retiredmartin

March 2025. Iaşi. Romania.

A last one from Iaşi, I promise.

But, like Duncan in 2019, whose photo I steal with pride, I can’t ignore.

“the trams, those lovely trams“, even if that seems to close to a Father Ted reference for comfort.

We succumbed to the 68p for 2 hours of tram travel ticket after walking round the Opera house,

where the props were being unloaded.

As a classical music buff, I can tell you with complete certainty this was a performance of Bruckner’s “The Golden Chicken”.

Mrs RM had put little Romanian flags on the Google map, marking the must-sees. The highlights that weren’t churches or craft bars were around the stately University, where the trams took us now.

Copou Gardens are home to a famous Linden tree in the centre of a spotless park, but it’s the art along the width of Alexandru Ioan Cuza University you head for.

Modern and memorable.

The No. 28 then gives us a complete circuit of inner Iasi in squashed carriages designed to prevent you validating your ticket. Jump off at Bun Market which has the biggest displays of onions and goats cheese in Europe,

but sadly no bar.

The pedestrian walkway over the almost entirely unused railway lines takes you to the rather busier bus station,

where you’re suddenly glad you kept back those two 1 Lei notes for the loo (“a lei for the loo” ?), and immediately regret ordering the Crispy Chicken Sandwich With Fries just before a 3 hour coach trip.

“But what is life without regret“, as that famous line in “The Golden Chicken” goes.