Head. Brain. Hair. Eyebrows. Eyes. Ears. Nose. Mouth. Tongue. Lips. Chin. Neck. Oesphagus. Trachea. Arms. Lungs. Heart. Diaphragm. Stomach. Liver. Intestines. Kidneys. Hands. Fingers. Nails. Bladder. Pubic hair. Penis. Testicles. Rectum. Legs. Knees. Feet. Toes. Nails.

Once again, we find ourselves trying to get a fuller understanding of our new environment. Our home, the MNAC is an impressive building that is attached to Ceausescu ‘Palace for the People’, and the history that surrounds it adds a sombre tone to the immaculate white walls and large open spaces.

We leave for the suburbs, with a desire to get a more balanced / ordinary perception of Bucureşti. We get a bus and travel down wide roads south west out of the city. Our landscape becomes dominated by tall blocks of flats. Mircea suggests we get off the bus at a large market. The place is lively and has a warm and vibrant atmosphere. A strawberry seller sings a little song to encourage us to buy her strawberries.

I am drawn to this ‘practical exercise’ for looking, written by Georges Perec in his book Species of Spaces and other Places:

“Observe the street, from time to time, with some concern for system perhaps.
Apply yourself, take your time.
Note down what you can see. Anything worthy of note going on.
Do you know how to see what’s worthy of note? Is there anything that strikes you?
Nothing strikes you. You don’t know how to see.

You must set about is more slowly, almost stupidly. Force yourself to write down what is of no interest. What is most obvious, most common, most colourless.”

Kaspars encourages us to enter a bar which appears uninviting. Men sit and drink the same brand of beer, some chat, some stare whilst others play slot machines. Laura and I are the only women in the place. Initial apprehension turns to a feeling of having conquered this space. We are definitely intruders (a man takes a picture of us) but no-one makes any fuss.

And another quote from Perec…. “There are spaces of every kind, every use and every function. To live is to pass from one space to another, while doing your very best not to bump yourself”

A blog post  here on Wounded Cities and our first days in Bucharest

or also here: http://www.fearghus.net/e-motional-bodies-and-cities-wounded-cities/