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Daily Picture 30-Nov-09: Vampire Like Mascaron

Valentin Mandache — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:17:53 +0000

A bizarre vampire like mascaron (notice the wings and coffin shape of the panel) at the centre of a balcony bottom decorated with French inspired c19th eclectic architectural ornamentation; 1880-90s building located in Patriarchy area, Bucharest (©Valentin Mandache)

Dear Historic Houses of Romania readers,

I have a new website address for my bolg at www.historo.wordpress.com (domain name derived from ‘Historic Houses of Romania’), with an entirely new and dynamic look. I very much hope you will like the new format. All my old articles and images are also contained within the new site, so you should not have any problems in accessing them there. For one month between 1 Nov. ‘09 and 1 Dec. ‘09, I will post simultaneously, in order to avoid confusions and allow for a smooth transition, my forthcoming architectural history articles and images on both old (‘viapontica’) and new (‘historo’) sites. After that date www.historo.wordpress.com will become my sole active blog site dedicated to the Historic Houses of Romania.

Best regards,

Valentin

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I endeavor through this daily image series to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural heritage.

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If you plan acquiring a historic property in Romania or start a renovation project, I would be delighted to advice you in locating the property, specialist research, planning permissions, restoration project management, etc. To discuss your particular plan please see my contact details in the Contact page of this weblog.

Daily Picture 30-Nov-09: Vampire Like Mascaron

Valentin Mandache — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 07:10:04 +0000

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I endeavor through this daily image series to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural heritage.

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Polish reactionaries attack communist symbols

monkeysmashesheaven — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:30:49 +0000

Polish reactionaries attack communist symbols

(monkeysmashesheaven.wordpress.com)

Legislation to imprison and fine those who possess or buy communist symbols has been approved by Poland’s reactionary president Lech Kaczynski. Those who posses, purchase, or spread items or recordings containing communist symbols can be imprisoned for up to two years, according to the new law. The law was initially proposed by the Law and Justice party, the reactionary party that the President helped found. A Law and Justice senator, Zbigniew Romaszewski, has said that the law is needed to stop businesses from selling images of communist leaders and symbols like the hammer and sickle.

Free speech advocates have pointed out that the law is too vague to be applied fairly. After all, who is to decide if a painting or song is communist or not? However, the law is vague by design. The real point of the law is not about symbols or the historical narrative per se. Rather, the law’s purpose is, in all probability, to allow the state to harass revolutionaries out of existence. The law is purposely vague so that the law can be applied to anyone the state wishes to punish. The draconian law is clearly designed as a catch-all way to go after any suspected dissidents.

Romaszewski, who promoted the legislation, parroted the liberal consensus, “Communism should be treated just like Nazism.” The Western historical narrative has long since tried to equate communism and Nazism. However, in reality, nothing could be more different from Nazism than communism. Nazism sought to build an empire where “Nordic” people ruled like gods over the rest of an enslaved humanity. Taking Amerika’s genocide and settlement of North America as their model, the Nazis sought to clear the Soviet lands of its indigenous populations and resettle the Soviet land after a war of total annihilation. The Nazis sought to create a Greater Germany to the East populated by German yeoman farmers. Toward this end, the Nazis launched a world war that killed 27 million people in the Soviet Union alone. In their quest for “racial purity,” Nazis exterminated millions of Jews, Slavic, Gypsies, and others in death camps. The short-lived Nazi regime was one of the bloodiest in all of history.

Communism is the opposite of Nazism. Communists seek to eliminate all oppression. Communists seek an order where power was concentrated in the hands of the exploited and oppressed. Communists fight to eliminate imperialism and replace it with a more egalitarian world order where all nations and all peoples lives in harmony with one another. The communist track record speaks for itself. Communist-led regimes in the Soviet bloc and China empowered the working classes and peasantry, reduced racism and chauvinism within their borders, created greater gender equality, doubled life expectancy, raised the standard of living, increased literacy, empowered youth, and so on.

Romaszewski offered the Ukrainian famine under Stalin as supposed proof of the evils of Communism. It is true that there was a human toll during the collectivization-industrialization period. The exact toll on the Ukraine is not known. There is so much misinformation spread by Nazis, Ukrainian fascists, and Western anti-communists, that the truth about the alleged famine is elusive. However, the Soviet masses, including those in the Ukraine, made great sacrifices in order to build the industrial base that would be needed to build socialism and thwart the Nazi genocide of the Soviet peoples. Unlike the US and Western Europe that modernized on the backs of colonized peoples, the Soviet Union relied on the power of its own peoples. Stalin understood the choice that faced the Soviet peoples: industrialize or be annihilated. Stalin stated in his The Tasks of Economic Executives on February 4, 1931:

“We are fifty or a hundred years behind the advanced countries. We must make good this distance in ten years. Either we do it, or they will crush us.”

Ten years later, on June 22, 1941, the Germans and their allies began the invasion of the Soviet Union in Operation Barbarosa. Over 4.5 million Axis troops invaded the Soviet Union along a 2,900 km front. Had Stalin not gone forward with industrialization at a breakneck pace, the Soviet military would not have had the technical power to defeat the Nazis in a conventional war. The Nazis would have marched to the Pacific ocean and won World War 2. Stalin made the hard decisions necessary to save his people from being wiped off the map. Great leaders are the ones who have to make the hard decisions. It is no accident that in poll after poll in the ex-Soviet Union, Stalin is held up as one of the most popular historical figures.

The Polish state’s attack on the symbols of the communism is not isolated. All over the ex-Soviet bloc, symbols of socialism are being attacked by liberals and fascists. The attacks are part of the re-writing of history. The collective memory, the last bits of socialist culture, are being destroyed. However, the deeper aim of these attacks is to stop any future communist revolutions.

Sources

1. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091127/ap_on_re_eu/eu_poland_communist_ban

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Barbarossa

3. http://marx2mao.com/Stalin/TEE31.html

Obama Called Out as a Socialist in Russia's "Pravda" Newspaper

samhenry — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:41:19 +0000

US conservatives should be dancing in the streets and thanking mother Russia. “Someone” agrees with them about the moves President Obama has made. He has, through a series of bad decisions, effectively revealed his socialism. And he has abandoned a significant role in Europe as he focuses on China.

As Obama looks east to China, Russia again casts its grisly gaze on Europe and third world countries. Several key articles in a recent issue of PRAVDA, Russia’s major newspaper, show how adept the Russians have become at proving to Europe that it would be in their best interest to disassociate with the US and with capitalism. They even encouraged the European states to join in creating a united EU fighting force.

The Russian bear has gnawed on the myth that the US is still powerful. In an article under the headline America Moving from Kingdom of Cash to Socialism Slowly but Surely, Obama’s decision not to build the missile defense shield in Eastern Europe was seen as a symptom of the growing decline of capitalism. But most important, this decision signaled a decline in belief in capitalism’s high-efficiency. Of course the US was characterized in terms of its strong lead among decadent capitalist nations. Of course there was a recital of the history of capitalism – that destroyer of values and of a spiritual life. Of course there was NO mention of religious persecution under the Soviets.

The article concludes with:

America, the bulwark of capitalism, is no longer the boss of the world. And if it’s not the boss any more, it has to be friends with everybody, including Russia. And it’s America’s turn to offer Russia to push the reset button. [Pravda]

Could it be, oh no it’s not possible – but could it be that Obama takes so long in making decisions because he has to first consult with all of his new friends and socialist betters in, say Venezuela?

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VotingFemale Speaks! – Fact Checking the WhiteHouse.Gov Blog’s propaganda

HotAir – Distorting Honduran History at the New York Times

Patterico’s Pontifications – Obama’s Katrina

SmallDeadAnimals – I, For One, Welcome Europe’s New Communist Overlords

We Don't Need No "Globalization" . . .

thrdr — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:07:08 +0000

Recently the West (or perhaps that should be “the West” because the peoples, social inst

Weekly Picture: King Peter II of Yugoslavia & Queen Alexandra

Diana Mandache — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 22:07:40 +0000

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I endeavour in the “Weekly Pictures” post series to bring to light worthy of note, often less known images from the royal past and present and thus further enhance the understanding of royal history and what it represents for us.

Weekly picture: Diana Mandache’s weblog Royal History.

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EU launches a 90-million Euros cooperation project

reportingtheworldover — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:47:13 +0000

It will provide financial support for large investments in the area of energy efficiency and the environment in Eastern Europe countries.

The new cooperation project is a Swedish EU initiative and goes by the name of Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environment Partnership (EEEEEP). Other countries involved in providing financial support to the EEEEEP are Denmark, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Norway, Poland and the United States. The European Commission will also provide extensive financial support to the partnership, as will Ukraine. The pledges made at the donor conference amounted to just over EUR 90 million for the period 2010–2014.

“There is a great need for reforms in the energy sector in Eastern Europe. Energy use in Ukraine today is only one third as efficient as in the EU countries on average. This new cooperation project provides clear support for the implementation of reforms and is a concrete measure ahead of the climate negotiations in Copenhagen (COP15). Modernising the energy sector in Eastern Europe is also key to greater energy security in Europe as a whole,” says Minister for International Development Cooperation Gunilla Carlsson.

Involved in the EEEEEP are a whole host of bilateral donors, the European Commission, Ukraine and international financial institutions such as the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the Nordic Investment Bank (NIB), the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation (NEFCO) and the World Bank/International Finance Corporation (IFC).

Work in the EEEEEP will initially focus on the financing of large public projects in Ukraine, especially in the district heating sector. Other energy and environmental measures may also be eligible for support. In order to receive financing, investments should lead to a significant reduction in energy consumption and positive effects on the climate.

The money paid into the support fund for the EEEEEP will be used to finance preliminary studies and as investment grants for larger projects, in combination with loans from the international financial institutions involved in the EEEEEP.

Daily Picture 29-Nov-09: Rural Style Balcony

Valentin Mandache — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:20:16 +0000

Rural style balcony, Armeneasca area, Bucharest (©Valentin Mandache)

The balcony is adorned with interesting ethnographic wood carved motifs typical of the ancestral peasant art of southern Romania and painted in blue, a colour of traditional shamanistic significance among the Slavic and Romanian peasant communities in this part of Europe. The balcony adorns a Neo-Romanian style town house in central Bucharest.

Dear Historic Houses of Romania readers,

Best regards,

Valentin

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I endeavor through this daily image series to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural heritage.

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Daily Picture 29-Nov-09: Rural Style Balcony

Valentin Mandache — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:15:34 +0000

Rural style balcony, Armeneasca area, Bucharest (©Valentin Mandache)

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I endeavor through this daily image series to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural heritage.

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Daily Picture 28-Nov-09: Art Deco Rule of Three Ornaments

Valentin Mandache — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 08:31:39 +0000

Art Deco façade ornaments grouped according to the rule of three percepts, central Bucharest (©Valentin Mandache)

The rule of three that sees decorative elements repeating in groups of three throughout a building façade is commonly employed in Art Deco architecture and visual arts. It is inspired from ancient Egyptian art, in vogue during the roaring 1920s (see for example the huge cultural impact made in that period by the discovery of King Tut’s tomb), an important source for the Art Deco movement. The image above is an excellent example of Art Deco façade ornaments grouped according to the rule of three, boasted by a beautiful, but badly maintained building (owners replaced the original windows with cheap plastic frame double gazing ones) in central Bucharest. That is unfortunately the case with most historic houses in Romania’s capital suffering the consequences of an insensitive rapacious property development boom, which has at last started to unravel.

Dear Historic Houses of Romania readers,

Best regards,

Valentin

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I endeavor through this daily image series to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural heritage.

***********************************************

Daily Picture 28-Nov-09: Art Deco Rule of Three Ornaments

Valentin Mandache — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 08:03:02 +0000

Art Deco façade ornaments grouped according to the rule of three percepts, central Bucharest (©Valentin Mandache)

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I endeavor through this daily image series to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural heritage.

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Disquiet on the eastern front

ab — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:32:23 +0000

America, NATO and eastern Europe

Can a distracted America remain a bulwark for eastern Europe?

A missile to avoid

DAMAGE control is never as good as damage prevention. Despite repeated reassurances, the countries of eastern Europe are worried about security. Their biggest concern is NATO, where officials are meant to be drafting contingency plans to defend Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Barack Obama pushed this idea at the NATO summit in April. A recent big Russian military exercise, which officials say culminated in a dummy nuclear attack on Poland, highlights the region’s vulnerability.

Yet little is happening. NATO officials blame a “lack of consensus”. Western European countries, notably Germany and Italy, are against anything that is not first discussed with Russia. A likely outcome is a generic plan, to be presented privately to the Baltic three in December, that will not deal with specific threats.

Nobody really expects a military conflict. But if NATO even hints that it is no longer in the business of guaranteeing the defence of all its members, it may encourage Kremlin mischief-making over such issues as minority rights or transit to Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave. Eastern Europeans are also cross about the European Union’s recent carve-up of top jobs. Germany and France showed that they decide the EU’s foreign policy, and that easterners do not count, says one minister in the region.

The Americans admit to botching the announcement in September of a new missile-defence plan—upgraded, not cancelled, they now insist. Vice-President Joe Biden has visited America’s main central European allies, as well as Ukraine and Georgia, to dispel feelings of neglect. A formidable American warship toured the Baltic during the Russian exercises. Six senior generals have visited Latvia alone in the past 12 months; bilateral military exercises are planned next year. The administration has offered Poland exercises with Patriot missile batteries armed with live warheads, whereas previously it had offered only dummy drills.

Few people anywhere mourn the departure of George Bush and the strains he placed on America’s allies. But his team of hard-bitten officials who dealt with eastern Europe is still missed. The idealistic Mr Obama has brought a different lexicon to foreign policy: realpolitik is in, talk of common values is out. Some find this a refreshing change from the hectoring of the Bush administration. But eastern Europeans are distressed to hear so much talk of “partners” (bracketing countries as different as China and Poland) and so little of “allies”.

A further worry is the effect on NATO of the war in Afghanistan. The more that NATO’s success there is defined as crucial to the alliance’s credibility, the more eastern members fear the consequences if it fails. Proportionately, eastern European NATO members have helped most in Afghanistan. The American-backed security pledge at the heart of NATO matters most to them too. Western Europeans who privately see NATO as an anachronism are unbothered by American disengagement.

Admittedly, the Obama administration is preoccupied with domestic issues and with other pressing matters abroad. Europe as a whole, not just the eastern Europeans, cannot expect constant nannying. But even in Washington concern is mounting as well. “Why is the most popular man on the planet, leading the world’s strongest country, unable to get relations with America’s closest allies right?” fumes one (apolitical) former official.

Many explanations can be offered. Inexperience is one. European and American observers talk of disorganisation in the administration’s National Security Council. One European official speaks of a “black hole” there. Some note a tribal desire among Obamaites to be different from the Bushies: if they favoured eastern Europe, the new policy must be chillier. Others blame a habit of preferring a friendly atmosphere to tough decisions. “It is not irredeemable. But they have to redeem it,” says Kurt Volker, another former official.

Part of the problem is that the EU and NATO are so frustrating to deal with. The fault lies on both sides—but some of it reflects bad staff work that has made Mr Obama’s summits with the EU and NATO both boring and useless. Even where interests chime, progress is slow. A year after the EU first mooted its “eastern partnership” to boost western ties with six ex-Soviet countries (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine), talks on American involvement are only just starting. A stronger Europe policy in Washington might make easterners less twitchy about America’s dealings with Russia.

Such worries have led Poland to push for a stronger bilateral security commitment from America. That is ambitious, but also risky. If it fails, it could heighten the sense of abandonment. If it succeeds, it could create a two-tier NATO in the east: a few countries with a direct relationship with America, and a vulnerable rump without. A senior Pole denies this is a danger, noting that Polish military plans already include defence of Lithuania. The stronger Poland is, the more it can protect its neighbours. “They are our West Berlin,” he says. Hardly a comforting thought.

The Economist

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Full article and photo: http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14973206

Daily Picture 27-Nov-09: Wallachian Country Mansion - Conac

Valentin Mandache — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:08:08 +0000

Mixture of architectural styles, with an emphasis on the Neo-Romanian order, in a grand 1920s country mansion from the Romanian province of Wallachia (©Valentin Mandache)

Romania has vast swathes of farming land, which were developed on a large scale starting with mid c19th once the Danube and the straits Bosphorus and Dardanelles waterways were freed from Ottoman control, allowing massive grain exports from the region to the industrial centres of Victorian Europe (see my article describing a Victorian barn from southern Romania built as part of that economic transformation). The local aristocrats and land owners administered their farms from impressive country mansions, called “conac” in Romanian, a word of Turkish origin (see a more extensive article about a typical such mansion: the Casota conac). The conacs were built in a variety of styles or mixture of styles, according to the money available and the fashion of the period from French fin de siècle to Neo-Romanian and Art Deco. The interesting example from the image above is from the village of Cornatelu in Wallachia and boasts mainly a Neo-Romanian architecture, typical of mid 1920s period with some French echoes, especially in the roof shape and ornaments. During the communist regime these mansions were confiscated from their owners and transformed in collective farm headquarters. Many of them were badly damaged, especially in the last 20 years of regime change in Romania, characterised by imperfect property legislation concerning the returning of property to the rightful owners. Some conacs are now on the market, but due to the huge property bubble of the last few years in Romania and immature market mentality of local property owners, have inflated, unrealistic prices, in many instances several times more expensive than c18th French châteaux or similar period properties from Italy.

Dear Historic Houses of Romania readers,

Best regards,

Valentin

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I endeavor through this daily image series to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural heritage.

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Daily Picture 27-Nov-09: Wallachian Country Mansion - Conac

Valentin Mandache — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 07:52:51 +0000

Mixture of architectural styles, with an emphasis on the Neo-Romanian order, in a grand 1920s country mansion from the Romanian province of Wallachia (©Valentin Mandache)

Romania has vast swathes of farming land, which were developed on a large scale starting with mid c19th once the Danube and the straits Bosphorus and Dardanelles waterways were freed from Ottoman control, allowing massive grain exports from the region to the industrial centres of Victorian Europe (see my article describing a Victorian barn from southern Romania built as part of that economic transformation). The local aristocrats and land owners administered their farms from impressive country mansions, called “conac” in Romanian, a word of Turkish origin (see a more extensive article about a typical such mansion: the Casota conac). The conacs were built in a variety of styles, according to the money available and the fashion of the period from French fin de siècle to Neo-Romanian and Art Deco. The interesting example in the image above is from the village of Cornatelu in Wallachia and boasts mainly a Neo-Romanian architecture, typical of mid 1920s with some French echoes, especially in the roof shape and ornaments. During the communist regime these mansions were confiscated and transformed in collective farm headquarters. Many were badly damaged, especially in the last 20 years of regime change in Romania, characterised by imperfect property legislation concerning the returning of property to the rightful owners. Some conacs are now on the market, but due to the huge property bubble of the last few years in Romania and immature market mentality of local property owners, have inflated, unrealistic prices, in many instances several times more expensive than c18th French châteaux or similar period mansions from Italy.

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I endeavor through this daily image series to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural heritage.

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Awful food, commie cars and the bad old days

Andrew Potter — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 18:40:03 +0000

Travelling through Eastern Europe a few years ago, my companion and I took a tour of Nova Huta, the

Daily Picture 26-Nov-09: Historic Houses Photo Collage

Valentin Mandache — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 09:01:33 +0000

Historic houses of Romania collage (©Valentin Mandache)

I composed the image above from 60 selected photographs taken during my fieldwork this year, mostly in Bucharest, but also Iasi (NE Romania) and Sinaia (the Transylvanian Alps). In my opinion the collage is extremely suggestive of the exuberant historic architecture found within the territory of Romania: a peculiar crossroad of Western, especially French, and Central European influences blended together on a Balkan background with old Ottoman echoes. I hope the pot-pourri of houses, decorations and ornaments, often painted in garish colours, would give you a more wholesome image of the vast field represented by Romania’s historic architecture. I also use a version of this collage for my Twitter page background, have a look here: http://twitter.com/historo

Dear Historic Houses of Romania readers,

Best regards,

Valentin

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I endeavor through this daily image series to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural heritage.

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Daily Picture 26-Nov-09: Historic Houses Photo Collage

Valentin Mandache — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 08:33:54 +0000

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I endeavor through this daily image series to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural heritage.

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Austria Photos

chronictraveler — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 23:00:24 +0000

I have finally sifted through most of my photos of Austria, with the exception of Vienna. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Passport to Europe: Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Brian Buettner — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:20:33 +0000

This weekend marked the five-month anniversary of being in Europe. It is hard to believe that it has been five months! I have been learning a lot and have been really busy getting ready for the New Man weekend that takes place at the North American College during the weekend following Thanksgiving Day. It will not be anywhere close to enjoying Thanksgiving Day with my family, but I guess I will try to enjoy it here. I am thankful that I will at least be able to video chat with my family on Thanksgiving Day.

Before I continue with the travel weekend, I want to describe the Italian healthcare system. I needed to get a vaccination for H1N1 Influenza (Swine Flu) because I have asthma and I always have problems with my lungs when I am ill. So, my physician from Oklahoma wrote a letter attesting to this fact and one of the Sisters of Mercy, that run our infirmary, helped me make an appointment to see a doctor close to the college. When I walked into the office I realized that the staff only spoke Italian and German. I was able to talk with the receptionist with little difficulty, but I wanted to make it clear that I was only there to get the H1N1 vaccine. To make a long story short, the doctor spoke English and gave me a full checkup. He then explained that the only way to get a vaccine in Italy is to go through the National Healthcare System. There are vaccination centers and also those same vaccines with doctors that are affiliated with the National system. He was not. Therefore, I had to pay 30 euro for a doctor’s appointment, only to get a prescription for H1N1 vaccine and then have to search for a vaccination clinic in the city. (If you are in Italy and are looking for one of these clinics here is a helpful website http://www.ecodiroma.org/-vaccinazioni-a-roma.htm). Fortunately, there is a clinic located near Castle Sant’ Angelo that I went to. I gave them to the prescription, filled out some paperwork (all in Italian), and received the shot without any problem and for free.

This last weekend was a travel weekend here at the North American College. After my morning classes at the Gregorian University, I walked back to the college for lunch, went to my doctor’s appointment (see above), and then met three of my seminarian friends at the Saint Peter Train Station. The station is located very near to the North American College, but the only way to get to it is by walking all the way to St. Peter’s Basilica and then walking to the station. Still, it is not a long walk.

We decided to visit Romania for the weekend because the US Dollar was not as weak there, but I was shocked by how much I liked the town of Cluj, Romania. We took a two-hour flight via a cheap airline, W!zz Air, and flew into the town of Cluj. (W!ZZ Air is a great airline with new planes and a kind crew). The airport was very small and the weather was very cold. It was after 11pm when we arrived and we quickly took a taxi to our hotel in the historic center of the town. We stayed at the Hotel Melody and spent the evening exploring the town. Everything about the town was great! There were very large pedestrian walkways with trees and water fountains. There were also monuments and pieces of art scattered throughout the area. We also found the huge Basilica of Saint Michael, which was located next to our hotel. There were also Catholic and Orthodox churches scattered everywhere.

My favorite part of the trip was the weather. While it was very cold, it was also foggy and misty the entire time. It really felt like I was in a different country. We went to the Iulius Mall on Saturday, which was located a few kilometers away from the historic center. Walking up to the mall reminded me of malls in the US. Our first order of business when we reached the mall was to visit Starbucks! I had a good hot chocolate and then called my family with their wifi connection. We then wondered through the mall, ate lunch at Pizza Hut, and then went to see a movie in English with Romanian subtitles. It felt like being in the United States, but not. It was a nice trip and cost me less than $200 for everything (plane, hotel, transportation, food). Romania will be switching to the Euro in a couple years, so the prices will go up. I am glad I had a chance to go there now and I will try to go back before they switch to the Euro.

Daily Picture 25-Nov-09: Dilapidated Art Nouveau Window

Valentin Mandache — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:38:14 +0000

Exquisite end c19th Art Nouveau style window from a dilapidated, nearly ruined historic house, Lascar area, Bucharest. (©Valentin Mandache)

Dear Historic Houses of Romania readers,

Best regards,

Valentin

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I endeavor through this daily image series to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural heritage.

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Daily Picture 25-Nov-09: Dilapidated Art Nouveau Window

Valentin Mandache — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:29:07 +0000

Exquisite end c19th window, Art Nouveau style recycling local Ottoman motifs, from a dilapidated, nearly ruined historic house, Lascar area, Bucharest. (©Valentin Mandache)

The house is in a zone abounding in unoccupied modern low-quality office blocks, some of them half-built and abandoned, that replaced countless other historic houses during the rapacious Romanian property development boom/bubble of the last few years.

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I endeavor through this daily image series to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural heritage.

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J.rumy, Tajikistan

Seth Appell — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:06:56 +0000

Mutabarhon Abdulloeva About the Entrepreneur Name: Mutabarhon Abdulloeva Location: J.rumy, Tajikista

Save the Children dishes the "orphans" statistics

osolomama — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 01:50:39 +0000

The well-known international charity Save the Children has done its own research in Central and Eastern Europe, Indonesia, and Africa and has concluded that four out of five “orphans” have, in fact, one living parent, usually living in the same community as the orphanage.

According to Voice of America,

In a new report, the charity describes how children are treated as commodities in an industry that recruits children in order to profit from international adoption and child trafficking.

Louise Melville from Save the Children says in some countries running an orphanage is lucrative because, she says, governments and well-intentioned donors invest heavily in orphan care.

“Orphanages tend to attract a lot of donations from well meaning individuals, churches and other organizations,” she said. “And I think a lot of people don’t realize that the vast majority of children in those orphanages have one or both parents living in the same community as their child.”

Had a hard time locating the actual name of this report but I finally found it in this press release from Save the Children Canada. The report is called Keeping Children Out of Harmful Institutions. I have yet to find a link to the report itself, but the Canadian press release contains more information about the publication and the findings than the Voice of America article. Example, from the Canadian newswire:

In Central and Eastern Europe almost every child in an institution – 98% – has at least one living parent. In Indonesia that figure is at 94% and in Ghana 90%.

It’s time for everyone to retire the 143 million figure when talking about adoption.

Albania > Business Resources

dhowinvestor — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:28:13 +0000

See more information on how to incorporate a business in Albania. For additional resources:

Daily Picture 24-Nov-09: Art Deco Frieze

Valentin Mandache — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 07:53:55 +0000

Dear Historic Houses of Romania readers,

Best regards,

Valentin

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I endeavor through this daily image series to inspire appreciation of the historic houses of Romania, a virtually undiscovered, but fascinating chapter of European architectural heritage.

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