees: the first one in Constanta where I live, one in Mangalia at my parents house and the last one in Bucharest at my brother’s place.

We spent 2 days in Bucharest and I was really excited to visit the new Christmas Market, now located in the Constitution Square. Getting there in the afternoon of the first day of Christmas was a good idea because it was not very crowded. Bucharest Christmas Market has an ice skating rink, a carousel, several food, drink and sweets carts and plenty of gift shops. I had a lot of fun and didn’t have time for many pictures.

Day three of Christmas just started and we will meet some more friends and family. 🙂

How do you spend your holidays and how is you Christmas tree?

img_20161227_103709_829 — Christmas tree nr. 1

img_20161227_102904_265 — Christmas tree nr. 2

img_20161227_102354_925 — Christmas tree nr. 3

img_20161227_103451_707 — Ice skating rink

img_20161227_103017_237 — Bucharest Christmas Market

malta

Valletta memories

December 24, 2016December 29, 2016 roxanaserbanescu3 Comments

Dear friends,

As 2016 gets closer to its end, I keep in my mind the summer memories from Malta. Valletta is the capital city of Malta and was officially recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1980. It is for sure a destination that must be on your list.

A great way to get to Valletta is to take the ferry from Sliema. They leave every 15 minutes and the single ticket is 1,50 euro, return 2,80 euro.

I was in Valletta twice during my trip in Malta this summer and the main reason for that was the fact we didn’t get to visit Saint John’s Co-Cathedral the first time because of a private ceremony taking place there. So, my advice to you is to check their schedule before you arrive there.

My favourite places in Valletta

If you are looking for a great place to take a taste of the maltese cuisine Cafe Cordina it’s your place. The traditional pastizzi and excellent food are found there.

Saint John’s Co-Cathedral it’s the jewel of Valletta and you should visit if you want to be impressed by the history of Malta.

Upper Barrakka Gardens gives you spectacular views over the Grand Harbour and the three cities. If you arrive before 12.00 you will find a good sight of the saluting battery.

Have a wonderful merry Christmas or holidays! Hope you will all enjoy your time with friends and family!

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