The Other City. Places and Stories from Bucharest-South

Authors’ Comment

An explorer’s guide The old maps left white spots and sometimes drew there dragons. The South of Bucharest, hidden behind Dictator Ceausescu’s pompous boulevard, is a white spot for visitors, but also for most inhabitants from the North. We didn’t find any dragons there, but instead some magical places and remarkable people. There are some peculiar maps in this guide, as well as a lot of stories, photographed and in writing: stories about beautiful old and new houses; about historical parks and the industrial heritage; about endless apartment buildings, houses that grow above the streets, about the urban vernacular and the independent cultural centers; about radical visual artists, curators, dancers, architects, designers, doctors, writers, community activists, social entrepreneurs. We pay a visit to Victoria, Jana, Marioara, Leana and Geta, a group of ladies from an unjustly maligned neighborhood. Also showing up are the houses of avant‑garde writers, a sexy swamp, and dozens of mayors, each allowed a dozen minutes term. It’s a book for the passionate traveler, the city lover and for those interested in the way ‘bad’ cities or city parts manage on their own. It’s also a book for those in love with the eternal and world‑wide South.