Gypsy Feet

Gibraltar: totally worth the trip

2009-08-09T14:55:00.007-04:00

From Ithaca to Mahopac, from JFK to Frankfurt to Baden Baden, from Girona to Sevilla...the next country on our tour was Gibraltar. I did a lot of research when planning this trip. There was no doubt we needed to spend time in Barcelona or Paris, but Gibraltar got mixed reviews from the online travel community. Many people said it wasn't worth the trip. I was a little nervous about dragging Danny hours off the beaten path just to play with the monkeys...lucky for us, they lived up to expectations and Gibraltar had some other hidden gems to share with us as well. If you've ever considered going, don't let the nay-sayers scare you off...it was a fantastic day trip!

The "Rock" is more like a mountain, looming in the distance at nearly 1400 feet high.

We walked across the Spanish/British border, crossed the tarmac (yup, you really do walk across an airstrip to get to Gibraltar), and began the hike up the rock.

After lunch at a British pub (fish and chips for Danny, curry for me), we finally got ourselves a tour guide. Our tour began with the vista across the Straits of Gibraltar and a view of Africa.

We saw the pillars of Hercules, marking the "end" of the Ancient World and the beginning of the Modern World, the Great Siege Tunnels, and the caves known as the gateway to Hades.

And…then we spent a couple of hours playing with the Barbary Apes. They were hilarious! The babies squeaked and rode on the backs of the elders. The teenagers begged for food, played, and climbed all over us. One even got feisty enough to give me some love bites on the arm and hand. (He didn’t break the skin, and it didn’t hurt. Really, it was funny.)

Yay monkeys!

Sevilla: the beauty of Southern Spain

2009-08-08T14:39:00.006-04:00

After a five hour layover in Girona, a tiny airport nearly 2 hours from Barcelona, we finally arrived in Sevilla around 10pm. Fortunately for us, that is dinner time in Spain, so we were able to make the most of our first night, heading out to enjoy the views of the cathedral, tapas, and of course, sangria.

sea snails - served cold!

We walked along Rio Guadalquivir, the second longest river in Spain and the longest in Andalusia, enjoying the views of the first of many monuments to Christopher Columbus that we would see here.

We went back to the cathedral during the day to enjoy its splendor from both outside and within...

We spent our last day here simply wandering, exploring the hidden plazas and beautiful scenery. We meandered through the Jewish quarter, finding our way to the Murillo Gardens, enjoying the scent of jasmine that climbed over the Alcazar walls to surround us with its distinctive fragrance.

After two very long plane trips, we were glad the next leg of our journey would be taking place in a car. Of course, we when booked a rental car to drive from Sevilla to La Linea de Concepcion, the Spanish gateway to British Gibraltar, we forgot that all cars in Europe are manual transmission. Fortunately, Danny is a quick study and after a short lesson, he was able to drive through the Spanish countryside to our next destination.

Baden Baden is my happy place

2009-08-05T06:30:00.018-04:00

Here I am, at the beginning of my last European vacation for a while, back in Baden Baden. I know I've said it before, but it merits saying again. There really is something special about this place. It's serene and beautiful, and it makes me happy. I'm so lucky to have friends here and to have been able to visit twice. I certainly hope to return again soon.

My first trip here came at an important time: a time of contemplation, change, decision, and searching. I came here alone, spent time exploring with Geoffrey and Cora, and some time wandering on my own, thinking. This second trip comes at the culmination of all those choices, on the brink of my new life beginning.

I’m so pleased that on this trip to BB, I get to share the serenity of German floral and forest paradise with Danny. I’m trying to convince him to write a blogpost, but until then you can enjoy his perspective through photographs.

As always, food was a priority for us. We sampled German baked goods (Danny claims the best waffle he's ever eaten) and of course, ice cream.

When walking down Lichtentaler Allez, the fragrance of apples wafts from the rose garden. Never before have I smelled roses so intense that they create the illusion of being in an orchard. The aromatic experience is completed with fountains and benches to sit and enjoy the view of the mountains and castles of the Black Forest in the distance.

Though we did not attend the baths or hike to any castles this time, we did spend some time in the vineyards of the Alsacian wine country. We also spent time admiring the beauty of the myriad varieties of dahlias in yet another public garden.

I also enhanced my zen experience by attending a yoga class with Cora, which was an incredible way to start the day! This trip was also special because we had time to see the exhibit at the Kunsthalle, including a guided tour with Cora. BB is a place that brings me peace and happiness. It was a fantastic beginning to our European extravaganza.

Whirlwind 5 weeks in NY

2009-07-27T21:04:00.009-04:00

My weeks have been spent in Ithaca. The quiet isolation of central New York (thank you, Colleen) is a welcome retreat as I adjust to life in my home country and state. (Incidentally, the adjustment coming home is nearly as difficult as it was moving to Bulgaria in the first place. Things are so fast, so big, so expensive.) There is much to do here, yet, we haven't really had the time to take advantage of the wineries, the lakes, the gorges, the hiking. Rebuilding my life from the ground up is all-consuming. My days have been spent interviewing, apartment shopping, car shopping, researching, packing, moving, and trying to keep in touch with everyone. In between all of that, we have spent every weekend driving back and forth to the city and its surrounding area to visit family and deal with my impending relocation. There has been some house-elfing along the way, as well as school stuff. Summer school at Cornell is rough on the students and their cheerleaders!

Of course there has also been some eating...unfortunately for you, my gastronomic pleasure has not been documented in photographs. I can tell you that there have been steaks, burgers, Chinese, pizza, Tex-Mex, ice cream from the Cornell Dairy Barn, Blueberry Mountain, and other local homemade places, Rox-made pecan pie, banana cream pie, chocolate chip cookies, and many other delicious treats.

For my foodie friends, I did manage to remember to take pictures at our family shin-dig...Italian food galore!

Family at the shin-dig:

And some 4th of July fun in the city:

As summer classes are winding down, my job is secured, my lease signed...we're starting to gear up for fun. (I'm still hoping to get a car, get moved in, and take care of paperwork before this weekend; then the fun can begin.) Thanks to Geoffrey and Cora, we have a relaxing week coming up as a reward for all of our hard work, followed by lots of adventure. It may be the end of the summer, but it's the beginning of a whole new world...hang in there loyal readers...it will likely be the end of August before you see another update, but I promise, the wait will be worthwhile!

And don't forget...a certain blog author has a birthday coming up on August 29....

Making a list, checking it twice...

2009-07-25T23:42:00.002-04:00

Job? Check.

English 9 at Mahopac High School

Car? Still working on that one...

Apartment? Check.

See the video below. It's a creepy horror movie kind of homevideo, but you'll get a look inside what is soon to be my apartment.

My commute will be under 2 miles and I will be on a train line to the city. I have a spare room, so I expect visitors!

Moving on...

2009-07-23T17:30:00.002-04:00

I'm sorry.

I've done an absolutely terrible job of taking photographs and writing in these first weeks back. Cut me some slack though...I've gotten a new job, I'm finalizing the plans for a new apartment, and I'm still in search of a not-so-new car. Never fear, I will get back in the groove shortly. I'll be relocating my blog to a new site...details to follow. Summer photos will be posted, along with images of my new home, and stories of re-entry to the US. Stay tuned...

Довиждане Bulgaria!

2009-07-13T14:30:00.014-04:00

Now that I've been home for five weeks, I'm finally getting around to writing this final post to say goodbye to Bulgaria.

Many events took place this year that at the time I didn't understand, but looking back, I am once again reminded that everything happens for a reason. Under Marie's tutelage, I've followed the road signs of the universe and they have led me to a pretty great place, home. As Andre Aciman said, "One always longs for the other home but home, as one learns soon enough, is a place where one imagines or remembers other homes." Leaving Bulgaria is bittersweet. It has become home, one where I dreamt of New York, yet also one I am sad to leave behind. As I depart from good new friends, shared experiences, crazy sights, intense history, exhilarating travel, and life-altering memories, I fly to a common history, an easy life I will no longer take for granted, a new sense of silliness and adventure, good old friends, and a newly deepened connection with family. Home truly is where the heart is - after living abroad, mine is with all of you For those who kept me close this year, thank you.

And now...what I will miss about living in Bulgaria:

the Stephens family!

"I'll ram ya!"

PT Cruiser

the morning dude

"Stop building crap!"

too many dicks on the dance floor

dick in a box and sugar lumps

Polski food and music

the Soup Kitchen

hot and sour

coconut chicken ginger

chicken and dumpling

ESKIMO PIES

walking to and from school - the jungle way

solving the problems of the world, the meaning of life, and political discussions

buddies in self-destructive behavior

dorm life!

skyping my next-door neighbors

sporcling

never-never land

rediscovering music

walking with my ipod, belting it out

tons of new tunes

cool computer tricks

ninjavideo

Seyna and Eastern European waxing

my dressmaker

Boris and the theatre

cream puffs

tik vanik

shopska

parsley croquettes

kavarma

mish mash

doners

tiramisu

dinner on the roof of Spag Co

cafe culture and sitting for hours

wine, lots of wine

power yoga

yoga mat naps!

the plethora of incongruities

Bulgarian BINGO

Bulgarian time

fashion

birthday wishes and chocolates

"Happy new..."

Baba Marta

partying like it's St. George's Day

school security guards

lunch dates and walks 'round campus

open campus and ten minute breaks

students who say hello and goodbye

travel

airport ease

all night skype dates

ям

I have so many wonderful memories and I have learned so much. Because this post is for posterity, I'll focus only on the good of Bulgaria. (It isn't necessary to enumerate all the ways in which New York rules. Any time I need a reminder, I can just play "Ode to Bulgaria," the best gift ever! Thanks Danny!) But NY is not my only home; Bulgaria became my home too...so my friends, though we're scattering far and wide, no tears unless they are tears of laughter because our paths will cross again as we text, email, blog, and skype to plan where we'll meet and what we'll eat!

Here's to life lessons, forever friends, health and happiness - nazdrave!

"Ode to Bulgaria"

Oh, to live in Bulgaria..

We have New York steaks, smothered in onions

You have poorly paved roads that give your feet bunions

We have filets, prepared medium rare

You have magic rubbish that floats through the air

We have chili, just bubbling with cheddar

You have "yellow cheese", now which one tastes better?

Our hot dogs and cold cuts sure are delicious

Your boiled eggs and oatmeal, I guess, are nutritious

We have supermarkets, with items galore

You have fruit stands, and butchers, and corner stores

We swipe a card and go on our way

While you sit counting leva, just trying to pay

When we take a cab, we know what we're getting

Yours turns off the meter and leaves you there fretting

We have Spanish and Hindi, but English abounds

Your alphabet has numbers, and letters turned 'round

We have White Castle, baked goods, and Broadway

You have a calendar to mark off each lost day

For a quick home-cooked snack, we grab mac and cheese

Well, you can have it too! Just say "Fed-Ex" Please

A trip to Manhattan yields the best pizza but

the best you can do is good old Pizza Hut

Macaroni, sausage, and homemade meatballs?

Bad water, no fennel, and ground beef recalls

The one thing I'll give you is the splendor of your cream puffs

and how you dive in after rolling up your sleeve cuffs

When you speak of them, my ears do start buzzin'

If only I could walk to Wegmans and pay 3.99 a dozen :D

I guess which you like is a matter of preference

Unfortunately for you, time is of the essence

So make up your mind, decide what to do

Then on your foot, get "I Eat" tattooed

Whether you stay or whether you go

Each one of us loves you, this much you know

So drink cappuccino and eat tiramisu

And keep in your heart that we all miss you

Now, as for my poem, it's come to an end

It's almost midnight, and oh yes, my friend

I live in America, so this I can do

Order my takeout until well after two

What should I have? Well let me see

The possibilities are endless, but maybe Chinese

I'll pick what I want, and dial a phone

And in no time at all, they'll come to my home

I love this country!

Best of...

2009-07-07T18:52:00.005-04:00

As my final two Bulgarian posts, I'm going to do a best of montage. This first post will be a collection of images from my favorite trips and places outside of Bulgaria this year. If you're using me as a reference for future trips...this is the post for you:

Athens/Delphi:

This was one of the most incredible places I have ever been. The connection to history and literature, the geography, the magic in the air...in spite of what people told me, I loved Athens, but I wouldn't have loved it nearly as much if we hadn't gone to Delphi.

Baden Baden:

Just when I needed it most, along came Baden Baden (and thanks to Geoffrey and Cora, also Strasbourg and Heidelberg). It is the most beautiful non-island paradise I have ever experienced. I met Geoffrey and Cora only a few months ago, and prior to that I'd never heard of Baden Baden...now I'm thrilled to have such great friends and I'm already planning my next trip to visit them there! With so many incredible places in the world to see, a return trip speaks volumes.

Budapest:

Big, wide boulevards...great food...lovely people...Budapest was an incredible experience. We were there for Christmas and I hope to get back someday during the spring, as I can only imagine how incredible it is then. Don't miss St. Stephen's and the baths!

Istanbul:

Everyone wants to go to Istanbul to see the Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque...and they were amazing. What knocked my socks off however, was the Basillica Cistern. Everyone should see Turkey, particularly Istanbul as it is a crossroads of culture. It's a pretty phenomenal experience.

New York:

What can I say...I'm a Europhile, but New York will always be home. Visiting my family over spring break proved to be a pivotal moment in my year.

Prague:

I'll admit - I was skeptical. Another Eastern European city and one that had been hyped by everyone...surely it couldn't live up to my expectations. It really did. Prague is as beautiful as people say. Totally worth the trip...I'd go back. And fyi...St. Vitus Church at Prague Castle is without a doubt, the most incredible church I've ever seen. It has edged out Sainte Chapelle as my new favorite.

Valencia:

We spent Thanksgiving here. I knew nothing about Valencia, but found a cheap flight and decided to give it a shot. It turned out to be one of my favorite cities, ever. My memories are a little bittersweet now, since it was the last trip Greg and I took together, but all in all, it was a fabulous place and fabulous trip.

Vienna:

Vienna was ok. Honestly, of all the places I've been, it wasn't my favorite (but everyone else in the world loves it, so you may want to go see it anyway). My time there though was one of my best trips. The weather was perfect, the gardens were in bloom, and Jr. and I had a blast together. We ate well, walked a lot, and bonded. And to top it all off, this was my first trip accompanied by music that subsequently became the soundtrack of my spring and my link to my home and my future.

Bulgarian Roadtrip

2009-06-21T20:08:00.007-04:00

The awesome foursome (Cat, Steve, Jr, and me) recently rented a car and drove the better part of Bulgaria over the course of a weekend. Like the characters in The Breakfast Club, another piece of Americana that Jr doesn't know, we are the stereotypes of our setting: the queen of snark, the doorknob, Rainman, and the foodie. We represent Canada and the states, New York and Maryland, science, history, and literature; the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s and 21st century are our childhoods, our lives. We're a motley crew (even if Jr doesn't know who they are) and we have a blast together. We have each written a post to share our perspective of this trip. Inspired by The Sound and The Fury, you'll read four tales (you can guess which one is the tale told by an idiot) of a series of moments in our lives where paths crossed and memories were made. Each his its own style and muse, some poetic, some prose, some musical. Mine, loosely based on Sandra Cisneros's House on Mango Street is a tribute to each of my compatriots on team NIS.

The Tribe has Spoken

He lives under a rock. Not literally, although it was a concern during fall semester when he wouldn't come out of his hole. This kid, smarter than me and all the rest of our friends, is clueless about so much. He knows his classical music. He's got sports stats to a T. Chemistry? He's your man. But ask him who sings a pop song and his response is likely to be, "How the fuck should I know?". We threw him some meatballs, "Roxanne" and "American Pie." He'd never heard them before. When he couldn't recognize Neil Diamond's "America" he almost got voted off the island, yet another reference he didn't understand. One last chance, you can win immunity if you know this. Here's a hint - he's "the boss," he sings "Born in the USA," he's from New Jersey. Our young Rainman couldn't figure out that we were listening to "Thunder Road" but he did shout "Springsteen" with glee as he pieced together the clues about the Asbury Park native. He proudly procaimed, "I went to school in New Jersey. I know Jersey guys!" But he didn't know about breaking the seal.
He's a good kid. Young grasshopper, so much to learn. Does he even know why we call him Rainman? He prefers to be called the messiah. He hasn't learned yet that he doesn't always have to be right. Three days in a car, we gave him a crash course in Americana, Canadiana, and ettiquette; in return, he taught us about car snacks. We did our best, but in the end, all we could do was shake our heads, eat our haribo, cover our ears, and say "MUSKRAT!"

Cat, Queen of Snark

She invented the snarkometer. And though for weeks it seemed the snarking stars were aligned, on this trip she only struck gold with her Joplin covers. She defeated Jr in a map fight, though her navigation skills cost her two beers. Her wit was quick as she identified a cast of characters including Rasputin, and the iconic Beatles, Nicholas Cage, and Alanis Morrisette. Fortunately, this wasn't blasphemy since that orthodox priest never did appear. "Why wasn't that on our list?" the snark would fly as we passed our third wreck on a post. But it was her description of our final missing bingo square that earned her the crown. As we passed the car in our last stretch back to Sofia out came the cry, "Hey! Look at that shirtless fat driver drinking a beer while driving a car." And was he also enjoying fine tobacco products while talking on a cell phone? Is it still a snark if it's completely accurate?
"We're gonna miss breakfast."
"You may be right. I may be crazy."And snark-free she joined me on the race to the buffet. They call me the foodie, but I think Cat gets it (or maybe she just felt guilty for mocking my swine flu with oinks that caused me to choke on my water that then came out my nose...perhaps we should call her the queen of snarf.) But she was the one who was enjoying her dinner so much that she got halfway through before realizing the food on her plate was actually Steve's.

And speaking of Steve....

Steve Who Makes us Look Fat

"Give it back!" "Delete that!" "Come on!"
A man of many talents, soups, songs, snarks, stork sightings, though he did miss snow, Steve's most remarkable (and frustrating for his travel partners) talent is his ability to make everyone look fat in pictures, including himself. Incidentally, Jr took this opportunity for another muskrat moment by sugesting that Steve would make a great lingerie photographer with his uncanny ability to enhance the size of the certain body parts. Response? One of many, "You're killing me, Smalls."
Steve of course, blamed my camera and insisted on using Cat's to practice. I have to confess, by the end, he'd gotten much better.
His inability to flatter people on camera is surprising considering how good his eyes are. It was Steve who spotted the Ohio license plate on the way to Veliko. Thought he wouldn't let us stop to photograph the replica Medieval Times castle on the highway or the fake Roman/Communist bus-stop in the village, he did let us get out to document the dinosaur by the canon.

Fortunately his good eyes are connected to quick reflexes that allowed him to stop the car for random cattle crossings. I'm honored to have been his co-pilot, given such large responsibilities as "Give me one more and then cut me off" and environmental/entertainment officer. My job was easy with such a Bingo winning driver!
Final score: Steve 7, me 4, Cat 2, and Jr 1 (but it was the fire he wanted, so he was thrilled.)

Here friend, There friend; Own friend, Flown friend

2009-06-20T02:28:00.046-04:00

“Not in Sofia” was a mantra no curse
It mattered not how many leva came from their purse
The four teachers left early and left really soon
Distance was needed or the stress would balloon

So with music, map, and a little conversation
The adventurous 4 left their dreary Sofia station
Each had their assignments, roles, and own seats
Allow a quick moment for them to repeat

A pilot, the driver, quiet and full of snark
The navigator, assured, that sang like a Lark
The entertainment officer, who’s time has been cut
The obnoxious Warning System of “what, what, WHAT””

“That’s what she said” , a semi-nude “Ring-Road girl”
Storks, flaming rubbish, and babas that curl
Smart cars, hummers, but no gypsy carpool was shown
Bulgarian Bingo had taken a life of its own

With Sofia to their backs, Belogradchik to their face
The fabulous foursome soon appreciated the space
There was little trash and even less graffiti
But it was the guys who appreciated the billboards “sans bikini”

As the sun set on the first day of the trip
The beauty of the glowing red rocks caused their hearts to skip
If one has been, Belogradchik is truly a world wonder
In its beauty, peace, and quietness, Life’s questions will ponder

Having a drink, with good friends and view, is truly a winner
Especially since, at the Hotel Skalite, Chalga and child chaos was for dinner
The location, the comfort can be praised without irking
But the group had never heard of a “patio not working”

With the stress all gone, it was easy to wake late
With any schedule shot, the agenda … a clean slate
Up to Belogradchik, the fortress of Rome and Turks
The pictures are proof-positive, North Americans are quirks

Back in the car, about their snacks, they were not fickle
Out in the middle of no where, a rusted hammer and sickle
The map was a good one, though be of low cost
Yet ways were taken as if dictated by Frost

The omniscient navigator confident of the roads they flew
A bet was made, nay, the wagers were two
Though they saw some pretty country and many a sight
The sweetest thing said was “Dammit Door-Knob, you’re right!”

And then, out of no where, without even lookin’
A stairway to no place, with a Tom Tale bookin’
Out jumped Steve for the unique photo-op
Tom’s tale continued though a cry came “Oh God, when will it Stop!”

But through all the rules of etiquette, imaginations spark
And the ever present, always working meter of snark
His mind was always active, his questions aloud
Junior was a welcome and appreciated member of the crowd

This is not to say, with pride and much chagrin
That Junior did not get a few good shots in
With quick mind, intelligence, and a little bit of fun
“Aren’t you a dad? Aren’t you 51?”

The snark-o-meter ran, the vagabonds were under the gun
Whether it was age, gender, or looks, it was always for fun
A good snark was given with a retort well met
The winning-est snark of all was the “wife from Gallaudet”

Towards Turnovo, the group was bound
no road sign nor reservation were to be found
Through computer and book, the crew went fishing
Staying at Hotel Bolyarski, no better could be wishing

Another fortress, more walking, more art
At Execution Point, they almost were part
No respect for the history, this country, this here
The winner of this race gets his wife’s weight in beer

The place was pretty, each patio was working
But through drinks, a quick rest, a question was lurking
“Where shall we eat?!” wondered a beer and a Cosmo
“Where shall we eat?!” the foodie wanted to know

On went the foodie, the pilot, the sage, and twit
Fish, fondue, and more words full of wit
Back though this ancient town, the travelers tread
Three tried to teach one, that chivalry was not dead.

Sitting together listening to keyboard and string
The group finally relaxed and spirits took wing
The drinks were drunk and sporcle another matter
It was of the guitar player that one heart went “pitter-patter”

The time for free breakfast was not going to be last
Man, those two ladies got up really fast
They ate, and got food to those lazy boring men
And soon the quadruplets were on the road again

“STOP” screamed the foodie with force and nerve
It mattered not that they were inside of a curve
“Before we get to the mountain called Shipka Pass,
I must have a picture of a cart pulled by an ass”

Up 385 steps, no North American was that fool hearty
Wait a minute, Junior had ruined the party
Upward he ran, feeling strong and cocky
He danced, and we praised the new Bulgarian Rocky

The view as breathtaking, the air renewing
Here it was found, the peace they were pursuing
Minds, hearts, and souls feeling refreshed and blessed
The wheels of the car turned to the end of their quest

More quizzes for Junior and bathrooms were needed
Beware of livestock, these warnings were heeded
Staying on “this island” was no more a right,
Especially if he did not know who sung “Paradise by the dashboard light”

But even in the sight of Vitosha and the city
Their hearts were content, for others they felt pity
The road was at an end still one question persist…
So “yes, tom. The girls of ring road really do exist”

So thank you Rox, Cat, and the Tom they call Junior
I really wish we had done this trip sooner
You brought many a smile to this man, your friend
The next trip will be better…America..end to end.

Christopher John Francis Boone and the Tour of Bulgaria

2009-06-19T00:33:00.002-04:00

*The post below is Jr's. The genius couldn't figure out how to make this website appear in English and doesn't know enough Bulgarian to muddle through, so I copy and pasted his text here. Like Cat's post, Jr opted for creativity...his inspiration was The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime.

Supposedly I’m the world’s smartest dumb person. Potentially I’m the world’s dumbest smart person. They mean entirely different things, but I’m unaware as to which people are referring.

These people who refer to me in these manners could be known as Stone, Feline, and Scuba. These are generic forms of the same sounds that make up their name, or some associative term, so it is just as accurate a term to use to designate said persons. Even though two are inanimate objects and one is a domesticated animal that doesn’t sit well with me most of the time, it didn’t stop me from procuring various carbohydrate-loaded foods and climbing into the backseat of a vehicle with these people.

Let me tell you about this back seat. It has a sliding headrest, that you can try to move up and down to make it more comfortable, but it just fails. Otherwise it is like most other back seats. Cramped, less than perfectly comfortable, but, it’s a seat. I slept a bit as we headed through the countryside.

Belogradchik has rocks. Lots of rocks. They are unlike any other rocks I have seen before. Similar, but different. Someone decided that the position was strategic, when considering the surrounding area and its location, so they built a fortress on one of the higher hills between the rocks. Considering the carefulness one had to use to scale the stone steps to reach the stronghold, I’d have to agree that the position was a strong one, but wonder whether or not, over the course of a week or two weeks, a garrisoned unit could survive a siege due to lack of supplies.

I had wanted to be amused on the trip, so Stone announced we’d be playing a searching game. I’m not so good at the searching games because I don’t always remember what I’m looking for, and if I do, a lot of the time I don’t remember that I’m playing the searching game. Since the list was long, and I was struggling, I decided to settle for a search for a fire without visible people near it. There were lots of fires, but all of them were too far away to tell whether they were attended. So I kept searching.

Scuba drove to Veliko Tarnovo. There is supposedly a light show there, but it didn’t happen that night. Perhaps other people didn’t want to see it. It probably would have been cool though.

Walking around the fortress in Veliko was brilliant. The fortress is a defensive stronghold, surrounded by nearly 360° of river, high on a bluff. Additionally, the far banks of the river are steep hills down to the river, which means a treacherous decent, followed by an amphibious operation to get to the walls of the fortress (including an ascent), and then the walls must be breached. Oh wait, that is if the assault did not want to go along the narrow isthmus that connects the fortress with the surrounding hills and attempt to slam through the gates. Actually, that might be less daunting. Perhaps the original planners of Veliko had this in mind, something of forcing the opposition into a medieval Stalingrad, although one without explosives.

After Veliko we headed to another strategic point, Shipka pass. This time there was no water, just a big mountain from which the entire surrounding area can be seen. In 1877, Russian/Bulgarian troops took the pass from the Turks, then held it through the winter, sealing this strategic landmark, effectively scoring a decisive battle in the war, which freed Bulgaria from Turkish rule.

From there Scuba brought Stone, Feline and myself home. I guess this doesn’t have much about what we did, or things like that. But in terms of what happened, the importance of Shipka, Belogradchik and Veliko as strategic strongholds seems slightly more important. Who knows. Anyway, I believe Feline, Scuba and Stone are also contributing, so this is my contribution, however worthwhile it is. After all, I was told I should write things down to keep a record of them.

Bulgarian Road Trip: Yes Jr, it is all about the numbers!!

2009-06-17T13:26:00.007-04:00

Four friends, one rental car, 3 days on the road with 25 pounds of junk food, courtesy of the 24 year old. Steve drove, mostly so he could be in the front seat with enough room for his legs. Rox sat in the co-pilot seat because we all agreed that was preferable to her being ill in the back seat. Tom and I sat in the back. We began the trip shortly after 4 pm on a Friday, heading out of the city on the highway 1. North and West to Belogradchik. We knew we were in for a long trip without some serious distractions, so we created a Bulgarian bingo game. Steve, as the driver, naturally saw everything long before all of us. Although I did see an unattended fire in a dumpster at an unauthorized road side dump, with more garbage out side the dumpster than inside. Sadly, that was not on the list. We saw two towns, two fortresses, and an uncounted number of rocks. I lost two bets with Steve and had to buy him two beers. Roxanne took pictures of every meal – I believe it was four in all.

We sang along with the tunes Rox played on the ipod, and educated Jr about American pop music and culture. We took pictures of roadside novelties and laughed at the simple things that struck as incongruous. On the return trip, we stopped in Shipka Pass and walked up 385 stairs (Jr counted them). We also quizzed Jr on American music, and threatened to vote him ‘off the island’. Unfortunately, he did not understand the reference. So, this blog post is about the ‘Americana’ we tried to inform Jr about, the music we listened to and the laughs we shared. (Jr if you can guess the original band and song this is taken from, you get immunity!)

On the first part of the journey

I was looking at all the life

There were ring road girls and shrubbish to see

There were gypsy carts and traffic streams

The first thing we did was play a road game

And Steve could do no wrong

The air was fresh and the grass was green

And Jr learned some new songs

I’ve been through Bulgaria with 4 good friends

It felt good to be out of Sofia

On the road you can remember your name

‘cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain

La, La, ….

After two days, in the small back seat

The snacks began to get stale

After three days, in the weekend heat

I was listening to Jr’s tales

And the stories he told never seemed to end

The lack of a point made Steve wail.

You see I’ve been through Bulgaria in a small rental car

It felt good to be out of Sofia

In Veliko, you can remember your name

‘cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain

La, la…

At the weekends close, we had to come home

‘cause we almost ran out of songs

We drove through Shipska, climbed up on the rocks

And Steve took pictures of Rox

Belogradchik was cool, with the rocks and the trees

And the fortress up above

And the laughter in the car made us weak in the knees

And the memories will be strong

You see I’ve been through Bulgaria with 4 good friends

It felt good to be out of Sofia

On the road, you can remember your name

‘cause there ain’t no one for to give you no pain

La, la…

татуировка

2009-06-07T18:38:00.004-04:00

Go ahead...look up that title in a Bulgarian-English dictionary...I'll wait.

After visiting the passport office to renew my Bulgarian ID card, I headed to the mosque to relax by the fountain and listen to the call to prayer. Cat met me downtown and we did some tourist kitsch shopping...cyrillic t-shirts, etc.. (There are some cool pics from the underground passage with Roman ruins that will appear in a later post.) After shopping, we met up with Jess, had a little adventure, and ended the evening with dinner at Annette, my favorite Moroccan restaurant. (Pictures of the food will also appear in a later post.) Below are the amaretto sours we invented, since they weren't on the menu, but the staff there indulged us. After our little adventure, we needed them!

The adventure began earlier that afternoon when Ivo called тату MoHиka to inquire about appointments. He was assured that an appointment was unnecessary, on a weekday evening we could just walk in. He got directions (which were fantastic, thank goodness, since I appear to have lost all sense of how to get around Sofia), and found out the price. Apparently there is a minimum charge for any size up to the equivalent of a box of cigarettes...nice standard of measure, isn't it?

Upon our arrival, we were greeted by a shirtless man in white shorts, who Cat and Jess assure me wasn't wearing any underwear...it seems this time, my tendency to be oblivious was useful. In any case, he was very nice, realized we were the internationals who had called earlier, and though he spoke no English, simplified his speech enough that Jess was able to understand - yay for Jessica's Bulgarian skills! Basically, they were busy, but had a guy at another location 200 meters away who could help us. That guy would arrive in 5 minutes to pick us up. In the meantime, cigarette in hand, he offered us all beer, which we politely declined.

Other guy did indeed arrive in only 5 minutes (this was a good omen, since in Bulgarian time 5 minutes could really have been anywhere from 5-45 minutes...in that sense, I fit right in!) He walked us to his place, which was certainly NOT 200 meters away...maybe 2000. Below are some pictures of his studio:

the view from his window...oh yes, we were in the basement!

Here is the artist at work. Fortunately, his limited English was not a concern. Someone was definitely looking out for me. This studio was much cleaner (notice he's wearing gloves), he wasn't drinking or smoking, and he had a girlfriend who spoke perfect English and translated exactly what I wanted. Phew!

Yes, you may think I'm crazy. I prefer adventurous, thank you. As you can see, I lived to tell about it and I'm still smiling!

The final product, hours after completion...the drafting ink hadn't even all washed off yet.

Yes, it's a Bulgarian word, written in Cyrillic. But I'm not telling what it means or where it is!

Below is the video for the song we were singing after this little adventure:

We should do this more often!

2009-06-06T17:52:00.007-04:00

We've had lots of school functions and staff parties this year, but the St. George's Day celebration on Friday night was by far the best! Back in December, the international staff hosted an American Thanksgiving for the Bulgarian faculty. We spent numerous hours slaving away in the cafeteria kitchens (quite an adventure!) to make lots of turkey, stuffing, and fixings (I was on team dessert, of course...pumpkin, apple, and banana cream pie...see December blog posts for pictures). The Bulgarians reciprocated by hosting this party. Traditional Bulgarian food such as roast lamb was served; however, their efforts were concentrated on the entertainment, as you can see in the videos. The combination of being outdoors, great event planning, and music made this a night to remember...we should do this so much more often!

Here is a little history on St. George's Day. And yes, we know it was on May 6, which was the end of a long weekend holiday (I was in Baden Baden then). We were going to celebrate on May 29, but our party was postponed. So, we were a month late, but not to worry...our party was worth the wait!

From novinite.com:

Bulgaria Celebrates St. George's Day
Society | May 6, 2008, Tuesday

Hundreds of thousands of Bulgarians are celebrating their name days on St. George's Day, May 6. Picture by webcrafts.bg
Bulgarians are celebrating Tuesday (May 6) "Gergyovden" - the day of one the most popular saints - St. George, who is among the few venerated by Christians and Muslims alike.

St. George was a Roman officer during the rule of Emperor Diocletian (284-305), who became one of the martyrs for Christianity. He was tortured and then beheaded (on April 23, 306) because of his refusal to renounce his Christian faith.

The holy martyr St. George the Victor has been considered one of the most important Saints ever since Christianity became the official state religion in Bulgaria in the 9th century.

In Bulgaria St. George is the patron of spring verdure and fertility, and of shepherds and farmers. His Day, May 6, is believed to set in summer and the new farming cycle.

Several hundred thousand Bulgarians, including President Georgi Parvanov and Parliament Speaker Georgi Pirinski, celebrate their name days on Tuesday.

A common ritual is to prepare and eat a whole lamb, which is an ancient practice possibly related to Slavic pagan sacrificial traditions and the fact that St. George is the patron saint of shepherds.

Special place on the table is attributed to the ritual Gergyovden bread. All sorts of bread are made for the feast - the cross bread, the shepherd's bread, the large ring-bread, as well as small ones, or the special ring-shaped bun baked by the young wife in the house.

St. George is praised by the Bulgarians as "liberator of captives, and defender of the poor, physician of the sick". For centuries he has been considered by the Bulgarians as their protector. Possibly the most celebrated name day in the country, St George's Day (Гергьовден, Gergyovden) is a public holiday that takes place on 6 May every year. A common ritual is to prepare and eat a whole lamb. St. George is the patron saint of farmers and shepherds.[42]
St. George's Day is also the Day of the Bulgarian Army (made official with a decree of Knyaz Alexander of Bulgaria on 9 January 1880) and parades are organised in the capital Sofia to present the best of the army's equipment and manpower.

Now that you know the history of the celebration, take a look at the ACS version of the party:

DINNER!

My reputation precedes me...multiple people brought me ice cream...and of course, I ate them all! Much to the amusement of my Bulgarian colleagues, my foodie status is official, though I will refrain from publishing the proof here, at least for now...

Dancing!

Drinking: (it is Bulgaria, after all, home of rakia!)

Games:

Friends and fun:

The Fountain...such a perfect night for a party:

>

Fun, fun, and more fun...

2009-06-03T16:48:00.008-04:00

You know you're back in Eastern Europe when:

humans are dressed as dancing trees for no apparent reason

men are openly drinking beer on the subway

and lollicops are sleeping on the job

Loving the cafe culture in Old Town!

Radost Cafe - fun!

Fun signs:

So....we wanted to go into the Jewish Cemetary, but...since we didn't...Cat took some photos through the slats in the gate:

Cat and Steve have a contest going...any time either of them travels, the goal is to bring back the most tacky, offensive kitcsh they can find. Cat's been winning lately; a victory on this trip was ensured because now there were two of us. Below is a photo of our first choice gift, but it exceeded the 5 Euro price limit. These are Russian dolls in the images of celebrities. The sports figures are funny, but Obama, Bin Laden, and the pope...those were truly offensive.

And just in case you were wondering, we ended up with three great gifts...all quite offensive...all riffs on local traditions such as the Soviet leaders in Berlin, socially acceptable behavior in rebellious Prague (think Milan Kundera), and cubism that included the phrases 3x and spanek. That's all I'm willing to publish about that.

Big open squares with live music, fountains, and gorgeous warm sunny days...what more could you ask for on holiday?

Paddleboating in the Vltava River...great sun, great views sunbathers (and of the Charles Bridge), and new friends as we did a camera exchange for photos. A perfect and relaxing end to a lovely holiday!

Catching rays at lunch near Prague Castle:

Eatin' well in Prague

2009-06-03T16:37:00.005-04:00

George, the chocolate monkey

For our first dinner in Prague, we went to Cafe Louvre. We ate outside on a rooftop patio between buildings...it was adorable. I started with an asparagus appetizer, since 'tis the season...

For our main courses, Cat ordered Vaclav Havel's favorite dish, roast beef in a carrot sauce, cranberries and sour cream, with a side of potato dumplings...it was interesting...

Sticking with the cranberry theme, I ordered the duck breast with cranberry sauce, leek saute, and potato cakes...delicious!

That evening we headed out to Radost for dessert. Lounging on a comfy, bright pink couch, listening to the DJ spin, we indulged in chocolate cake and key lime pie.

After walking around Old Town all day, and then strolling across the Charles Bridge on our way to Prague Castle, we decided to stop for lunch. Cat continued her quest to try all the Czech beers, while I continued to enjoy Czech cuisine. (Cat was ready for a change and went for jalapeno poppers for an appetizer; I had potato pancakes with cabbage.)

Grabbing every opportunity, once again I ordered the duck. This time it was in a cabernet demi-glace. Again, delicious!

While strolling down Parizska (the street of Paris, which has beautiful buildings and all the shops you'd find on Madison Ave), we stopped at a cafe for coffee treats.

That same night (oh yes, the entire day was focused on eating), we went for our final dinner in Prague. Having had our fair share of Czech food, we felt compelled to try something different. We gave in to the ubiquitous messages that we were meant to eat Thai and headed across the street from our hotel to the Lemon Leaf Restaurant. It was amazing!

We began with a goat cheese salad appetizer. I realize the picture doesn't do it justice...but notice it's half eaten...it was so good I couldn't stop long enough to take the photo! The goat cheese was baked in honey, then covered with pistachio pesto and sitting atop spring mix drizzled with balsamic...wow.

We opted to dine family style, since we wanted one of everything. The first dish was a veggie couscous, including more fresh asparagus. The second dish was pork and lime rice with tomato sauce. So good!

On our last day, we crossed the bridge again and this time made it all the way to Prague Castle. On our way back down, we stopped for lunch at one of the cafes on the grounds. I had a chef salad that was as big as my head. That's chicken, heirloom tomatos, bacon, and fresh mozzerlla you see.

And we certainly couldn't leave without dessert after we laid eyes on the apple streudel with vanilla custard sauce...yup, those are vanilla beans in there!

And the highlight of the trip....Staroceske Trdlo...crazy bread! The closest thing we have in the states is a sweet pretzel. Basically, it's a bun dough that is dipped in crushed almonds, cinnamon, and sugar, then grilled so all those goodies carmelize. This is a mini-version of the yummy fire roasted treats Alanna and I had in the Budapest Christmas markets. Lucky for me, not only are the ones in Prague better, they are available year round! Luckier for me, I discovered this on our first evening, and my favorite shop was in walking distance to everything we did...so I went back over, and over, and over, and over....you get the idea...

And fyi...I did find a recipe on the internet to make them on a grill at home...I will definitely try it out and let you know how it goes!

Living up to the hype

2009-06-02T17:58:00.004-04:00

Prague Castle and St. Vitas Church

2009-06-02T15:53:00.006-04:00

Karluv Most

2009-06-01T14:04:00.003-04:00

When you tell people you're going to Prague they all have the same first reaction, "I LOVE Prague! You have to walk across the Charles Bridge." We loved Prague too...and we did walk across the bridge, repeatedly...

This is where St. John of Nepomuck (who incidentally was already dead at the time, having been executed by King Wenceslas) was thrown from the bridge. Legend has it that if you place your hands in front of the memorial and make a wish, he will grant it.

This is the statue of St. John of Nepomuk...touching this spot is said to bring good luck and ensure a return to Prague. We touched both the statue and the memorial...we'll take all the help we can get!

A lovely way to travel

2009-06-01T13:30:00.002-04:00

Prior to moving to Europe, my experience with long distance trains was pretty limited: Amtrak from Albany to New York. When I got here, everyone raved about how great traveling on the trains is...so we jumped on board the first chance we got, taking the train 12 hours overnight from Sofia to Belgrade. A few months later, I tried again, this time riding 13 hours overnight from Sofia to Istanbul...let's just say riding these legs of the famed Orient Express was not as glamorous as I had imagined. (You can read stories about these journeys in posts from September and February.) I was a little skeptical about taking the 5 1/2 hour ride from Berlin to Prague, but for only 64 Euro, I couldn't pass up a chance to see East Germany. Armed with our ipods and books, we boarded the train with some folks from Canada, and settled in for the ride. Luckily, this trip was everything it was cracked up to be. What a pleasant surprise!

Cat and I hung out in the dining car for a while...and had a lovely salad while we gazed out the windows.

The post you've all been waiting for...

2009-06-01T12:58:00.003-04:00

BERLIN FOOD!!!!!!!

Cat spent pretty much the entire trip mocking me for photographing everything I ate. I tried to tell her that my fellow foodies are far more interested in my meals than my educational experiences. The only thing my loyal readers like better than pics of my food, are pics of me eating it...there is only one here, but never fear, there are plenty from Prague. Enjoy your vicarious tour of the best of Berlin!

All you can eat buffet at the Arcotel Velvet...I love German breakfast!

yummy German multigrain bread with butter and cherry jam, real American bacon, black forest ham, swiss cheese, fresh grapes, oranges, bananas, chocolate pastry, the best blueberry yogurt, make your own cereal (mine had oats, rye, flax seed, almonds, and raisins), and coffee, decaf, of course...I got my money's worth at this one!

fresh, hot pretzel with butter - delicious!

German potato salad, bratwurst, and an original flammekuchen with sour cream, bacon, chives, and cheese - so good!

curry brats with french fries

Haagan Dazs: Coffee Caramel Chip and Belgian Chocolate

tourists in Berlin

2009-06-01T12:45:00.003-04:00

Our days of trying to act cool and fit into a city are long over...we proudly walk around, cameras in hand, snapping photos of everything from beautiful waterfront churches to street signs.

Berliner Dom

This is the cafe where we had lunch on our first day. Pictures of the food to follow in a later post.

Lustgarten...read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lustgarten

Checkpoint Charley...they had a really amazing outdoor exhibit that chronicled the history, had images of the city during the past 60 years, and told personal tales of escapes. What's even cooler, is that I can read the Russian on this sign!

the artistic side of Berlin

2009-06-01T11:52:00.004-04:00

As Cat and I wandered through Berlin, we realized that we crossed the "line" from East Berlin to West Berlin numerous times without even realizing. We were baffled as we thought about how a mere 20 years ago that would have been an impossibility. Though the lines were a bit blurred, in some places, the influence of being on a particular side of the city was evident. Below are some photos from the artistic side...which we found in both the east and the west.

In 2006 Berlin participated in United Buddy Bears - the Art of Tolerance project to raise money for charity; there are still many bears scattered throughout the city. Some of you may recall my love for these city art projects...for those who don't, allow me to fill you in. It began with Cow Parade in New York. It was my mission to see and be photographed with as many cows as possible. Next came the horses of Saratoga...a much easier task since it was local and significantly smaller. The madness really took full force in August 2007 when Greg, Alanna, and I went to Seattle. Unbeknownst to us, we arrived in the middle of the Pike's Place centennial. In honor of this, 100 pigs (the symbol for the market place) were scattered throughout the city; they had some great hiding places like on rooftops, in multitiered shopping malls, banks, and sports stadiums. We spent our three days there on a serious pig hunt (in between hunting for cupcakes...the best of which, should you find yourself in Seattle, are at Cupcake Royale) and I am proud to say I captured 88 pigs! But I digress...while I was pretty excited to find the Berlin bears, I did exercise a little self-control (it helped that we were only going to be in the country for 28 hours and that I had pulled yet another all-nighter the previous evening in preparation for my 6am flight) and forewent the bear hunt. So enjoy this welcoming bear because his is the only bear photo I took.

In addition to making fun of Americans (see my hot dog picture from the previous post), Germans are pretty good at finding humor in themselves too. About as far as we could be from Bavaria, here was a larger than life image of the iconic German figure. My German friends tell me the assumption that all of Germany is like the beer guzzling Bavarians is like assuming that all Americans are gun-toting cowboys from Texas. Hmmm......

You know I can't resist busquers...these guys were pretty unique. The top photo is from in front of the Brandenburg Gate. The bottom one was from a protest of some sort at Alexanderplatz.

"Berlin, I love you!"

This is the really cool park we found near the Brandenburg Gate. If only the leftover tributes to Communism in Sofia were so much fun!

Mt. Vitosha

2009-05-31T14:59:00.006-04:00

I know I'm delinquent on the Berlin and Prague posts...I promise, they're coming. I have over 600 pictures to sort through for those...cut me some slack! In the meantime, yesterday John, Magda, Adam, Alek, Jess, and I went up Mt. Vitosha. This 2290 meter (7513 ft) mountain, is the most visited and 4th highest peak in Bulgaria, and just happens to be right in our backyard. We can walk there from campus and hike up...of course we drove and rode the gondola (I may be running and doing power yoga these days, but let's not be ridiculous...I'm still me!)

Enjoy the views of Sofia and Mladost on our way up, as well as the mountain and of course, food!

the gondola station at Simenovo - notice all the construction debris...they are building more resorts here for ski season

village of Simeonovo

Sofia

Mt. Vitosha

this is what we saw when we got off the gondola at the final stop

Cherni Vrah (Black Peak) - the highest peak (yup, that's still snow on May 31)

John and Aleksander

Jess, me and our shopska salad

John holding Adam

me holding Alek

Adam, Jess, Alek, Magda

Prague videos

2009-05-27T11:47:00.005-04:00

It seems everywhere you go in Prague, Dixieland jazz is wafting through the air. This band was playing on the Charles Bridge as we crossed.

Just by chance, we were passing by the astrological clock in Old Town Square as the crowd was gathered to watch the chiming of the hour. Watch closely to see the saints and sinners do their dance.