One of Bucharest's main tourist attractions is the Palace of the Parliament. It's major draw card is that it's big. Really big. It's the second largest building in the world (after the Pentagon), the world's heaviest building and the world's most expensive administrative building.

The building was conceived and designed by Ceauşescu, the Romanian Dictator. He wanted something suitable to celebrate his awesomeness. Hence the focus on gigantism. Bigger is better, right? Typical man.

The stats are impressive: 1,100 rooms, 480 chandeliers and 200,000 square metres of carpet. But for some reason the stats don't translate to reality. Walking around the building on our guided tour, I was never overwhelmed by its size. Even standing outside looking up at the facade, I wasn't that impressed. I think that Australian Parliament House looks bigger perched up on Capital Hill.

The tour ends on the famous balcony. Originally designed as a place for Ceauşescu to speak to his faithful subjects he never lived to see the balcony's or even the palace's completion. In 1989, Ceauşescu's government was overthrown by a military coup and Ceauşescu was sentenced to death by a kangaroo court. He and his wife were executed right after the trial, Christmas Day, 1989. He was the only communist leader who didn't survive the fall of the iron curtain.

So, when you visit the balcony, which famous person do the tour guides mention? Michael Jackson. Yes, in 1992, Michael Jackson addressed his faithful subjects from the balcony.

More photos on Flickr.

Bucharest, Romania: Tuesday morning - Summer. Sydney: Tuesday evening - Winter.

"On our last day in Bucharest, we visited the Museum of the Romanian Peasant. The museum displays costumes, ceramics and household items from Romanian peasant life. There is even an enormous windmill which takes up an entire room. Unfortunately, you're not allowed to take photos in the museum. Well, you are but you have to pay 10 pounds for the privilege on top of the entrance fee. I did sneak a few photos here and there though (and got told off by the museum guards who all seemed to be cranky old ladies, or young women training to be cranky old ladies). The basement room at the museum has items that were on display when the museum was a communist museum. I fancy that these two Lenins are having a bit of a chat to each other. "




More photos from the Museum of the Romanian Peasant on Flickr. Check out Sue's day at noodlebowl.net and her photos on Flickr.