Enjoy Spring in Cluj

We think we've waited long enough for this to bloom. Enjoy Spring in Cluj-Napoca!

Photo courtesy of Carmen M.

Winter has finally arrived in Cluj-Napoca

Winter got serious today in our town!!!

Luckily, a picture is worth a thousand words because we lack inspiration today.

Photos courtesy of various Friends.

Chess in Central Park in Cluj

Some years ago, I discovered chess and the nice people who regularly play in Central Park in our town. On a good day you have 15-25 people playing chess (or observing the chess players). Much fun for everyone!
Games are normally timed but there are some players who play longer games.

I’m a duffer so I wish you happy playing!

Fish return to Cluj-Napoca river

Fish are perhaps better known for swimming in a chef's red-wine or white-wine sauce than in the Somesul Mic river.

Not anymore. The wide-ranging fish have returned to Cluj's iconic river and the fish renaissance has appealed to catch-and-release fishers in town.

Anyway, if you are not a streetfisher you can rent a bike for free (with your ID card), for two hours, near Sports Hall, and enjoy the river banks.

Saturday morning walk in Cluj-Napoca

This Saturday morning I had a little more energy than usual that blent so well with my current state of mind so I had a stroll through the city with a friend of mine.

First stop, the roving market near St Michael Church. Interesting market experience with local producers of vegetables, fruits, fish, honey and diary. Due to some political issues the market will no longer be organized there:-( but maybe you/we are lucky this week-end.

Second stop was for mixing a latte macchiato with an espresso in Museum Square. Jump around, jump around!!!

Third stop was to admire men at work:-) in front of the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca. Respect!

Next, ohh well, we needed some green infusion and what else than the Central Park to brighten our mood.

On the way back to the city centre we were wondering who's that girl? We still do not know what the old man was wondering about.

The new face of Cinema Republica

Yesterday evening, as I was in a hurry to catch the bus, I realized that the bus station was not in the same place I left it in the morning, in front of Cinema Republica (The Republic). The big crowd and the police officers were not waiting for bus 32, but for something much more important. Somehow I managed to get on the bus thanks to an old lady that stopped it in the middle of the street and asked the driver to open the doors.
So what was all that about?... Cinema Republica got a new face and a new name. Now it is called Cinema Florin Piersic after one of the most important Romanian living actors, who is from Cluj. He was at the grand opening, of course. There were rumors (my dad told me) of him making his appearance on the back of a horse. The fireworks were very nice!

Republica was, in the old days (before the malls), the largest and most up-to-date cinema in Cluj-Napoca, home of TIFF and other film festivals.

Happy New Year 2011!

We wish you all the best for this year ....

.... and if you have the chance, visit Cluj!

The rain stopped

After several days of heavy rain, light rain, depressive rain and thunder storms, last evening the rain stopped.

The surroundings of Cluj and the railway are under water. But there is hope of dryer times.

It's good seeing the sun in the morning!