Bucharest Blues & Damp Socks: A Drummer's Dispatch

okay, so bucharest. i didn’t really know what to expect, honestly. got booked for a gig - some weird experimental jazz thing at a club called Quantic - and just…showed up. landed, grabbed a taxi (seriously, the taxi drivers here are characters), and immediately felt this…humidity. i just checked and it’s clinging to everything like a lovesick octopus. there right now, hope you like that kind of thing.

My kit arrived, thankfully intact, and the club was…interesting. Dim lighting, a lot of cigarette smoke (even though it’s technically banned, apparently), and a surprisingly enthusiastic crowd for avant-garde jazz. The band was cool, though. A violinist who looked like she’d rather be anywhere else, a bassist who kept muttering about existential dread, and a pianist who could play the phone book and make it sound profound. We killed it, I think. Or at least, we didn’t completely bomb.

I’m staying in this tiny apartment near *Universității Square. It’s…cozy. Let’s go with cozy. The building itself is gorgeous, all crumbling Art Deco details, but the plumbing is…a suggestion. I swear, the showerhead delivers more of a lukewarm mist than a proper shower. Still, it’s cheap, and it’s central. If you get bored, Ploiești and Brașov are just a short drive away - both worth checking out, I’ve heard.

Speaking of things I’ve heard… someone told me that the Caru' cu Bere restaurant is a tourist trap, but the atmosphere is worth it. Apparently, the food is decent, but the prices are inflated. Drunk advice, probably, but I’m going to check it out anyway. I need to eat something other than lukewarm instant noodles. I found a decent coffee shop nearby, though - Momo - seriously good espresso. Check it out if you're in the area. TripAdvisor has some mixed reviews, but hey, what doesn't?

I spent yesterday wandering around Lipscani, the old town. It’s a maze of cobblestone streets, packed with bars, restaurants, and souvenir shops. It’s definitely got a vibe, a bit chaotic, a bit gritty, but in a good way. I stumbled upon this tiny vintage shop - Retrograd - and almost blew my entire budget on a ridiculously oversized tweed jacket. I managed to restrain myself, though. Barely. Yelp has some good recommendations for vintage finds in the area.

“Don’t trust the pigeons,” a woman muttered to me while I was trying to take a photo of the Romanian Athenaeum. “They’re spies.” I just nodded and kept snapping pictures. Bucharest is weird, man.

I’m trying to find some decent drum shops here. My snare head is looking a little worse for wear. Found a forum online - Bucharest Musicians' Board - that might have some leads. Fingers crossed.

Honestly, the dampness is getting to me. My socks are perpetually soggy. I’m pretty sure I’m developing a permanent sheen. But hey, at least the music’s good. And the people are…interesting. I’m also trying to find some good street art. I heard there’s a whole scene around Calea Victoriei. I’ll check it out tomorrow. Maybe I’ll even try to sketch something myself. I’m terrible at drawing, but what’s the worst that could happen?

Oh, and one more thing. Someone warned me about pickpockets in the Old Town*. Apparently, they’re pretty skilled. Keep your valuables close, folks. That’s all for now. Gotta go dry my socks.