Tag Archives: Humans of Bucharest

Today in Bucharest

A hell of a day – that’s what today was.
My entire social bubble was expecting the sentence of PSD leader Liviu Dragnea (also president of Romania’s Chamber of Deputies) as he was tried for instigating abuse of office and intellectual incitement as president of the Council County Teleorman. It was for the second time that the Supreme Court had postponed the pronouncement in this particular file, and frankly, we were quite nervous waiting for any news.

More context: The file was sent to the court by the DNA (National Anticorruption Directorate) in July 2016, and the trial started in January 2017, about the same time the leading party in the Parliament started messing with the justice laws to relax them. This led to massive protests in Romania in February 2017.

The sentence was published a few minutes ago: 3 years and a half in jail.
Now let’s celebrate the trust in Justice that has not yet been lost.

21.06.2018

Keep a dampened smile, though. It’s surely not over yet. The sentence can be appealed.

Bucharest Pride 2016

It was so hot this year, the temperatures rising to about 35 degrees Celsius, but that never stopped the people from joining in a record number of 2 500. Bucharest Pride had it all, you name it: music, rainbows, balloons, happy faces, glitter, love signs and banners, young and elder together, solidarity, it was really something beautiful! Amazingly good energy!

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Nana

The breakthrough of this year was Andreea Balan, a young pop star whose songs I basically grew up with, that decided to SHOW UP and SUPPORT the movement. You may not understand how powerful that is, but let me put it brief: in the conservative orthodox influenced culture of Romania this has never happened before. Ever. No artist has ever endorsed the event, none has recognized their diverse public or stood up to fight for equal rights for them. Many were escaping to face the crowds of the ‘other Romania’, the ones who consider the parade to be one of ‘sickness’.

Andreea Balan

Andreea Balan and her two dancers after a cheerful speech.

But Andreea? Andreea is an amazing human being who decided to use her fame to do good. Her act is a stepping stone in the direction of enabling the LGBT community to speak up and demand equal rights. More than that, she has posted a wonderful message on her Facebook and she is constantly responding to all people out there who are trying to set things ‘straight’. Her follow up comments are disarming with kindness, understanding and sharing of LOVE. She reinforced the idea that all humans should be entitled to having a family and that to love and be loved should be accessible to all. Her gesture should be seen as an example to all other artists and public persons of Romania.
Andreea, chapeau!

Ovidiu Buta, Molecule F, Frank Paul, Carla Antonelli, Joaquin Bonilla

Ovidiu Buta, Molecule F, Frank Paul, Carla Antonelli, Joaquin Bonilla

Other important names that joined the parade this year: Michael Roth, Minister of State for Europe at the German Federal Foreign Office, Carla Antonelli, a noted LGBT rights activist and politician who maintains a large support website for transgender and transsexual people, also the first trans person to serve in a legislature in Spain (she had such a powerful speech and sent a lot of energy to the crowd), Great Britain’s ambassador to Romania, Paul Brummell, Deputy Chief of Mission at the embassy of US to Bucharest, Dean Thompson, and last but not least, our very own Minister for Public Consultation and Civic Dialogue, Violeta Alexandru.

Happy to see so many people attending the event. Happy to share the joy with so many open-minded countrymen and friends. Happy, happy, happy.

Kul Ta Mo

I can only wish that things will only get better from now on.  Last year I saw the Stockholm Pride in late July and it made me realize how much further we have to walk, so keep it up! I feel we have reached a breaking point on Saturday. Everything was perfectly organized, we all had been given water, the street was full of people, the police supervised from every few meters, the music was energetic and fun, we had a blast!

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Peace. Love wins.

A big round of applause for the organizers ( ACCEPT, MozaiQ, PSI Romania) and everybody involved! Let’s meet again next year. The more the merrier! After all, who doesn’t want to celebrate love?

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My proud and happy gang

Late autumn vibes in Bucharest

I met a friend. We walked around. I met a cat. He owned a bike.

I met some kids doing their homework on the streets.

A lot of ‘I’s were flashed along this journey. Don’t worry, though, my soul was rather stormy.

I met a stranger who kept me well outside of danger.

IMG_ 1565 autumn vibeIMG_1553IMG_1542 IMG_1561IMG_1559 IMG_1563 IMG_1560Photos taken with a borrowed Olympus Pen. Probably the most precious little camera I have ever laid my hands on.

Thank you. ♥

Bucharest. I live here. I love it.

Shine like you mean it

I like tattoos, but on other people. I am not sure if the next day I’d still be happy with my decision of making a dragonfly on my ankle, let’s say. Temporary tatoos? Well, that’s something I can definitely deal with for a few days. Flash Tattoos Romania – presented me the occasion of adding jewellery on my body in a very elegant way. As nervous as I was at first looking at all those golden shines, it all went very well! The results came perfectly synchronized with my 26th birthday as well. Thank you so much for such a lovely time! Here are the photos 🙂

1.shine

7.shine

3.shine

5.shine

4.shine

6.shine

2.shine

©FlashTattoosRomania
Colection: Classy like a Motherf***
Photographer: Alexandru Mărgărit
Model: Lori Alexe
MUA: Carmen Arhire
Location: Funky Lounge Herastrau

If any of you should be interested in these temporary shiny shines and many more collections, here is their official website: Flash Tattoos Romania and their Facebook page.

Until next time, don’t forget to shine!

Bucharest, the greener the better!

Unofficially, summer is here. We had our first thunder-wonder storm last Sunday and now the temperature never drops below 15. I call it heaven. The only downsize to it is that we still have offices to attend to. A green lunchbreak will always charge your batteries. Disconnect for a moment and let the sunshine soothe your soul.
Ah, Bucharest, sometimes…

greener sign

hunt is on

L

chill orange

Corners of contrast in Bucharest

Late April with long awaited sunny days. The mornings are particularly gorgeous. Crisp air with sharp light, vivid green starting to dress up the city with a sense of calmness.

No, no, no. I’m totally wrong, here comes the chaos. Morning traffic, angry faces, dark circles around hurried people’s eyes, honking, pedestrians going around the mud. Ah, they are digging up again. In the middle of the street. I find a sense of lyricism in these layers of Bucharest that are starting to show up. Let’s see: improvised mini markets behind cars with fresh fruit from gardens and steam in the air. Yes, that sounds very much like it. Like the crazy mix of the beautifully repainted theater and the mess and mud in the intersection, with the smoker woman inviting me for strawberries grown in her greenhouse and the supervised workers looking at my ass while i am crossing the street. The swearing words of the taxi driver rushing almost on my steps on the zebra and the journalist in smart clothes bumping into an old lady walking her blind dog. All of this. You have to feel it, I can only offer a glimpse.

Bucharest. I live here. I love it.

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