There are some destinations you’ve dreamed about visiting for years.
For me, Romania has always been one of those places.
After nearly 24 hours of travel, Elizabeth and I finally arrived in Bucharest to begin our Avalon Waterways journey through the Balkans. Over the next two weeks we’ll travel through Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Croatia, and Hungary—five countries I’ve never visited before.
The adventure began with an early morning American Airlines flight from Orlando to Charlotte, where I met up with my friend and work colleague, Elizabeth, who had flown in from Kansas City. We had just enough time to grab some Wendy’s chicken tenders before boarding our overnight flight to London.
I also began reading my latest book club selection, The Stolen Life of Colette Marceau by Kristin Harmel. I’m only a short way into it, but I’m already hooked.
Somewhere over the Atlantic, though, my glasses decided they wanted a European adventure of their own.
By the time we landed in London, the right lens had completely disappeared. We searched the airplane , but it had vanished without a trace. Thankfully, my brain seems to be compensating well enough that my vision has been surprisingly good, even if I look a little unusual wearing glasses with only one lens!
After about a two-hour layover at Heathrow, we boarded a much smaller aircraft for Bucharest. Instead of using a jet bridge, we were bused across the tarmac and climbed the outside stairs to board the plane, something you don’t experience very often anymore. The flight itself turned out to be one of the bumpiest I’ve been on in quite a while, and with a completely full airplane and a middle seat, I was definitely ready to arrive in Romania.
Of course, Batsy Cline made the trip as well and has already decided Romania is quite to her liking. She met Ginny’s friend, Franklin and is having a blast.
After checking into our hotel, we met up with Susan and Ginny for dinner at JORJ, the restaurant inside the hotel.
I ordered a creamy truffle risotto made with truffles harvested from the nearby Carpathian Mountains. It was the perfect introduction to Romanian cuisine. The four of us enjoyed a wonderful meal for about $30 per person, an incredible value considering the quality of the food and service.
By then, nearly 24 hours of travel had caught up with us, and an early bedtime sounded pretty wonderful.
This morning began with one of the nicest hotel breakfasts I’ve experienced.
Along with the extensive buffet, one of the servers walked around offering elegant little cones filled with pâté, beautifully garnished with tiny berries and herbs. It felt more like something you’d receive at an upscale dinner party than at breakfast. I have to admit…I could get used to that kind of indulgence.
Our day officially began with the Bohemian Bucharest: Markets & Mahallas Tour, and it quickly became one of my favorite city tours in recent memory.
While there was certainly plenty of food—and plenty of it—the tour offered so much more than tastings.
Our guide led us through neighborhoods we never would have discovered on our own while sharing the history of Bucharest and Romania’s remarkable journey to democracy during the Revolution of 1989. It gave me a much deeper appreciation for this country than I expected to gain on my very first full day here.
Of course, there was plenty to eat.
My favorite bite of the day was the traditional Romanian skinless sausages, known as mici. Simple, flavorful, and absolutely delicious.
I also couldn’t resist buying a bag of fresh cherries from one of the local markets. They were incredibly sweet, and at about $2.50 USD, they were a bargain compared to what I’d pay back home in Florida.
One stop I had been looking forward to for weeks was Cărturești Carusel, often listed among the most beautiful bookstores in the world.
Even if you don’t buy a single book, it’s worth visiting simply to admire the building. Bright white balconies rise several stories beneath a glass skylight, creating one of the most beautiful bookstores I’ve ever visited.
Of course, I wasn’t leaving empty-handed.
One of my travel traditions is collecting Harry Potter books in the local language, so I added a Romanian copy of Harry Potter și Prințul Semisânge (Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince) to my collection. Since our next stop would be Transylvania, I also couldn’t resist purchasing an English-language edition of Dracula by Bram Stoker.
Batsy Cline thoroughly inspected both books back at the hotel and seemed especially pleased with the Dracula purchase.
The perfect ending to an already wonderful day was dinner at Caru’ cu Bere, one of Bucharest’s most famous historic restaurants.
The restaurant itself is absolutely stunning. Beautiful woodwork, stained glass, and a live band performing classical music created an atmosphere that was every bit as memorable as the food.
We began by sharing traditional Romanian cabbage rolls served with polenta. They were incredible and easily one of my favorite dishes of the trip so far.
For my entrée, I chose the chef’s selection, which included pork ribs, filet, roasted vegetables, mashed potatoes, and, unexpectedly, some of the best beets I’ve ever eaten. Elizabeth ordered the pork knuckle, Susan enjoyed the pork ribs, and Ginny chose the turkey schnitzel. To finish the evening, we shared both a rich chocolate cake and a strawberry shortcake-style dessert.
Everything was outstanding.
If I ever find myself back in Bucharest, Caru’ cu Bere will absolutely be on my itinerary again.
As I reflect on my first couple of days in Romania, one word keeps coming to mind.
Surprised.
Surprised by how beautiful Bucharest is.
Surprised by how welcoming everyone has been.
Surprised by the incredible food.
Surprised by the history, the architecture, the markets, and all of the little moments that have already made this trip so memorable.
And this is only the beginning.
Tomorrow we leave Bucharest behind and head toward Transylvania, where castles, legends, and the Carpathian Mountains await.
I have a feeling the adventure is only getting started.
Until next time,
Kenneth Reece
Modern Travel Professionals
P.S. Batsy Cline gives Romania two wings up…especially after approving the purchase of Dracula. 🦇📚🇷🇴
Cleared For Take-Off! 