Between Tradition and Fashion: Meet the Ie, the Romanian Traditional Shirt

                                  

    Let's talk about fashion. But not in the way that you would expect. Today I will tell you about a side of Romania which had existed far away in time and space, and which during the past few years people have started bringing back into contemporary life. After we had enough of modernity and the western world, we started looking towards the past, towards folklore - national costumes and all sorts traditional artefacts with national motives. 

     

Every year, on the 24th of June, we celebrate the Sanziene, who in Romanian folklore are known to be good fairies, dancing and floating in the air, and blessing the inhabitants of the Earth. Of course, in this part of the year there is an abundancy of folklore events, such as festivals and fairs, which I often attend.

                             

      

    What is more important is that, for the last couple of years, this day has also been decided as the International Day of the Ie, which is the blouse of the Romanian popular costume, available both for men and women, tailoring and patterns being different among the country's regions. On a white or cream fabric, creativity and skill flourish in patterns and colours of embroidery. Therefore, today esentially (but not only) all proud Romanians, ladies and gentlemen, living in Romania or abroad, should wear it. And today, in our hectic and modern Bucharest, many people do. And it looks pretty. It looks like "something else" - a nice Ie in combination with a business-like pencil skirt and high-heels is not something you get to see every day. ;) But we can also combine the ie with other traditional garnments, such as belts (cingători), skirts (fote) or trousers (ițari). Note: the linguistic terms refer strictly to the traditional clothes.

          

        Apart from costumes, creativity is at home in Romania. Be it costumes, coloured wool carpets, painting on wood, ceramic art (which will all have special sections in the future), and handmade toys are being rediscovered these days, in their simple beauty, from a world that many young people may not even have known in first person. They are not cheap to buy - but rightfully so, if we think about all the skills and craftwork that go into making them. Besides, they give a pleasant feeling: a feeling of belonging. And it is great! 

       

            

I'm Asking You Out: 7 Must-See Outdoor Places in Bucharest (Part 1)

    Summer has just arrived, and still the big heat seems not to have arrived, and also the seaside season is not yet at its peak. The weather is really nice and it is a pity to stay inside. Now I assume you are in Bucharest, and you are planning to spend a few days here, before you head off to the seaside resorts of Mamaia, Neptun, Vama Veche or whichever of them, according to your own taste and budget. Meanwhile, you can't miss one or two open-air strolls while you're in Bucharest. I will give you a fair share of tips, to take your pick. But anyway, keep in mind that Bucharest is quite full of parks, large and small. This is why I selected a few, either the most famous or the most interesting. 

1. Cișmigiu Park

                              

The city's oldest park, Park Cișmigiu is situated in the very center of Bucharest, at a 10 minutes walk from Universitate metro station. Its innauguration took place about halfway through the XIXth century, and it keeps a very strong flavour of times past, visible in its flower arrangements, kiosks, gazebos, benches, alleys and statues.  

                

     On the lake in the middle of it, you can go boat rafting in summer and skating in winter. The park has a lot of older and newer legends associated with it, and it is said to have been one of the favourite places for inspiration of poet Mihai Eminescu. 

                          

                                

     Nowadays, the Cișmigiu also hosts lots of cultural events, such as the Europe Day in May, the Folklore Festival in June, book fairs, and during the past years, also the theatre festival dedicated to playwright Ion Luca Caragiale. If you are hungry, there is a nice restaurant overlooking the lake in the very center (they make great roast duck on cabbage :P ), plus various open air cafes and kiosks serving drinks, ice cream and snacks. 

2. Bucharest Botanic Garden

           

You will find it accross the way from Cotroceni Palace (the President's residence). It may not be as glamorous as other botanic gardens in Europe, but it is one of those spots where tranquillity is at home, as it doesn't have the human traffic and commercial activities of the major parks. 

                              

It is the perfect place to find shadow and oxygen in the middle of summer, and stay and enjoy the colours of the flowers and the calming green of the trees. The entrance costs only 7 lei (less than 1.50 euro), and the spots not to be missed are the flowers alley, starting right at the entrance, the rose garden and the greenhouse. 

3. Carol I Park

                                  

I would say this is the 'monumental' one, standing since the beginning of the XXth century, and marking the celebration of 40 years of reign of King Carol I. It is characterized by the wide and somehow imposing esplanade, but especially the Mausoleum where several historic personalities have been buried, and the Monument of the Unknown Soldier, dedicated to the soldiers who lost their lives in the 1st World War. If you spend more time around, you may even see the change of guards in front of the monument. 

                          

What is also interesting about this park is that even in its surroundings you will find cool spots. For example, on one side you will find a very beautiful castle, also known as the Țepeș Castle, which now belongs to the Army, and, unfortunately I would say, can only be visited a couple of times a year, namely Heroes Day, Army Day and the Night of the Museums. Which is a pity, for such beauty of a castle, and I honestly hope that things will change.

                             

                            

On the other side of the park, you will find Xenofon Street, the only stairway street in Bucharest. This street has been painted a few times with various artistic motifs, and now it's like a waterfall flowing through the woods. The paint is a bit deteriorated now, so we're waiting for some refreshing and some new ideas. ;)

4. The Old Court Museum (Curtea Veche)

                       

An open air museum, for those who are into ruins... ehm, I mean archeology. It is the site of the fortified town from the reign of Vlad the Impaler, who is still there to greet you. ;) The site also has a very nice church by its side. The museum is currently closed for restoration, but you can be sure that I will keep you updated as soon as it opens. 

                                   

         I will be back in the next weeks with Part 2, where I saved the best for last, at least in my opinion. I will let you guess what places we are talking about... ;)