blog

Making films is probably the most boring profession in the world — as well as the most glamorous.  They say making films is like going to war: lots of hanging around while not knowing what the hell is going on; and then a sudden, brief, unsatisfactory burst of action.

Although documentaries are generally more boring than feature films they can be more interesting to make.  When making observational documentaries, you follow an interesting character around and let him tell the story; this means you constantly hear unexpected things, get led into unexpected places, meet new people — none of which would be possible in a feature film in which every word, gesture and action is controlled. read more…

In Romania, as in every country, there are stereotypes about which places are worth visiting. If I tell people I am from Scotland many say they would love to visit Edinburgh but it is rare you hear people saying they want to see Glasgow, which is a more interesting city in many ways. When I travelled round India (20 years ago) everyone said I should avoid Calcutta (now Kalkota) as it is just a vast sprawling slum full of insolent Bengalis. But I found it to be the most compelling place in India. read more…

Did almost half a decade of Communism rob us of our sense of beauty? Did not owing property make us lose all interest in the aesthetic of living space? Or maybe the constant worry about tomorrow makes you immune to our surroundings? These are the only arguments that somewhat comfort me for the ugliness that is all around us: buildings, window shops, streets, restaurants. People in Romania don’t seem to care much about making a space (private, public) nice.

Walking into a beautiful building or strolling on a pretty street can be so relaxing. It can take your mind off your daily troubles. It can make a trip to the grocery pleasant. It can soften the horrors of waiting in line for useless paperwork at the Mayor’s Office. read more…

When I saw Romania’s army marching through Bucharest last week it struck me how out of date Romania’s military is. The brass band music and gendarme uniforms are from nineteenth century France, the authoritarian voice-over and elderly commanders are from Soviet Russia, and the 50 ton tanks are WW2.  None of it is useful against modern day threats.

An out of date army is designed to resist territorial invasion whereas a modern army is a flexible unit which can respond immediately to unknown threats.  Unfortunately read more…

My knowledge of politics and economics is very limited. Truth be told both sciences bore me and politics in particular makes me nauseous, especially in Romania. Before having Alex, my daughter, I would always read or watch the news, because I wanted to be informed and because I found it entertaining. Now, most of the news stories are such downers: world economy is collapsing, our planet is dying, PD-L is best chums with PSD (how a liberal party and a socialist one can ever form a partnership should be beyond our comprehension). read more…

One day, a very brave woman got on the case of a young man for throwing his empty cigarette pack in the park. She almost got beat up. I was cowardly watching, deciding it was best not to intervene, fearing for my own safety. While I admire the woman for her courage and conviction, a conviction which I share, I do believe it was not her duty to teach the young man a lesson. It is the duty of the civil society. Unless a national anti littering campaign is made, single acts of bravery like this one will only put people in danger without making a major and lasting change. read more…

Trying to compete with the west when it comes to tourism cannot succeed if the locations and infrastructure are as poor as they are in Romania. Romania’s beaches and ski resorts are promoted abroad even though they cannot possibly compete with what Turkey, Bulgaria, Croatia and Hungary have to offer – not to mention France, Spain and Italy. read more…

Romania’s Senate has passed a law which obliges the media to present an equal proportion of positive news, in order to balance the “bad” news in the Romanian media. One of the most extraordinary facts about this law is that it was passed unanimously by Romania’s Senate. What were they thinking?

The implications of this media law are boggling: to impose a “positive news” rule on a free media is technically impossible in an open society. To do so would require a comprehensive system of censorship, a clampdown on freedom of expression that would be inadmissible within the EU; it would debilitate the media and be a throwback to the Communist era. It would be unacceptable to the media, the government, the public and the EU. It is unworkable, unthinkable, impossible. read more…

Whining is fun, for both the whiner and the … whinee? Don’t we all like to complain, or hear about other people’s misery. Human nature, I guess. That’s why scandal sells. I also suspect misery in general is more creative. How many happy rock stars have you heard about recently? Our blog is mostly complaints, as you can see if you browse all the articles. I want to break this habit and write a happy, and hopefully not to boring, post. About how much I like my new city: Brasov.

My husband and I moved to Brasov in January 2008, one month before our daughter, Alex, was born. She was the main reason for our move. Both of us had lived in read more…

Imagine a form of transport that is virtually free, gets you healthy, and can get you anywhere within Bucharest in less than an hour. Is the humble bicycle the answer to our transport problems?

Anxiety is growing about the price of oil, which has quadrupled in recent years and shows no sign of coming down in price. Suddenly, renewable energy and alternative forms of transport are looking more attractive than ever before.

As a long term resident of Bucharest (I first came here in 1986) I can guarantee that there is no better way of getting around town than a bicycle; it is fast, cheap and healthy. And I have tried it all: car, bus, tram, metro, foot, skateboard. Cycling is ideal for business people as they value their time, health and money. But you do have to be aware of the risks. read more…