Bulgaria!

I got on a train in Athens on Saturday night and arrived in Sofia on Sunday morning but, because of a long detour through the mountains (visiting a sustainable community--which was really 2 people and a donkey plus some short term visitors, "sleeping" with 2 other people in a 2 person tent, spending half a day by myself in an abandoned barn meditating and eating warm yogurt, and then finally jumping into waterfall fed pools to rinse off the 3 days and 2 countries worth of grime), I didn't make it to Zdravka and Mitko's house until very late Monday night. They have a very sweet little place with cheerfully colored walls and a well equipped kitchen with herbs growing in pots. I have an entire room to myself, because one of their roommates is out of town, so I am free to do my thing as I want to. I have been cooking for them in the mornings and evenings, and spending the days by myself while they are at work. It is perfect. This morning before leaving, Zdravka told me, "Be careful when you go out. If you go this way, it is towards downtown and the shops and markets. If you go that way it is toward the Gypsies--do not go that way."

I discovered a little corner store nearby run by a simple Bulgarian man who's dream is to move to the US, become a perfect english speaker, and marry an American woman like from Playboy. He was so excited that I was from California, and he wouldn't stop talking to me. It was kind of cute the way he was showing off his terrible english. He talked and talked while other people would zip in and out, getting just what they needed. He performed smooth money transactions and opened a beer bottle for one guy on his way out, all the while spraying his silly little ideas at me though his crooked grin. Finally I was able to get down to business with him, but he was constantly making suggestions about what I should buy. It was very difficult because a lot of what I wanted was behind the counter and he had to want to give it to me. Actually, I did OK, and got out of the store with only one unnecessary item--a package of those individually wrapped single slices of fake cheese, which this guy assured me was the best for making sandwiches. Ülch!

Last night we went to a bar called Куфара (The Suitcase). It is a very old building made of stone like a castle and has many rooms and hallways that connect to each other. There was a piano in one room where a few people were sitting and drinking, and some music was playing on the radio. Zdravka asked the bar tender if I could play, but it seemed like it wasn't going to happen, so we sat down for some beers. Then she told me that she recognized some of the old people sitting across the room as bulgarian jazz musicians. I told her that I really wanted to play, so she went back to the bartender, and they spoke a lot of bulgarian back and forth for a while. He looked annoyed, but some other people in the bar overheard and I think they must have convinced him that it would be OK. Anyway, they turned off the stereo and I started to play. It felt really good and I was flying, full of new ideas. After a while people were clapping and the bar started to get very lively and more and more people were coming. Zdravka told me that the musicians were all watching me closely and smiling. Eventually, I stopped and people started to leave (it was late), but the whole vibe had been transformed. The bar tender was very nice and so warm towards us, and it seemed like everyone was exceptionally happy. On our way out, the bartender and I were gesturing lovingly back and forth and talking (using Zdravka and Mitko as translators) about this and that. I told him what a beautiful bar it was, and he showed us the old-style butter churner which they still had from way back when, and eventually we walked home. It was drizzling very lightly which was perfect on such a warm night.