On the way into Bucharest, we passed an abandoned "gypsy castle," which faced its twin across the road.

More gray apartment buildings.

We met with even more hordes of tourist buses when we stopped at the mall, as modern as anywhere and big enough to handle us all easily.

One neat thing was the areas they had for children on each floor, with young entertainers, crafts and games.

A street sign from through the bus window.

A statute of King Carol I, from better days in the 1800s

 Had to include this, the offices of the Jurnalul national newspaper, with an online version, in Romanian, of course.

Carved walls flank the Military Academy. Top (I think), is Romanian history up to WWII. Bottom, during Communist rule (glorified)

The Palace of Parliament is considered the "greatest folly" of the totalitarian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu, who was overthrown in a revolt in December 1989.

Sometimes called the "baked potato," the many stories-tall pinnacle represents bursting through the dark times after the December 1989 revolt.

This mural on the wall of our hotel room at the Ramada Plaza also seemed to speak of peace.