Last week the weather was warm and beautiful. I saw the sun everyday and had lunch with a friend, both of which helped my psyche immensely. Dan and I also joined a gym a couple of weeks ago, and that has encouraged me to get out, too. When the sun is shining, I make a point of strolling through the beautiful parks in the late afternoon. Cathedral Park is a gathering place. Along one side of the daily papers have been posted for all to read. People sit on the benches, chat, and enjoy the weather. Mothers with toddlers and strollers come each afternoon to let their children play in front of the cathedral. Men, mostly, play chess nearby.
The triumphal arch on Stefan cel Mare Boulevard sits directly across the park from the Cathedral.
Diagonal from the arch is another park. This one is named for Stefan cel Mare who was a king in the 15th century. Since it has been cold all the fountains have all been turned off.
The park was established in the late 19th century.
My Moldovan friend Lidia whom I met in Macedonia came to Moldova to visit her family this week. She currently lives in Finland where the weather is both colder and darker. We met Friday at noon and she took me to lunch. It was wonderful to be able to chat with a friend and compare life in Moldova and Finland.
On Sunday afternoon, Dan and I went to a park called Parcul Valea Trandafirilor located in the Botanica district which is south of the center. The air was filled with smoke from barbeques and the aroma of cooking meats. There were family picnics, brides, and horse rides for children. Here are some of my favorite photos from yesterday.
Parcul Valea Trandafirilor has a chain of three small lakes. We saw several fishermen along the edge. One guy had a net attached to his pole. Every so often he'd pull up the net and put the tiny little fish into his bait bucket.
Two of the lakes rent small peddle boats shaped like swans or dolphins.
Once the light was gone, we walked back to our apartment.
We're hoping to visit the eastern portion of Romania next weekend.
Beautiful pictures. I especially like the fisherman and the trees reflected in the water.
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