Ellis and Jodie's Bulgarian Adventure

Top 15 Favorite Bulgarian Places

2011-02-05T12:36:00.054+01:00

At a distance of one month, it's sometimes hard to believe that we spent two wonderful years living in Bulgaria. We look back with fond memories at the many places we visited, the many people we met, and the many things we learned about Bulgaria, its culture and history. This started as a Top Ten list, but there were too many places to list, so it became a Top 15 list, and still, some of the colorful destinations we visited are not included. The list is presented in alphabetical order.

Balchik. On the Black Sea coast, this town was the summer home of Queen Marie of Romania. We enjoyed walking around the botanical gardens, seeing the old style houses and the simple palace that captured the heart of the Romanian queen.

Belogradchik. Belogradchik is a town in northwestern Bulgaria and also the name of a fortress and nature reserve of bizarrely shaped sandstone, limestone and other rock formations. The Belogradchik Rocks were Bulgaria's candidate in the campaign for New Seven Wonders of Nature.

Kaliakra. Cape Kaliakra, on a rocky, narrow peninsula jutting into the Black Sea north of Varna, is highly revered by the locals for its beautiful scenery more than its history serving as a fortress in both Roman and Byzantine times.

Koprivshtitsa. We made two visits to this historic town east of Sofia, the first being during a heavy snowstorm. The second time we returned we enjoyed more favorable weather, giving us a better opportunity to visit the house museums where much of Bulgaria's modern history in its revolt against the Ottomans was launched.

Melnik. Melnik is the smallest town in Bulgaria, known for its robust red wine, impressive old-style houses, and beautiful natural surroundings. We had a tasty lunch and the red wine set our heads spinning.

Nessebar. Nessebar is not only one of the oldest cities in Bulgaria, but also one of the oldest towns in Europe. Its brick churches date back to the Middle Ages and before, and its wooden homes are from Bulgaria's Revival period in the 1800s. The town is recognized as a World Heritage City and we enjoyed walking through its picturesque streets.

Perperikon. The ancient Thracian city of Perperikon is located at the top of a high, rocky hill in the Eastern Rhodopes. It was quite a climb to reach the top, but going down we found an easier path.

Plovdiv. Plovdiv's beautiful Old Town has many homes from the 1880s which have been carefully restored, and many of them now serve as museums and art galleries. We walked up and down the cobblestone streets. The most beautiful house in the Old Town has now become the Ethnographic Museum. The Old Town is also home to a Roman ampitheater. We visited Plovdiv twice and easily could have come back a third time.

Rila Monastery. We made 5 visits to the Rila Monastery, first built in the 10th Century and rebuilt a few times since. The monastery is considered the Jerusalem of Bulgaria, probably due to the fact that it attracts both pilgrims and tourists. On each visit we were able to appreciate different aspects of the artwork, so it was always enjoyable.

Seven Lakes. While Jodie went to a village for a Bulgarian folk festival, I bravely set out with 4 Bulgarian friends on a trek into the Rila Mountains and the Sedmete Ezera, or Seven Lakes. The hiking was alternatively through meadows of purple flowers and snow drifts. Some of the lakes were still frozen solid. The scenery was absolutely amazing.

Shipka. Historic Shipka Pass was where, in the years 1877-1878, Russian and Bulgarian troops were able to fight off the might of the Ottoman Empire and liberate the country. This is one of the most important sites to Bulgarians, and the views from on top the mountain are amazing.

Sofia. For the two years of our Bulgarian adventure we lived in Sofia, the country's capital. While the city is far from being considered beautiful when compared to the rest of the country, we grew to appreciate its charm. We walked its streets, visited its museums, and ate in its restaurants. Highlights of the city included its stunning synagogue, its spacious parks, and the old world feeling of its houses.

Sozopol. Located 34 kilometers south of Burgas on a small peninsula, Sozopol is one of the oldest towns in Bulgaria. The town is known for its resorts and beaches, fishing boats and wooden houses dating back to the 18th Century. Our visit, on the Saint Day for Fisherman, also coincided with the visit of the Bulgarian Prime Minister.

Tryavna. We fell in love with this charming small town in central Bulgaria, as it offered authentic restored houses and buildings without being pretentious at all. We enjoyed walking its streets and visiting the artists' quarter.

Veliko Turnovo. We visited the historical city of Veliko Turnovo in central Bulgaria twice. Veliko Turnovo is famous for serving as capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire during the Middle Ages. The Tsarevets fortress is one of the main tourist destinations in Bulgaria.

Farewell to Bulgaria

2011-01-06T08:28:00.003+01:00

When Ellis and I came to Bulgaria two years ago, we had no idea what awaited us. We just had a long-standing desire to try living in a different country for a limited, set period of time and to experience something else. So, when Ellis was approached by his company to relocate, we jumped at the chance.

Most people's initial reaction to our announcement was "Bulgaria? What's in Bulgaria?" I admit that I was wondering the same thing, and asking myself, "why not England, or Spain, or Gibraltar?"

Today, after living here for two years, I can tell you what is in Bulgaria. It is a country with friendly people, who are interested in the strangers living amongst them, and are happy to talk to you, even when you tell them that you don't understand their language. As Israelis, we never felt uncomfortable talking about where we come from - most people had a warm and positive feeling toward Israel. This can even been seen at government level - Bulgaria was one of the first countries to send fire-fighters to Israel to help in the recent Carmel fire.

The country itself is a beautiful country. We fell in love with the mountains and forests and rivers - so much water and so much green. It is a pity that we can't take this home with us!

There is a mixture of the old and the new living side by side. Sofia is a rapidly growing city with new, modern buildings going up all over. But, next to these, there are still the old, decaying buildings, often standing right next to the new. Many of them have much more character than the modern buildings, and I wish that they could be restored instead of being torn down to make way for the new.

In many of the villages, there is much attention paid to preserving some of the old-style houses which are 150 years old, and many of which have been made into museums showing the old style of living.

Also in the villages, you still can see many simple farms, with the older generation working the fields with the simplest of farm tools, and a horse to pull the plow. It is sad to think that so many of these places will die out in the next generation, as the younger people move to the bigger cities or abroad looking for more opportunites than what their small village can provide.

There are of course, some things that I didn't enjoy here - the heavy smoking, and the terrible infrastructure of the roads - both things that the government needs to work on. On a personal level, I will not miss the snow - but this is something that the government has no control over - except for doing a better job cleaning the streets!

Most of all, I will miss the wonderful friends that I made here, and who made me feel so welcome and accepted me into their lives - from my hairdresser, to my manicurist, to the flower shop lady on our street, and to my wonderful friends at work, who made my days so enjoyable and enriched my life here over the past two years. I hope that someday you will come and visit us in Israel, and let me return the hospitality that you have shown me.

I am thankful today that we weren't sent to England or Spain. Although the language might have been easier to deal with, I think we would have missed out on an amazing experience, and the chance to really learn about a country and culture so totally different from anything we knew before. As those of you who have followed our blog can see, we really took the time to learn, ask questions, travel and experience living in Bulgaria. This truly was our "Bulgarian Adventure".

A Healthy Lunch

2011-01-05T18:55:00.005+01:00

We still had the time to try out one more restaurant in Sofia, so today for lunch we headed to Cru, the city's healthy alternative. Cru is located on Tsar Assen Street, and it's quite a small boutique restaurant, with only about five tables. The waiter was very friendly and the service was excellent.

We both started with the Pea Soup, which was spiced with curry and served in a very large bowl. It was made from fresh peas and was extremely tasty. Jodie had the Organic Adzuki Beans Croquette with fresh salad and sprouts. I had the Tortilla Pizza with roasted red peppers and mozzarella cheese. The food was very good.

The only thing unhealthy about Cru is that the prices are a bit high. The lunchtime meal for the two of us came to 42.50 Leva, which was more expensive than we usually pay.

Sofia's Synagogue in the Snow

2011-01-04T16:09:00.000+01:00

Bulgarian Lion in Winter

2011-01-03T14:56:00.002+01:00

Happy New Year 2011

2011-01-02T14:52:00.000+01:00

Happy is the name of a chain of Bulgarian fast food restaurants. This sign was seen in downtown Sofia. We had lunch at a Happy restaurant on Sunday. None of the waitresses were smiling, so maybe they weren't too happy to be working in the New Year.

Carrefour Days

2010-12-31T16:46:00.005+01:00

In mid December, our offices moved to The Mall, the fourth and biggest mall in Sofia. This mall is also known as Carrefour, as that is the main store there. Carrefour is a huge supermarket, clothing goods store, electronics shop, and more, all rolled into one. And that is just one of the stores in The Mall.

Our offices were in one of the buildings alongside The Mall. I (Ellis) was no longer able to walk to work, as getting there was a 20 minute taxi ride at best, and a burden that could be more than an hour in the evening traffic. The new offices were very nice. Jodie's company was on the 8th floor, while my company was on the 5th floor. We tried out the many different restaurants in the fast food court during our lunch breaks.

Our Carrefour days are over now, as Thursday was our last day of work and we begin our preparations for our upcoming return to Israel.

Sofia at Christmas Time

2010-12-30T14:10:00.001+01:00

A Good Lunch at JJ Murphy's

2010-12-28T18:08:00.005+01:00

Another restaurant on our list of must-try dining experiences in Sofia was finally visited this past Sunday. JJ Murphy's is a very authentic Irish pub in the center of the city and we had lunch there.

Jodie had the Leprauchan Burger and I had the Steak Sandwich. We had a side order of Onion Rings which topped off the good food. To drink, Jodie had a Guinness while I went for a half pint of Murphys Stout.

(And, by the way, the sign pictured in the previous post is in the building entrance just across the street).

If You Just Visited the Bar Across the Street...

2010-12-26T19:26:00.003+01:00

The Only Snow Left is On Mt. Vitosha

2010-12-25T19:24:00.000+01:00

Pigeons

2010-12-24T10:03:00.000+01:00

Bulgarian Humor = Traffic Cop Stops Car

2010-12-23T08:29:00.000+01:00

A Bulgarian traffic policeman pulls over a car for speeding.

"You were driving with 60 km/h, and there is 50-km/h limit here!" the officer tells the driver.

"No, I was driving 40 km/h," the driver starts arguing.

"I can show you what the radar detected!" retorts the officer, already getting upset.

The driver's wife speaks from the back seat, "There is no point, officer - when my husband is drunk it is really no use arguing with him!"

From the Sofia News Agency.

Scenes from a Snowy Park

2010-12-21T18:27:00.006+01:00

Talking on Cell Phone While Sledding Down a Hill

2010-12-20T17:58:00.001+01:00

On the Snowy Streets of Sofia

2010-12-19T17:56:00.000+01:00

Christmas Approaches in Bulgaria

2010-12-18T17:00:00.002+01:00

The special Christmas tram on Vitosha:

December Snow

2010-12-16T16:58:00.003+01:00

Moroccan Dining in Sofia

2010-12-14T17:40:00.003+01:00

Despite the -5 degrees Celsius on Sunday, we took a long walk with the successful goal of buying me jeans. After completing this purchase at a shop below the NDK plaza, Jodie agreed to continue walking towards the center of the city.

Eventually we found ourselves on Angel Kunchev Street and this time we were able to try out Annette, Sofia's Morrocan restaurant. We were the only lunchtime diners and enjoyed the ambience that was, well, very Moroccan in style. We found so many tasty dishes listed on the menu, attributed to the owner's mother's original Moroccan recipes. But as we were there for lunch, we selected sandwiches.

I had a pita meatball sandwich; the pita was also filled with aubergines, carrots and a tomato paste. Jodie chose the pita with falafel, tahina, and aubergines. Our sandwiches were served with a very tasty green salad. We drank homemade lemonade. The food was very good and we may end up returning to try Annette's main courses.

Technicians - Part 2

2010-12-12T08:51:00.003+01:00

As I mentioned last week, we were having problems with our televeision reception, and had to have the cable guys out here twice last weekend to fix the problem. Although they restored most of the channels, they still left us with poor reception on a few, since it was "raining".

We had good reception on all of the channels for a couple days, but as the weather became more unpredictable, so did the reception - until we lost all reception on any channel above 28. This, by the way, was true only in the evening, when we're actually home and want to watch TV - during the day, the reception was just fine.

After another call to the cable guys, they promised to contact us on Friday, which they finally did at around 5:00 pm - promising to come out the next morning at 11:00. Of course, at this point, we had perfect reception on all the channels, as the weather was clear and crisp outside.

The two technicians showed up the next day at 10:40, turned on our TV, and then went to find the key to the roof. One went up to the roof, and the other was busy at the box outside our front door. And that was the last we ever saw of them!

An hour later, we were wondering if they were still around - should we stay home, or could we go out (actually it was much too cold to go out, but we wondered in principle if we could leave the house). We watched some TV, we had our lunch, and 2 1/2 hours later, we heard them again outside our front door, and then, I guess they were gone. They never came back into our house to check the reception and make sure that everything was working ok. But, when we checked the signal on the menu, we saw that it was at least 50% stronger than it had been before they came, so, hopefully, this time they got it right, and the signal will hold even in the bad weather!

Farewell to Mandarin

2010-12-10T11:19:00.003+01:00

Since our arrival in Sofia, Ellis and I have been working in the Mandarin Office Center. This constitutes 2 very modern glass buildings which house quite a number of businesses, including a few connected Israeli businesses.

We have enjoyed working at Mandarin. Aside from the modern offices, the building is fairly close to where we live - a 7 min. taxi ride for me (if there isn't too much traffic) and a 25 min. walk for Ellis.

In a desire to have all the connected companies closer to each other, and with more office space than is currently available (companies are split between different floors and buildings), it was decided to move all the companies to new offices. The new offices are next to the third largest mall in Sofia, and near the airport. This will mean a much longer trip to and from work each day, and Ellis will have to come with me in the taxi, as it is too far to walk.

My company is moving out this weekend, and we will all meet at the new offices on Monday morning. Ellis's company will be moving in the middle of next week. So - yesterday, I packed my desk and bade farewell to the Mandarin Office Center. And farewell also to our favorite restaurants where we have enjoyed many lunches - Rainbow, Dobro and La Pastaria.

On the Last Night of Hanukkah

2010-12-08T18:06:00.002+01:00

This evening, members from Bulgaria's Chabad Jewish Community Center came to our office building for a Hanukkah candlelighting ceremony. They knew that there are many Israelis working in our building and this was their way of ensuring that as many Jews as possible observed the mitzvah of lighting the Hanukkah candles.

Many curious Bulgarians from the various companies in our building also joined the ceremony and heard an explanation about Hanukkah. The blessings were recited and the candles on the Hanukkiah were lit. Traditional Sufganiyot doughnuts were given out to all (very small and with no traces of jam inside).

Happy Hanukkah!

Technicians

2010-12-05T18:32:00.002+01:00

Recently, we've had problems with some of our channels on TV, with poor or no signal, which comes and goes at will. This, of course, always happens at the most tense moment of the show that you happen to be watching.

After extremely strong winds last week, we lost all of our channels totally. I called the satellite company, and managed to find someone who spoke English. She very nicely listened to the problem, and asked me to hold while she put me through to the service dept. I was connected to someone who also spoke some English, and who walked me through a series of steps and menus on the TV to restore our signal. This worked for channels 1-12, but all the channels above that still had no signal. After trying a few more things, I was told that someone would contact us in the next 3 days, and come and realign the satellite.

On the third day, after still no word from the company, I called again, and got the same, pleasant speaking English speaker that I spoke to a few nights earlier. She was surprised to hear that we still hadn't heard from the technicians, and promised to get back to me and let me know when they were coming.

A couple of hours later, she called to tell me that they were on their way, and shortly afterwards, 2 technicians showed up at the house. They spoke little English, turned on the TV and tried to show me that it was all working. I then directed them to the Hallmark channel (which has recently become Diva Universal), and they saw that there was still no signal. From there on, it seemed like they were playing a guessing game - they were looking for something behind the wall unit that the TV is on, they looked for the satellite - went out onto our other porch, and upstairs to the roof. They played with the box outside our front door. They kept coming back to the TV, and trying different menus and calling people on the phone and playing with the menus again. At this point, none of the channels were working.

After looking behind the wall unit again, and speaking to someone on the phone while playing some more with the menus, they informed me that someone would call us the next day (Sat) about the TV. I looked at them and said - "But now there's no TV" - they agreed with me - "no TV". I looked at them and said " But, when you came, there was some TV - now there's no TV". Again, they agreed - "no TV". I asked them if they couldn't at least return the channels that I had before they came, and I was told that they couldn't - "no TV", and they left.

The company actually called us that evening at 8:30 (while we were enjoying our lovely dinner at the restaurant) to tell us that they would come the next day around 12:30. Quite amazingly, they did come on time, and proceeded to change the cable and get the TV up and running again.

Before they left, I asked to check the Hallmark channel - and dicovered that this channel still had no signal (as you can guess, this is a channel that I actually watch, so it was important to me that it would be working!). Their answer - the rain is inteferring right now with the signal, which is why it wasn't working..... Amazingly, after the rain stopped, the signal was restored, and the channel is working again. At least, until the next time that it rains.....

Armenian Dining in Sofia at Egur, Egur

2010-12-04T09:47:00.003+01:00

On the occasion of my birthday, Jodie and I made reservations at Egur, Egur, an Armenian restaurant in Sofia. We didn't know what to expect but we had heard good reviews of the place. Egur means "come" in Armenian, so we felt we were being invited to try something new.

A taxi navigated the narrow one-way streets in the center of the city and dropped us off in front of the restaurant. We felt like we were walking into someone's home, as the dining areas were separate rooms and we had a table reserved in the non-smoking area. There was a piano along one wall and everywhere there were framed sheets of music. The waiter brought us the English language menus as well as some "welcome bread" (similar to pita) and small bowls of cheese.

Everything on the menu sounded so interesting, and different from what we were used to eating, however Jodie's plan to start with Olive Soup met with an apology from the waiter. Soups were only served at lunchtime.

Jodie started with a plate of stuffed grape leaves, which were unusual because the stuffing included cinnamon and raisins. My starter was called the Golden Dobrudzha. Dobrudzha is the name of the grain-producing region of northeastern Bulgaria, and also the name of the street on which the Egur, Egur restaurant is located. This starter was a plate of small grains mixed with onion, garlic, parsley and olives. Both Jodie and I enjoyed these dishes.

For her main course, Jodie selected the Lamb Roll, which was garnished with a green salad and another grain dish. I chose the Duck Fillet with Forest Mushrooms and a side dish of "Homemade Potatoes", wondering how they made these potatoes themselves! We were both extremely pleased with the food, which was filling and very tasty.

The minute we had sat down at our table, the waiter filled our glasses with cold water, which he continued to pour throughout the meal. We selected a small bottle of red No Man's Land wine (from Bulgaria) to accompany our meal, and the waiter made sure our glasses were never empty.

We still had room for dessert! Jodie has taken a liking to Baklava since our arrival in Bulgaria, and that is what she chose. I took the cool Ice Cream Cake. We were both stuffed when the dishes were cleared.

The entire bill came to 78 Levas including the wine, which we thought was quite reasonable, and we gladly added a tip to show our appreciation for a very good meal.

Bulgarian Firefighters Arrive in Israel to Fight Fire

2010-12-03T06:13:00.003+01:00

According to media reports both here and in Israel, the Bulgarian Interior Ministry announced late on Thursday that some 90 Bulgarian firefighters will fly to Israel at the order of Prime Minister Boyko Borisov to help combat the fire on the Carmel. Later, the Ministry said the operation was called off but the firemen did leave for Israel eventually. This morning the Israeli media reported that the firefighters had arrived in Israel.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Israel and to those affected by this horrific fire.

Jewish Preschool Dedicated in Sofia on Chanukah

2010-12-02T19:53:00.002+01:00

On the eve of the first night of Chanukah, a new Jewish preschool was dedicated in Sofia. Gan Balagan is a collaborative project of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) and Shalom, Bulgarian Jewry's social and cultural organization. Gan Balagan is the first Jewish preschool to open its doors in the city in the more than half a century since the "Anna Ventura" school property was confiscated from the Jewish community by the government in 1958.

Gan Balagan is located in the Beit Shalom Jewish Community Center across from the Sofia synagogue and caters to more than 20 children, ages 2-5 years. The preschool provides the children with kosher meals, Hebrew and Jewish education, and Jewish-themed toys.

More information can be found on the JDC website.

Bulgarian Humor = Romantic Bulgarian Men

2010-12-01T19:01:00.002+01:00

A Bulgarian woman is talking to her fiance.

"Honey, my eyes are blue like the pretty sky, right?"

"Umm, yeah...," said her beloved man.

"And my lips are like the blossom of a rose, right?"

"Aha..."

"Oh, dear, how much I love it when you say such romantic, poetic things to me."

From the Sofia News Agency.

Riding the Tram

2010-11-29T17:46:00.008+01:00

After living in Sofia for close to two years, Ellis and I decided that it was time to try riding the tram. Ellis had already purchased 10 tickets at 1 leva each over 6 months ago, but somehow, we never seemed to actually have the chance to use them.

So, on Sunday, we took the plunge and caught the tram near our house, in order to go to another mall to see a movie.

The Number 6 arrived, and we got on the tram, and looked around for where we were supposed to punch our tickets, since we knew that this was not done by the driver. We saw one box that looked promising, but there was no place to put the ticket. Another, different looking box was also a false lead. Finally, one woman pointed out a small, old looking metal box which was attached to the space between two windows. Ellis put in his ticket, and pressed, but nothing really happened except for some round indentations that appeared on the ticket. He then did the same with my ticket, and we went to sit down further along in the carriage.

As we were riding, Ellis noticed that another woman put her ticket into a different box near where we were sitting, and she actually had a hole punched in hers. So, he took out our tickets and repunched them, and felt very pleased. And then the inspector arrived...

The inspector looked at our tickets, and was very confused, as there were "many marks". We tried to explain to her in English that we had first punched the tickets in one box, and then in another - and she kept looking at them and saying "many marks". Ellis then managed to explain in rudimentary Bulgarian that this was the first time that we were riding the tram, and we didn't really know what to do. Someone else also explained to the inspector, and she finally agreed to accept our tickets this time. Apparently, each box has a different pattern of dots and punch, and by punching our tickets in 2 different boxes, we confused the system... From what we've heard, the fine for not paying, or using an invalid ticket is 10 leva - or 10 times the price of a normal ticket.

We were expecting an electronic punch for our tickets, but instead had a very simple hole punch. I have heard that there are newer trams with electronic punches, but obviously not on all of them. There are also trams that you can purchase the ticket when you get on, and not have to buy them in advance.

Some people have magnetic cards which are prepaid for a certain number of trips, or for a certain period. We saw a couple people who swiped these cards in front of one of the other boxes.
But, a lot of people don't pay at all - until they see the inspector coming, in which case there is a mad scramble to punch your ticket before the inspector reaches you!

Coming back, we were impressed with the electronic sign that let you know when the next tram for each of the different lines was due. This was at a busy stop, where a lot of different trams passed. One of the things that we noticed at this stop, was how difficult it was for older, infirm people to climb up the very high steps to get on the tram.

The tram is obviously the cheapest means of transportation, but there is a lot that needs to be done to also make it a more modern and comfortable ride. Still, we're glad we finally tried it, and hope that we'll be able to use up our tickets while we're still here.

The Movie "Red" in Bulgaria

2010-11-28T19:08:00.000+01:00

Jodie and I went to see the movie "Red," starring Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Mary Louise Parker, and Helen Mirren. The movie was an action thriller with a very strong dose of humor and we enjoyed it.

In English, "Red" stands for Retired, Extremely Dangerous, which referred to the fact that Willis and friends were former CIA agents who suddenly found themselves once again involved in an operation.

In Bulgarian, the name of the film was "БСП - Бесни Страшни Пенсии" which means "BSP - Furious Frightful Pensioners". BSP is also a mock title referring to the abbreviation of the Bulgarian Socialist Party (BSP). Its political color is red and its voters are mainly elder and retired people - just like the "reds" in the film.

Bulgarian Restaurant Service

2010-11-23T18:55:00.018+01:00

The service in Bulgarian restaurants never ceases to amaze me - both for the good and the bad. We have been to average restaurants where the service is quite professional, and fancier restaurants where the service has been poor. There doesn't seem to be any real logic in it.

Some of the things that we have experienced:

1. Some waiters bring you your drink, open the bottle, put one hand behind their back, and pour your drink for you. They will then close the bottle and leave it next to your glass. Some of them will watch your glass and refill it when needed. Sometimes it seems that this is done solely so that they can remove the bottle from your table as they walk by.

2. One of my major issues regarding service, is the order in which your courses are brought out. Many restaurants will bring out your food according to whenever it is ready, as for example:

Your order is ready, but your companion's is not. This leads you to either start eating so that your food won't get cold, or, to sit and stare at your food until your companion's meal arrives.

You are eating your first course, and before you have finished, your second course arrives and is left on the table, in order that it has plenty of time to cool off by the time you finish eating your first course.

Sometimes, both of the above happen before your companion has even received his first course. This leads to an exciting meal of each of you watching the other eat while waiting for your food, or else digesting your food after you finished your meal.

Sometimes, second courses are brought out before the first.

3. Waiters always seem to be in a hurry to clear away your dishes. Quite frequently, this has left me holding a piece of bread or pizza that I was eating, and no place to put it down, since my plate has already been cleared away. This also holds true for napkins, which leaves me taking another clean napkin, since my (perfectly good) napkin was already cleared.

A couple more things in general regarding Bulgarian restaurants:

I believe that all waiters in Bulgaria are taught to say "Here you are" ("Zapovyadeti" in Bulgarian) with each item that they bring to your table.

EVERY restaurant, no matter what type of restaurant it is (even Chinese!), will always have Shopska Salad on the menu (the national Bulgarian salad consisting of tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and onions, with a mountain of grated white cheese on top).

Bread is generally not provided at meals. If you want bread, you will be asked how many slices you want, as you pay by the slice.

Despite, or because of, the above,we still enjoy eating out in Bulgaria. We have come to enjoy the professional service when we encounter it, and to laugh and go along with it whenever some of the more unprofessional service comes our way. If you can't beat them, join them!

Sofia Restaurant Reviews

2010-11-22T17:47:00.009+01:00

Jodie and I continue with our efforts to sample the cuisine in as many of Sofia's fine dining establishments as possible. Here are three of our recent findings.

We stopped in at The Fox & Hound on Angel Kanchev Street for a Sunday lunch recently. This is an Irish pub and we both had Kilkenny ale to accompany our meal. While I enjoyed my fish and chips, Jodie was a bit disappointed with the Fox & Hound burger, which was served without a bun.

We had previously dined at La Pastaria in Varna, where we enjoyed a luxurious dinner on our recent weekend there. We knew that La Pastaria had another of its Italian restaurants in a neighborhood not far from our office, so last week we went there for lunch. The noon time menu was just as good as what we remembered from Varna, and there was a special business lunch offer for under 10 Leva. We both ate the delicious vegetable lasagna of the day and we plan to eat there again.

This past Saturday we again went for a walk on Angel Kanchev Street and this time we stopped for lunch at The Olive Garden. The Olive Garden is a Mediterranean restaurant that serves delicious pastas and other interesting selections. I started with the tomato soup and then had the spinach penne pasta. Jodie started with a tabuli salad which was a little overladen with parsley, and then she had the steak sandwich. She said the steak could have been served a little rarer. What was nice about this restaurant is that they serve many of their dishes in lunch-size portions, with lowered prices to match.

Where will we dine next?

The Cats of Bulgaria = Sofia Window Sill

2010-11-21T14:24:00.000+01:00

We Dine at the Contessa

2010-11-19T17:55:00.005+01:00

I had previously written of my efforts to find the Contessa Restaurant in September, when Jodie was in Israel. Last Saturday, we decided to go there for lunch. We also were determined to travel there by tram, as we have lived near a tram line for nearly two years yet have never traveled on one.

We waited at the tram stop for about 10 minutes, wondering why it was so late in coming, and also why there was no one else waiting for it. I noticed a paper pasted on top of the tram schedule, and while I couldn't read it all, I saw that dates were listed. Apparently the line was closed for a ten-day period.

This turned out to indeed be the case. When we walked over to the City Center Sofia Mall we saw tractors digging up the tram lines there. We got into a taxi instead and took it to 76 Pirotska Street. And that is where we finally found the Contessa.

The waitress handed us menus and we were about to ask if she had menus in English when we noticed something very strange. The menus were listed in Hebrew! As noted in my September posting, the restaurant is located right near Sofia's Jewish School, and apparently they get quite a few Jewish visitors.

We chose shnitzel and chips, and it was very good! The portions were so large that we took home enough for another meal.

Now that we know where the Contessa is, and how good the food is, hopefully we'll be going back!

The Cats of Bulgaria = Varna

2010-11-17T17:50:00.002+01:00

Bulgarian Humor = Rakia

2010-11-15T19:44:00.002+01:00

A middle aged Bulgarian family. The wife starts shouting at her husband at 2 in the morning:

"I left two bottles of rakia in the fridge! Why is there one bottle left?!"

"Because I didn't see the second one," explains the husband.

From the Sofia News Agency.

Dobrich, Bulgaria

2010-11-14T19:32:00.007+01:00

We drove north of Varna to the small town of Dobrich, located in the Dobrudzha, Bulgaria's main grain producing region. We found the town to be quite laid back, with a very large pedestrian zone and a beautiful central park.

Dobrich has a recreated "old town", with crafts shops showing how various products are made. Unfortunately, all these shops were closed on the weekend. And, the town's museums were also closed.

Varna's Cathedral of the Assumption

2010-11-13T12:58:00.000+01:00

Who Enjoys the Varna Beach in November?

2010-11-12T09:12:00.004+01:00

The answer to that question can be seen in these photographs.

The Beautiful Cape Kaliakra

2010-11-11T08:49:00.015+01:00

According to a Bulgarian legend, during the Ottoman conquest forty local maidens tied their hair together and jumped from the rocks of Cape Kaliakra to the sea below in order to escape being raped at the hands of the Turks.

Today, Cape Kaliakra, on a rocky, narrow peninsula jutting into the Black Sea north of Varna, is highly revered by the locals for its beautiful scenery more than its history serving as a fortress in both Roman and Byzantine times.

There is a connection to more recent history at the cape, as it overlooks the area of the Black Sea where two important naval battles took place. In 1791, the Russian navy defeated the Turkish fleet here. And more recently, the Bulgarian navy sunk the Ottoman gunship Hamidie here in 1912. In one of the caves on the cape there is a museum which marks these naval battles, but unfortunately it was closed when we visited.

And finally, two more legends about Cape Kaliakra. Muslims believe that one of the caves contains the grave of Sari Saltuk, a mystical Turkish hero who came here to kill a seven-headed dragon and rescue two of the sultan's daughters. As for Christians, there is a claim that the cape marks the final resting place of St. Nicholas, the savior of seafarers from shipwreck and the saint who guides fishermen towards their prey. From atop the rocky cape we could see small fishing boats dotting the sea, but no dragons, seven-headed or otherwise, were to be seen.

Wind Power

2010-11-10T10:25:00.003+01:00

It was not particularly a windy day as we drove north along the Black Sea coast, but the wind turbines we saw lined up in rows across the fields were turning slowly, generating power.

We arrived at the Kaliakra Cape, and the wind turbines provided a fitting background to the views.

The stunning shoreline at the cape.

Balchik = Summer Home of the Romanian Queen

2010-11-09T10:04:00.000+01:00

We drove north of Varna along the Black Sea coast to the small town of Balchik. The town itself doesn't have much in the way of beaches but its claim to fame is that it served as the summer residence of Queen Marie of Romania, when that country ruled this part of Bulgaria before 1940. Marie, a granddaughter of England's Queen Victoria, started the construction of a palace here in 1936. Today you can visit the palace and the adjacent botanical gardens.

Below is the guardhouse at the entrance to the palace grounds.

The palace grounds are like a small park, with many paths, a waterfall, a stream, all leading down to the Black Sea shore.

We tasted sweet wine (with very strong tastes of honey and almonds). Some of the below bottles may have been from the queen's personal collection.

Overlooking the Black Sea. Queen Marie loved her palace in Balchik so much that she asked for her heart to be kept there after her death. This wish was fulfilled, but in 1941, the area was returned to Bulgaria, and the queen's last remains were moved to Bran Castle in Romania.

The queen's palace was was a very modest villa topped by a minaret. It is not a mosque. According to the guidebook we read, the queen may have adhered to the Bahai faith, or alternatively she may have had a Turkish lover. All the pictures we saw of her walking around the Balchik gardens showed her head covered by a scarf.

The Best Little Restaurant in Bulgaria

2010-11-08T10:46:00.004+01:00

On our first night in Varna, we decided to go to Acant Rouge, a restaurant that was recommended by our hotel, and which was within walking distance from where we were staying.

We found the building tucked away on a small side street, and were surprised to see that it was located in a historical building, with an explanation of the history posted on a sign outside.

The building was built in 1864 by Hadji Yanaki Flori, who was a prominent grain merchant. In 1867, Varna's first charity ball was held there. In July 1878, with the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman Empire, the building became the headquarters for the Russian Army. From 1888-1898 it was a Girl's Secondary School, and in 1900 to 1910, it housed the first Machine School of the Navy. Over the next 80 years, the building was used as a boarding school for hearing-impaired children, a school for the visually impaired and a kindergarten. Today, there is a restaurant, and upstairs there are offices for rent.

We entered the restaurant, and were immediately impressed with its rich, but subtle decor. Inside are stone walls, with arches, and niches with tables. The crystal chandeliers over the tables cast pretty rainbows on the white tableclothes. After we were seated, the waitress came over to me and opened my napkin onto my lap (this was a service only for the ladies - Ellis wasn't treated to this special pampering!). We were brought our menus and ordered our dinner and wine.

When the waitress brought our wine, she did something that we've never seen before - after opening the bottle of Chardonnay, and sniffing the top, she poured a little bit of wine into a glass, turned around and tasted it, and then poured the wine for us, after she was satisfied that the wine was good. She left the top on a small plate on the table next to Ellis.

While we were waiting for our first course of Spinach Salad with Chicken Fillet, we were served warm bread with a home-made special cheese, which was very good. The salad arrived, and was every bit as good as it looked.

For our main course, we ordered the day's special - roast lamb fillet served on a puree of potatoes and mashed eggplant. The lamb was sliced in thin slices, and was done to perfection. One thing that surprised us, and is in contradiction to service in most Bulgarian restaurants - when our main course was served, it was brought out by 2 waiters, who came around to each of us, looked at each other, and put the plates in front of us at exactly the same moment - very professional!

For dessert, Ellis had chocolate cake with apples, while I had homemade ice cream from pears and pomegranates - excellent, and very refreshing!

This was certainly one of the best meals we've had in Bulgaria (actually, some of our best meals have been in Varna). And the big surprise was the fact that, despite the excellent food and the high level of service, the price was no higher than a nice meal in a regular restaurant.

We discovered afterwards, that Acant Rouge was selected by Premium Lifestyle Magazine as its "2010 Best Restaurant of the Year" - a prize we agree that they totally deserve.

The Malls of Sofia

2010-11-05T09:21:00.005+01:00

When we first arrived in Sofia, there were two malls in the city. The larger mall "Mall of Sofia" was in the city center, and the second, smaller mall "City Center Sofia", is right near our apartment.

We visit "our" mall quite frequently - mainly we go to the supermarket on the lower floor for most of our grocery shopping. There are 2 restaurants that we like, my hairdresser is there, and of course, the cinema. Most of the shops are international designer shops, and the prices are high, and we don't usually shop there. We see shops with a couple of sales personel, but very rarely do we see shoppers inside. We've often wondered how these shops keep in business, since Bulgarian salaries are not high, and we don't understand who can afford the high prices.

We've also noticed that there are a certain number of types of shops that are missing from Bulgarian malls, that you would find in most malls in Israel - for instance, a home improvement shop where you can get everything from paint and hardware to kitchen ware and furniture. Another shop that is missing, is office/art supplies. Although Bulgaria does have their own chains of these stores, they are never to be found in the malls.

Last spring, a new, and bigger mall opened - "Serdika", which was even larger than the mall downtown. As soon as this mall opened, we started noticing that our mall was less crowded, and slowly but surely, a number of shops started closing. And two months after "Serdika" opened, "The Mall" ,the newest, and biggest mall opened on the road on the way to the airport. And more shops closed in our mall....

I can't help but wonder if Sofia really needs all these large, unaffordable malls that all carry the same expensive imported merchandise, and which the average Bulgarian can't afford. There's really no difference between one mall and the other, they just keep getting bigger. And if the 4 malls that already exist aren't enough, today's morning news announced that within the next 2 years, there are plans to open up to 3 more malls - each one being even bigger than the previous one.......

The Old Ruins On Our Street

2010-11-04T17:51:00.003+01:00

I had noticed them before, but only recently did I have a chance to visit the old ruins on our street. This is an archaeological site about four blocks down. I haven't a clue what was here, or when, but my feeling is that this was a church. There is a large central hall and two covered graves, which made me immediately think of sarcophagi.

On one of my walks I noticed a large group of people, both young and old, cleaning away the weeds and garbage from these ruins. It is now very clean there, so obviously somebody knows more than I about the historical significance of these ruins.

Lonely Planet: Visit Bulgaria in 2011

2010-11-03T19:03:00.002+01:00

Lonely Planet Magazine has named Bulgaria as one of the top ten countries to visit in 2011. The selection was made at the same time Lonely Planet chose Tel Aviv as one of the top cities to visit next year.

According to the magazine, "Bulgaria sometimes feels like the odd guy out in this corner of Europe. But things are changing. Now proudly part of the 21st-century EU, Bulgaria has enjoyed more attention – and self confidence. Its ski slopes are de facto destinations for Europeans looking for cheaper alternatives, empty patches of lovely Black Sea beaches can still be found, and its quietly brilliant wine industry is flourishing."

Other countries selected include Albania, Brazil, Panama, Japan, Italy, Syria, Tanzania and the unusual choices of Cape Verde and Vanuatu.

Bulgarian Humor = Brazil's New President of Bulgarian Origins

2010-11-02T05:18:00.001+01:00

Two Bulgarian sociologists discuss the effects of Dilma Rousseff's election as President of Brazil on the Bulgarian-Brazilian relations.

"I think Dilma Rousseff's election will make Brazil more popular in Bulgaria, and we will therefore observe an increased number of Bulgarians eager to emigrate to Brazil."

"Are you crazy? How do you imagine that any person would decide to leave a country where the rulers are Bulgarian only to go to another country where the rulers are Bulgarian?!"

From the Sofia News Agency.

Another View of Autumn

2010-11-01T20:00:00.000+01:00

The Cats of Bulgaria = Sofia Steps

2010-10-31T16:23:00.002+01:00

First Snow Flurries

2010-10-30T15:50:00.002+02:00

Walking to work on Thursday I witnessed the first snow flurries of the season, exciting me so much I had to call Jodie with this news. She was not as pleased.

The snow flurries continued throughout the day but nothing stuck to the ground. Although it's been dipping below freezing on many nights, the days are typically much warmer and winter can still be held off for now.

However, all the local news agencies are predicting a colder than usual winter this year, with one agency saying that the first real snow should fall on or about November 20. We shall see!

The Colors of Sofia = NDK Plaza

2010-10-28T20:34:00.000+02:00

Bulgarian Humor = Israeli Mossad Chief in Sofia

2010-10-27T19:47:00.003+02:00

This part is true = Israel's Mossad Agency Chief Meir Dagan just made a visit to Bulgaria and the two countries pledged mutual assistance in intelligence gathering efforts.

A joke circulated in the Bulgarian Internet forums on the meeting of Bulgarian Prime Minister Borisov with Mossad Director Dagan in Sofia.

The tete-a-tete meeting between Bulgarian Prime Minister Borisov and Mossad Director Dagan went as follows:

Borisov: "Am I still in power?"

Dagan: "Yes."

Borisov: "Whew!"

From the Sofia News Agency.

The Best Bread in Bulgaria

2010-10-26T20:13:00.002+02:00

According to what we’ve learned, John Hulsbosch first came to Bulgaria from the Netherlands on a volunteer program back in 2003. He had studied baking back in his home country and while in Bulgaria he came into contact with the owner of a local bakery. John purchased the bakery, and combined his own name with the popular Bulgarian name Ivan to call his new business “JoVan the Dutch Baker”.

We stopped by the bakery on Sunday and purchased a round loaf of brown bread. Sorry, but I don’t know the name of this particular bread, but it was unbelievably good. We ate half of it on Monday, and froze the other half for breakfast today. It was truly the best bread we’ve ever eaten in Bulgaria.

The bakery is located on Angel Kanchev Street, and we only discovered it because we were looking for a restaurant in that neighborhood. It’s walking distance from our home, but quite a walk. That’s a shame, because the bread from this bakery is so good!

Articles about this bakery:

Feeding Bulgarians Fresh Bread: the Dutch Baker in Sofia
Sofia News Agency, January 25, 2010

The Netherlands in Bulgaria: The best bread in Bulgaria
Sofia Echo, April 25, 2008

The Colors of Sofia = Autumn

2010-10-25T18:57:00.000+02:00

Degas Statues

2010-10-24T16:21:00.003+02:00

On our weekend cultural tour in central Sofia, we also visited the National Art Gallery, located in the former royal palace of Bulgaria and home to a huge collection of Bulgarian art.

The reason for our visit was an exhibition of Degas statues. However, only one of the statues was actually done by Degas himself. The others were sculpted by his students after the artist's death, however they were cast in the molds he had created.

Even so, the collection of ballerinas and wild horses, all in black and vivid motion, was quite interesting.

Note the photographer and his wife in the mirror!

National Archaeological Museum

2010-10-23T16:15:00.002+02:00

One of the museums in Sofia that we had yet to see was the National Archaeological Museum, located in the city center. We finally had a chance to visit and we were very impressed.

The museum had a fascinating collection of artifacts from Bulgaria's rich history, including coins, jewelry, statues, sarcophagi and more. Particulaly interesting were the collections of golden and silver Thracian treasures. One small example is pictured below.

Street Repairs

2010-10-22T11:56:00.003+02:00

Over the last two months, we've been following the progress of the laying of new pipes on our street.

The work started at the far corner and included tearing up the cobblestones, and digging deep holes in the road. After the work was finished in one section, the hole would be filled up and the large machines would move further down the street. The cobblestones would be relaid, and this section of the street would go back to being a street.

This morning when I left the house, I noticed that the machines were now only half a block away from us. As a result of the street being torn up, it meant that some of the side streets leading to our street from the main street a block away, have been blocked for use. I guess that this would explain the increased amount of cars turning up the wrong way on our one-way street, in order to reach their destinations.......

The Cost of Bulgarian Umbrellas

2010-10-21T17:52:00.002+02:00

Let's make it clear right from the start - it could very well be that there are no umbrellas produced in Bulgaria. Therefore, we're talking about imported ones, and more specifically about umbrellas made in China but sold locally.

It all started back in August, on our family trip to Prague. It was pouring rain. Merav, Erez and I were walking around Prague Castle while Jodie, Reut, Nir and Daniela went back to the center of the town to wait for us. I had a nice umbrella then. Merav was without an umbrella so as we left the castle, I bought one for her.

The red umbrella bought in Prague was not a good one, so I ended up trading what I had with Merav. I returned to Bulgaria with a defective umbrella.

Since the beginning of October, we have only seen the sun once in Sofia, and that was yesterday. On most mornings I've walked to work in a mist, and at other times it's been drizzling. Never really pouring rain, but always rain.

Recently I looked for a new umbrella at the mall near our house. The only place I found umbrellas on sale was at Marks and Spencers, where they were going for 65 BGN (almost 170 Israeli shekels). I decided to make due with my defective red umbrella a little while longer.

Jodie's coworker said she bought umbrellas on the second floor at the open market near our office for only 2 BGN. They broke quickly, she admitted, but then she would just buy a new one.

I wondered how there could be a second floor at an open market, but surely enough, when I came to the market on my walk home for work, I found a set of stairs near the grocery store leading up to a second floor bazaar, full of small shops with household goods and clothing.

I bought a new umbrella, of course made in China, for 3 BGN. I wonder how long it will last me. In the meantime, the weather forecast is promising more sunshine over the weekend. We'll see if the sun shines in Sofia or if I end up needing yet another new umbrella.

The Colors of Sofia = 4

2010-10-20T17:44:00.000+02:00

A school not far from our house.

The Colors of Sofia = 3

2010-10-19T18:14:00.002+02:00

The Colors of Sofia = 2

2010-10-18T17:52:00.003+02:00

The Red Hall cultural center.

The Colors of Sofia = 1

2010-10-17T10:25:00.002+02:00

Potholes

2010-10-16T13:13:00.000+02:00

Julio Iglesias - Live in Sofia

2010-10-13T20:39:00.009+02:00

In my (Jodie) opinion, there is only one word that sums up the Julio Iglesias concert we went to last night – and that is Sensuous.

To start off, even at 67, Julio Iglesias is still a very sexy man. And when he sings, his voice just adds to the aura. And Spanish is such a beautiful language – you don’t have to understand the words – just feel them flowing over you.

The lighting was soft – blues, purples and pinks. The backup band was just that – they provided the soft background for the honey tones of Julio’s voice.

The female singers with Julio swayed sexily to his music – especially the girl from Columbia. And for three of the songs, we were treated to a pair of dancers dancing the tango to his singing, which, as Julio said, is the sexiest dance there is.

Julio sang songs in Spanish and English. His eyes, his voice (and his hands, when he was next to his female singers) caressed the audience. There is no question but that he performs for the women in the audience.

I have to mention the saxophonist – Dave Koz. He played a number of solos to Julio’s singing - and he was really good. His music just added to the whole atmosphere and was a welcome addition to the songs. And when Julio introduced him to the audience, he told how Dave met a Bulgarian girl on their first visit to Bulgaria (this was their 4th) – and he later married her.

For his encore, he sang my favorite song: “For All the Girls I’ve Loved Before”, and finished up with Elvis Presley’s “Can’t Help Falling In Love”.

Two weeks ago, his son, Enrique Iglesias performed in Sofia. Most of the young women I talked to are crazy for him. All I can say is – if he’s today’s sexy singer, you don’t have far to look to see where he got it from . And I can only wish for him, that after 42 years of performing, that he can hope to measure up to his father as he was last night.

The Best Little Bed and Breakfast in Belgrade

2010-10-11T19:55:00.008+02:00

As we planned our recent trip to Serbia I consulted with TravelAdvisor.com to determine where to stay. The hotel that immediately interested me was Vila Marija, especially since someone I know had given it a very good recommendation.

Well, now my own review of Vila Marija has been posted on TravelAdvisor.com. Although we got lost driving into Belgrade (our GPS did not show Belgrade streets), we eventually found the hotel and Igor, the owner was waiting to receive us. We thought we were very late in arriving (due to the heavy traffic on the road) but only the next morning we discovered that Serbia is in a different time zone so were not that late at all.

The hotel was very comfortable (10 rooms in total) and it was nice to be able to talk to Igor and his wife, and to see their family. The hotel is not exactly in the center of Belgrade, but we were able to get a taxi to take us there. And there were some very nice restaurants within walking distance of Vila Marija, so plenty of choices where to eat.

We had a very nice visit to Belgrade as we've posted here on the blog, and especially nice was our stay at Vila Marija, the best little Bed and Breakfast in town.

Cobblestone Work on Our Street

2010-10-10T16:23:00.000+02:00

Cholent in a Bulgarian Pot

2010-10-08T19:00:00.006+02:00

Since I knew I would be working today, and not have a lot of time to cook a Shabbat meal, I was looking for something easy to make for dinner. As the temperatures had dropped drastically this week, and it's expected to go down to 2 C tonight, I decided that the best thing to make would be cholent - or "Hamin" in Hebrew.

This traditional Shabbat dish was invented due to the religious restriction of cooking on the Sabbath, but the need to still have a hot meal. Basically, you make a big pot with beans, barley, potatoes, onions and carrots, with either chicken or beef, and often whole eggs, which cook slowly. The seasonings and some of the ingredients vary according to your origins, but the idea is the same. Once everything is placed in the pot, it is left on a very low oven to cook for around 12 hours (often overnight) so that there is a hot meal the next day.

On Thursday evening, I soaked the beans and cut up the carrots, onions and potatoes. When I got up this morning, I was quickly able to assemble the rest of the ingredients and to place it all in my very large Bulgarian ceramic pot, which is actually perfect for this type of cooking. I placed it all in the oven on a low temperature, and went to work.

When I arrived home at 3:00, our doorman stopped me and started saying somthing to me in Bulgarian - of which I understood nothing. But, by some of his hand gestures, I realized that he was trying to tell me something about my pot that I left in the oven. Since my cleaning lady had been in earlier, I could only assume that they were concerned that I left a pot cooking in the oven for so long, when I wasn't home.

I came into the apt., and the smell of the cholent was wonderful. I took the pot out of the oven, and checked that it was finished cooking. At that point, I decided to go back to our doorman with a bowl of cholent. When I went downstairs and gave it to him, I managed to tell him in my little bit of Bulgarian - "Many, many hours - perfecto!!" I think he understood me, and when Ellis came home a little later, he returned the empty bowl to him - so I hope he liked it!

A Guide to Serbian Mentality

2010-10-07T18:27:00.005+02:00

Before our visit to Belgrade I didn’t really know too much about Serbia, except that it had recently been involved in a war and some massacres against civilians in the Balkans. The United States and its NATO allies had bombed Serbia only a short time ago and today Kosovo in Serbia’s south has declared its independence. But Serbia is no longer an enemy and I wondered what the people who were Bulgaria’s neighbors were like.

While we were visiting Trg Republike Square in the center of Belgrade we came across the city’s Tourist Information Bureau. There were a number of souvenirs offered inside and I chose something that I felt would make my understanding of Serbia more complete. The book A Guide to the Serbian Mentality was a collection of short essays geared to help the reader grasp the essence of the Serbian people and their way of life. The author, Momo Kapor, was described as the Serbian Efraim Kishon, and this humorous approach interested me and I bought the book.

Some of the essays were about Serbian food. First I learned that in the country, the only time one eats chicken is either if the chicken is sick, or you are sick. Also, although Serbian cuisine is very tasty (and Jodie herself bought a Serbian cookbook), there is no food that really originated in Serbia. Everything you eat in Serbia has its origins in Turkey, Greece, or elsewhere in the Balkans. We found this to be true in Belgrade’s restaurants, where shopska salad and rakia were offered as local cuisine just like in Bulgaria.

But wait, there is one Serbian food that is unique according to Kapor, and apparently found nowhere else in the world. There is a white cheese called kajmak that is skimmed from freshly boiled milk and which bears no resemblance to other cheeses like mozzarella or sour cream. In fact, when we had lunch at a restaurant in Niš, the owner came to our table with a dish of kajmak that his wife had made, and we found it quite tasty. As Kapor relates in one of his essay, kajmak is so revered among Serbian émigrés all over the world that he used to sneak it through customs to them on his visits, hidden inside Nivea cosmetic cream containers.

I found the essays in the book quite amusing, and together they did paint the picture of Serbians and their way of life.

Momo Kapor (1937 – 2010) was a Serbian painter, novelist and short story writer. By training he was a painter, having graduated from the Academy of Figurative Art in Belgrade in 1961. He exhibited his works all over the world and has illustrated his own books and the books of others. His literary career began in the 1960s when he served as a writer of radio, television, and theater dramas. His novels and books, which have been translated into a number of languages, are still on the Serbian best seller lists.

Why Don't Bulgarians Like Their Soups Served Hot?

2010-10-05T19:06:00.006+02:00

Today was rainy and cold in Sofia, so both Jodie and I ordered the Tomato Cream Soup for lunch at the Rainbow Restaurant near our office. The soup was good, but was served luke warm.

On Sunday I ate at the Dobro Restaurant, also not far from our office. I ordered the Vegetable Cream Soup, which was tasty, but also served luke warm.

Why don't Bulgarians like their soups hot? Jodie once asked her coworker about this, and the answer was that Bulgarians prefer to have their soups served at a comfortably warm temperature.

We have come to appreciate Bulgarian soups. We squeeze fresh lemon juice into our chicken soup and Jodie has made Bulgarian Meatball Soup. In the summer, Tarator Soup, made of cucumbers and yoghurt, is a cool refresher, and that is just fine. But in the winter, when you need to warm yourself up from the cold winds and rain, we prefer the soups to be served hot.

Autumn Leaves

2010-10-04T17:46:00.002+02:00

Spinach News from Bulgaria

2010-10-01T18:26:00.001+02:00

A picture of a Bulgarian Agriculture Minister Miroslav Naydenov frowning as he tasted spinach soup at a nursery school in Sofia caused some “confusion” in the public, media reports said this week.

The sour expression on the minister’s face as he visited the school with Sofia Mayor Yordanka Fandakova led many to conclude that the food given to school children is of bad quality.

Mayor Fandakova responded to the uproar by saying, "The problem was not that the food was bad but that Minister Naydenov doesn't like spinach.., The food in kindergartens is perfect."

I enjoyed two spinach dishes at Sofia restaurants this week and believe the local vegetable is quite tasty. I hope the school kids feel the same way.

Enrique Iglesias in Sofia

2010-09-29T17:00:00.003+02:00

A free concert given by M-Tel, one of the largest mobile phone companies in Bulgaria, and it just happened to be taking place in the park down the street from our house. Jodie was very tired and stayed at home, but I joined some 30,000 young Bulgarians to see Enrique.

First to perform was British singer and disc jockey Sonique. After her set there was a long intermission with M-Tel commercials shown on the huge screens around the park. Finally Enrique took to the stage.

I must say, he was a real mensch. He spoke to the crowd in Bulgarian, frequently interjected "Sofia" into his talking and even once into his lyrics. At one point he invited two Bulgarian youths onto the stage and interviewed them, and during the encore he invited a young girl onto the stage and sang his hit "Hero" to her.

And afterwards there was an amazing fireworks display.

Jodie heard everything from our apartment, both from our porch and even while reading in bed. I was glad that I was part of this event, although it was cold and there was a bit of a drizzle (they wouldn't let umbrellas into the park for security reasons but gave out free plastic mackintoshes).

Return to Bulgaria

2010-09-27T10:13:00.001+02:00

The picture below shows the double rainbow we saw as we drove back from Belgrade to Sofia.

Salvador Dali and Josip Tito

2010-09-26T10:01:00.006+02:00

On our last day in Belgrade we went to see the Salvador Dali exhibition at the Museum 25th of May. Divine Works contains two of the largest suites of Dali's graphic works: Biblia Sacra (biblical scenes) and Dante's Divine Comedy.

The Museum 25th of May, now known as the Museum of Yugoslav History, is also the resting spot of Josip Broz Tito, leader of Yugoslavia's partisans in World War Two and supreme ruler of the country until his death in 1980.

Interesting to see at the museum were all the relay race batons presented over the years to Tito by youth groups and municipalities on the 25th of May, which was Tito's birthday. Apparently there are some 20,000 batons in the museum's collection.

Bajloni Open Market

2010-09-25T15:26:00.005+02:00

We enjoy walking through open markets, and this time we visited the Bajloni Open Market in Belgrade.

Skadarlija Street

2010-09-25T15:20:00.009+02:00

Skadarlija Street is a vintage street, possibly the most famous street in Belgrade. The area is considered the city's bohemian quarter.

Below is the bakery where we had lunch.

Look carefully below. How much of this is real, and how much is a painting on the wall?

Serbians Dance!

2010-09-25T15:16:00.008+02:00

Dancing in Trg Republike Square in central Belgrade.

Souvenirs of Belgrade

2010-09-25T15:09:00.004+02:00

Birds of Prey and Others

2010-09-25T15:06:00.004+02:00

The Natural History Museum of Belgrade had an exhibition on Sky Hunters at the fortress so we stopped in to see the birds.

Overlooking the Danube River

2010-09-25T14:58:00.011+02:00

Kalemegdan overlooks where the Sava River meets the Danube River. We had seen the Danube in Budapest, and now we saw it in Belgrade as it makes its way towards Bulgaria, where it will serve as the border with Romania before spilling into the Black Sea. The Danube River is the second longest river in Europe.

Kalemegdan, Belgrade Fortress

2010-09-25T14:49:00.011+02:00

We visited Belgrade, capital of Serbia. On Saturday morning we took a taxi from our hotel to Kalemegdan, the Belgrade Fortress. The fortress, which overlooks the spot where the Sava and Danube Rivers meet, was originally built in Roman times, but was rebuilt many times over the centuries.

The Niš Market

2010-09-24T11:06:00.004+02:00

We enjoyed the open market in Niš more than the fortress. Eggs were on sale at different sizes and prices, but you purchased them individually.

We got lost trying to drive out of Niš and this led to an extensive tour of the city streets. Finally we saw the sign to Belgrade, and we followed it out of the city and onto the superhighway toll road leading to Serbia's capital.

The Niš Fortress

2010-09-24T10:59:00.004+02:00

The Niš Fortress, dating back to the Ottoman rule in the beginning of the 18th Century, was built on the site of earlier Roman, Byzantine and Medieval fortifications. The fortress is one of the most significant and best-preserved fortifications from this period in the mid-Balkans. Besides the entrance gate, all we saw preserved inside was a nice park, and we enjoyed a leisurely stroll there.

Across the Border to Niš, Serbia

2010-09-24T10:50:00.012+02:00

Our friends Danny and Leah came to visit us for a week and while they did have a chance to sightsee in Bulgaria, we also went with them for a long weekend in Serbia. We rented a car and Danny and I took turns driving. We crossed the border into Serbia and our first stop was in Niš, the country's third largest city. We had no problems finding the center as our goal was to visit the fortress.

Below is the Liberators' Monument, celebrating the victory over the Ottomans towards the end of the 19th Century.

In Serbia they speak Serbian, and although there are some similarities to Bulgarian it's quite a different language.

We stopped for lunch at a restaurant in the city center. Jodie sat down with some locals (seen below).

A signpost in the center didn't explain too much to us.

Below, the city center as seen from the fortress walls across the river.

The Tram Near Our House

2010-09-21T06:14:00.000+02:00

It's just a block from our house, but amazingly, we've never ridden the trams in Sofia. This one is a number 6. Some day we will just get on and ride it to wherever it goes.

The Cats of Bulgaria = Sofia

2010-09-20T18:01:00.000+02:00

The Temperature Gap

2010-09-19T10:55:00.003+02:00

I don't know if there's a scientific term for the difference between the daily maximum temperature and the daily minimum temperature, but this gap seems to be quite great in Bulgaria.

When I get up in the mornings it is a brisk 10 degrees Celsius, and I need to wear a jacket to work. But by mid-afternoon, it is a warm 31 degrees, even warmer than it is currently in Israel. But in Israel you don't have such a big temperature gap.

The other thing about the high temperature in Bulgaria during September is that it is really just a peak. Even when the afternoons are quite warm, the mornings remain cool and nice. The maximum temperature is reached for a short period, and then the day begins cooling again.

All this won't last long, as the Autumn is here with falling leaves covering the ground. Cooler and colder days are ahead.

Bulgarian Children Go Back to School

2010-09-16T19:43:00.003+02:00

Yesterday marked the start of the Bulgarian school year and according to media reports, some 60,000 first graders started classes in Bulgaria's around 3,100 schools.

The new year started among serious worries regarding the financing of education in Bulgaria, with budgets to universities reportedly cut and teachers' salaries being notoriously low.

According to recent demographic reports, less and less children are enrolling in Bulgarian schools each year.

The Highlight of Our Trip to Israel

2010-09-15T20:14:00.001+02:00

In Search of the Contessa

2010-09-05T15:45:00.010+02:00

Just before they returned to Israel after four years of living and working in Sofia, friends of ours mentioned having just eaten for the first time at an excellent, quite unknown restaurant in the city known as the Contessa.

I could not find any information about this restaurant online or in the Sofia guidebooks we had, and the only clue regarding its location was a remark our friend said, stating that it was "in the yard near the Jewish school."

With Jodie already in Israel, I decided to devote my time on Saturday to locating the Contessa restaurant. First I had to find out where the Jewish school was.

A quick Internet search reminded me of something I had read a few months ago. On March 25th, anti-Semitic graffiti was daubed on the walls of the Dimcho Debelyanov School, which according to the news item is known as the Jewish School.

The Dimcho Debelyanov School is listed in the Schools Guide of Bulgaria as being a secondary school in Sofia. Its address was also given = Pirotska Street 78.

The website of the Dimcho Develyanov School shows that it is funded by the World ORT Educational Charity and the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation, a philanthropy that seeks to revitalize Jewish identity through educational and cultural intiatives that reach out to all Jews.

In its page devoted to Bulgaria, the projects of the Ronald S. Lauder Foundation in Sofia are listed:

** The Lauder Jewish Elementary & High School

** The Lauder-ORT Science and Technology Center at the Jewish School

I now had an address for the Jewish School of Sofia, and I located the street on a map, running parallel to Ezarkh Yosef Street where the Sofia Synagogue is located.

I walked from our home to the center of Sofia, which at my pace took exactly 30 minutes. Crossing through the Metro passageway I found Pirotska Street and began walking down it. For part of its length, Pirotska Street is a pedestrian zone, with clothing and shoes shops.

At 76 Pirotska Street I came across a church and a big park. A wedding was taking place at the church, and the bride and groom were getting their pictures taken outside. I continued on to the next block and found the school itself. As it was a Saturday, the building was closed, protected from the street by an iron fence.

I walked around the block and returned to the park near the church, as this would definitely fit with my friend's hint that the restaurant was "in the yard near the Jewish school." The first thing I came across in the park was a small coffeeshop, which certainly wasn't the restaurant I was seeking. I continued through the park towards the street and heard noise coming from a low wooden structure, half hidden under the trees.

A sign, not visible until one walked up close, showed that this indeed was the Contessa. Inside there was a noisy party, with all the spaces filled and tables covered with a selection of food. I didn't have a chance to eat at the Contessa this time, but now I know where it's located.

Why We Never Learned to Speak Bulgarian

2010-09-04T08:21:00.002+02:00

Jodie and I have been living in Sofia, Bulgaria, for a year and a half but our knowledge of Bulgarian is still very rudimentary. You would think that we would be able to conduct a simple conversation in the language, but that is beyond our capabilities. Jodie is an expert at ordering taxis by phone, and giving them directions to our home or to the office. And we can order food when a restaurant menu is only in Bulgarian. But other than that, we're pretty stuck.

Why is this the case? Everything is just excuses of course, but listed here are the Top Ten Reasons We Never Learned to Speak Bulgarian.

1. The Cyrillic Alphabet = Even after all this time we read words slowly, especially getting confused with the letters that are the same in English but have a different sound in Bulgarian.

2. We work in English.

3. Young people in Bulgaria speak English, so in most cases there's someone who can help you in stores.

4. When we manage to say something correctly in Bulgarian, even if it's "We only know a little bit of Bulgarian," we get a full Bulgarian sentence in response that we don't understand at all.

5. We don't need to keep up with the news here, watch Bulgarian television or read Bulgarian newspapers.

6. We shop for food in the supermarkets. Even after struggling in the beginning, we realized that most of the spice bottles had English text on the back.

7. The movies are not dubbed.

8. Our private Bulgarian teacher focused on grammar, and not on conversational skills. We tried to refocus our studies, but gave up after a year.

9. At our age...

10. Our sojourn in Bulgaria is a temporary one.

Excuses, excuses. But that's the way it is.

The Cats of Bulgaria = Nessebar

2010-08-31T17:46:00.000+02:00

Sidewalk Level Stores

2010-08-30T19:13:00.007+02:00

Walking along the streets in downtown Sofia you can't help but notice an interesting phenomenon. Many of the stores selling cigarettes and drinks are located slightly below ground level, with their lone window just above the sidewalk. To make purchases, you have to bend down and give your request to the shopkeeper. I guess a report that you bought something in Sofia "on the street" should be taken quite literally.

The End of Summer?

2010-08-29T18:08:00.003+02:00

After a week of temperatures hovering in the mid 30's (C), and an extremely hot summer by Bulgarian standards, it seems that, overnight, summer ended and fall began.

Yesterday, we were sweltering in 36 C, and this morning, we woke up to temperatures in the low 20's. The wind was blowing and it was actually cold in the house. The 10 day forecast is for temperatures in the mid 20's, but going down to as low as 10 at night!

We just took a walk to the mall, and found that the whole park was covered with leaves that had blown off the trees overnight.

Although I'm happy to leave the really hot days behind, I think a gradual cooling down is the way to go, and not this overnight extreme change! I just hope that we stay in this range for a long time, and that winter will not be in a hurry to come.

Small Earthquake in Sofia

2010-08-27T12:20:00.002+02:00

I didn't feel it at the office, but some of my coworkers reported feeling a slight shake. It didn't register very high at all, only 2.8 on the Richter scale, and earthquakes at that magnitude are usually not felt at all.

But according to the seismologist on duty at the Geophysics Institute at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, “The earthquake was felt immediately below the feet of the Sofia citizens because the epicenter was located slightly south-east of the capital. It was felt strongly in the eastern and central part of the city and the maximum possible degree of impact has been 3 or 4,” he said.

Jodie, cooking in our apartment, also felt nothing.

Top Ten Attractions of Sofia

2010-08-25T19:59:00.003+02:00

From the Sofia Hilton website, a list of the Top Ten things to do in Sofia:

1. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

2. National Theater Ivan Vazov

3. Vitosha Blvd.

4. Clubbing in Sofia

5. Bulgarian Wine Tasting

6. National History Museum

7. Sofia National Opera

8. National Art Gallery & Ethnographic Museum

9. Vitosha Mountain

10. City Center Sofia Shopping Mall

The Cats of Bulgaria = Lovech

2010-08-22T19:27:00.001+02:00

Scenes from the Pravets Lake

2010-08-19T19:18:00.009+02:00

While Jodie stayed home, my company went on an overnight trip to Pravets, about an hour northeast of Sofia. We stayed at the RIU Pravets Hotel, a 4-star resort hotel and spa, located near one of Bulgaria's newest golf courses. Here are pictures of the scenic lake next to the hotel.

The Cats of Bulgaria = Sofia Zoo

2010-08-17T17:47:00.001+02:00

The Sofia Zoo, July 2010.

The Cats of Bulgaria = Samuil's Fortress

2010-08-14T09:49:00.004+02:00

Shimon Peres Visits Bulgaria

2010-08-12T19:33:00.004+02:00

Israeli President Shimon Peres visited Sofia this week, and while we did not get a chance to see him, we can note some of the Bulgarian-Israeli friendship marked in this visit.

Bulgarian President Parvanov awarded Peres with Bulgaria's highest state distinction, the Stara Planina Order, First Degree. In his speech upon accepting the order, Peres extended his warm gratitude to Bulgaria for refusing to deport its Jews to the death camps during the Second World War, singling out Bulgaria as a "country that is exceptional among all countries."

According to the media, Peres said that the Bulgarian people should in turn receive an order - "for its humanity, its bravery, its standing up against the Nazi regime."

Peres was on an official visit to Bulgaria and met with Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov, Cabinet members, and the Bulgarian Jewish community. Peres praised Bulgaria's role and potential in contributing to the peace process in the Middle East, saying that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' recent visit to Sofia in mid-July is "no coincidence" with his own Bulgarian visit.

"There will be peace between Israel and the Palestinian people," Peres promised in his speech in the Sofia Synagogue.