Romanian Vacation: Part 6
We have finally reached my favorite part of our vacation and SADLY our last vacation post – CLUJ NAPOCA IS UP ON THE BLOG BAYBAYYYYY!
If you missed the previous posts check them out here: PART 1, PART 2, PART 3, PART 4, PART 5.
GRAND ITALIA HOTEL
We stayed at Grand Italia Hotel in Cluj at the suggestion of many of our friends and it was THE MOST SOLID DECISION. We were spoiled rotten and treated like royalty the entire time. The room was beautiful and the views of the city were unmatched. The complimentary breakfast ALONE was worth the stay, I’ve literally never seen a breakfast buffet that included a million kinds of cheese, every way an egg can be cooked AND salata boeuf?? Lemme tell you I was UNHINGED about that. I’ve said this before but traveling around Romania makes continental breakfasts in the US look like a joke.
The best part however – was the pool. ESPECIALLY in the august heat. Spacious and just warm enough, with loads of recliners and complimentary towels, a bar and everything else you could need at your disposal. People were lovely and polite, a delight to people watch and the music was a whole vibe.
CLUJ, I LOVE YOU
I grew up in Piatra Neamt as you guys know (check out part 2 of our travel to my hometown) and always thought I’d go to Iasi for college but after a few visits to Cluj, OH MY GAWD I would have loved Cluj. It’s so full of life and culture and history, bursting with young energy, students and innovative thinking. I LOVE IT. We had dinner with friends at a popular restaurant, called Roata, we ate ice cream every single day and it ruined ice cream for me forever. I didn’t even know pistachio ice cream could be so good.
When we were walking around downtown, I stumbled upon a tango festival, watched an entire room of couples swirling across the dance floor, live music playing FOR FREE in the park, people riding the swan boats, tree covered alleys filled with people walking arms linked together…. and I couldn’t help but think WHAT THE HECK ARE WE DOING WRONG HERE IN THE US. These people really make me feel like they’ve got life figured out.
HARD TO SAY GOODBYE
SHADES OF A CITY
The last day in Cluj a storm hit the city and the air smelled like electricity; the sky was a beautiful shade of gray and blue and purple and thunder rolled over the city like a giant stomping his feet.
We had dinner at another great restaurant to wait out the rain and the waitress that helped us was chatting with another waitress after she dealt with a difficult client. Then she made eye contact with me, smiled, shrugged her shoulders, swept her hair off her shoulder and rolled her eyes with the same perfect indifference and defiance I see in my daughter and myself.
Once again, on my travels to Romania, I felt overwhelmed by that feeling of being among OUR OWN PEOPLE. I can’t put into words how it feels. It’s just a sort of coming home of the heart. When you leave your home country and then come back to visit, you look around and the people are so beautiful to you. You take nothing for granted and try your hardest to absorb every little detail. The cobbled stone streets, the balconies with flower pots, the cats in the window sill, the way kids run around free on the street, the smell of wet pavement. You notice it all. Treat it like a treasure and carry it with you in your travels like a balm for your homesick soul.
GOODBYE, LA REVEDERE
Each year, it becomes more and more difficult to say goodbye to Romania. Each visit makes me feel that a life split between the US and here is possible. That I could fit in both places beautifully. Who knows where life will carry me. Maybe the point isn’t to fit anywhere in particular, but rather to notice the beauty of life everywhere you go. Maybe that’s home.
Till next time, Cluj! ILY!
XOXO Irina