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Published on July 13, 2007

Some 550 kilometres to the west of Bucharest lies the city of Timisoara. It's an eight-hour train journey from the Romanian capital but the trip is far from boring as the tracks pass through the charming countryside, a picturesque palette of green pastures and shimmering blue lakes.

We pull into Timisoara Nord on a chilly Sunday evening and I hurry through deserted streets to my hotel.

It's sunny the next morning and I make my way to Union Square, the city's original commercial centre lined with pastel-hued buildings. To the east is the Roman Catholic Cathedral, a beautiful orange and yellow brick edifice that glows in brilliant contrast against the blue sky. Just across the road is the Serbian Orthodox Cathedral - an extravagant baroque structure built in 1745.

A short walk away, in Victoria Square, is the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral -construction for which began in 1937 but wasn't completed until after World War II. The cathedral has 11 towers, the highest of which is a massive 96 metres, with red and green roof tiles arranged in a mosaic design.

In front of the cathedral is a memorial to those who lost their lives during the 1989 revolution that overthrew Communist rule. In fact, the demonstrations that led to the revolution started in Timisoara. So, later in the day I head over to the Memorial Museum to learn about the bloody events that cost 1,104 lives.

The guide explained how the citizens gathered to protest against the government's attempts to evict a popular dissident Hungarian Reformed pastor, and later erupted into an anti-communist rally. The secret police responded with tear gas and water jets and the protesters withdrew. They returned the next day only to be faced by the army. The defiant crowd continued protesting for another week, until Nicolae Ceausescu's regime fell on December 22. Today, this multi-cultural city is flourishing and despite having a population of just under 500,000 it is home to no fewer than six universities. Like most other campus towns, the large student body has spawned a wealth of inexpensive restaurants, bars, cafes and a vibrant nightlife. There are also plenty of parks lining both banks of the Bega River that families flock to late in the afternoon. Children can be seen playing noisy games, old people sit around in serenity soaking in the sunshine, while some have fun throwing crumbs at the ducks. Those not interested in the verdant calm choose to sip cappuccino at streetside cafes or go window-shopping.

As dusk falls, young people make their way to the brightly lit pubs or dine at one of the many reasonably priced restaurants. At night, the city centre sparkles with fairy lights, the cathedrals look magnificent in the warm glow and music from the pubs and clubs spills out on to the streets. That festive air is so tantalising.

Nattaporn Luangpipat

The Nation