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Friday, April 18, 2014

Into Romania: Arad and Timișoara

The train and border crossing from Szeged, Hungary to Arad, Romania was painless although it was a fairly long walk from Arad Station to our city center hotel, plus we lost an hour due to the new timezone.

Arad is the least appealing of the cities we've slept in on this trip with its seedy side streets, pawn shops (amanets), girlie shows, and idle riff-raff. However, as we know now it is not indicative of the whole country. On the plus side, we stayed at a nice hotel (Hotel Arad) and ate dinner at a vegan/vegetarian raw restaurant (Vegan Time).

We made a day trip by train to Timișoara the birth place of the 1989 Romanian Revolution. What a nice city! Lots of outstanding Art Nouveau architecture. A pleasant river. Two vegetarian restaurants - we tried both. A more than helpful Tourist Office. And a great main square.

Comfy Regional train to Békéscsaba.
Arad, Romania

Békéscsaba Station is under going renovation.
Arad, Romania

Romania makes Ford automobiles for export.
Timisoara, Romania

An Art Nouveau building in Arad with one of the ubiquitous pawn shops (AMANET) on the first floor.
Arad, Romania

The Synagogue was closed.
Arad, Romania

The Arad Town Hall with giant Easter Bunnys.
Arad, Romania

Art Deco corner building - Arad.
Arad, Romania

The raw mushrooms, raw soup, and raw cookies (no photo) at Vegan Time were awesome along with cooked pasta and polenta.
Arad, Romania

Arad, Romania

Arad, Romania

Welcome to Timișoara! The Ministry of Education is the first monumental Art Nouveau building one sees on the walk from the train station to city center.
Timisoara, Romania

Liberty Square (Piața Libertății)  is under renovation.
Timisoara, Romania

The Bega River.
Timisoara, Romania

The Jewish Synagogue.
Timisoara, Romania

The National Theater - on Victory Square (Piata Victoriei).
Timisoara, Romania

Victory Square.
Timisoara, Romania

Victory Square.
Timisoara, Romania

Victory Square.
Timisoara, Romania

Victory Square.
Timisoara, Romania

The Orthodox Cathedral (Catedrala Mitropolitană) inside and out.
Timisoara, Romania

Timisoara, Romania
  
And one nice Bauhaus building.
Timisoara, Romania

Vegetarian Set Lunch at Radha Hare Krishna Restaurant.
Timisoara, Romania

The Timisoreana Brewery.
Timisoara, Romania

The old Slaughterhouse.
Timisoara, Romania

More Art Nouveau - the Peacock House.
Timisoara, Romania

And beehive relief.
Timisoara, Romania

Art Nouveau with Hello Kitty tram.
Timisoara, Romania


More photos on flickr here.






2 comments:

Kathy said...

Love the photos, love the art nouveau. I'll have to move that part of Romania up the list!

john said...

Thanks Kathy! Stay tuned for more Art Nouveau in Oradea, Romania.

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