We've been visitng a local park on Sundays, trying to get the feel of the place. Tucked into a corner of the hectic downtown is a garden called Parcul Cismigiu. I guess you'd pronounce it "cheese-me-gee-oo." It's quite an oasis here. Originally designed in 1830 years ago by a German architect as Prince Georghe Bibescu's private garden, today it is the city's backyard. Surrounded by concrete and glass towers, you barely realize that the towers are there.
Because the park was the "royal gardens," I'm reminded that Romania has a long and elaborate history of rulers, kings and the such. I wish I could understand it all. Technically there is still a king, King Mihai, who lives in Germany. He was around 17 years old, barely a king, and the communists "asked him to leave," as we say, and he left. Probably better than death. He is often here, on the news and his family is still well-known, just not in any "royal capacity." They own a lot of proerty and recently received back lots of things communist government took away from them decades ago.
The older people miss having a royal family. Wonder if it would work again??
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