Zagorka Queen

My Second Home

2007-09-11T21:45:00.000-07:00

Stara Zagora really did become my second home, my home away from home. I made it mine, and made a great amazing life for myself there.

The apartment building. A large communist block.

My apartment doors. I loved these doors. I could easily tell anyone that came to visit, which apartment was mine. I loved that red door!

The dark, musty entrance to my building. It always smelled, and the ground was always wet. It was like a very creepy basement, except that this was my everyday.

The mailboxes. Bulgaria does not really hold mail to a high standard. It is not a federal offense to open someone else's mail. And this is why I had all mail and packages sent to my school. How else would I have gotten my Fruity Pebble fix??

My door. Gospodin Mixhailovski Street, #81, Stara Zagora, BG 6000. My second home.

It may not look like much from the outside, like most places in Bulgaria, but it was warm and cozy. I had many a laugh and tear inside those doors, and I wouldn't trade any of it for the world.

Bringing the Bears to Bulgaria

2007-09-09T22:37:00.000-07:00

During my grand ol' tour, we stopped into school so I could show off one of my biggest accomplishments while in Bulgaria. The completion of my grant: A media resource room and English library.

And to add my own little touch to the room, I put in a UC Berkeley Football mouse pad. Just trying to spread the joys of Cal football all over the world. I am sure no one ever noticed, but it was a small piece of home right there at my school in Bulgaria.

I even left the American football I had acquired with my school. Although, the football was a little beat up when I left. Playing with it on the hard asphault in the school yard, kicking it around like it was a soccer ball will do that to the ball. I used to love watching my students try to get that perfect spiral pass to their classmate. Quite amusing.

The Quick and Dirty of Sightseeing in BG: Stara Zagora

2007-09-08T12:34:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Stara Zagora in the early morning. We headed back to my place where I was greeted by my lovely cat Costa. We rested for a bit before heading back into town. I wanted to show my sister what my life was like for the last 2+ years.

First stop: Apartment. Check.
Second stop: The Market. Check.
Third stop: The Obits wall. Check.

Next stop: My School. Check.
Next stop: The Old Ruins. Check.

Next stop: Ice Cream. Check.

Final stop: Drums. Check.

Stara Zagora is a beautiful city, and the fifth largest in Bulgaria. But I cant say that we see too many tourists come through these streets for reasons you may have already guessed. There just isn't a whole lot to see or do.

Tears, Tempers and Trains

2007-09-07T21:04:00.000-07:00

Much like any big city, after 4 days the hustle, the crowds, the intensity and the heat began to wear on us, but we wanted more. I could have spent 3 weeks in Istanbul alone before even venturing to other parts of Turkey. Unfortunately, we only had about 4 days in the amazing, lustrous city.

We tried to soak up as much of it as possible. From the mosques, to the side street shops. From the aqueducts, to the Grand Bizarre. From the rooftops, across the Bosporus. From one palace to the next. From strangers to friends. From friendly smiles, to cups of tea. But after so many cups of tea... it was time to say good bye to Turkey. We headed back on the 10pm train.

(From the train)

We of course ran into a small glitch when we got on the train. Our tickets (tickets I previously purchased in Bulgaria to ensure I had a sleeper cabin) were not valid as the Turkey reservation desk had already given that cabin to another group of people. After 2 and a half years of this s**t, my patience had run thin and I was fuming yelling at the ticket lady, yelling at the train guy, pretty much just yelling at anyone who looked like they were in charge of anything. Well, it worked. I got my way, and we got a sleeper cabin!

(Me and my mom peering up from our beds...hot, sweaty and tired)

Taking the night train was nothing new for me or for my sister who had travelled Europe right out of college, but it was quite an adventure for my mom. The kicker of it all was that at maybe 3 in the morning we passed through boarder control. This meant we had to get off the train leaving all our possessions back in the cabin, cross the train tracks (by cross, I mean, jump down on the tracks, walk across, and climb back up....at 3 IN THE MORNING!), and get our passports stamped. I had done this once before so I didnt think much of it, but I kept forgetting that this would NEVER fly in the states. Since when does one have to cross live tracks just to get their documents checked. It really is insane just to think about it.

(Boarder Crossing on the Turkey Side)

We made it safely back to Stara Zagora, all limbs attached, all suitcases still in tow. Even with the constant jerking of the train, the nightly check-ins from random boarder control, the track crossings, even with all that, my mom still loved it. It reminded her of something out of a movie. Movie or not, I am excited not to have to ride scary night trains for awhile. Although it saddens me too, as that means I will not be travelling for awhile.

Because I REALLY Cant Help Myself

2007-09-06T21:29:00.000-07:00

Ah, the Turkish Toilet....for reals!

I have had the great experience of doing my business in many a hole in the ground, a hole we like to call the Turkish toilet. Now finally, here is a real Turkish toilet; this time actually in Turkey.

(A sultan's toilet at the Topkapi Palace)

As you may recall, in an earlier post "The Terrible Turkish Toilets", I also write about my joys of the scary dark hole.

Because I Cant Help Myself

2007-09-05T21:20:00.000-07:00

For so many reasons, I cant help but JUMP. Here is another one of me and my sister....this time in Turkey!

(Before)

(After)

Check out those shadows!

Turksih Boyfriend

2007-09-04T15:32:00.000-07:00

During one of our last meals in Turkey, we went to a restaraunt across the street from our hotel. I remember this place well, as I had dined there the previous year with Mandy and Gina. We had made friends with the owners and they even took us out for a night on the town to Shiny Club. But that is a story for another time.

Back to this summer. We had an early casual dinner and ordered wine and appetizers. We were in no rush. As the waiter took our order, he looked at me with confusion. You know how when you see someone you think you know, you get that look in your eye like "How do I know you?". Well, he had that same curious expression. He asked if he knew me from somewhere and I told him yes, from last summer, we went to Shiny club. "Ah, yes. You were with a tall girl and a shorter girl." (Mandy and Gina.) We started talking and wa-la, we made the connection.

(A rooftop dinner)

The waiter went in and told his friend that I had returned. He came out, greeted me with a hug and kiss, and we reminisced about last summer. I came to find out that he is now happily engaged and doing well for himself. As the evening progressed, we had our dinner, ordered more wine, and made more connections. Another person there owned a small shop in the states, in Texas. And who would have believed it, but my mom had frequented that shop several times during her visits to a friend out in Houston. They chatted. I chatted. It was nothing but good times. They joked about one of the waiters, telling me he was single and interested. They even offered my mom 5 camels and a carpet if we were to wed, continuing to tease the young turkish guy about how he had enough hair on his chest to keep me warm during the cold, long winter nights.

By the end of the dinner, everyone was friends. We had shared cups of tea together, exchanged emails, and truly had a good time. I was walked out by young waiter where he planted a kiss on me, and promised to write. You could see it in his eyes. He was smitten over the American girl.

Update: And in fact, he did write. He has written me over the months since my return to the states asking me when I will return. He even writes me poems...or sends me poems as I am not sure they are originals. Here are a couple samples of what was sent to me.

(Istanbul in the Winter: Mehmet Altunpak, my Turkish Boyfriend)

Subject: My inspiration

Destiny where do I find you?
Destiny where can I look for you?
Destiny where are you hiding?
Why are you hiding from me?
Destiny what do you have for me?
Destiny what are my options?
Destiny which door is open for me?
Destiny which door should I go in to find out what you have for me?
Destiny does my future looks bright?
Destiny do you have anything for me that I might want?
Destiny can I get any satisfaction from you?
Destiny are you my friend?
Destiny can you feel my hearts desires?

Subject: Hello

My dearest, How are you? I looked forward to response anyway you send. You 're beautiful. I love your eyes. Miss you. I would be waiting tomorrow night at 10 o'clock. Kiss you. See you.

Subject: Angel

Hi my angel. Where have you been? Ok Jessie, say hi to your family. I really so miss you. I will LOVE YOU forever. Take care of yourself.

Subject: You are the one

A month have passed since splitting up. Who knows where are you I could do anything to see you and hear your voice. Your green eyes, your wavy hair are unforgettable. Never think you have been forgotten you are always on my mind. Without being forgotten your memory had stayed somewhere deep in my heart. Oppression month had pulled you away from me. None had known our love except us. I'm left alone and our love has become a song I have been thinking of you with song.

Those are some real bottom of the heart love letters. I havent been back since, but cant wait for the next opportunity to return. Maybe our paths will cross once again

The Sunken Palace

2007-09-03T22:28:00.000-07:00

Istanbul is often described as mystical, but when you go down the steps into the cool, dark cisterns, it doesn’t get more mystical and magical than that. Beneath Istanbul lie hundreds of gloomy cisterns. They're left from the days when Istanbul was Constantinople.

The grandest of all is Yerebatan Saray Sarniçi, called the Basilica Cistern, or “Sunken Palace”, because of its size (2.4 acres), its capacity (over 21 million US gallons) and its 336 marble columns. You can walk through the cistern on a wooden walkway to the sounds of soft classical music and dripping water. And if you look closely, there are goldfish darting around in the water below.

It was constructed in the mid-500's A.D. during the reign of Justinian I in order to supply water to palaces located nearby. The water was brought in from far away water sources via aqueduct, and then stored in cisterns such as this one. After the fall of Constantinople in 1453, the cistern fell largely unused for centuries. During the 1980's a huge restoration project was conducted on the cistern to allow for tourist visits.

Justinian’s builders didn’t actually carve all these intricate decorate columns; this was a case of ancient recycling. They reused materials from old buildings. And one of the most famous sights within the cistern is the pedestal with the two Medusa heads carved into it. The exact origin of the two heads is unknown, though they were probably recycled from the late Roman period. Another mystery is why one of the heads is upside down, while the other is tilted to one side.In Greek mythology, Medusa was a gorgeous gal with a great head of hair, but Athena, queen of the gods, was jealous. She turned her into a monster with serpents growing out of her head, and anyone who looked at her turned into stone.

Another tidbit of interest: We were told that the scene in the old James Bond movie From Russia With Love was filmed in Yerbatan. It is the scene when Bond is rowing in a small boat through a forest of marble columns. Cool, huh?

The Sights, Sounds, and Smells of Istanbul

2007-09-02T23:05:00.000-07:00

A quick picture review trying its best to capture snip its of Istanbul.

Pottery.

Lights.

Spices.

Turkish Delights.

Cheese.

Baklava. (Original baklava is made from "40" layers of yufka dough. The dough should be so thin that it should be transperant. In between, pistachio or walnuts are laid.)

Textile Vendors.

Tiles.

The Bosporus.

These pictures don't even begin to do Istanbul justice, but it gives you a very small glimpse into what it has to offer.

Call to Prayer

2007-09-01T21:50:00.000-07:00

Istanbul is blanketed in mosques. Throughout the city, you are never more than a few blocks away from one. Yet the undisputed icons of the city and the spiritual (and tourist) heart of the city are two massive mosques that face each other, separated by a beautiful park. As the story goes, they were built by competing sultans trying to outspend each other on lavish glories to god. Called the Aya Sofia and the Blue Mosque, these buildings are truly monuments to man’s ability to create beauty.

(Ritual of men washing feet before prayer)

(Inside the Blue Mosque...all covered up out of respect for their beliefs.)

Turkey is 99% Muslim, and five times a day the city's mosques blast the call to prayer from their loudspeakers. The first comes at a shockingly early 5am, nearly knocking my sister out of bed on the first night. You can hear the call in every corner of the city, and it is a hauntingly beautiful cry. After the first morning, we talked about the call to prayer and how much it just gave us all the goose bumps at the beauty of it. Perhaps more than anything else, the call to prayer made us feel as though we were definitely not in the "West," but had entered the vaguely defined "East.”

(Ayasofia Mosque)

(Inside Ayasofia. Here you have to try to move your thumb all the way around the circle without lifting your thumb at anytime. If you do this your wish will come true...or something superstitious like that.)

Although there are probably hundreds, maybe thousands of mosques in Istanbul, we only made it to a few. But we did hear the call to prayer everyday, five times a day, and were still found in awe each time.

Istanbul in a Nutshell

2007-08-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

I wanted to write all about my time in Istanbul with my family, but couldnt help but think that my friend Max had put it so eloquently: "Istanbul, a city that is truly a crossroads of history and civilization. A capital of empires and dynasties, today Istanbul is the financial and cultural capital of modern Turkey (though the “official” political capital is Ankara, in central Anatolia). It is a city of nearly 9 million people, with an estimated total of 11 million when the surrounding areas are included – making it bigger than New York City or Los Angeles county. All of Bulgaria has only 7.5 million people. It’s a big place." (Thank you Max, for that.)

(In front of the Blue Mosque with the family)

It’s also an incredibly interesting, dynamic city that I couldnt help but pressure my mom into going. My previous visit a year earlier there had been a small bombing in the outskirts of Istanbul. This to say the least had scared off my mom. Bombings were still a small threat as politics meets religion, but I assured her that it was well worth the risk. She agreed, and now I think I can say with all honesty, Istanbul ranks in as one of me, my sister's and my mom's top 3 favorite cities. It is number one for me as no other city even compares. Nothing can compare to the many contrasts or smells, the clash of modern and old, the traditions, colors, and overall vibe.

(Enjoying the light show in front of the Blue Mosque)

We had a blast. It was hot, in the mid 90s, and it was crowded with backpackers and tourists, and Turks of course. The street hockers were as annoying and slick as ever, pleading with us to buy their carpets and eat their food. But outside of the main tourist center, the hard-sellers disappear, and you can walk unimpeded. We strolled the bazaars and we shopped and haggled for bargains...well, mostly I did the bargaining as my innocent smile disappeared and I got down to business. I had been there once before and knew more or less what one should pay for a piece of pottery or a small this or that.

My Turkish Twin...

2007-08-29T16:13:00.000-07:00

Turkey: A country full of men. Men who, as you walk past, tell you how beautiful you are, always trying to guess your nationality. Men who are so forward in their feeling, and don't hold anything back. Men, who ultimately, are just trying to sell you something.

As we were headed to our next point of interest, one of the mosques in the main square, a young Turkish guy stopped to tell us that the call of prayer was about to start and now was not a good time to site see the mosque. We looked around to see if he was telling the truth, and in fact, men were walking in herds towards the mosque to, well, pray. We kindly thanked him and smiled goodbye. We had decided to hold off for a bit and head in another direction. I think we ventured down to the aqueducts or maybe went shopping; I don't quite remember. A couple of hours later we happened across this same guy. He again stopped, and chatted us up. As me and him were talking, my sister got this classic snap shot.

(Twins: Me and my Turkish Twin)

Only in the land of the foreign, outside of America, would you find a guy wearing a purple and pink and green striped shirt, an almost identical pattern to my tank top. There is just no shame, or maybe every one is proudly metro. Not really sure, but I can't help but love it.

As we chatted and parted ways, he recommended a place to eat later, which we followed up on. After joining us for a drink, my mom warily headed to the hotel, while my sister and I joined him and his cousin for some tea and backgammon and even a little hookah (although we did not partake in the hookah).

All in all, he seemed like a nice guy. I must say, having tea is a lot more innocent than going out for beers at a club. After all, tea is a sign of friendship, offered anytime, anywhere.

We ran into him a couple of other times during our stay in Instanbul, but never sat down for tea again. I cant say I was bummed because, really, I was in Turkey, and there were sooo many other things to see and enjoy! I will always remember these encounters and meetings with my Turkish Twin, and always look back fondly of the time we had tea together.

Helllloooo Turkey!

2007-08-28T15:30:00.000-07:00

We arrived into Istanbul in the evening, jumped into the hotel shuttle, and were wisked away. And when I say whisked, I mean packed into a shuttle, holding on for dear life, and trying to soak up the sights as we reached further and further into the city. As we approached the center, the streets became more narrow and apparently one-way. Cars had to reverse out of a street if an oncoming car was coming.

(Istanbul at night)

The hotel we stayed in was the same place my friends and I stayed a year before. It was the Side Pension and Hotel. A hotel/pension. We stayed in the hotel side this time. The only difference here was the fact that it was supposed to have air conditioning. And in the middle of the summer in Turkey, you want air conditioning. Unfortunately, they were all full up and our reservation didn't mean much to them, so we were stuck in a smallish room with 2 beds and a cot, and zero A/C. A small fan was supplied to us, but I find that those sometimes just push the hot air around rather than producing any cool air at all. I was disappointed and angry as this is what I had reserved, but what could I do?

We stepped out for a quick glimpse of our neighborhood, grabbed a bite, and headed in for a good nights rest. We were exhausted.

Farewell Athens

2007-08-27T09:38:00.000-07:00

The hot summer sun. A cooling jacuzzi. Tons of tourists. The magnificant greek ruins. Kebabs and taziki. A few islands. Pistachios. And one trip to the hospital.

Here are a few picture highlights:

(Me amid some ruins)

Who doesnt love the self portrait photo where one person holds the camera hoping not to get a double chin. But we were all smiles (and double chin-less). Could I have any more frekles?

(Me, Jenny, and Mom)

What would a trip be without a classic jumping shot. It is just something I have to do everywhere I travel. I even managed to convince my sister of the fun! The Greeks and tourists alike look on as we jumped like crazy till we got a good shot. Although good can be described as ridiculously silly here.

(Jenny and me)

It was time to say good bye to Greece; we were packing our bags for Turkey!

Side Note: A Quick Review

2007-08-26T11:58:00.000-07:00

After my numerous toe and personal health incidents during my stay abroad, I wanted to give you a quick review of different medical vehicles I can proudly say I never had to use.

This one seriously looks like the ghost busters car just a little more beat up. How old is this vehicle??? And can it really be that reliable!?

This is more like it. A real ambulance right in my home town of Stara Zagora. I hope they upgrade all the emergency vehicles to ones like this. Alas, this is Bulgaria, where the money runs scarce expect when bribed by the mafia.

What is filled with goo and green all over?

2007-08-25T12:41:00.000-07:00

My gross infected toe! Yes, I know my riddle is pretty bad, but I just cant seem to escape all the issues that surround my feet. It is bad enough that feet are smelly and not known to be the prettiest body part ever, but mine just happen to be the grossest things you ever saw. (Well, maybe not the grossest.)

It all started last summer. My family was in Bulgaria visiting and I got an infection in my big toe nail. My mom came with me to the Peace Corps doctors where they told me I would have to have a procedure done to take out my ingrown toenail. (ICK!) Later in the summer, they did the procedure and I passed with flying colors. No infection, no nastiness.

This summer, my mom had to take me to a Greek hospital. I showed off my toe to an EMT and she reccommended I go to the public hospital in town to get it checked out. I would have held off until I got back to Bulgaria or even the states, but it just seemed to get worse and worse. And I didnt think that with all the heat, sweat and dirt, it was making things better. This hospital was something out of a movie back in the 50s. It was old, run down and no one spoke English, but that was only to be expected. I paid 5 Euros, and waited about 2 hours and finally saw a doctor. He just looked at my toe (didnt even bother to put on gloves), wrote up a prescription and I was on my way.

It was quite an interesting interaction with his broken English, and my complete lack of any Greek except "prost" which means cheers. And I didnt really think that would get me anywhere except a good spot at the bar.

Needless to say by the looks of my toe slowly progressing from bad to worse, I filled the presription, and let the magic begin. It was a gel like substance I had to rub on the infected area. Lucky for me it was hot sandal weather!

Over the course of the trip, my toe slowly started to heal. The yellowy-green pus was released, and my toe back to normal. But I will tell you one thing, I dont ever want to end up in another foreign hospital, especially without a translator. That was 7 too many times (5 times in Bulgaria, and 2 times in Greece). Yikes!

Aegina, Hydra, Poros...

2007-08-23T14:56:00.000-07:00

...and a tourist rip-off. I could have guessed from the start that what we signed up for was going to turn out this way, but the brochures and sales people make it sound great. A day trip to 3 Greek islands! A ferry boat, lunch and tours. What more could you ask for? MORE TIME! That is what.

(Myself and Jenny, my sister, on the Ferry out to the islands)

Yes, we were suckered into going on a day trip to 3 different Greek Islands, just off the Athens coast. We wanted a taste of the islands, but didnt have a whole lot of time. So, we settled on one of those typical tourists traps.

We set sail on the ferry bright and early, and headed out to sea for a couple of hours with all the other anxious, excited, doe-eyed tourists by our side.

(The Ferry)

First stop: Aegina. We were given about 2 hours to roam the island. So instead of walking on the beach with the wind blowing through my hair, my skirt flowing like I imagined (but not really), we were like cattle being herded, everyone in the same direction passing by the tacky tourists shops. We did get to venture to a clock tower and take some nice photos. Greece is full of nothing but photo opportunities.

(The Family)

Next stop: Hydra. 1 or so hour here. A quick jaunt though the small island town, and some decent shopping. But again, it was nothing to write home about. Had we been given more time, maybe, but I hate that feeling of being rushed on time. If you are late, the boat leaves without you. That is what they say anyways.

(A Greek Window)

Next stop: Poros. I actually really enjoyed this island. They took us out into the depth of island more where they gave us a guided tour. We saw the endless fields of Pistachio farms. And the interesting thing about pistachios is that they have sex! Yes, sex.

Pistachios trees are dioecious in nature, meaning that the sex of some trees is male and some female, and that both are needed for complete pollination. The female trees produce the nuts while the male produces the pollen. Hmm, that seems not too unfamiliar from human procreation. One male tree is needed for every six female trees, a fact that guys can relate to. Wind also aids in the pollination process.

(Me amid the characteristically white Greek town)

Last stop: Athens. After a long day out at sea, with sometimes turbulent waters, the hot summer sun, and the constant go-go-go mentality of the tour guides, we were back on dry land and ready to sit back and relax.

Advice for next time: Spend more time on one island, rather than 3 in one day, and less time in Athens.

Greece: Destination Athens

2007-08-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

First impressions: It is hot hot hot! And I don't mean sexy. I mean sweaty, muggy, and moist. Not a good combination for anyone.

I arrive into Athens a half day before my mom and sister and decide to brave the subway and buses to get myself over the hotel where a rooftop jacuzzi awaits! I find the hotel with the help of a Greek man. I wish I could say he was a Greek god, but he was just a helpful old man wandering the streets of Athens in the mid morning heat. I check in, drop my bag off, and put on the bikini. I wanted to soak up some sun and work on my tan before having to head back to foggy San Francisco. As I walk out onto the roof, I am awe struck by our view. We have a view over all of Athens and are right next to the big Acropolis! It was amazing. And so was the cooled jacuzzi. Now this is what I call a vacation.

After a couple of hours in the peak day sun, I head down to the air conditioned hotel and await the family. They arrive with open arms, and we head straight out for some grub.

The thing I love about most European towns is the outdoor cafes! I can never get enough of them. We find a cozy spot on the street and dig into our shwarma kebabs, taziki, and refreshing beer. After dinner we walked around the plaza and enjoyed seeing all the old ruins lit up at night, especially the Acropolis.

And that was just day one!

Off I go...

2007-07-29T23:57:00.000-07:00

With only two weeks left before my departure, I am headed off on my last European vacation (for awhile). This time, its destination Greece and Turkey. I am meeting my mom and sister in Athens were we will tour around the city, hopefully make it to an island, and relax in the roof top jacuzzi at our hotel. Then its off to Turkey. I have been once before and cannot wait to show my mom and sister the beautiful city and culture that is Istanbul. Off I go..

(Me at the Camp site in Serbia being incredibly cute...and silly.)

And like I said before, (which no one did,) write me comments!!! Please....so I know people are reading this thing and its not all for nothing!

BG in the news...

2007-07-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

As my time here leads me back to Sofia for a few days, I cant help but remember this article my friend stumbled upon and shared with me. It is an article from the New York Times published July 1, 2007. Its a rare occurrence when Bulgaria makes the headlines. And even more surprising when they make the NYT for their clubbing scene. But, I must say, Maskata is one of my favorite clubs to go to when I make it out to the big capital city.

Partying Amid Cold-War Ruins:
OUT at Sofia’s southernmost edge, where new offices and condos are continuously in the works, Studentski Grad, or Student Town, still looks lifelessly rooted in its cold war-era skeleton. An academic zone of six universities built in the ’60s and ’70s, it’s a place where graffiti-covered housing blocks crumble, rusted fences line overgrown fields, and Soviet-made cars decay on cracked sidewalks. Crisp blue-and-gold European Union flags do little to sway the impression of a bleak wasteland. That is, until the sun sets.

At night, many of the area’s 25,000 students — including engineering and economics majors at the Technical University and the University of National and World Economy — hoof it to more than 30 strobe-lighted bars and discos, many hidden behind aged, Soviet-era dorms and publicized only by word of mouth.

Spurred by Bulgaria’s accession into the European Union this year, the capital city of Sofia is experiencing a night-life boom. And nowhere is this more apparent that in Studentski Grad, where cheap rents, lax zoning rules and young residents mean that clubs and bars are opening everywhere, from vacant lots to active dormitories.

“It’s like a resort of clubs,” said Ventsislav Dudolenski, 40, the district’s appointed mayor, who has a no-holds-barred approach to development. “Bulgarians like to go out every night.”

Some of the most popular clubs are clustered behind dorm blocks 13, 14 and 15, where bright lights and blaring DJs are the rule. Fans of chalga — a kind of Balkanized disco that sounds something like the Borat theme song — pour into Avenue (1A Atanas Manchev Street; 359-898-553-086; www.complexavenue.com), a well-lighted and mellow club where you’ll find friends dancing in groups, arms raised and hips shaking.

Alt-rocker types head to Stroeja (Block 23B; 359-2-962-5977; www.stroeja.com), a dive bar that resembles, as its Bulgarian name suggests, a construction site, with broken windows, scaffolding and sawhorse tables. The crowd comes to drink Zagorka beers (1.50 leva, or about $1 at 1.49 leva to the dollar), listen to post-Nirvana rock and play the Pamela Anderson pinball machine.

For live music , there’s Maskata (Block 19; 359-2-868-8079), a cavernous club on the ground floor of an active student dormitory. In one corner, portraits of Bulgaria’s former Communist leaders are cheekily on display. But the focus is on the stage, where rock bands jam most weekends, and fellow students sing Whitney Houston and Judas Priest tunes during the Monday karaoke nights that last till 5 a.m.

The restaurant scene in Studentski Grad is starting to show life, too. Until recently, the district had three choices: drab student cafeterias, pizzerias and kebab stands. Now there are a handful of decent sit-down restaurants like Borimechkata (Block 24; 352-888-222-124; www.borimechkata.com), a Greek taverna-style place with hanging vines, wine-filled barrels and an open grill for skewered meats, including lamb shish kebab (5.20 leva).

All this partying doesn’t exactly bode well for studying. “About 80 percent of the students go to university only to drink and drink,” said Aleksander Sirakov, 21, a student at Sofia University. “It’s fun, but it’s hard to learn anything when you’re hung over every morning.”

Goodbye Pool...

2007-07-27T23:02:00.000-07:00

It was a sad day for me today. Today, my friends, was my last day at the pool. Yes, that is right. I will no longer be basking in the sun at Stara Zagora's hippest pool called Escape. Its a perfect name for the pool as most go there to "escape". Not such a clever name in fact, but eh.

(Christina and Grant...my occasional pool buddies.)

All week, my days looked like this. I woke up, drank some juice, fooled around online for a bit, put on the swim suit, lathered up the sunscreen, packed my towel and book, and headed on out to the pool. All this by 11:30 am. I sat around reading, drinking iced coffees, cooled off by dipping in the pool, napped under the sun's rays, and just simply relaxed. And I would do it all over again the next day. Seriously, this week couldn't get any better.

(The pool. Please note the wheel chair. Not so surprising to see handicapped people at the pool as it is actually easier for them in the water, but surprising to see it in Bulgaria.)

That was until the lifeguard blew her whistle for the last time at 5:30 pm instructing us to get out of the pool. My friends were with me as we said goodbye and walked out. But enough of this complaining. I will be off to Greece in a few days, basking under those beautiful rays.

Bulgarian Nurses are saved!!!!

2007-07-26T00:05:00.000-07:00

Since many of you have been asking me about the situation with the Bulgarian nurses, this is what I have for you. As you all know, Bulgaria has been making headlines all over the world. It is an important event in Bulgaria's recent history as a group of five Bulgarian nurses (and a Palestinian doctor) were set free from death row in Libya on Tuesday.

As I have mentioned in a previous blog entry...Eight and a half years ago, the five nurses who were living and working in Libya, were falsely accused of infecting nearly 500 children with HIV. An investigation concluded that the infections came from the wards where the Bulgarian nurses had been assigned. The nurses say they were tortured into confessing their guilt. But international experts concluded that the virus appeared before the nurses’ arrival and was probably spread by contaminated needles. But the country they needed a scapegoat and saw the nurses as their answer. The Bulgarians and the Palestinian doctor were a terribly sad case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. For more than eight years these people who went to work and help the Libyans were beaten, tortured, and jailed.

And then, in recent weeks, the situation rapidly changed. Following weeks of intense behind-the-scenes negotiations involving French president Nicolas Sarkozy, his spouse Cecilia and others, an agreement was finally agreed upon. In this case the families of the infected children dropped their push for the death penalty, each family received $1 million USD, and the nurses’ sentence was commuted to life in prison. Under a long-standing agreement between Libya and Bulgaria, citizens who are convicted while abroad are allowed to serve out their prison terms in their home country. So the medics were transferred to Bulgaria, where they were greeted by hundreds of people at the Sofia airport, whereby the Bulgarian president Georgi Parvanov pardons the medics just 45 minutes after they touched home soil.

And so after almost nine years, Bulgaria’s most pressing international saga has come to a happy conclusion.

I hope that answers most of your questions...

(*Please note: I stole the above picture and much of the information mentioned above from the New York Times and my friend Max's blog.)

Stara Zagora is on Fire!

2007-07-25T23:39:00.000-07:00

Over the past week, Bulgaria has been hit with extreme heat as the temperatures have reached record breaking highs. With these high temperatures recorded to be as high as 42 Celsius degrees (106 Fahrenheit) in some parts also comes fires and death. As of Monday, 2 Bulgarians were reported dead after the heat wave. And to top it off, different regions around Bulgaria have been hit with wildfires.

(Fires in Ayazmoto park. Picture taken from the Sofia News Agency online.)

Bulgarian fire fighters contained 22 wildfires throughout the country overnight on Tuesday. And the Stara Zagora region (my region) remains the worst hit by the blazes. Dozens of additional fire fighters were dispatched to help contain the fires, some of which have been slowly expanding. People from the town and nearby villages have also joined the fierce battle with the flames, as country's resources are stretched thin after a week of this. Even the environmental NGO Green Balkans here in town has gone up to the park to help build a fire line with other city volunteers just trying to help.

(An empty pool.)

What does this all mean for me? Well, it has managed to cut my pool time short. I have been a daily visitor to the pool all week trying to soak up the sun before I head back to the real world. And today, I had to leave the pool early! I started to notice small black dust covering my body. But this wasn't dust; this was ash from the local fires blowing my way. When I went into the pool to wash myself off, I saw the pool too, was in bad shape. There was ash everywhere. Not to mention the air was filled with the smell of smoke. Upon my better judgment, I packed up and headed back home, to breath the fresh air of indoors. What a bust!

Tough week ahead...

2007-07-22T00:20:00.000-07:00

Ah, from the looks of it, I might have a tough week ahead of me. Not only do I have to pack up my apartment and clean it, I also have to lounge out by the pool. Life after Peace Corps is rough, I tell you.

Over the past weekend, I have managed to keep myself busy. First, I joined friends at the park for a picnic.

Watched a little badminton. Maybe I would have played if we had a net...and it wasn't so fricken hot out.

Had a few farewell dinners, and one birthday dinner.

And made it to the pool once.

Now, I am determined to make it to the pool everyday this week. I have my sunscreen ready, and cold drink in hand. Its looking to be a good week.

Corruption at its finest...

2007-07-20T00:47:00.000-07:00

Smoking in Bulgaria is something nearly everyone does here. It is everywhere and impossible to avoid. It is quite annoying to say the least. Bulgaria has simply accepted itself as a smoking culture.

While traveling back from Serbia, Link and I had quite an encounter. Not something you would expect to see everyday, but something that definitely goes on everyday.

(Coffee and smoke. One very important aspect of the BG culture.)

We were peacefully enjoying (please read: sweating our arses off) the ride to Sofia in a cabin all to ourselves. But with all good things they have to come to an end. We were woken from our tired, sweaty state as our cabin filled up with loud train goers just trying to get to Sofia themselves. Well, thats what I thought anyways. They on the other hand, had a different agenda. We were at the boarder town when the train seemed to fill up, not only with people, but with cartons and cartons of cigarettes. As soon as the group entered our cabin, they started stashing single boxes of cigarettes in their pockets and purses. Hmm, I thought, something fishy is about to go down.

Actually, things were not all that strange at first. The control inspector came by every cabin looking through the passenger's bags, checking how many cartons they were bringing over the boarder. They are allowed 10 to bring over 10 boxes. They didn't bother with me or Link seeing as we stand out as the innocent foreigners. We just simply watched with amusement. The controller left, the train started going, and that was that.

But it was far from over. As the train was going, another inspector came by. He picked out one guy in our cabin, stepped outside to chat, exchanged some money, and he came back in. Next thing we see is a woman come into our car talking to the guy who just bribed off the inspector. She was then handed wads and wads of money in all kinds of currency. There were Euros, Dinars (Serbian), and Leva (BG). She squatted down, took out her calculator, and added up the dough. They argued a bit, he gave her more money, and she was off. Think it's over? Think again. Maybe 20 minutes later she calls the guy into her cabin this time. He comes tramping back with bags and bags filled with cartons of cigs. Who knows how many cartons there were. This same exchange was going on between several other people in the train. We asked our friendly train mates what the deal is and this is what we understood.

They are hired by whoever, I assume some Mafia lord, to travel back and forth between Bulgaria and Serbia everyday to bring over their allotted 10 cartons of cigarettes. They make 40 leva a day doing this. And they dont seem to buy a train ticket. (They were without one when the ticket man came by. But what did they do...they paid him off with a few leva.) Then there is some person who pays off the control inspectors and they somehow manage to walk away with loads of cartons. I am not so much surprised that this goes on, but I am utterly shocked how open they are about it. There was no trying to hide any of the exchanges of money. It was like Link and I were old pals to them and this was just plain business. We found out that they are only making about 4 leva off each carton of cigarettes. It doesn't seem all that worth it in the end if they do this everyday.

But I guess in a country where everyone smokes, they are just meeting the demand.

Did you know that Bulgaria has the highest rate in the world of cigarettes smoked per capita. The highest rate in the WORLD! (Thanks for that fun fact Max and the Economist.)