New Year's Eve

Hello 2014!

Although 5 days late, I couldn't skip a new year's post. Since stepping into the new year, I've made new friends, travelled 6 hours on a train, made life decisions, said goodbye to my best friend, flew to London, lost our suitcases and got some amazing news... I can't believe how much I take time for granted and the last two weeks in Romania have had such an impact on how I appreciate the present.

This year, more than ever, I need to stick to my resolutions. Not because they are 'trendy' or anything of the sort but because I feel I need to grow into my own shoes. Therefore, I compiled a list of a few aims for 2014:

• worry less
• be wiser when it comes to people
• be more confident with my decisions
• speak your mind
• don't be a pushover
• take every opportunity there is

I have all my faith put into 2014 and how can I not when so many amazing things will happen (me turning 18 -hurray- going to Uni and travelling in Europe with my best friend). I can't wait!

Credits to my best friend for the photos ^.^

Zara top, H&M neoprene skater skirt, Primark tights and H&M knee socks + Seiko watch and Corso Como flats

Pop it like pink champagne

Free spirited

I'm currently in Croatia so I've saved a few posts for when I'm away. Remember my guide to Bucharest? Well then you'll know of Herastrau Park, where we stopped to take a few outfit photos. In front of diplomatic embassies. Security guards were looking. Not the best spot but I was not going to compromise my location for them.

Excuse the wild hair, I had just washed my hair and straightening tongs are not very appealing in 30 degree weather.

Top from Promod in France, Distressed Shorts by Holding Horses in Anthropologie, TKMaxx red bag, Seiko Watch, Aldo espadrilles.

My personal guide to Bucharest: Introduction

Or also known as tips for tourists in Bucharest, or Bucharest: tried and tested.

Before I get on with my recommendations on visiting Bucharest, I thought I might write a short foreword as to what tourists should expect because I feel like just posting directions and pretty photos wouldn't give you an accurate overview.

Getting your point across:

First thing you should know is that you should be well equipped for language barriers. Most people know English but on a day to day basis, you won't get very far. So either have a google translate on hand or maybe learn a few basic phrases. Don't go thinking you'll be completely alien, there will always be people on hand to help and as I said most people know English but just to be on the safe side.

The price of happiness:

Bucharest can be either very very cheap or very expensive. As an ex-communist country, we work in extremes. Lunch can cost you as little as £2 but you can also find hotel rooms at the same prices as in Central London - why? I don't know. In short, there's something for everyone so you just have to look for it. That being said, it's easier if you have cash on you rather than card.

Green light doesn't mean you shouldn't look before you cross, it happens:

When transportation is taken into account, you have multiple choices: taxis are everywhere and very cheap but if you prefer public transportation you can pick from tramways, buses and subway. The buses are horrible in summertime because they're full to the brim with sweaty old people whereas the subway is just perfect: quick, spacious and new! Depending on your stay, I recommend you get a RATB card which acts like an electronic wallet and you validate it each time you go on one of the aforementioned transportation. If you're only here for a short weekend, I'd say have a look at the sightseeing buses that now operate in the more toursit-y part of Bucharest. There are no maps in buss-stops so I highly recommend you download the RATB app that helps you create routes on the go. I've been living there for most of my life and I still get lost on buses so it was the season's massive revelation.

Smile and wave, boys:

People are generally very friendly, especially if you're a foreigner so you'll get a good treatment!

Last piece of advice: come with an open mind. It's not the most modern or westernised of cities but if you look past the imperfections you can end up with some real gems. The contrast between the architecture that won Bucharest the nickname 'Little Paris' and the harsh communist buildings is the same to the one you'll find between the new bars' fancy decor and the homeless family sleeping at the opposite corner. It's a confusing mix of bohemian perfume of past centuries and the smell coming from the neighbouring construction site but at least your senses are alive and working! If you come bearing some sort of European grudge than you might as well stay at home because you won't be appreciating the things Bucharest has to offer.

Road trip in the Carpathian mountains

Unable to go to the seaside whilst in Romania (sad face), my best friend Diana and I decided on a trip in the mountains. Not that we're expert hikers -not terrible either might I add- but going in the mountains is sort of a Romanian tradition: our grandparents did it, our parents did so it's kind of a generational rite of passage I suppose.
I guess I can say we half-cheated because we left on a Thursday morning from Bucharest and got to the mountain resort of Busteni at around 10.30. It would have been quite hard to start climbing from the very bottom of the mountain so we took the cabin to the Babele in the Bucegi mountain side. This was already at 2292 m height so one could argue it did the dirty work for us. At this point, I recommend you go to the cabin station very early because of the very small amount of cabins that combined with the fact that they only take around 20 people equate to long queues.

Once we got onto the plateau, which is massive by the way, we took to see the Babele aka 'The old ladies' which is the name given to some weird rock formations that were shaped by erosion and the Sphinx, named so for obvious reasons. I have to admit though, I was a little underwhelmed, they are much more scarce and small than I imagined. I blame it on photoshoped tourist cards.

We found snow in a mountain edge - sing it like Rihanna

Updating Instagram and Facebook because there is internet connection!

We then followed the path to the Heroes' Cross on the Caraiman Peak, built in memory of the people who died in WWI. The view on a sunny day from up there is really worth the trek.

Despite our parents' warnings, we returned to the cabin station via the brane (which is a very narrow strip of land turned into a path) and that's where the adrenalin kicked in. To be honest, it's not that difficult, I've seen worse, but it's definitely more fun that the conventional way back.

Aaaand I made a dam...

When we got to our accommodation we were literally spent. We had an amazing Romanian desert called Papanasi which are doughnuts covered with sour cream and jam at the Cochet restaurant in Busteni and then called it a day.
The next morning we packed our bags up again and walked to the end of our road to start walking to the Urlatoarea waterfalls. It said 45 minutes on the sign but I think it took us more than that. The road slithers through the forest and it's definitely not too difficult. The waterfall is well a waterfall but it was pretty but I kinda got creeped out by a sign warning tourists not to venture off marked paths because they might befriend a bear...

Wild strawberries are the reason I love mountains

Our next objective on the list was the Cantacuzino Castle, a beautifully restored 1920's mansion in neo-romanian architectural style. The grounds were lovely and it was really nice to see work being done to preserve attractions such as this. The terrace outside was perfect for a frappe coffee (my absolute favourite) and the newly opened restaurant called Canta also had a promising menu if you were looking for some quality food. Inside, the castle is virtually empty and mostly restored. Overall, the restorations were done ok, in keeping with the original from what old photographs showed, but I have to say I hated the lavender and mint color scheme they picked over the original ochres.

From there we had lunch at Cabana Schiorilor in Sinaia and I finally had some bulz - a traditional mountain recipe of semolina, lard, traditional cheese and a fried egg on top - delicious!

We were on our way to Provita where we would be spending the night with some of Diana's family friends but we had a quick cultural stop in Campina to visit the Iulia Hasdeu and Nicolae Grigorescu memorial house. The latter was a biiiig disappointment for me, as I am doing a research project on his paintings and was sure I'd find gems of information there...