• Dave HipplerRomania and MoldovaTraveler
    1Technical University Library Biblioteca Universității Tehnice Gheorghe Asachi Iaşi
    1Technical University Library Biblioteca Universității Tehnice Gheorghe Asachi IaşiOur comfy apartmentThe Technicial University LibraryView from our roomThe Opera HouseMetropolitan Cathedral1Metropolitan CathedralThe Opera HouseThe Three Holy Hierarchs Monastery Mănăstirea Sfinții Trei IerarhiThe Three Holy Hierarchs Monastery Mănăstirea Sfinții Trei IerarhiThe Three Holy Hierarchs Monastery Mănăstirea Sfinții Trei IerarhiTechnical University Library Biblioteca Universității Tehnice Gheorghe Asachi IaşiTechnical University Library Biblioteca Universității Tehnice Gheorghe Asachi IaşiTechnical University Library Biblioteca Universității Tehnice Gheorghe Asachi IaşiStudent art exhibit at the Technical UniversityExhibition Park Parcul ExpozițieiI didn't get a cake for Deanne's 66th, so I took her to an Orthodox church on a holy dayThe clock tower of the palace of cultureAt the Opera House2Eminescu's Linden Tree. He is Romania's national poetThe Pogrom museumBehind the Palace of Culture there are about a dozen nice restaurants in a beautiful parkDeanne's 66th birthday at the Opera House in Iasi

    Gosh, Iasi

    Aug 31–Sep 2 in Romania ⋅ ☀️ 90 °F

    Pronounced "Yawsh", Iasi is Romania's third city. We weren't expecting much, but gosh it was sure nice. It was the former capital of the principality of Moldavia. That included much of what is now the country of Moldova. Confusing, yes.

    It's the seat of Romanian literature. Many famous writers and poets are from here and there are no less than 17 literature museums!

    It didn't seem to get many tourists and that's okay with us. People were super friendly and there's a fair amount of interesting buildings, especially the exquisite Monastery of the Three Holy Hierarchs.

    Like every apartment we've rented on the trip so far, the exterior and entrance to the apartments are pretty scary looking. But once inside, the apartments are newly refurbished and ours was no exception. We are paying 50 to 70 dollars a night for really nice apartments. Hotels are usually about twice as much and not conveniently located. This one included full breakfasts at the cafe on the street down below. If we had to pay for the breakfast separately, that would equal about half of the apartment cost.

    The real highlight in town, the Palace of Culture, which sits at the end of the pedestrian street, was closed on the days we were there. So while we missed out on the four museums inside the beautiful building, that gave us time to explore other parts of town.

    We did step inside a small museum with a Jewish Pogrom exhibit. Romanian fascists sided with the Nazis in World War Two. They killed many Jews from this area by putting them on cramped trains and drove them around in the summer heat until 95% of them died.

    One of the highlights of our short stay was a visit to the technical University library. It was very Harry Potteresque. The self tour of the Opera House was so fun also. It was designed by the Austrian architects Fellner and Helmer who built dozens of opera houses around Europe. Most of the visit we were the only ones in there! And it cost $2 each. I think we paid $40 each in Buenos Aires last year.

    Iasi is definitely off the tourist path, but it was well worth the stay since we were in the area. Next up we're headed to Transylvania where most of the tourist sites in Romania lie.

    More photos and videos are here.
    https://photos.app.goo.gl/WD5dPdqrsvUJUkATA    Read more