The Village Museum in Bucharest has always been an oasis of normality in a sometimes too fast, too consumer-oriented world. Whenever we want to clear our heads a little, we go to the village museum, to see the old houses, and imagine the ways Romanians must have lived in the old days. Some – too few – still preserve those old ways to this day. To a Romanian, this visit could be a reminder of their roots, a reminder of their region – many people who live in Bucharest comes from elsewhere in Romania – a reminder of their long lost families. To a foreigner, a walk through the old houses and courtyards full of flowers at the Village Museum is a true discovery of Romania. The second best thing to finding these houses in the middle of dusty villages, somewhere in the country. It is a must to anyone who wants to understand Romania better. These days, as it got warm, we revisited this open air museum in Bucharest – the little gardens surrounding the houses are all green and flowery, and some even host small vegetables gardens. A great way to spend half a day, or even more in Bucharest. (Be sure to take water with you and something to eat if you plan to take your time there) Below is a gallery with pictures from the Village Museum on a June morning. (photo copyright: Corina & Andrei Chirileasa, for Romania-Insider.com)