Balkan Tour (15) Bucharest, the Capital of Romania.

Traveling Together Season 8 - Balkan Tour (15) Bucharest, the Capital of Romania Bucharest - Sinaia - Brasov, Romania July 3, 2019, sunny to cloudy with showers, 20-30°C. Romania, the largest country in the Balkans, is located in the northeastern part of the Balkan Peninsula in southeastern Europe. Romania is a member of NATO and the European Union. With a GDP per capita of nearly 8,000 euros, it is in the upper middle class of the Balkan Peninsula. Morning tour of Bucharest (Figures 1-5) Bucharest, the capital and largest city of Romania, is also the sixth largest city in the European Union. The Palace of Parliament (formerly the People's Palace) (Figure 6) is located in the center of Bucharest. Construction began in 1984, with a building area of 330,000 square meters, a main building height of 84 meters, 11 floors above ground, and 7 floors underground. It is said to be the second largest administrative building in the world after the Pentagon in the United States. The design and construction of the building were completed by Romanians themselves, and most of the building materials and furniture were produced in Romania. It is now regarded as a crystallization of the diligence and wisdom of the Romanian people and is considered the greatest building of the 20th century in the country. Before noon, we drove to Sinaia, and arrived at the beautiful and quiet mountain garden town of Sinaia at 13:30 (Figures 7-8). After lunch, the first shower of the trip fell, accompanied by hail. As soon as the rain stopped, we visited Peles Castle. Although it is called a castle, it is actually the summer palace of King Carol more than 140 years ago and is considered one of the most beautiful castles in the world (Figure 9). It is said that more than 100 million dollars were spent on its construction. It is a Gothic building with a floor area of 3,200 square meters and 168 rooms, each divided into different themes about world culture according to style and use. Thirty-five of the rooms are open to the public, and the basement museum and first-floor rooms can be visited (photography is restricted). The interior of the palace is magnificent and luxurious. There are weapon halls, council halls, offices, music halls, banquet halls, small theaters, bedrooms, living rooms, and more. 17:00 Drive to Brasov. Stay at HOTEL RAMADA in the evening.