I am getting that same feeling of fear of a potential
impending misfortune. This means I am
constantly distracted and preoccupied. I
will leave my iPad on the tram, my luggage on the metro. I will put 100 Leva in a book to hold my
place and then replace the book on the shelf of the National Library. I’m gonna screw myself. Somehow the Monday me will soon destroy the
Tuesday me. I recognize the feeling and
one would think I could reason with myself that things are fine. This is change and transition. Everything you need to accomplish before you
leave, you will. Even if you break your
leg, you will finish what is necessary.
Maybe last week’s earthquake and this week’s STILL aftershock compel me
to think I have even less control than I already imagined. Since the earthquake, it has rained every
day: real rain with lightning and thunder. Tangible, dampening proof that there are
forces at work stronger, more powerful, more natural, and more relentless than I
am. I can give up everything easily.
I have a new neighbor.
He arrived some days before the earthquake. I didn’t know. His name is Alex. He owns the apartment next door. And we are the only people on the 6th
floor. He has yet to install the oven
and sink and so after an introduction and a super helpful drive to Kaufland- a
Bulgarian Walmart, we made dinner at my place and ate out on his deck with his
friend, whose name I forget. It was a
nice evening. It had rained earlier of
course and now everything was quiet and calm. I wished I knew about Kaufland
earlier. I bought only a few things, but
if this were January or better yet September, I would have lost my mind with
shopping. Now I know and I want to stay
to do things again. The day previous I
went out with Julij and walked around a neighborhood that I had never seen
before. I saw the Roman Wall at the end of a bazaar. But Julij said it really only dates to the
Ottoman period. There was a red leather
bag in shop window and yellow skirt that would look amazing once I get darker.
I wanted to go back and shop when the store was open but I haven’t yet. My time seems to be running out and I think I
am trying to purchase the country to take it back with me. We also walked
through the park of the National Palace of Culture, where Jam On It was
held. That seems so long ago. The images
on the bridge were no longer Conzo’s.
The weather was warmer, if not drier.
I was different.
I have 20 days left in Sofia and then I go to Sozopol.
Finally, I will be on the Black Sea. The blog will make sense, well the title
at any rate. I
thought I was going to write about the Cyrillic alphabet and the
various celebrations that took place. But it was a combination of my
preoccupation after the earthquake & the city's response. Everything was
slightly subdued and the weather was awful. I woke up very late and
so... Still, I wanted to note the day. Like Baba Marta, I think I will
celebrate it back in the States for the rest of my life. Those brothers
and St. George, of course, slayer of dragons and enemy of Diocletian
are my new heroes. See... I told you only the title makes sense.
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| Remember: These are the spray paint competition products of Jam On It. They stay up all year, |
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| NDK is the large building. Vitosha is the mountain. |
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| Another view of NDK |
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| More NDK park |
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| These are the pictures that are now on the bridge. They are works of Bulgarians |
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| A picture of a picture of my favorite type of statuary |
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| Another picture of a picture of 2 men looking at a political cartoon |
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| A view from the bridge. Nicholas calls this "your lovely country" with a sarcastic tone. But the joke is on him, I think it is lovely |
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| The Roman-Ottoman wall |
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| Alex is in white and grey striped. But his friend is also really nice and super funny. I just forgot his name. |
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| It was super Bulgarian. I grilled the chicken and they made shopska salad. There was bread and rekia and Fanta lemon. |
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| The church across the street. |
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