Bucharest, Romania II (09/21/2012-09/23/2012)

Bucharest, the capital of my home country, was our first stop in a brief whirlwind trip across 7 European countries. While the purpose of this trip was to see family (some which I hadn't seen in 20 years), respecting their privacy, I'll just post scenery. 

I was utterly impressed with how clean and developed Bucharest is, even vis-a-vis 2007, just as it entered the EU.  Obviously there is no comparison with what I first saw in 1988 and then during the 1990s (after Ceausescu's fall).  I felt Romania with a renewed sense of optimism and I believe in its bright future. Building have been restored, people look happier, food is more plentiful and they even had a double-decker tour bus (which we shamelessly rode).   What was even more remarkable is the ugly 'bloc' housing - those drab grey depressing mass housing efforts of the communist era, were all get reconditioned with colorful and new facades. Definitely will be back again soon.