The Denver Jewish news., 1923-02-07
Rumanian Types

can buy few comforts of life he would
be deeply ashamed to buy an article of
apparel.
While the crowns were actually be-
slowed in the little Transylvanian
town of Alba Julia. almost as impor-
tant a part of the ceremony was the
entry into Bucharest, and 1t Is from
there. in 1.-The Paris of the East" that
the newly crowned monarchs probably
will continue to rule their land, in spite
of recent discussions as to the advisa-
blity Of more centrally located capi-
tai.
In addition to not being centrally To-
Gated. Bucharest has other counts
against its fitness to serve as the CAPT
tai. The water supply of Bucharest
is inadequate, the city site Is exposed
to the biting winter winds that sweep
down from Siberia: and the Roumani-
ans, who pride themselves on their
taste for the artistic, find themselves
with an outgrown and out-of-date city
on their hands, and so are considering
the idea of deserting the Paris of the
Balkans for a mountain town in the
Carpathians, FOgaras.
Walled Town Without q Wall.
Bucharest is walled town, without
the wall Crowded, as was the custom
when city walls were the main defense.
Bucharest drops away from the glitter
of the Calea Victorei and the boule-
wards TO the rundown orientalism of
the outer sections. and then abruptly
TO the empty, dusty plain. Its popula-
ton has more than doubled in the last
decade, and houses, as elsewhere in
eastern Europe. are at premium. 1t
requires influence, persistence and
bribery to get into one of the few no.
tells, the main attractions of which are
the dining rooms, often open to the sky.
The source of the marked pre-wnr
wealth of Bucharest was the big cOun-
try estates and the cheap labor. The
rich "boyar" had whole army Of re-
tainers who received little more for
their toll than did the slave in our own
country before the Civil war-their
''victuals and keep" The result was
an immense income, which found its
first expression in very fine residence
in Bucharest, and later in the mainte
nance of an ultra-eXpensive establish
ment. 1t is said that the Roumanian
government has the finest home for its
foreign ministry to he found in all Eu-
rope. 1t was built by one of these
'boyars," or landed proprietors, who
had the misfortune to die soon after
his palatial home wns completed. The
government thereupon acquired,it.
Nobody but the proletariat thinks of
walking in that picturesque capital.
Nearly all the "cabbies" own their own
teams of long-maned, flowing-tailed
Russian horses. They are Russian en-
lies of the Skopti sect. They wear
great blue-black velvet coats, the skirts
of which reach to the ground. Their
waists are bound about with multi-hued
sashes, the flowing ends of which drop
back over the seat, and one can guide
his driver by pulling one end or the
other of this sash when language diff
culties stand in the way.
Drive as in Mexico City.
If the presence of the landed aristoc-
racy in Bucharest reminds one of Bue-
nos Aires, the driving customs bring to
mlDu tnoSe OF NllN. eve
ming all polite Bucharest turns out in
its smartest equipages and drives up
and down the beautiful parkway known
as the "Chaussee." Along this superb
drive the endless-chain procession
moves in double file.
Surrounded as it is by rich farming
country, Bucharest has not lacked for
food, and the restaurants are well filled
at all times. The Roumanian loves the
uniform and high heels on soft laced
boots like those of the French aviators
suit the fancy of the young dandies,
whose perfumed musts ches preserve
their dignity by reaching straight out
instead of turning up at the ends. The
women are chic. Feminine fashions
run the gamut from such beautiful
peasant costumes as few lands can
equal, such native dress as Carmen Syl-
via loves, to severely plain black
gowns, relieved only by the touch of
light on patent leather and silk or the
my aigrette in a .jaunty hat.