The grand Roman theatre of Plovdiv: 2.000 years old and alive

First, see the four photos below.

Empty, during the day.

A theatre performance.

A classical orchestra concert.

Full of spectators.

The Roman Theatre of Bulgaria's second largest city Plovdiv was discovered by chance 1972 due to a landslide. The nearly 2.000 years old building is well preserved and nowadays is an important venue of concerts, theatre performances, and other events.

It has good acoustics, and the classic plan of seating allows one to see the stage well from wherever s/he stays. In the old days of the Roman Empire (today's Bulgaria, then called Thracia, was a province of it) people from each district of the city (then called Philipopolis) has their own designated seating areas.

Nowadays, of course, one sits where s/he likes but it's a good idea to arrive at the performances a bit in advance as they normally are very popular.  

Behind the stage one can admire the tall Roman columns & statues; above the stage and the whole theatre one can see the night sky. Few things are nicer than a live performance right under the stars. Even if it's such a heavily cliched experience.

Back in the Roman times the theatre was also used for gladiator fights (there are some constructions around the stage proving this). Nowadays, although the shows on the stage are quite different, the spectators still sit the classical way: on cushions placed on the stone seats.

Text and photos (c) Agne Drumelyte, 2013.

Central Skopje, Europe's latest amusement park

One of the themed bridges across River Vardar.

When I arrive to Macedonia from Bulgaria one summer evening, the setting sun shines persistently into my and the car driver's eyes; the effect is increased by the sunny yellow-and-red Macedonian flag.

After a longish drive through broad uninhabitted landscapes, we finally enter the capital. The outskirts of it look like those of any other Balkan city. Then appears a neon-lit arch de triumph, and behind it the city shows us its other, surreal and excentric face. Welcome to Europe's latest amusement park: Macedonia Square, Skopje.

This neon-city-amusement-park is historically-themed. You will find statues of ancient Romans, medieval Slavic warriors, costumed modern day intellectuals. The biggest of all is the statue of Alexander the Great. Then, there are new (kitschy, according to certain locals) neo-clasicist buildings; themed (sculpture-laden) bridges accross the Vardar river, and several fountains.

Yet more buildings and statues are to be erected by the end of next year, before the deadline of the city's masterplan 'Skopje 2014'. Some locals complain about the enormous expenses for the 'useless kitsch'; politicians loose and win votes according to the views towards 'Skopje 2014' they express. Curious tourists like me stare, entertained and amused, and take lots of photos.

Yes, the city at times looks rather comic but I have not seen anything quite like that before. And I keep telling everyone I meet here in the Balkans that they must go and see the eccentric Macedonian capital - particularly during the night.  

Text and photos (c) Agne Drumelyte, 2013.

The Great Skopje Earthquake, 1963. Fifty years later

The exhibition catalogue.

One summer morning fifty years ago the whole Macedonian capital city of Skopje was woken up by a massive earthquake. It was 5.17 AM; many people, panicking, ran to the streets still in their bed clothes, leaving their homes and belongings behind. Nearly 80 percent of the city was destroyed beyond repair as a result of the catastrophe, including many valuable historical buildings.

The earthquake itself took less than a minute but the imprint it left in the psyche and lives of the local people has been long-lasting. Over a thousand people were killed; a few thousands were injured.  Stories from the day of the earthquake and afterwards are still alive in the city's folklore.

To commemorate the 26 July 1963 earthquake, a temporary exhibition was opened earlier this year at the Skopje City Museum. It displays artifacts, photographs, newspaper clippings, maps, videos - all related to the catastrophic event.

The building that now houses the museum in 1963 was Skopje's train station. It too was heavily damaged during the catastrophe. The hands of the clock on the outside wall of the building stopped at the time of the earthquake, and have not been moved since.       

Inside, besides the temporary earthquake-dedicated exhibition, one can see seismographs on display (try to stamp your feet on the floor a bit heavier and you will see a mini 'earthquake' made by yourself). There are also a few recreations of after-earthquake premises: a destroyed 1960s kitchen, a hospital tent, street signs of a tent city (yes, for a couple of months following the event Skopje's population indeed lived in tents). 

The museum itself, of course, is interesting to visit not just because of this exhibition. Downstairs, there is a concise but valuable exhibition of historical artifacts related to the history of Skopje (some of them several thousand years old), and the temporary exhibitions are always changing. The institution won the local 'museum of the year' title in 2012.

Going back to the earthquake topic, an interesting thing to keep in mind is that the catastrophe happened during the Cold War. Macedonia back then was part of the socialist Yugoslavia.

The catastrophe, in a way, was an ice-breaking event between the Eastern Bloc and the West. Both the socialist and the capitalist countries sent aid to Skopje and helped the Macedonians to rebuild their capital city (for this reason today in Skopje we see many streets named after various countries and cities - in order to honour the support and help they provided to Macedonia). Although much of the help was genuine, one could also see a certain competition of helpfulness (who are better and more generous: the East or the West? the socialists or the capitalists?).  

Although officially socialist, the former Yugoslavia was, perhaps, one of the countries that had the least enemies back in the day. For example, the Yugoslavian passport was a valuable document that enabled its owner to travel to nearly every country around the world (as opposed to ID documents of USA, USSR, and their 'friendly republics'' that only enabled free travel within their own ideological camps). When the great earthquake happened in Skopje during the Cold War, cynically as it sounds, it was a uniting event where many people could for a while forget about their ideologies and simply be humans.
 

The picture of the famous clock on the outside wall of the present Skopje City Museum; its hands have not moved since 1963.

Text and photos (c) Agne Drumelyte, 2013.

Tasty Tikva

It was nice.

Imagine the object under the cling film (pictured above) before it was eaten. A nice, orange and fleshy slice of baked winter squash, drizzled with honey and covered with walnuts. A Bulgarian autumn snack - or desert - that I found at a street market today.

Next time I might take a 'before' picture. September in Sofia is not short of tikva. The word means 'winter squash' in Bulgarian but can also be used to name a dumb person. 

Text and photos (c) Agne Drumelyte, 2013.

Bring your own bottle: a Bulgarian Bench party

They might have met at a bench party.

Autumn 2013 is well on its way, and the bench party season 2013 is now nearly finished.

Before the season is over, let me explain to you what is a bench party.

It is a massively popular - and economical (hence the popularity?) - style to party in Sofia. The city's parks on summer nights are full of people; young and mature; home-having and homeless. They sit on benches, drinking (mostly) beer from large plastic bottles (I wrote about this type of bottle last year in my colleague's blog abot Sofia), and socializing.

In order to provide for the partying people, a network of 24/7 mini markets, kiosks, and kebab shops is operating in strategic locations, next to the city's most important parks. 

Many more things than just sitting, drinking and socializing happen at bench parties; I won't go into details. Imagine an array of parties you have ever been to; all happening simultaneously, next to each other, under the stars. You can move from one party to another, making friends with people from nearby bench parties, asking them to light up a cigarette for you, wawing away the mosquitoes.

Wellcome to Sofia's budget nightlife.

Next time, a report from the jeep-surrounded chalga bar called 'Sin City', the opposite side of the scale.

Often a location is next to a fountain.

Text and photos (c) Agne Drumelyte, 2013.

A post-socialist landscape, train Sofia-Plovdiv

I was taking a train from Sofia to Plovdiv. Looking through the window, I saw beautiful nature; orchards, mountains, and forests. The perfect settings, however, were diversified with ugly industrial constructions typical for so many post-socialist countries.

The same way as, e.g., a generally beautiful life gets 'diversified' with pesky little problems and uninspiring invaders. The trick: keep things in perspective and look into the horizon.

For another easy example of such nature's beauty and soviet ugliness combination, go and have a look at the beaches of Yalta, Ukraine, where dysfunctional inelegant iron & concrete objects will remind you of the relatively recent proletarian past.

True, some people do find socialist aesthetics exotic.

   Put some music on. Train Sofia-Plovdiv.

Text and video (c) Agne Drumelyte, 2013.

Bulgarian love for the stairs, and firm buttocks

Living in Sofia gives one a chance to develop firm buttocks and thighs.

Among the best exercise for the said muscle groups is climbing the stairs - and there is no shortage of stairs in the Bulgarian capital.

Underground crossings; exits of metro stations; steep kerbs; elevator-less buildings: all enable the citizens to regularly do aerobic & step exercise.

Besides, one can add balancing and occasional jumps over potholes and uneven pavers. 

In some buildings lifts have working hours. You are welcome to climb the stairs outside the said times.

Text and photos (c) Agne Drumelyte, 2013.

Be nice and say 'Happy Bath!'

Not exactly a bath but quite close.

Did you know that Bulgarians congratulate each other upon having a bath?

The odd salutation is 'Честитa баня!' [chestita banya] and literally means 'Happy Bath!'. Ideally, it should be said when the person in question is still damp after his/her cleansing experience.

According to my Bulgarian trainer Ani, the custom was mentioned in G.B.Shaw's play about the Balkan Wars 'Arms and the Man', although, after quickly scanning the text, I was not able to find any evidence. Try it, and perhaps you might have more luck than I did.

Meanwhile, Happy Bath.

Water, Veliko Tarnovo.

Text and photos (c) Agne Drumelyte, 2013.

A career in Bulgaria, why not

'Career in Bulgaria. Why not?' '2013.

Although Bulgaria is one of the poorest countries within the EU, unemployment-wise currently it is doing better than certain other southern European countries, e.g. Greece, Spain, and Portugal. At the time of writing, the Bulgarian unemployment figure is just under 13 percent.

Today I have attended a Bulgarian job fair rhetorically called 'Career in Bulgaria. Why Not?'. Happening for the sixth time in a row now, the fair is aimed primarily at retrieving tallented Bulgarian emigrants back to their homeland, and at convincing those who are still here not to depart.

Although most of the fellow participants were Bulgarians, I have encountered a few other foreigners, and all the employers I have talked to - apart from one from a youth NGO - spoke fluent English.

I have got the impession that in Bulgaria foreigners still are welcomed, both by people in the street and by the employers, more eagerly than in many Western European countries. An easy explanation could be that in Bulgaria, differently from the older parts of the EU, there simply are less foreigners, and those who do come are not as often willing to settle in for the rest of their lives.

Bulgaria might indeed be a fertile land to sow one's career at, particularly if you like to explore and find your own ways rather than walking the paths that others have made. There is still a lot to be established and developed here. Finally, on your free time you have a nice climate, friendly locals and a beautiful nature to explore.   

Bulgaria may not be as fast as New York, as tall as Dubai, or as sophisticated as London. Perhaps, here exists a certain glass ceiling stopping you from advancing to the more remote stages of your career (after you've done everything that could have been done) - lack of financial resources, a somewhat conservative society.

However, it is a potentially good place to spend a few years, to get some real, hands-on experience that includes real work (rather than just making coffees and photocopies for your more senior colleagues). Especially to the youngsters coming from certain EU countries that have been heavily affected by unemployment Bulgaria's job market might prove to be a salvation.

For a foreigner, the easiest and most obvious jobs to find are positions at customer service (call) centres and language teaching. However, there exist more diverse opportunities. In some companies, the new employee is not even expected to speak fluent Bulgarian as his/her Bulgarian colleagues already speak fluent English.   

Why not, indeed. It does not hurt to try.

The fair, 12 September 2013.

12 September 2013.

 

Text and photos (c) Agne Drumelyte, 2013.

Pernik. Does one need to carry a baseball stick there?

Kukeri ritual dance (scaring away evil spirits) during the Pernik's Surva festival. Image: Wikimedia Commons.

 

''Hahaha! Pernik!!!!!'' says my Bulgarian friend when I mention to her my intentions to visit the former miners' town of Bulgaria. Pernik nowadays is a topic of many Bulgarian jokes, along with other towns like Dobrich ('best' drivers) and Gabrovo.

Pernik, however, is special. It is the town where ferocious, always ready to start up a fight men live. They wear miners' hats with flashlights, drive old WW Golf cars (the plate numbers always start with 'PK'), and when they do start a fight, the earthquake can be felt even in Sofia*. That's if we believe what the jokes tell us.

Pernik became known as a mining town at he turn of the 20th century but actually it's much older than that. The area has been inhabited since centuries BC, although nowadays probably the oldest remaining construction in town is the medieval Krakra Fortress (you have the option to switch off the rather annoying musical effects at the top left corner of the linked website).

Much of what we see in the streets of Pernik today is the 20th century socialist architecture, including a heavy memorial dedicated to miners. There is also a large park and a grandiose Palace of Culture (communists did indeed love public 'palaces'). In the main street there is no shortage of cafe life, and people are actually quite friendly. The whole town is surrounded by picturesque hills. River Struma flows through the town, carrying empty packets of crisps and other rubbish.

At the end of each January Pernik becomes the venue of the large - and international - Surva festival (apparently, it's the biggest of such kind in Bulgaria and one of the largest in the whole Balkans). Men (only they are allowed to perform) dress up in voluminous furry costumes, put on scary looking masks and dance & parade through the streets of the town. As they move, copper bells attached to their costumes make the noise that is meant to scare away evil spirits. These are the local men at their scariest, as far as I have witnessed.

Surva is a pagan event, and some Bulgarians believe that it can be traced back all the way into the Thracian times (Thracians were the people who inhabitted present-day Bulgaria before the Romans & later the Slavs arrived).
 
Interestingly, Pernik itself is named after a pagan deity - the Slavic god of thunder Perun. Perhaps that's why Pernik feels somewhat like a sleeping force: peaceful at the surface but able to wake up and get into a rage if carelessly provoked. Besides the (jokingly) ferocious reputation of its residents, Pernik lies at a geographically intense location: mountains around; coal underground; and occassional earthquakes.  

PS already on my way to Pernik I realised that I had forgotten my camera so please excuse the lack of original photos at this blog post. Below you can see yet another arguably hilarious Bulgarian joke about a WW Golf from Pernik.

* Pernik indeed was the epicentre of the June 2012 earthquake. The quake, over 5.5 Richter scale points, broke some windows and destroyed a number of buildings in town. It could also be felt in Sofia. I remember waking up that night at a flat in Ovcha Kupel from the sensation as if someone was standing at the back of my bed and, for some reason, vigorously shaking the whole furniture. Yes, it was Pernik.   

Bulgarian jokes. Image: http://chlenat.bg/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/pernik.jpg

Text and the top photo (c) Agne Drumelyte, 2013.

Danger zone: the Bulgarian pavements

Welcome (Central Sofia).

I broke a few pairs of shoes; stubbed my toes multiple times; fell down twice and lost a fair piece of skin from my knee. We are talking about the Bulgarian pavements.

When you are walking in Sofia it is advisable to look down and see where you are putting your feet.

Much of the walkable city is covered in old, brittle concrete pavers. The pavers face each other at various angles; some of them are standing taller than others; others are simply unstable.

When it rains water accumulates under some of them; walking after a rain is like a fun game: if you put your foot on a wrong paver you will get splashed with all the water that had been under it. Consider stepping into a cold, deep, muddy puddle with your new shoes on.

As if to add to our street survival game even more fun, some manhole covers are missing, especially in the more remote areas. Metal thieves operate all over Bulgaria. For some poor people collecting and selling metal scraps is a way to make a living. This comes at the expense of public safety.

Once, walking alone with my backpack on along a busy highway outside the old Bulgarian capital Veliko Tarnovo, I nearly fell into an open manhole that seemed of several metres deep. Contemplating its depths from a safe distance, I thought to myself: if someone fell in, both climbing out independently and calling help would be next to impossible. There are no pedestrians there, and the noise of the highway would suppress even the loudest shouting.

I no longer question myself why there are so many shoe shops in Sofia. I still wonder sometimes, though, why none of them seem to sell wellingtons. And I might consider carrying along in my backpack a foldable ladder - in case I fall into a manhole.

(Yet another handy belonging I might try to get a hold of for my winter walks in Sofia is a gas mask). 

Add some street furniture for the variety.

Not fun for cyclists and cars either.

Text and photos (c) Agne Drumelyte, 2013.

The best currency exchange office in town

Got some coins to trade in?

Without irony, the Sofian 'Nikar' is the best currency exchange office in town. Why?

Because they take no commission and the rates are quite honest, similar to the ones that can be checked at the universal currency converter tool XE.com.

They buy (and are aiming to have) nearly any exotic currency one may think of, and there is always a queue of people waiting outside on the street to trade their currencies. Traveller friendly.

Bear this in mind especially if you are going to travel to the neighbouring Macedonia as Macedonian exchange offices seem to have a strong dislike of the Bulgarian lev. It is very wise to change lev to Macedonian denars already in Sofia because in Skopje, if you are lucky to find an office that accepts leva at all, you may have to pay around one third of the total amount just for the commission.
  
Graf Igniatev street 36. Walking south away from the Slaveykov Square pass the Igniatev - Rakovski street crossroad; keep walking and look on your right.

Text and photos (c) Agne Drumelyte, 2013.

The house where Ataturk lived

At the corner of Triaditsa and Veselets streets in Sofia there is a building that at the turn of the 20th century housed a hotel.

At that hotel, according to my well-read (and a true local) colleague Nikolay from Sofia City Library, the Turkish army general Mustafa Kemal lived during his stay in Sofia.

Mustafa Kemal later became Atatürk.

     

The building.

Text and photos (c) Agne Drumelyte, 2013.

Gabrovian chocolate

People of Gabrovo (Central Bulgaria) are a topic of many jokes. In jokes they have the reputation of being stingy, bargain-loving and overly practical, similarly to, e.g., people of Scotland.

Yesterday in Veliko Tarnovo (also Central Bulgaria) I found this Gabrovian Chocolate. Essentially, it's just pressed smoke-dried black plums, although healthy and tasty.

Actually, it is more expensive than real chocolate. Perhaps it's time to change the brand.

Another popular joke about people from Gabrovo: they cut tails of their cats so that they loose less heat in the house when the cat leaves/enters through the door (a tail-less cat slips through the door faster). Image (c) Ivan Kutuzov, http://www.humorhouse.bg/engl/book.html

   Text and the top photo (c) Agne Drumelyte, 2013.