Two weeks in Bucharest… some geocaching… great places to visit

This Winter, just a few days before Christmas, we went to Romania, Bucharest. It was my has been quite awhile since I last visited Romania in this season of the year. It's beautiful, but usually not so good for traveling around the country.

It was also the first time that, during the Winter I was going to search for some geocaches... if the weather, and snow, would allow me... and I must say that I was very lucky.

Day 1 (2012-12-23) . 1 geocache found

It was my first day on the street, where I decided to take a bus, from the north side of Bucharest and then to go to the city center, trying to see some nice places, and also searching for some geocaches.

After leaving the bus, I walked for about 10Km... and only one cache found ( Biserica Sf Nicolae Selari ) ... but the main reason for not having the chance to find some more was the fact that at one moment I had a problem with my foot (new shoes for the Winter... and then problems). Anyway, it was a very nice walk and great places that I've seem for the first time this year.

Day 2 (2012-12-24) . 5 geocaches found

On this second day I wasn't in a good physical condition to go for a walk, so I had the chance to go by car, with my brother in law, who also become a geocacher :), and go for the nearby places for some new discoveries.

This time we just went to the Herastrau park... this is a great green area in the north of Bucharest. 

The caches we found were all great, but I must say that for some great reasons, Hera's the most significant for me, once it was the one I searched for the first time in Romania, back in 2009... with no luck at that moment.

 28 Eggs Later ,  HERA's ,  Bow ,  The Japanese Garden and  12-12-12 S1-4 Casin Monastery.

Day 3 (2012-12-25) . 1 geocache found

On the Christmas day I went, this time, once more alone, when all the family was in the house, enjoying the Christmas meal... I decided that it was better to take a walk, and then, when returning home for sure I would like to taste some more of the great romanian traditional food (my favourite Mititei (mici) - grilled minced-meat rolls, Sarmale - minced meat with rice, wrapped in pickled cabbage leaves).

It was great to go up, with no one around, and find the  MftM: Jacob's Ladder (1990).

Day 4 (2012-12-26) . 4 geocaches found

During the day I had no chance to search for geocaches, other activities, but at the begining of the night we went to the center of Bucharest, in a new rebuild area, full of bars and cafes... with a lot of young people, just a great place to stay, have drink and a nice talk.

just before meeting some friends, we found:

 Biserica Rusa - Russian Church ,  Biserica Sf. Gheorghe ,  Mita Biciclista ,  MftM: Der Name der Rose (1986) 

The Russian church is a great building, very different from the traditional orthdox churchs (also very beautiful).

Day 5 (2012-12-27) . 2 geocaches found

Usualy I'm not a fan of Mystery caches, but I the ones I found on this day were quite easy (in one I confess I had some help...), and also located in a great place... so it was good to find them.

 Bucharest Street View ,  Tumbling down the rabbit hole 

Day 6 (2012-12-28) . 4 geocaches found

This was the day when I had to go out in the morning with the mission to buy some bread for the coming meal, and I took my daughter with me... and we walked for about 10Km, into the Aviatei area. We found several caches on the way, near some interesting buildings... Aarkhitekton 4: O sută de ape ,  12-12-12 S1-2 Aurel Vlaicu Market ,  S.O.S. Satele Copiilor - Floreasca . By the way, we bought the bread in time for the meal...

It was also during the morning, when returning home that I could see that my geocache in Bucharest, placed 1 and 1/2 year is still in place...  Stavilar Baneasa 

On the afternoon we went to another place of the city, in a very large commercial area, where the was a ring for ice skating, and near by we could find  The Cave 

Day 7 (2012-12-29) . 12 geocaches found

I was expecting a lot for this day, once I had an appointment with a very experienced local geocacher (10 years on this activity) and also a very serious person.

We met at the schedule time, and it going by bus we discovered great geocaches, placed with quality by the local geocachers. I must say it was good to see how they are inventive, but also great to see that our host never showed us where it was, he just stayed there and with a few hints we found them.

It was also great to have a traditional meal in a nice restaurant, very pleasant, specially with low temperatures outside.

A very special thanks to danal70! And to all the Romanian geocachers, who still have the imagination to create very good geocaches. For us, who go from outside, we have to be patient, to look carefully  and who knows if we will find something... The rhythm of geocaching in Romania isn't what we are used here... for instance, in Bucharest if one cache was found by one geocacher in the last month, is a good ratio...

 BisAN ,  Casa Vernescu ,  Lucky Clover ,  Romulus and Remus ,  12-12-12 S2-3 Dinamo Bucharest Stadium ,  Old but new #1 ,  HIDE & Seek .  Napoleon III ,  Hide & SEEK ,  Heart-Shaped Box ,  The ad and  It went on here 

Day 8 (2012-12-30) . 3 geocaches found

Time to go to a different place, by car... and on our way, 3 more caches, one in the river that crosses Bucharest, and the other two in a beautiful park.

 Ex- Geoartcache #1 ,  12-12-12 S7-3 Polivalenta Sports hall ,  Dambovita Bridges #7 

Day 9 (2012-12-31) . 2 geocaches found

On the last day of 2012 I had just the time to find these caches:

 Politehnica ,  Bucharest Micro #1 

The earthcache is great, identical to a few I've made here, with a lot to learn from things we see in our usual days, but with great geological information.

The Bucharest micro, is very well hidden, once I've been there 3 times... and only now I could find it.

Day 10 (2013-01-01) . 1 geocache found

In the last days I've been near this church,  12-12-12 S4-4 New "Saint Spyridon" Church , but on this day I could come here, and it was great to see how it is preserved, and on the inside it has wonderful views.

Day 11 (2013-01-02) .3 geocaches found 

Time to go the Unirii Square, one of my favorite places in Bucharest, and from here we went to the Cismigiu park.

  12-12-12 S7-2 Unirii Square ,  Biserica Sf. Ilie Gorgani ,  YEI#7 - TB Cemetery 

Day 12 (2013-01-03) . 7 geocaches found

A morning with Adrian_cami, on the search for some great places in Bucharest.

 Remembering College ,  MeTzeRe ,  MftM: Schindler's List (1993) ,  YEI#16 - Maria ,  12-12-12 S1-1 Small park near Ciresarii Complex ,  Antique Thought ,  Two types of stones 

Day 13 (2013-01-04) . 2 geocaches found

On the day before to our departure back to Portugal, we had the chance to finally find the geocaches

 A Saucerful of Secrets  ,  Bucharest's Passages 

That shows us some of the best places in Bucharest. They are not so easy, but for sure they are the some of the best, with great and hidden places, that we usually wouldn't visit.

Day 14 (2013-01-05) . 1 geocache found

It was signed on the night of our departure... but I was there with Adrian placing this cache, so if it wasn't made this time, for sure I would have the chance to find it in the future.

Two great weeks in Bucharest. With some snow, that is always great for someone who doesn't have snow near home anytime of the year... And also good weather for walking and visiting great locations.