I changed the title of the blog. From now on, it will not carry anymore my pseudonym, but its own title. And this change means also that the focus will modify, a little bit, as well.
In short, I want to explore - for a while - my relationship with Bucharest. As you (may) know, I was not born here and the image of this city is rather negative in that part of the country where I grew up. Partly for that, partly because of going away from home, when I came here for good, 15 years ago, I was scared and defensive. Maybe for that reason, it took me a good deal of time to fit in.
Slowly, we - the city and I - got closer and closer. I got to know new parts of the city, new situations, all adding to what I already knew when spending my holidays at my grandparents`. It took me 15 years lived here to accept my double identity, and I can say now that I care for this place as much as I care for the place where I was born.
You cannot consider Bucharest an
ugly place after getting to know it. Bucharest is just a city with a great deal of bad luck, if I may say so. A great deal of bad luck, yes. The ugliness we can see each day here is less the ugliness of the city itself than the ugliness of those who are supposed to run the place -and maybe the carelessness of some who live in it. I know a dictator and two (post-revolutionary) mairs of the city who were not born here and made decisions that greatly impacted the city. And now, it is about to lose its soul.PS. I had the occasion to see a while ago the house situated at Aviatorilor 92. It was a jewel. A recently demolished jewel - now, a 4 level glass faceted building will take its place.
2 comments:
E o scriitoare care mie-mi place mult. O cheamă Iris Murdoch și dacă te gândești să citești ceva de ea, try the original, meaning the English, not the translations - but if you must, then choose Antoaneta Ralian as the translator. Well, one feature of Dame Iris's books is her love - even if sometimes disguised in loathing - of her city, meaning London (though she was born in Dublin). You reminded me of her with your blog entry, I envy you because I only felt very very seldom - a couple of times, not many - a positive feeling, or any feeling for that matter for Bucharest. Swearing and kicking foot on the pavement out of frustration doesn't count as "feeling". That's what animals do too, when they are upset. So send my best wishes to your Bucharest, when you two next meet.
@ piticalb:
I'll send your best wishes to the city when we meet next.
I think I actually rad something written by Iris Murdoch - The Bell. Interesting novel. I still live with the idea I missed a few points. I do not know if it was enough to make me feel the love Murdoch felt for London. I guess I have to read more of her books, with this lecture key.
I came to notice some of the feelings I have for Bucharest while being away. And while people would start blaming this city for many/all the bad things this country has to suffer. It was obvious to me these people did not know all they had to know about Bucharest, in order to have a point. And besides all the bad parts there are also many good parts in B.
And, after all, I think the relation between "my Bucharest" and I is a love-hate relationship.
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