Archive for the ‘Bucharest’ Category
Car Towing
July 15th, 2010 | 
Author: IMPORTANT: The information given in this chapter is from December 2009; regularly check the Online Survival Guide for updates!
Parking is one of the biggest infrastructure issues in the city. Because there are insufficient parking meters, cars are parked everywhere including on sidewalks, in cross walks, at bus stops and where ‘No Parking’ signs are clearly posted! To make things worse, there is a lot of confusion about towing. Since new regulations were recently announced, a lot more cars are being towed. To help you (and us) make some sense of the whole issue, we called the police directly; below you will find what we learned.
There are several fees you will have to pay for a violation: the lifting, towing and storage fees (listed below by sector) are different in each sector! But in addition to these fees, the police will fine you personally for the violation and will give you penalty points on your licence: Personal violation fee: RON 216 (or RON 108 if paid within 24 hours) + 3 Penalty Points.
You will need several documents to retrieve your vehicle: the vehicle registration, personal identification (passport, visa card, or national ID), and the driver’s license of the person responsible for the violation.
Sector 1
Storage Facility
Address: Aleea Matelotilor Nr. 31-43
Phone: +40 021 95 40 or +40 021 66 76 772; +40 021 66 76 772
Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00-22:00; Sunday 8:00-1400
For violations in Sector 1, here are the fines:
Lifting fee: RON 200 + VAT;
Transport fee: RON 200 + VAT;
Storage fee for vehicles less than 3.5 metric tons: RON 300 + VAT;
Storage fee for vehicles more than 3.5 metric tons: RON 400 + VAT.
The lifting, transport and storage of vehicles happens 24/7. After a period of 30 days, unclaimed vehicles will be declared abandoned and therefore property of the sector, and are likely to be sold for revenue.
Sector 2
Storage Facility
Address: Fabricii St. Nr. 2
Phone: +40 021 310 45 90; +40 021 310 45 90
Schedule: None Given
At the gate you will have to present your identification (residency permit, passport, national ID) and they will take down your data. Then you can enter the storage house, and retrieve your vehicle. The fines are as follow:
Lifting fee: RON 130 + VAT
Transport fee: RON 130 + VAT
Storage fee: RON 180 + VAT
Sector 3
Storage Facility
Address: Sos. Dudesti, Pantelimon Nr. 2– 6
Phone: +40 021 95 43; +40 021 96 40; or +40 0761 118 976; +40 0761 118 976
Schedule: None Given
The fines are as follow:
Lifting fee: RON 200 + VAT
Transport fee: RON 150 + VAT
Storage fee: RON 150 + VAT
Sectors 4 and 5
At the time of publication, these sectors did not have a parking violation system implemented, but you can check the Online Survival Guide for updates! Just search for ‘Towing’.
Sector 6
Storage Facility
Address: Drumul Mânăstirea Văratec, Nr. 14-16
Phone: +40 021 95 46
Schedule: None Given
The fines are as follow:
Lifting fee: RON 150 + VAT
Transport fee: RON 150 + VAT
Storage fee: RON 200 + VAT per day
If you’ve paid for a parking space and someone parked there, call the institution, company, or person that gave you the parking space first. There is a parking office in the jurisdiction of every sector. Or, you can use the Romanian method: stop your car next to the vehicle in your spot and simply honk your horn until they come and move their car. It is surprisingly effective. If they don’t come, or it happens more than once, lift up their windshield wipers: this will let them know they are in the wrong spot!
You can also call the police in your sector to report the violation: they probably won’t tow the car (because they tow cars based on a pre-determined plan), but they may fine them.
And remember, always call the police in your sector if your car is missing; if it wasn’t towed, it is probably stolen!
HINT: You can find the numbers for Police Stations in each sector in the Emergency Telephone Numbers Section!
All About Money Magazine Article from City Compass
Originally published in All About Money Magazine March 1, 2010
Tom Sawyer in Romania
By Mateo Urquijo
In a recent conversation, I asked a Romanian colleague of mine what he thought about hierarchy in business. He told me that business hierarchy in Romania was culturally traditional, although in his companies, he has adopted a much more progressive view. When I asked him exactly what he meant, he explained that oftentimes, an employer is seen not only as a superior within the company, but also as a kind of social superior: a life-mentor who guides an employee’s personal career development. Slightly confused, I asked him exactly what do you mean? He said, “I’ll give you an example. If a boss told an employee ‘today you are not going to do your normal job; you are going to my house to paint my fence,’ they would do it.” Astonished, I said, “Ok, but your employees are all accountants and consultants.” He explained again that he was more progressive, that he expected his people to take on a great deal of personal responsibility for their work and he personally wouldn’t ask them to do something like this. But, theoretically, they would. He was quick to add that not every employer asks their employees to do things like this, but still, it was possible.
I really thought about this. In my work experience, I’ve had only one employer whose fence I would’ve painted had he told me to: the owner of a construction company I worked for during college. Had any other employer told me to paint their fence, I would’ve thought that they were crazy. I would have thought, that’s not in my job description. I still might have done it, but I would have asked, “How much extra you are going to pay me?” If they had said it was part of my career development, and that I wasn’t getting paid extra, I would have instantly thought they were trying to scam me. And anyhow, did I really trust any of my employers to develop my career?
What is of particular interest to me is the idea (I am genuinely intrigued) that there is something like an even remotely universal understanding of this topic in Romania. I can say that with the possible exception of certain parts of the government, American businesses and organisations are pretty much autonomous in their approaches to internal structures. Go into a bookstore and you will find an endless supply of books on the topic: from Management for Dummies, to Models, Methods, Concepts & Applications of the Analytic Hierarchy Process, everyone seems to have the new ‘best’ idea for how to organise a company’s internal hierarchical structures. In fact, companies themselves sometimes use their internal structures to lure employees. Google cleverly refers to their internal hierarchical structure as ‘culture’ rather than a systematised organisation process. But then, maybe I am wrong; I never worked for Google. Better, here are a couple examples of what I mean from personal experience:
I worked for a time (also in college) for Starbucks. Their general philosophy was that they had no hierarchy; every employee was a ‘partner’ in the company. This meant that instead of an employee ID number, you got a Partner Number. Instead of employee meeting, it was a Partner’s Meeting, and so on. I was sceptical of all of this because we still had a manger after all, as well as a regional manager etc., all the way up. But the more I learned, the more convinced I became. For example, in addition to truly terrific benefits like full health coverage options even for part-time employees (this is truly incredible in America), I learned that all employees can buy stock in the company at reduced rates. So someone at a lower-level could become vested in the company and while a shareholder is something different from a ‘partner,’ it is a better deal than a mere stakeholder.
And it worked. People I worked with, after becoming owners of shares, suddenly worked harder, were quicker to point out their colleagues’ mistakes, and generally provided better customer service. The epiphany of direct profit returns encouraged the behaviour of the company’s lowest-level employees to change, oftentimes, radically. That is not to say they were bad workers beforehand, but when their interest was direct, so was their motivation.
Still, being a lowest-level employee myself, I can say that even with stock, it wasn’t all direct profits and corporate adulation. There were daily reminders of your place in the actual hierarchy. Like the time an angry customer demanded that I “do something” about an expired coupon he wanted Starbucks to honour. What could I say? “Sir, I make $7 per hour. They pay me to follow policy, not to make it.”
Another example is hierarchy in the airline industry. When I worked for a mid-sized airline for several years, I learned exactly what the word ‘hierarchy’ means. Of course the flight crews have a hierarchical system that is completely and militaristically rigid. The captain is in total command of the aircraft while it is underway (also legally responsible). The first officer (and subsequent officers on larger planes) is under the captain’s command, as well as the rest of the flight crew (flight attendants etc.). They wear stripes to indicate rank, and the whole thing resembles military hierarchy, because, well that’s where it comes from. Ok, but the airline’s internal corporate structures are also quite interesting.
I worked as a flight coordinator, managing ground crews. Every so often we would get new ‘internal crew members’ from the corporate office. At first, I was confused. Why would someone in the corporate office come out to work on a ground crew, tossing bags, fuelling, and dumping the plane’s toilets? I learned that in the corporate office there is a glass ceiling; you can only climb so high on the corporate ladder if you don’t have grunt-work experience. So you would see a mid-level financial analyst with an MBA come down after work, take his $400 shoes off, and learn how to drive a bag train or clean toilets from a sweaty 20 year-old. It was a terrific system because everyone had to do grunt-level work for at least six months in order to advance in the company. In this way, when people at the top made decisions about people at the bottom, they could think in very real experiential terms, what this meant (as well as having a more well-rounded idea of company operations).
Hierarchy also manifested itself in the airline through its benefits. There was health insurance option, but far more glamorous were the flight benefits. You could fly for free anywhere with our airline, depending on how many empty seats there were. We could also fly for free, or very cheaply (normally just paying taxes), with nearly every other airline in the world (e.g. Chinese airlines were notably excepted). But there were rules about how this worked. Pilots and flight crews oftentimes live in different cities and commute, so their priority was among the highest. They could also jump-seat, which means they could sit in flight crew-only seats: in the cockpit, there are seats for an additional pilot, for example. Next, it was corporate officers, and then down the line. But what if you have two people with the same job who want to get on the same flight and there is only one seat available? Seniority by time with the company rules here. So if I have worked longer for the company than my colleague, I get to fly.
Of course this system is terrific for maintaining employee loyalty as well. My airline didn’t have a very high turnover rate at the lowest levels compared to other industries, which was great for the airline since the training process was extremely expensive. Instead, even people that were discontent with their jobs would continue to work because of the benefits their increasing seniority offered. On the other hand, to watch that financial officer you just trained waltz onto the plane ahead of you, while you waited six hours for the next flight, wasn’t very inspiring.
In the end, many different internal hierarchical structures seem to work well. Still, I can’t seem to shake this idea of the Romanian boss and the fence. But then, today I thought I might have understood. Having thought about this question a lot, I woke up this morning having dreamt about Mark Twain’s Tom Sawyer. In one story, Tom must paint a fence instead of going out to play. But when his friends come by and laugh at him, he slyly pretends that painting the fence is a special honour. His friends are naturally intrigued and ask him if they too can try. After he pretends to consider the issue, he lets them, but only in return for something: some marbles, an apple, etc. In the end, the friends end up painting the whole fence for him, and Tom gets rich from the deal.
Or maybe I missed the point entirely: Am I just too American to understand this particular Romanian traditional virtue?
5 O’CLOCK TEA
Whether you are British or not, you must surely enjoy a cup of aromatic tea –with the smell of cinnamon and apple, honey or pepper tickling your nostrils. The sensation is enhanced once the tea is accompanied by a good book and chill music ‘whispering’ in the background.
If so, I could recommend the perfect place for such an experiment, namely the Act Teahouse. Placed in an old-style house on Victoriei Street, it is an oasis of silence, contrasting with the noisily combustion in the street. (http://www.teatrulact.ro/index.php?pag=contact). An old-style elevator takes you to the 2nd floor, where you can easily recognize the entrance by the many posters promoting cultural events.
Seated on one of the red couches, your wondering eyes lay upon many shelves of books, beautifully crafted decorative items, flowers and paintings. There is even an oriental room, where you can sit on pillows, in a diffuse light.
The prices are acceptable (10 lei/ tea) and there are more than 20 types of tea to order, together with delicious cookies, brown sugar and honey. Also, the teahouse organizes many cultural events, such as piano concerts, art exhibitions or theatre plays. You just have to follow their blog. (http://www.teatrulact.ro/index.php?pag=sala&cat=program)
I hope I have raised your interest. If so, I wish you a lovely time at the Act Teahouse!
A COLORFUL STROLL
For those of you who have seen What Dreams May Come (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120889/), you surely remember the scene when Robbie Williams plunges into a heaven made of different hues of colorful paint. A turquoise bird, orange clouds or a purple tree – all brushed in vivid colors with exquisite paintbrushes.
Coming back to reality, a lovely place where you can stop by and recreate that colorful atmosphere is the Hanul cu Tei bazaar. You should look for an antique street in the old centre of Bucharest, crowded with art stores and antiquity galleries. Once you step into these stores, you are surely taken aback by the multitude of pencils, the ‘explosion’ of colors, the diversity of paintbrushes or the quality of drawing paper. (http://www.bucharest-driver.com/images/hanul_cu_tei.jpg)
Also, do not overlook the antique galleries. Your inquisitive spirit will surely get lost among tables teeming with different antiquities – from old watches and decorative items, to vessels and coins. In other words, it is the perfect way to stroll among different periods in history.
So, if you have an artistic inclination, if you want to wander in the old centre of Bucharest or if you simply liked the movie scene, Hanul cu Tei bazaar is a must destination. For the exact direction, here you have a link with the detailed map. (http://www.sapteseri.ro/ro/detalii-loc/galeria-hanul-cu-tei-ceramica-7/bucuresti/)
A lovely day!
Top Five
Flower shop
Here are the Top Five shops in Bucharest regarding popularity or rather level of extension (in my opinion – please leave a comment with your own personal Top Five list or continue mine until the Top Ten):
Mini Market
5. Mom-and-Pop grocery stores
4. Pharmacies
3. Flower shops
2. Amanet (pawnshop)
And the winner is:
1. Fornetti
- our all beloved puff pastry producer.
I argue that what is the bocadillo for Spain, the sandwich for GB, the Wurstsemmel for Austria and the onigiri for Japan, that’s puff pastry and strudel for Romania! The little, cheap, very tasty and highly caloric snack for in between the meals.
Big Three: Fornetti, Amanet, Pharmacy
You can find all these different kinds of shops in amazing quantities all over the city.
The last picture is supposed to underline the above said.
Chinese Grocery Store
Chinese Grocery Store
Are you looking for a place where to buy Chinese/Japanese foodstuff in Bucharest and have so far only found dried layers of seaweed (nori), Japanese horseradish (wasabi) and soy sauce in the shelves of the big supermarket chains? If the answer is yes, I have good news for you (if the answer is no, please have a look at the last sentence of this post!):
I discovered a decent little Chinese grocery store (no Japanese products though) in Colentina. If you head north-east from Obor on Şoseaua Colentina, it’s after Strada Sportului on the right side, directly on Şoseaua Colentina. If you take tramway nr. 21, get off at “Sportului”. The shop is right in front of the tramway station, you can’t miss it! It’s open from 8:30 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 18:00 from Mondays to Fridays, on Saturdays they close already at 15:00.
I know, it’s quite a ride out there, but maybe you want to combine it with a visit to the famous Chinese market “Dragonul Roşu” (I will write more about it in one of my next posts).
By the way, if you know any shops selling Japanese products or Tofu in Bucharest, I would be grateful for a comment!
Closed down bus stop
Bus sign
If you are taking a bus on Piaţa Dorobanţilor going to the city center, make sure you are waiting at an actual bus stop! The other day I walked by a lady waiting on the sidewalk near the sign “BUS” painted on the street… unfortunately it’s not a bus stop any more.
Abandoned bus stop
After a few seconds of consideration I decided to walk back and inform her about the changed circuit of the public transportation in this area. She was quite grateful for the information I gave her. After giving her directions where the bus is halting now, I decided to take pictures of the scenery. Just a few minutes later others were waiting at the same place in hope for a bus to arrive. I have to admit that I decided not to continue my volunteer job and rather put some info on this site.
Before, the buses made a half circle to the right at Piaţa Dorobanţilor and stopped at the rightmost point of this circuit. Now they just keep going straight on Calea Dorobanţilor and stop right in the middle of the piaţa, in front of the mini-park.
Violetta’s Vintage Kitchen
A wonderful recommendation from CityCompass Friend Natalie S.:
If you are looking for a cute, little, friendly place in the centre to stop off for Breakfast or Lunch, I would more than recommend “Violetta’s Vintage Kitchen”.
Located near the Intercontinental Hotel (on the corner of Strada Batiste, the road that runs along the back of Intercontinental, and Strada J L Calderon), it is easy to get to and has such a good Karma that you leave feeling ready to tackle the rest of the day and all the dramas that it may entail!
The dishes are completely authentic, home-cooked food, with a different menu for every day. It reminds me of going to my Grandmother’s and in fact Violetta told me that many of her recipes were passed down to her from several generations back. Wonderful!
With its cozy indoor space, lovely, private outdoor terrace through the back and the speedy service, carried out with a smile, it is sure to become one of my regular places to eat.
http://www.violetas.ro/
Another TEAHOUSE in “Little Paris”
If you are looking for one of the true oasis’ in this town: This is the place to go: Green Tea House! And it is exactly that: To start with: It is a wonderfully g r e e n oasis.The garden is beautiful with big old trees, lush rosebushes with blossoms bigger than babies heads in wonderful colours.
Green Teahouse
Second: it is all about the t e a (you can also buy some there in the cutest little “store”[more of a room].)
Third: They didn’t forget about the h o u s e: it is three storeys of beautiful little corners, niches and places. All done in a different design.
Where Serendipity (see below) tends a little more to asian style, the Green Tea House is more like the english version: White cast iron chairs and tables in the garden, lanterns, green lawn and beautiful flowers. When it comes to the house apparently they couldn’t decide so there would be one floor more asian, next more indian and last, but not least, third more grannylike/frenchish. There is a fire place, a piano and in wintertimes even a xmas tree.
Enjoy any kind of tea you can have in mind, with some wonderful cake, quiche or sandwich (I said, it is kinda english). They care for the veggie and even have tofu sandwiches. It is a cigarette-free environment but not entirely smoke-free: If you have the time, enjoy a shisha with your tea, sit back and relax and await the stars in the sky. You will feel so remote, romantic and comfortable, if you like, you can forget about Bucharest or you realize you’re right there a part of it.
It is close to Universitate, on Dr. Burghelea. Walk on Carol headed east, turn right on Sf. Stefan and cross the playground. Say hi to the securityguys at the Croatian embassy (blocked road on one side, which makes the Green Tea even more peaceful) and then just follow the street. Or look it up on a map.)) Make a reservation on weekends and order your shisha before eleven.
Nina Catherine
Posted in Bucharest, Leisure Time, Pubs&Bars&Cafe | 
Tags: Green tea house relax nice place | 
3 Comments »
A wonderful tea place
For the moment I am spending more time in Vienna than in Bucharest.
But each time I come back to Bucharest, there is something special to do or to discover.
Today I would like to share with you a wonderful tea place I visited on my last visit in Bucharest.
If you come from Piata Romana on Bd. Dacia you can have a nice walk if you take Str. Aurel Vlaicu to the right. You can have a wonderful green break first, taking Intrarea Ioanid which takes you to Parcul Ioanid. This beautiful park dates from the 19th centuries and is surrounded by old feudal houses. It is perfect to relax here on a warm spring afternoon and enjoy the quite and peaceful atmosphere of this neighbourhood.
If you take the opposit exit, it will take you to Piata Cantacuzino from where you should continue on Str. Dumbrava Rosie.There is a small entrance between majestic embassy buildings at house number 12. It will lead you to Serendipity tea house. They offer a large range of teas and service is really nice and friendly. In summer you can have a seat in the garden. The interior rooms have small separees, seperated by bamboo mats. The atmosphere is calm and relaxing. They have a strict non-smoking policy.
For sure, when I will be back to Bucharest I will take the chance again to enjoy a relaxed evening at Serendipity.
Christian Pauls
Bucharest Angel
Posted in Leisure Time, Pubs&Bars&Cafe |
Tags: bucharest place tea relaxing chill going out |
2 Comments »