Bucharest in 1909: The city, the streets, people, habits (Part 2)
Part 2
(to read part 1, click here)
- Can you believe that 100 years ago shoes and boots were a luxury which not every citizen living in Bucharest could afford to buy. They were wearing some "street shoes" and during cold weather a sort of cheap boots which were made by "street cobblers ". From here we have the expression "with stiff" which is something refined, something that not everyone else owns. The socks were also not so cheap, only those with "well fare" could afford to buy sock from a "store", but most of common people were weaving their own sock at home or they were wearing " wraps "- simple bandages wrapped on the feet.
Until the '70s, our mothers and grandmothers before buying another pair of socks they used to sew at least ten times the old ones using the "mushroom for repairing of socks " and the nylon stocking were repaired at " cloth workshop" . A century ago during the summer you could
walk barefoot on the streets as the "Sanitation Service" provided all cleaning services the whole city by sweeping it of course…..
- Who had shoes or boots and was not walking with them dirty through the city: polishers were sitting quiet on the sidewalk and were cleaning your shoes on the spot. The term "Vax-Bee ", meaning" widgets "," piece of cake "comes from one of the brands of shoe cream used by the polishers and the fact that it was cheaper to call their services.
- Services – polishers for all budgets
- Our grandparents went to a picnic "with the whole cover" – a picnic cover from hundred years ago
- "Sunny" (a party) – romantic invitation to dance
- Gypsy at the periphery of Bucharest (now their grandchildren drive jeeps)
- Beggars, "milogii" on the streets were rare and more discreet – the police " was hunting" more seriously than today
- A century ago, just like nowadays, the sidewalks were invaded by street vendors. Animation on a Sunday morning on the former Bridge of Rahova crossing near the Palace of Justice:
- The summer garden in the center and near the main roads of Bucharest were offering in the evening entertainment, cold beer, sausages and steaks.
- Garden Otetelesanu awaiting his guests
- 100 years ago, our grandmothers were playing with dolls and posing dressed as gypsies, because it was fashionable at that time
- Beauty and youthful innocence – Princess Marie Mignon, middle daughter of Ferdinand and Mary in 1909
And now in the end of this journey I will send you a greeting with the scent of a century ago to you all my readers:
What if you could live where time stands still -a place where beauty is captured in every moment
Source: www.bucurestiivechi.ro