Timisoara by night

Back in early 2008, Mr G and I were busy plotting an adventure with my parents. The plan was to take them on a visit to Romania, the country of Mr G's birth and early childhood. Discussions had been had, itineraries had been debated and by March a plan had formed. Mum and Dad would travel by train through Europe to Budapest, where Mr G and I would join them by plane, and we would travel on together by train to Bucharest, via Timisoara and a few other points in between. I was excited about all of it, but mostly about Timisoara - the first city in Europe to get streetlighting, and the birthplace of the revolution that ultimately led Mr G's family to these shores. We booked flights, hotels and all was set.

Then, following a chance remark by a colleague, I did a pregnancy test. And discovered that Little G was on his way. At just the wrong time for the trip to go ahead. We cancelled our plans, and my parents amended theirs. They curtailed their trip at Budapest and I never did make it to Timisoara.

Until now.

5 and a half years late, we flew into Budapest. This time with Mr G's parents and our two children in tow. We hired a car, and drove to Timisoara (I say "we" - I did none of the driving!) - the first stop in a crazy half-term road-trip adventure around western Romania. This is the view from our 12th-storey hotel window in the heart of the city taken shortly after a somewhat-later-than-planned arrival... I spent a long time breathing it in.