I have recently discovered a new website called ‘Pictures of Romania‘. It gives an insight into family life and culture in Romania, with a nice personal touch.

A notable feature is the ‘request a picture’ page.

Here is an overview of some of the most acclaimed and successful contemporary Romanian films, all great introductions to the region’s cinema.

5. The Death of Mr. Lazarescu (2005)

This medical drama follows the title character as he waits for attention in a rundown hospital emergency ward – and unwittingly begins a nightmarish journey of horrendous mistreatment at the hands of the hospital staff. This bleak film is not easy to watch. Some say (and I agree) that it brings to mind Lars Von Triers‘ The Kingdom, though more realistic and less hallucinatory. The movie won numerous awards in films festivals, including Un Certain Regard award in 2005 Cannes Film Festival. To this day it is the most awarded Romanian film of all time.

(more…)

I have just found a site with hundreds of photos from all the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Romania. Here is a map of the places covered:

The site can be found here.

Ways To watch BBC iPlayer abroad?

It is perhaps the most asked query of expats, but the answer is an easy YES.
For people who live overseas, like me, there comes a time when you miss a bit of good old Brit television. Ever since the BBC launched iPlayer there was a little hope out there for watching BBC iplayer abroad. However if you have attempted to attach while abroad all you get is ‘Currently BBC iPlayer television programs are available to play in the United Kingdom only…’ How annoying!

So its now possible Watch BBC iPlayer abroad?
Of course it is possible, if you search through Google you will find heaps of options. A lot of them are either expensive or just do not work. I’ll list them all, so you can decide for on your own, but in the end there are just a couple of true options to watch BBC iPlayer abroad. That is methods which will always work.

What you need to Do
The BBC restricts access to its iPlayer service by checking the physical location of the Internet provider you are using to connect to the Net. If it’s based in the UK you will be able to view, if it isn’t then they block you from viewing. It is as simple as that!

All you require to watch BBC iPlayer abroad is make it seem like you are located in the United Kingdom.

No Cost techniques to watch BBC iPlayer Abroad
If you’ve got access to a PC back in the United Kingdom you can make a virtual private network tunnel back to that PC and connect to the iPlayer web site thru that PC, this can cause it to look like you are in the United Kingdom.

So How Well Does It Work?
Not well to be honest, there are a number of issues. Firstly you must have a PC on in the United Kingdom all of the time, and if there is any technical problems with that computer you are going to be stuck till you get back to fix it. Second, and more importantly, while your download speed in the United Kingdom could be good you will find the upload speed is far to slow to allow consistent TV viewing.

Any other free methods to watch BBC iPlayer abroad?
Well you can look at TOR or Foxyproxy which both offer a free proxy service, which like a VPN makes it seem like your PC is in the United Kingdom. However all free proxies are too slow to watch BBC iPlayer abroad, they just do not have enough speed for all the free users. They are also quite hard to setup, without help.

The Best Option to watch BBC iPlayer Abroad
Firstly should you pick substitute or VPN options, well the neatest thing is to have BOTH! The software I use is Identity Cloaker which gives you a premium high speed United Kingdom proxy and United Kingdom VPN option. This will enable you to view iPlayer live and download programs to view when you want.
The software wasn’t originally made for television viewing, it is just a byproduct of what it does. As such they do not even state this use on their website!

There is a ten day trial available for a few euros (the free version is of no use if you’d like to watch iplayer abroad {as it is too restrictive|ass it only works for certain sites, as it does not work for TV sites). After that the software costs less than seven euros a month, so it is reallly a bargain for those among us who need to watch iPlayer abroad!

Have a look…

Crama Sibiul Vechi (The Old Sibiu Restaurant), A.Papiu Ilarian nr.3, Tel. +40-269-210461.. Celler/basement restaurant offering traditional Romanian cuisine at reasonable prices.

More Coming Soon…

Twenty years after Ceausescu’s execution his secret service is still active. For the first time, Romanian-German writer Herta Müller describes her ongoing experience of Securitate terror.

For me each journey to Romania is also a journey into another time, in which I never knew which events in my life were coincidence and which were staged. This is why I have, in each and every public statement I have made, demanded access to the secret files kept on me which, under various pretexts, has invariably been denied me. Instead, each time there was signs that I was once again, that is to say, still under observation.

Read More: http://www.signandsight.com/features/1910.html

We have added a new polls feature to the website. Please check back regularly for updates.

Delivery & Take Away

• Tutta Pasta, Phone: +40 (0) 268.424.888,http://www.tuttapasta.ro/. A “pasta only” delivery and take-away restaurant offering thirty original pasta recipes cooked by their experienced Italian chef.
• Tasty Meat, Phone: +40 (0) 268.423.888, http://www.tastymeat.ro/. A fixed price budget menu composed by a beef, pork or chicken main course combined with a selection of potatoes and vegetables and delivered right to your door.

Budget

• Ando’s – On 15 noiembre street, close to the centre. Ando’s is a fastfood restaurant, that offers menus and sandwiches (only chicken) at very low prices.
• Panini – Also on 15 noiembre (nr. 35) is a 24/7 fastfood restaurant, with great sandwiches for incredibly low prices.

Tip: Right in the city center is a food supermarket, “Hard Discount” opened non-stop. Cheap and good food there. Also, nearby and and around the corner is Kebab House, serving doner kebap non-stop. Ask locals for other non-stop food stores.

Mid-range

• Roata Norocului – Romanian food restaurant. It has small prices and serves good quality, typical Romanian food. Good and fast service. You will notice it is quite popular and crowded. It is located in an old house and the surroundings on Crisan Street, no 6. It is easily accesible on foot, 10 minutes away walking from Livada Postei. For more information check www.roata-norocului.ro (in Romanian).

More Expensive

• La Republique – Str. Republicii No. 33. It’s a nice French-themed pub serving a wide range of crepes, both sweet and sour. It’s a chain, so you might find it somewhere else. It’s the cheapest way to eat something good in the historical center.
• Bistro de l’Arte – Piata George Enescu No. 11 (right in the city center). A rather classy restaurant with dining rooms which reminiscence wine cellars. Many paintings by local artists can be seen on the walls. The menu is very rich, with a mostly French cuisine.
• Sura Dacilor – Poiana Brasov (right off the main road in the resort when coming from Brasov). The interior is richly decorated with furs and other Dacian stuff. The menu features “Urs la tava”, i.e. bear.

• Cafe Hazard, Baratiei, coming from Uniri towards Universitate, take your first right after the fornetti store and then your first left., Phone: 0727700107, Hours: 3:00pm-5:00am. A rock bar, with a great atmosphere open thinking, great beer and great people
• Gossip, Str. Lanariei 90, near Tineretului Park, Phone: +4021 337 47 88, +4072 254 85 43, club_gossip@yahoo.com, http://www.clubgossip.ro/, Hours: 6PM – 6AM. If too many places like Gossip keep opening up, then Bucharest is going to end up as the club capital of Eastern Europe (if it isn’t already). This is currently the city’s after hours favorite, where the great and good comes to chill out after shaking its expensive thang at other locations. More and more though it is trying to break into the all-night scene, and has been bringing over big name house and breakbeat DJs in order to do so. Closed indefinitely since 2006.
• Club A. The first and oldest club in Bucharest, with nearly 40 years tradition (this means amazingly much for a city where most clubs are less than 5 years old). Since the beginning, it was and remains a student pub and club, with an unpretentious but welcoming atmosphere, good music and low prices.
• Fire Club. The most well known rock and metal club in Bucharest. By day a pub and outdoor cafe.
• Twice. One of the largest clubs in Bucharest, with two separate dance floors and two giant bars ;one of the livest clubs in the city,with reasonable priced drinks and usually pretty crowded.
• Planter’s, strada Mendeleev 8, near Piata Amzei, Phone: +40723 559 908, rezervari@plantersclub.ro, http://www.planters.ro/. Geared mostly to the ex-pat community and rather expensive.
• Fabrica, str. 11 Iunie nr. 50, near Unirii Market, Phone: +40 21 335 0323, fabrica.club@gmail.com, http://www.fabrica-club.ro/. Urban/Groove/Indie music, a popular club with students and young professionals. Average prices.
• Bamboo, Str. Ramuri Tei 39, in Tei Park, Phone: +40722 132 283, contact@bamboosportingclub.ro, http://www.bamboosportingclub.ro/. It’s the largest club in Bucharest. Upmarket and expensive.
• The Office, Str. Tache Ionescu 2, in the Piata Romana area, Phone: 4021 211 67 48, contact@theoffice.ro, http://www.theoffice.ro/.
• Queen. Like Gay clubs the world over, this place has become tremendously popular with a non-Gay set fed up with the meat market atmosphere at so many of the city’s other locations. That, together with superb music, makes this an essential stop for hedonists of all persuasions. Shake it. It can become quite crowded so watch yourself! price=”Entry costs 20.00 lei, but that includes 10.00 lei worth of drinks at the bar.” Hours=”Open 23:00 – 05:00, Thu 21:00 – 05:00, Sun 20:00 – 05:00. May be closed Mon, Tue, Wed.”
• Fratelli, Str. Nicolae Golescu 5, tel. 311 66 76, office@fratelli.ro, http://www.fratelli.ro/. Calling itself a bar and lounge, there are certainly enough comfy sofas here to qualify it in the lounge category. The newest addition to this small chain of 3 venues is a mock industrial warehouse accommodating thousands. Relatively pricey (cocktails about 30 Lei). Note credit cards not accepted at the bar.

• Taj Indian Restaurant, (Calea 13 Septembrie, 127-131), Sector 5, Bucuresti, Near Marriott hotel, Phone: 410.18.20, http://www.tajrestaurant.ro, Hours: 12.00 – 24.00. Good Indian restaurant near Marriott hotel. A good place to be for vegetarians specially. There are not too many vegetarian friendly places in Bucharest, a few Indian restaurants and a one or two other vegetarian friendly restaurants. The restaurant in Intercontinental also serve some vegetarian dishes. Price: little pricey.
• POEM Restaurant, Suter Str. 23-25 (in the Carol park area), +40-21-3363377,. Bucharest’s most exclusive restaurant, in the famously elegant CPH atmosphere. Excellent international chefs, but very pricey.
• Red Lion Cafe, strada Academiei 1A (in the Universitatii area). Nice atmosphere, budget prices, very good pizza.
• Jariştea, strada George Georgescu 50 – 52 (near the crossroad of Regina Maria Blvd. and Libertatii Blvd), +40 021 335 33 38 (mailto:stabiliment@jaristea.ro),, M-Su 11AM -last customer. Beautiful historically themed restaurant, live traditional music, old Romanian specialties…but always check the bill thoroughly. Reservations are compulsory.
• Burebista (vânătoresc), strada Batiştei 14 (in front of the US embassy, near the National Theater), +40 021 211 89 29 (mailto:restaurant@restaurantburebista.ro),. The hunting orientated place of the Burebista restaurant chain, it has bear, wild boar, venison etc. specialties at relatively affordable prices.
• Cafeanua Actorilor, aka the Actor’s Cafe, strada Batiste (located at the National Theater). Attracts a lot of Americans, because of good food, and the U.S. Embassy and Intercontinental are right across the street. The salads, especially the one called “Act II” is a meal all by itself. Service tends to be excruciatingly slow, driving away many locals.
• Chelsea Bistro-Cafe, Str. Joule Michelet nr. 9, just off B-dul Magheru about halfway between Piaţa Romana and Piaţa Universitatii, Phone: 0788 330 130, 0788 330 129, 317 33 78. Offers many different kinds of pizza and a wide variety of drinks. Price: 14-28 lei/32 cm pizza.
• La Mama (6 outlets around Bucharest, Barbu Vacarescu 3, Delea Veche 51, Episcopiei 9, and Carrefour Orhideea being the largest ones, +40-21-2124086) – a favorite amongst locals, focusing on traditional Romanian food. Reasonable prices (and the standard by which most locals would grade restaurants).
• Cuptorul cu lemne, B-dul Pache Protopopescu nr. 63, +40-21-2522414, another favorite with locals, having one of the best pizzas in Romania. A nice pizza place with a nice outdoor summer garden and a relaxed atmosphere (the restaurant also houses a caricature club). Low prices. Tends to be very crowded during weekends.
• City Grill, a chain of steak restaurants (7 locations in Bucharest), usually frequented by locals during the lunch break. One of the few places in Bucharest selling natural grape juice (must). Prices slightly higher than average, but with larger portions than average.
• Casa di David, Soseaua Nordului nr. 7-9, Tel. 021/ 232 47 15. Opened in 2005, it is a hangout of the city’s nouveau riche. It comes complete with a German car ads at the entrance and an extensive wine list. Food (Italian inspired) and ambience are at best good, but portions are small and prices are far above average for Bucharest. A 3-course meal for two with local wine will set you back over 400 Lei.
• Shark, (Turkish restaurant), Strada Buzeşti nr. 35, just off Piaţa Buzeşti near the MacDonald’s there, Phone: +4021 312 31 44, 312 31 55, 312 31 66, Hours: 11:00 am to 8:00 pm. You choose cafeteria-style from the tasty, often spicy Turkish specialties on display, then they are served at your table. The amiable and gracious multilingual host will aid you. No alcohol. Price: 20-40 lei/person.
• Rossetya, 9 Str Dimitrie Bolintineanu, classic style restaurant with prices a bit higher than average, but with a very neat and cultivated atmosphere, outstandingly friendly english-speaking personnel, high food quality.
• Silviu’s Restaurant, 44,Louis Pasteur Street, cotroceni, gabil74@hotmail.com, Hours: 11a.m. to 1a.m.. unique location,excellent cuisine,outstanding service,near Bucharest Opera House and Cotroceni Presidential Palace Price: 20-40 euro.
• L’Harmattan, 56, Str Franceza, cotroceni, 3141250,  0723248810, resto-lharmattan@clicknet.ro, Hours: Monday-Thurs: 18-23,Fri,  Sat: 12-23, Sun: Closed. Average French-Moroccan food.