Kambanite: International Children's Monument and Park in Sofia

This was only a two-day workweek because of several holidays that got mashed together the first weekend in May: the 1st of May (for everyone outside the United States, this is labor day), the Bulgarian Orthodox Easter holidays (which happened to fall very late this year, about a month after the Roman Catholic ones) and St. George's Day (a religious feast day and national holiday, as St. George is the patron of Bulgaria's military). Anyway, all this celebrating means a six-day weekend and I have already done quite a bit of sightseeing in my time off.

On May 1st Kiril and I went to Kambanite (The Bells) monument and park, dedicated to children all over the world. The monument was erected by Lyudmila Zhivkova, the daughter of the former Communist leader Todor Zhivkov, who was deposed in 1989. Zhivkova was a controversial figure but also a respected patron of the arts, and she established the monument through the "Banner of Peace" organization with support from UNESCO.

The park is made up of a circular pattern of bells donated by different countries built around a concrete tower holding seven more bells, meant to represent the seven continents. Having been created during the Communist period, the monument and park were neglected for many years until Zhivkova's daughter (also a fashion designer) started a campaign to restore it. Today many of the original bells are missing, but there are still signs of a bygone era there: a bell from Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, the USSR and both the German Deomocratic Republic and the Federal Republic of Germany. The are also bells from North and South Korea, Syria, Angola, China, Thailand, Nicaragua, Zimbabwe and many other countries around the globe. The United States' bell is quite small compared to Bulgaria's whopping 1300 kg one (commemorating 1300 years of Bulgarian history in 1981). But there are also some new additions, including bells donated by NATO and the Rotary club. I found Poland's bell, too...

  
On one side of the park there is a wall with plaques acknowledging the accomplishments of young Bulgarian athletes, artists and scientists. One of them is Ivet Lalova, Bulgaria' famous record-breaking sprinter. Read more about her in my post for International Women's Day last year.

These bells represent all the Bulgarian children living abroad. During the Communist period many families were forced to flee the country because of political differences. This was the case for my grandfather, who left Poland when it was invaded by Nazi Germany and could not return after the war when his country had joined the socialist bloc. As a result, there are many Bulgarian, Polish and other Eastern European families living abroad, especially in the United States. Unfortunately, there are still large numbers of young people who have to move abroad for economic opportunities. This is a growing concern within Bulgaria and many other European countries with struggling economies and limited options for employment.

And finally, behind the central tower (which reads "Unity, Creativity, Beauty" in Bulgarian and English) there is a small sign asking visitors not to ring the bells loudly. It also states that only children are allowed to ring the bells. :)

Hiking Mt. Vitosha- Kamen Del

This year on May 1st, the international worker's holiday, I decided to get out of the city and go for a hike on Mt. Vitosha with Kiril and Elana. The mountain is one of the first things you notice when approaching the city, either with a car or by plane. It looms over the city, snow-capped in winter and vibrant green in summer, and has an almost magnetic pull for Sofia's outdoor enthusiasts. There are hundreds of trails and paths all around the mountain and and endless array of activities there, including horseback riding, skiing and soaking in the mineral-rich hot springs.

For hiking, there are lots of options. We chose to drive up to the hija (lodge) closest to Kamen Del, one of the most visible peaks from the city below. It's also one of the lower peaks- Aleko and Cherni Vruh are much higher up the mountain- but we didn't start early enough to summit either of those. On the way to Kamen Del you pass a natural rock formation called Zlatni Mostove (Golden Bridges) made up of huge boulders leftover from an ancient river. There are also waterfalls and caves scattered around the outskirts of the mountain.

Admittedly, the path we chose wasn't the most strenuous of hikes- there is a longer way to go starting from the Golden Bridges area, but we didn't have that much time. It took us about an hour or so to get from the lodge to the peak, and it was mostly a gradual climb; we moved through muddy forest, grassy field and rocky outcropping as we approached the peak. We were rewarded with a gorgeous view of the city below, and met two mountaineers who were attempting to summit every peak in Bulgaria, carrying the same flag around with them on every hike. 

Now that the weather is getting hotter and the snow has mostly melted from the other peaks, I hope we can go back to the mountain soon and explore its other beautiful sites. There is a very famous trail in the Rila Mountains that traverses across seven mountain lakes- aptly named the Seven Rila Lakes. They're supposed to be breathtaking, although more difficult to reach, and weather is a huge factor there because the wind and rain can really ruin a hiking trip. Hopefully in the summer it will be warm and dry enough up there to go for a daytrip. There are almost too many places I still need to visit here in Bulgaria!

May Day Weekend: Varna and Balchik

This week was shorter because of the four day vacation that extended through Tuesday, May 1st. May Day, or International Workers' Day, is officially celebrated in many countries around the world- but not the United States. From what I remember, this had something to do with a general fear of the popularity of socialism in the early 20th century. Americans celebrate Labor Day in early September.

But to get back to Bulgaria, we had a nice long weekend and I decided to take advantage of the gorgeous summery weather and visit my friend L in Varna, on the Black Sea.

It was a much-needed break. I am feeling a little overwhelmed by deadlines and the end of the school year quickly approaching with too many things to finish, so it was great to go to the beach and relax. I was joined by our friend A, who is also living in Sofia, which made the whole trip felt like one big extended sleepover party (fun!). We dipped our legs in the still-freezing water, worked on our tans/sunburns, enjoyed lots of delicious food (Varna has an amazing Thai restaurant and a sushi place, not to mention great seafood) and took a day trip to the botanical gardens in Balchik.

Here are L and A enjoying a beachfront meal of mussels, fried fish, calimari and beer.

The botanical gardens in Balchik are on the grounds of what used to be Romanian Queen Marie's residential palace. It was built during the interwar period when Southern Dobruja was under Romanian control. It is now part of Bulgaria, and the gardens are maintained by Sofia University. Fun fact: the queen's heart was buried in a special part of the gardens, but were transplanted to Bucharest after the region was returned to Bulgaria in 1940. 

One of the most distinguishing landmarks of the palace is this minaret, which looks like what you would find attached to a mosque. This building, however, was neither designed as a mosque, nor has it ever been used as one. Apparently Queen Marie had it built as a symbolic gesture to the architecture of the region. She also professed her belief in Baha'ism, which explains the coexistence of Islamic and Christian symbols in this part of the complex.

I returned to Sofia on Tuesday night feeling well-rested, but the rest of the week was a blur. I guess that happens when the working week is only three days long: you feel much more exhausted afterwards than you would normally! 

"Spring Fatigue"

I've been feeling a little under the weather the last several days, and incredibly tired. Normally, I love sleeping in on the weekend (usually after staying up really late watching movies, though) but lately I can't seem to muster the energy I normally have, even with ten hours of sleep. Apparently this tiredness might be attributed to something called "spring fatigue" (in Bulgarian, пролетна умора) and is totally normal and very common at this time of year. But I've also developed a cough that sounds a little suspicious, which I shrugged off as a minor annoyance, but my boyfriend suggested that I start taking some vitamins and immunity-boosters just in case. 

By the way, this is Kiril. He's pretty wonderful. And the reason I'm pumping my system full of vitamin C, echinacea and various syrups (including propolis and ivy leaves). Although I was skeptical about the bee stuff, I have to say that after only two days I am feeling much better. It's nice to have someone taking care of you when you're sick!

We had a little argument the other day about American medicine vs. Bulgarian medicine. I had been taking some generic over-the-counter cough syrup that wasn't working, and he said that of course the Bulgarian kind would be better, because they only sell products here that actually work. I'm still not sure this is true, but I have definitely noticed an improvement over my Walgreens brand Dayquil substitute. In general, health care and medicines are far cheaper here than they would be in the States, which is sad to think about because I know there are lots of people back home who avoid going to the doctor to avoid the financial burden. In Bulgaria, although the quality of most public hospitals leaves much to be desired, at least you can get basic care for very little money. There are lots of differences between medical care here and in the U.S, which are too many to put into one post. I'm just happy that the more "natural remedies" seem to be working, at least for now.

Spring Holidays

This week I've been noticing a lot of preparation for some big holidays and traditions coming up in Bulgaria. In the town center, where there used to be stands selling martenitsi over a month ago, there are now tables covered in Easter baskets, toys and other decorations. This weekend there are two holidays: Lazarov Den on Saturday, after St. Lazarus, and Tsvetnitsa, or flower day, on Sunday. Both have religious and folkloric connections. Lazarov Den is celebrated by young girls wearing traditional folk costumes who go from house to house singing songs and dancing. Although this custom is now more of an event for children, in the past it was considered to be an important rite of passage for girls looking to get married. Tsvetnitsa is known as Palm Sunday throughout the Christian world, and has the same associations in Bulgaria but with a twist, including flower wreaths and willow branches. At our church back home my mother used to buy palms to bring to mass, after which we would fold them into crosses and take them home. The Biblical significance goes along with the story of Easter, which is why Palm Sunday is always the week before. In Bulgaria the willow branches replace the palms and they're put outside of doors to welcome good luck and health. I'm sure there are lots of other details I'm leaving out but that's why I'm determined to see both of these events for myself! I'll visit Lovech, a town about 30 kilometers from here, to visit another English teacher and check out their town carnival held in honor of Tsvetnitsa. Next Sunday, of course, is Easter (Velikden). This year is one of the few when the Orthodox and non-Orthodox calendars coincide. Easter is one of the two major holidays in Bulgaria and I'm looking forward to being a part of this special celebration. Apart from dying eggs, there are also special foods associated with Easter like kozunak, a sweet bread made with raisins or marmalade. I'm not sure exactly what I'll be doing that weekend but I will definitely post updates with photos of all the festivities. 

Zdravo, Makedonija!

I was very impressed and surprised by Macedonia. The language was really similar to Bulgarian- enough to get by and understand most interactions we needed to but not enough to know everything. As our hotel manager in Ohrid explained, Macedonians and Bulgarians can understand one another up to a certain point, but the fact is that there are some words in both languages which are entirely different. This is because despite all the discussion and nationalistic arguments to the contrary, Macedonia has its own history and its language reflects the nuances of its culture. For example, being a former Yugoslav republic, Macedonians use the same word for “thanks” as in Serbo-Croatian. Some of the signs we read in Skopje and even the travel map we were given were all written in Albanian, no doubt because of the capital’s close proximity to Kosovo. The food was nearly the same as what we would normally find in Bulgaria, but this is true of most countries throughout the region. Burek, yogurt, cevapi and ajvar were all familiar and available everywhere.

We took a bus from Sofia to Skopje, spent a couple of days there before heading out to Ohrid, about three hours away, and then had a stopover in Bitola before getting on a night bus back over the Bulgarian border. You can see the most important sights in Macedonia in a few days, but I’m glad we had the extra time to relax and enjoy the break. There weren’t really many tourists and the weather wasn’t bad- mostly overcast with a few light showers. But it was a lot warmer than it has been recently and there were plenty of sidewalk cafes to sit down in on the wide pedestrian streets.

The center of Skopje is under a lot of construction at the moment but you can tell that when it’s all finished it will be a very charming and attractive city. Most of the sights are close to the main square and medieval stone bridge that spans the river. On one side is the carsija, or old Ottoman district, with its bazaars, Turkish baths and mosques. The other side is the new town, with lots of malls, cafes and churches. There is a gigantic neon cross perched atop one of the hills, something that reminded me of Boise, Idaho. Because it’s so close to the Kosovo border, accommodation and food in Skopje are much higher than other parts of the country. But we managed to find a decent hostel offering private rooms not far from the bus station. My favorite part of Skopje was definitely the old town because it was such a contrast visually to what I’m used to here. I know that when I visit Turkey it will be more of the same but I really love just wandering around and admiring the architecture (especially at one of the old baths which had been turned into an art gallery).

Ohrid is a small town on a lake nestled between the mountains near the Albanian border. There’s a beautiful lakefront path, a small harbor and a medieval fortress looming over the old town. I read from one website that Ohrid is home to 365 churches- one for every day of the year. While I didn’t count so many, there were a few breathtaking ones we visited, like the one overlooking a cliff on the path up to the fortress. Another church was situated amongst the ruins of Ohrid’s medieval university and may have housed the remains of St. Clement, a well-known and loved Orthodox saint. The walls and towers of Csar Samoil’s fortress provided an unbeatable view of the town and the lake. Not far away was the less-than-impressive ancient theater and archaeological museum. Most buildings in the old town were in a similar style to the Bulgarian revival period houses I’ve seen here. There was also a bazaar area with a few mosques and a thousand year-old tree still standing in one square. The best part about Ohrid was the lake itself. The first evening we arrived we had dinner in a terrace restaurant above a hotel overlooking a gorgeous sunset. It was a perfect getaway, and not too far from home. I loved it and would definitely go back.

Not out of the woods yet

More snow in February!

So the slightly warmer weather the last few weeks made me believe that winter had finally subsided here in Pleven. I was mistaken, as I found out last week when it started snowing again. Aesthetically, it's really pretty. Practically, I hate it. I have to wear my big clunky snow boots (which I thought would hold up for a long time but I will likely have to throw out after this winter). I have to walk more slowly than I normally would because the roads can be icy. And I just feel plain lazy all the time. Keeping busy is tough when it's so tempting to sleep in longer.

Trifon Zarezan

But this season in Bulgaria has its quirks and little surprises: the first being a day dedicated to drinking wine  and the second, the tradition of Baba Marta. Trifon Zarezan is a holiday celebrated on February 14th, on Valentine's Day, for the new grape harvest and ritual pruning of the vines. My students have informed me that it's mostly an excuse for people to get drunk. I do admire the tradition. Bulgaria has some fabulous wines (I haven't even tried all the varieties yet). I prefer dry reds, so for me two of the best ones are Mavrud and the regional variety from Melnik. I've also heard that Pleven's institute of viniculture, the oldest one in the Balkans, has a retail outlet somewhere in town. I haven't found it yet, but believe me, I will. :)

Baba Marta is a celebration of springtime where people wear little badges or bracelets called martenitsi for good luck and health. They always feature two colors: red, which symbolizes health, and white, which symbolizes luck. There is a legend about a carrier pigeon sent over the Danube with a white string attached to its leg that was shot by an arrow, thus the red blood, on which the tradition is based. During the month of March (or Mart, in Bulgarian) these symbols are worn until one sees a stork. After that you are supposed to tie the martenitsi to a tree so that it will blossom. When this happens it marks the beginning of spring. This practice is celebrated all over Bulgaria and everyone exchanges martenitsi with family and friends. It's definitely more exciting than watching a groundhog look at it's shadow, don't you think?