Romania.......?

NO

Big stan...check an atlas please..BuDapest is in Hungary...BuCHarest is in Romania. Anyway...

I just came back from Bucharest and the whole city is pretty much under construction...I mean most of the streets are all dug up, there is a constant cloud of dust hanging overhead from the debris, and the heat is pretty unbearable - a lot of the residents are on edge and the traffic is absolutely atrocious as construction has limited the main arteries. I would advise you to hold off on visiting the capital right now as they are in the midst of a huge and slow rebuilding project...However, there is a lot more to see of Romania outside Bucharest...especially in the provinces of Transylvania (Brasov, Sibiu - 2007 European Capital of Culture, Timisoara, the mountains) and Moldova (painted monasteries - UNESCO world heritage site). Also the coast is nice (the resort towns of Constanta and Mamaia on the Black Sea). Romanians are quite welcoming people (although I've come across a few racists and anti-semites in my travels around the country - but you know, you find these people anywhere in the world) and prices for food and other items are still cheaper than most European countries in the E.U. Approximate current rate is 2.2 RON (New Romanian Leu) = 1 USD.

EDIT: If you do go to Bucharest, there are still places that are free from construction such as Bulevardul Unirii (nice fountains in the "piata" - square - that intersects it and leads up to Casa Poporului), Calea Victorie - a more select part of the city with museums, hotels and shopping - and the parks (Herastrau - near the Arcul de Triumf - an archway identical to the one in Paris on the Champs Elysees, and Parcul Cismigiu which is near the university). In Parcul Herastrau you also have the Village Museum which shows you the different type of architecture from all the provinces in Romania. And if you want an authentic and interesting dining experience, go to Caru cu Bere (essentially means "Beer wagon") which is just off Calea Victorie (on Stravopoleos) - There you can have the traditional mici and papanasi (a kind of a fried donut with jam and cheese - god just melts in your mouth) that the poster above me mentioned - actually of all the places I went in Bucharest, the papanasi I ate there were the best. Caru cu Bere is a an old establishment from the 19th C that has just been renovated...and it really has a beautiful interior...my brother's reaction when he walked in there was "this is a church":) Anyway...make sure that if you're going in the evening that you make a reservation...at lunch time, you can just walk in.

OK that's it.

its awesome. you should also visit sibiu if you ever get the chance. it's the european capital of culture.

I live in Romania.
This is a very beautiful country and I find it sad that people around the world know so little about it.
Well, sure there are some bad things in here but that happens everywhere.
I challenge you all to inform better about this country.
You are welcome any time to visite Romania !

all the best

Bucharest Accommodation http://www.hotero.ro/

I went to Romania last summer. To me, it appears that people are not friendly as everybody says they don't smile, or say hi, if you pen the door for them they never say thank you. I think its their culture to be like that and I don't judge them at all. Its safe counrty to travel through and its amaizingly beautiful, really beautiful.
In my opinion, the country is going through a rough time, the unemployment rate is really high and the salaries are really low. I understood the young generations are leaving the country in search for a better life in the rich European countries, which is sad. In talking to 3 older people, they stated that they were so sad that the country was not communist any more. They dream of communism coming back because they all had jobs, food and a house, now poverty is observed everywhere.
Another personal observation is that the contry lacks of a solid infraestructure. Its roads are really, really in bad conditions and Romanians have to use their creativity for evrything to survive. People cannot afford to eat in a restaurant, at least not often; most people buy a soda and sit there to smoke for a long time to chat with their friends. My friends and I stoped to eat in a restaurant/bar once and we order pizza, since the pizzas were small we order more and more, soon we noticed that thee eyes all all the people in the restaurant were on us, we stopped...I don't know what they were thinking. Maybe they were thinking that we eat like pigs, or that we had money...hahaha...would I go back? heck yes, I would go tomrorrow again! so, I hope you visit Romania.

Dear boo,

I am from Bucharest. Romania is a great country, partly because it's where I was born (so I'm biased) and partly because the people are nice.

Before communism, Bucharest used to be known as the Little Paris of the East. It was a beautiful city. Right now, you will see a lot of construction because the president is trying to finish what the communists started. The two positive things - I think - the commies did in Bucharest are the Casa Poporului, second in size to the Pentagon, and the sewer system under the Dambovita river.

Now, Romania is going through a transitional period as communism fell in 1989. You still have a lot to enjoy - in the city and at the beach the clubs and restaurants, and in the country there are various monasteries, palaces and natural wonders to see.

The people are nice. The worst thing that can happen to you in big cities is pick pocketing. But that's in any big city. The food is also great. I recommend eating some Romanian mici (sausage like delicious things) and papanasi (awesome desert).

In addition, we have many different colors among our people - blond blue eyed, dark, Chinese, Middle Easterners and, most recently, Black (or mixed - Romanian mother & African father). I am glad to see our country growing and to see all the different colors without racism.

If you want to see a positive video on it, go to youtube and search for "a world without Romania". It's posted by addyk2003. It will give you some really cool information about our people and it's in English. Don't take it the wrong way; the video is just trying to "sell" Romania to people who don't know it. It's not ethnocentric as some would have you believe. We're new at this "selling"/marketing thing as in communism one had no right to open a business.

Most of all, I think you're wise to ask as opposed to assume. It shows you have an open mind.