Metropotam - Articles

Places: Arcul de Triumf

Tea — 2007-07-13T09:45:00+00:00

Strolling down Bucharest's Champs-Elysees, Kiseleff street, longer, but not as nice as the authentic, you can see the oasis close to Herastrau park: Arcul de Triumf (Arch of Triumph).

Built after the French model, older and larger, our Arch is itself venerable. Although what can be seen today goes back to 1935-36, the concept of a monumental gate which celebrates triumphant troops was first thought of in 1878, when, after the Independence War a similar Arch was built, but in those times Romania probably started to get sick of the superficiality and the rush that lasted until today and the Arch rapidly deteriorated.

Older brother (with like a hundred years) in Paris

A couple of decades later, a new war asked for a new celebration for heroes. In 1922 another Arch was built, almost entirely out of wood. Parades from the First World War walked under it. The purpose wasn't only to celebrate the troops, but also the Royal family - although Ferdinand was king since 1914, his crowning took place in 1922 (video here).

Another decade later, a newly designed Bucharest was in need of a better and more stable monument, so that the Arch was rebuilt, this time out of stone (1935-36), under the architect Petre Antonescu. On the front, it reads:

After centuries of sufferings and hard battle for the preservation of national soul, after defending with sacrifices the human civilization, justice was acquired for the Romanian people by the sword of King Ferdinand, with the help of the entire nation and Queen Maria's thought.

photo source

The two bronze medallions with Ferdinand and Maria's faces were destroyed in communist times and remade after '89.

The facades were decorated by sculptors Jalea, Medrea, Paciurea and Baraschi and portray different stages of the Victory. They are placed above the medallions; on the other side are placed Manhood and Faith, one with a sword, the other with a cross.

virtual tour (360 degrees) here

Today, a huge flag is placed under the arcade, which is also used for photographs. The Arch gets back its dignity on December 1st, Romania's national holiday, when officials cover it with flowers in memoriam, so that the pour arch looks like a funeral stone.

photo source

Jazz, blues and funky lights in Lucky 13

Tea — 2007-07-10T09:13:00+00:00

To escape what Romanians call "Tuesday's three unlucky hours" (trei ceasuri rele) and to defy our fate, a cocktail or a coffee in Lucky 13 might be exactly what you need. Lucky 13 is one of the few places where you will not feel crammed and you are not bound to overhear the conversation from the table next to you. When you come in, it's almost unbelievable that there is so much space and that the managers didn't fill the whole place up with tables.

This Cafe is located in Curtea Sticlarilor, in the historical center. As you go in, just take a left, then walk to the first floor. The style of the place is elegant, with the look of an old house, nicely preserved and decorated. If there weren't any tables, you could easily mistake it for a ball room.

The dim lights are the result of high paper lamps, which create a warm and relaxing mood. All you can hear in jazz and blues, and the elements of decor, such as the saxophones and other musical instruments, the vintage posters and the cubic furniture make you think of inter-war jazz clubs.

After sitting comfortably in your chair, you order something to drink. We were expecting high prices considering what the place looks like, but we were wrong. :) Beer starts from 4 lei (Ursus) and can get up to 10 lei (Corona), a soda is about 4 lei, and cocktails are between 8 and 13 lei. We drank a very good Green Apple (it really was green and had crushed ice in it, something we don't see very often) and a Rainbow. Tuesday is Viennese tea day, another antidote for those three bad hours.

The staff is ok, although it might take a while to be seen in such a big place. If you are the last customer and the bar is closing, you will not be refused if you ask for another four beers and then... another frappe (speaking of which, it's great here).

Lucky 13 is a great place, looks nice, appropriate for a coffee in the afternoon or tea with friends in the evenings. Also, it's a nice place to go on a date, because nobody can hear what you tell your loved one. :)

More photos in the Gallery.

Lucky 13
Str. Selari nr. 9-11
In Curtea Sticlarilor
Open: Mo-Sat 10:00 - 02:00, Sunday 14:00 - 23:00
Tel: 021/ 3144066

See it on the map

Restaurant: Vama Veche km 0

Tea — 2007-07-09T12:08:00+00:00

This restaurant brags about “Large quantities for workman’s prices” which should be exactly what some philosophers are looking for (because we all know that you can’t think on an empty stomach). What attracted us to Vama Veche restaurant weren’t the gates, nor the prices, but the atmosphere and the terrace.

Although the street has melted like an ice cream held in the sun, on the terrace, in the shade, we were protected by the vine and the weather just seemed milder. And when the lemonade came, life started again.

lemonade, 7 lei

Although the prices in the menu aren't exactly "for workmen", the variety of dishes and the delicious promises make up for it (chicken and mushrooms crepes 15 lei, gigantic schnitzels 15 lei, cooked dishes 12 lei, beef for about 25, tuna-filed orange 12 lei).

Considering the heat, we just could not handle the meat dishes, so we settled for a salad. By the time it arrived, we were ready to eat anything.

Caesar Salad, 14 lei

House Salad, 11 lei

We were curious to see what the inside of the building looks like, so we took a tour to find the restroom, which never ceases to amaze. After getting dizzy walking around in circles on the stairs, we found ourselves in front a door with a woman's shoe over it. We went in.. thinking it's the wrong address. When we looked closer though, we found ourselves in that magical, private place.

Although we enjoy the bohemian retro pub upstairs, we recommend the terrace, with a note that after 23h you might get yelled at by some neighbors if you don't keep your voice down.

When our salads were served (really slow for some dishes that require no cooking whatsoever), we were wondering why we received knives. The answer was evident when we held up the fork and the content had no visible end. :-)

We gloriously finished up our lunch at Vama Veche km 0 (which reminded us of the sea side location of Vama Veche because of the fishing net in the entrance) with a colossal ice cream (10 lei).

The restaurant is close to Gradina Icoanei, Cristofor Columb street, 13.

The coolest places to go out in the summer

Tea — 2007-07-06T10:21:00+00:00

This article was written in order to get some courage to go out these days, leaving behind the safety and comfort of indoor, artificially cooled places. Usually, the main thing to look for in a place to go out are the location, style, prices and menu. Well, we decided to change that and look for places that just make our life easier and make us forget the heat.

Good news, everybody: we are not talking about the ice cream aisle in the supermarket... :)

A tea in La Metoc garden is just what one needs. You are hidden between flowers, waiting for the evening to pass and enjoying a fruit tea or a mate. Keep in mind that his place is fit for those who are able to put beer and sodas aside for an evening and just relax, not so much for those that would like a loud gossip between friends.

Another tea-place where you can avoid the heat is Ceai la Cotroceni. This time, the secret recipe is a chily dungeon. The menu contains more that 100 types of teas.

If what you want is a cold tea, choose a red fruit or roibos one. The black teas are a little bitter when cold. We advise you to make a reservation for the evenings because it is almost always full.

Arcade terrace on Smardan street is a true oasis. After passing through the noisy bar, you arrive in a small place, full of plants, decorated in light colors where you can try a fruit cocktail or an ice coffee meant to awaken you completely.

We've discovered the largest ice tea in town, in a little place called Churchill. And it really is what it says: Ice and Tea, homemade and garnished with dried or fresh fruit pieces. Another good thing is that here you'll find more that the classic two types of ice teas, lemon and peach - you can enjoy mint, sour cherry and red orange teas.

Another terrace that we recently visited is Cafeneaua Actorilor de Vara in Tineretului Park. We can still taste the fruit nectar and the apple cocktail that we gently drank in the dusk while we considered getting the honey nut crepe and a cup of ice cream.

Everybody knows that cinemas are pretty cold. This metropotam has found himself several times shivering in Cinema Pro and Hollywood Multiplex. Pay one price, get twice the satisfaction: you see a good movie and avoid the sun.

If you know any other cool places - temperature-wise - don't hesitate to tell us!

La Motoare

Tea — 2007-07-05T13:47:00+00:00

What is left to say about Motoare? Not too many things, but that’s why we were there. La Motoare is one of a typical day’s stop for the youth of Bucharest, like it or not. Friends meet there for a beer, it fits a big group of friends, and it’s the place to go after wandering around town of a free place in a bar (and of course, everything is taken). The conclusion: “ok, let’s go again to Motoare!”

The first thing that welcomes you is the wall drawing, a miniature city, colorful and full of life. The place attract its clients with large spaces, (relatively) cheap beer, drafts, French fries, maybe even Bacardi, coffee or plain water. The best thing that defines La Motoare is the color. People wear colorful clothes, the walls aren’t gray anymore, there are sometimes film projected on the white screen right across from the bar, even if the sound is sometimes deplorable.

La Motoare became the place for urban people. Here we can see some alternative theater, the work of Film graduates, artists’ drawings and what not, some events. Here you’ll find all kinds of people, like the typical bohemian with a scarf around the neck in the middle of summer or a corporate person that came up for some fresh air.

For some it’s the most comfortable and within reach choice, for others, we’ve heard, it’s a style-thing. People here wear Converse shoes or string sandals, pink belts and emo haircuts, rock band tees, large pants or flowery dresses, African jewelry and jeans.

Some discuss the last editorials and the book fair, others about ipods or new websites. Plenty talk about school, teachers, and grades. Some about business, others about concerts. We could write entire books about the discussions we overheard here. Showing off, shyness, all of it can be found in this crowd. It’s impossible to go there and not see someone you know.

One of the most annoying parts of this experience is sitting in line at the bar. You have to think ahead, and just buy all the beer you’re going to drink all at once.

You might think of climbing the stairs from the wall, but we advise you not to, we’re certain it’s not allowed.

Yes, it’s a popular place. Some might not like it for this reason, other go only for that reason. One English man told me once, while drinking a 3 am beer, that it’s extraordinary for him that such places exist and that at home he cant just sit at a terrace at night and listen to music while lying on a bench. Of course, the main reason is the cold.

It’s definitely not the best looking or the most interesting, not the cheapest and not the most expensive place in Bucharest. We’d place it somewhere in the middle, but we have to admit it has the gift of attracting people by something. Some come to see what others are up to, others to be seen, some find it cooler to sit on the stage, others prefer the benches. Not important. What matters is that it’s always full, and even those that criticize it, ever for good reasons, sometimes come around for a beer.

Intercontinental Hotel

Tea — 2007-07-05T13:37:00+00:00

The Intercontinental, an axis mundi of Bucharest, is one of capital’s representative places. It is the highest building in Piata Universitatii, one of the central points of the city. The hotel used to be a meeting place for statesmen during the communist regime, and is also the main battle point of the 1989 Revolution. Romanians gather around here when their favorite soccer team wins and whenever a politician feels the need to address the public personally, as President Basescu recently did.

Built in 1970, the Intercontinental Hotel can be thought of, metaphorically speaking, as the first skyscraper in Bucharest. Until that year, the highest building was Foisorul de Foc (42 m). Casa Scanteii (now Casa Presei Libere) and Palace of the Parliament were also built in the 70’s. Considering the medium high of the building from the center is of 20 meters, these types of buildings stand out and refresh the contrasts that define our city.

The Intercontinental took the place of another hotel, Carlton, destroyed by the 1940 earthquake. The architects that handled the project were Dinu Hariton, Gheorghe Nadrag, I. Moscu and Romeo Stefan Belea, which chose “combining a massive volume with a strong vertical (…), well positioned as the end of the perspective from Piata Unirii” (Mariana Celac, Octavian Carabela, Marius-Marcu Lapadat - Bucharest - architecture and modernism).

What’s interesting is that even from the beginning, the hotel was a part of the international chain of Intercontinental hotels. Today, the Paunescu brothers own it. The hotel has a new director that wants a complete renovation, “a dramatic increase in standards”, an investment of 15 million dollars.

Today the Intercontinental hotel is number 6 is in the chase for the highest building in the capital, 10 meters shorter that the BRD tower. The hotel is 77 meters tall, and this is how the world looks from its 25th floor: