Why Romania?

Disneyland, Paris

I was in Paris and I just couldn't talk myself into another museum or another beautiful church or another parliament building, so what do I do on a clear day in Paris? I went to Disneyland. I'd read the book Disney Wars which talked about how Eisner built the Disney castle like a real castle to impress the French. Because in California you can get away with basic geometric shapes made out of plastic, but here, in Europe, they know a real castle when they see it.

That waterfall is just to the left of the castle's entrance. The inside of the castle has a couple stores as there are stores every ten fight as you cross the park. Also though are huge stained glass windows which depict different Disney stories (or stories that Disney has made its own) with a story book on a podium in front of them.

I would actually love to have a house which looked like this.

For a twenty-seven-year-old visiting Disneyland without kids, really, you just have the roller coasters. The picture above is of the Indiana Jones ride which at least had one loop in it. The one below is of the Rocky Mountain Railroad, which I think they have something similar in California. It was pretty mild, but very cool looking. 90% of the ride is on that island. However, to get to that island the ride has to take you through an unlit underground tunnel beneath the lake.

I didn't quite capture the fact that everyone is jumping up and down to shake the bridge.

No, I didn't go on this. But shouldn't this be "C'est terra mic" or something like that? French people help me out.

Space Mountain was my favorite of the roller coasters there. Unfortunately, I don't have anything to show because you don't ever see much. I think there is a corkscrew and definitely a loop, but I'm not sure because all I ever saw were dimly lit models of planets flying past my head. Space Mountain might require a space cake.

I'll leave you with this very cool moving statue in Discoveryland near Space Mountain.

Chocolat

Just as I'm getting ready to leave Romania, a cafe opens in my building just down stairs. Its called Chocolat and here is what I picked up there today. I have no idea what its called. I just pointed to it.

After breaking through its thin layer of chocolate skin, this is what's inside.

On the one hand its nice to be able to go down stairs and buy bread when I need it (although far more expensive than a local market). On the other hand its too much temptation as I'm walking up to the door of my building at night.

Most restaurants in my neighborhood take a couple months to get rolling after they've opened. This place is packed in its first week. They hired a publicist to promote the restaurant prior to its opening. Although I haven't talked to any other restaurant owners about opening restaurants, I'd guess a publicist is pretty unique for Bucharest.