bucuresti’s damp december in 3.75°c: a student’s weather report

i woke up to a ceiling fan spinning slower than my motivation. 3.75°c outside, 83% humidity. feels like the air is holding its breath. someone told me this is how the locals survive winter. i’m not sure. i heard a story about a guy who tried to bike here and ended up in a puddle of existential dread.

q: is this place worth visiting?
a: only if you like cold that clings to your teeth. or if you want to walk around a museum where the AC fights the humidity. don’t expect miracles.

q: is it expensive?
a: groceries cost less than roma. coffee shops? forget it. i paid 3 euros for a liter of milk. but if you’re here to party, you’ll spend fast. baile season is next week.

q: who would hate it here?
a: people who want sunlight. or dry air. or a hot shower. also, anyone who doesn’t like strangers asking for directions in broken english.

q: best time to visit?
a: december? only if you’re a fan of frost on sidewalks and locals wearing coats that scream ‘i forgot how to dress.’ otherwise, maybe april.

this weekend, i tried a street vendor’s cea. it was saltier than a freudian slip. the chef said, ‘we’re low on sodium in montana.’ i laughed. he didn’t seem surprised. maybe he was right. who knows.

another day, i visited a tiny café where the owner wore a beanie made of recycled plastic bottles. she told me the humidity ruins her photos. i showed her mine. hers were blurry. mine were also blurry. maybe that’s the point.

i walked through a park where the trees looked like they’d been dipped in a fog machine. not metaphorically. the leaves were literally wet. a local warned me about ‘the wet zone’-a area where puddles form overnight. i avoided it. i’m not that brave.

the weather data says pressure is 1023 hpa. but i don’t care about numbers. i care that my collar is wet. i care that my phone battery dropped 20% just walking past a puddle.

there’s aHostel here that’s 83% humidity themed. they play the blues all day. i stayed there and woke up to a stranger singing ‘my heart is full of static.’ we didn’t talk. but i took a selfie with him. it’s on instagram.

i heard yelp reviews say this place is ‘authentic but freezing.’ well. it’s 3.75°c. what do you expect? roma is a liar. who needs reviews? just feel the damp air. dress in layers. eat soup. pray for dehumidifiers.

the maps app shows this as a ‘neighborhood.’ but i’m not sure where. i asked a guy with a dog, and he pointed to a street named ‘yongmi.’ it looked like a alley in a bad movie. i didn’t go in.

someone posted on reddit that the night markets here are worth it. i went and bought a pretzel that tasted like regret. but also? it was 2 euros. worth it.

i can’t recommend this weather. but i can recommend the chaos. the way the air feels like it’s plotting something. the way prices drop when no one’s looking. it’s a budget student’s dream. or nightmare.

tl;dr: if you want cold, humidity, and prices that require a spreadsheet, this is your spot. but maybe bring a raincoat. or a sweater. or both.