Bucharest on a Monday Evening

18 May 2019

What are you all going to do for excitement without me around here?  It’s going to be as boring as Bucharest on a Monday night.” – Count Dracula

Biserica Sfântul Nicolae Șelari

My cousin Pam and I arrive at our hotel in Old Town Bucharest and are eager to see if old Drac was correct. Though I am meeting a tour in a few days, there are things I want to see and enjoy on my own. Tours do not cater to the individual but to the masses. There are churches, architecture, fountains, museums, and cafes along cobbled stone streets of historic Lipscani to explore.

Though the communist tried to suppress the practice of religion and destroyed many churches, there remains a neighborhood church around every corner. Romanians, long denied religious freedoms, practice their faith and churches are busy with weddings, christenings, and services. Some churches are beautifully restored while others still reflect the neglect of the communist era. All Orthodox churches are worth a few minutes stop to admire their frescoes.

I would be hard pressed to pick a favorite but if I had to choose it would be a church dedicated to St. Nicholas or St. Nicolae. There are at least four found in Bucharest. (more…)