Love from da BG
Hello my stateside compatriots. This is gonna be one long and confusing post. Here goes.
Day 1 - spent in airports. All flights delayed.
Day 2 - spent in airports. Had to shell out an extra $300 for missed flight to Athens.
Day 3 - Left Athens with some girls on a train, made a stop in Thessaloniki, back on the train, off to Sofia. Read 1/2 of Harry Potter book 5 on the way. Nobody was smoking in our compartment but there was nasty smoke smell seeping in through the air vents the whole way. Felt like I smoked 9 packs, and y'all know how much I love smoking. Party that night at our choir director's house in Sofia. Reunited with Angie. Fell asleep really hard somewhere.
Day 4 - Woke up early in basement of choir director's house, got on a tour bus for like 4 hours. We stopped at the Rila Monastary and met some rather rude monks. I got some really interesting pictures here. Afterwards, back on the bus. For the next two days we were staying in a place that had mineral baths. Lovely resort. Party at the resort restaurant that night, much rakia.
Day 5 - Day trip to a small village, then concert that night in Pazardzhik, another small village. The hall was packed, the crowd loved us, and Eva made the first 3 rows of little old ladies cry. Dinner that night was quite delayed. Much irritation.
Day 6 - Left the resort, and went to Tzvetanka's parents' house where her mom made us Bulgarian granny food. It was this awesome cheese pie. I took many pictures of their tomato garden. Sweet people. Then back on the tour bus to Veliko Turno, one of the oldest towns in Bulgaria. We did a tour of the king's palace (or what's left of it). It's on a hill and on the way up there were these tour robots - you know like on the Simpsons in the Springfield Natural History Museum? The spoke in loud exaggerated American voices, probably recorded in the 70's. Campy, creepy, and garish. Photos were taken. Dinner that night in Bozhentsy. We checked into a 300-year-old house that had been converted into a super-nice hotel. Lovely and rustic. Dinner was: Shopska Salata (tomatoes, onions, feta, cucumbers) and a lamb roast. The lamb had been buried underground and roasted for 7 hours. SO GOOD! I wonder how they were able to maintain a fire underground...doesn't that cut off the oxygen or something? Whatever...The guest of honor that night was one of the most famous composers in Bulgaria. He's kind of a hermit and doesn't like people but he's friends with Tzvetanka so he agreed to see us. We sang one of his songs for him and he LOVED us. In particular, he loved Eleanor and he made that clear by blowing into her ear during a photo shoot. Creepy!
Day 7 - oh wait. This was the day that we went to Veliko Turno. My bad. So, Veliko Turno, then we got back and Eleanor and I got a bit sidetracked at a roadside folk art stand. I bought a fruit bowl and then we lost the rest of the group. We started walking back to the hotel. This place is literally a storybook village, so no street signs or anything. Only the occasional cow, and they're not good at giving directions. 45 minutes later, we started wondering where the hell we were. Apparently we were in the middle of some enchanted forest and it was getting dark. I have no idea how we found our way back, but we managed to be the first ones at rehearsal at the composer's house. I promised ELeanor a human shield, but the guy sorta appologized to her so all was made well.
Day 8 - Left Bozhentsy and went to Bourgas. Arrived at soundcheck and for some reason was very inspired to make all the girls model while I took pictures. Got some good photos, some not so good photos. But I'm thinking about taking a fashion photography class during my unemployment...Anyway. Soundcheck, more photos, concert, crazy belly-dancing madness with the Egyptian folk group backstage. Big concert on Bulgarian National TV, then off to "the hotel". The hotel was a Soviet-style dormatory for a university that specializes in food production or something. Picture industrial. Picture the scariest bathroom you've ever seen. Now picture something much worse. Picture bed bugs. Dinner at the cafeteria that night was tomatoes and peaches. By the way, we were on the 13th floor and there was a lightening storm.
Day 9 - After bursting into tears the previous night and calling mommy, I was hell-bent on getting a hotel in town. I took the tour bus with the rest of the group to the beach, and then broke off from the group with a few girls. We went up and down the main drag, and then I found it. BEAUTIFUL ultra-modern, clean, nice bathroom, reasonably priced. Sold. Concert this night in Ivan's village. Made more old ladies cry, and then made them dance their asses off in the town square. The local men's choir serenaded us at a dinner party after the concert. This was the most amazing, authentic music experience. The tappan player was so fucking rad I had to personally thank him after the show. He sang a good-bye song to Martha and she sang him one in Greek in response. Amazing.
Day 10 - I think that's today. Woke up in a swanky hotel, had swanky breakfast, wlked around town, tried to shop but didn't want anything. Now it's now.
I gotta say, out of the 3 soloists, Martha is the only one who has ever actually moved me to tears. I don't know why Eva gets all the press. Martha is just as good a singer, but she's so much more modest and honest. I vote Martha.
Ok being in a dark internet cafe between sweaty teenage gamers is seriously taking a toll on my creativity right now. Tonight I'm having dinner with body-builder/accordion player Gee (you saw her playing at Phoebe's wedding on Friends), and then we're going to check out the festival. I think Bosnia-Herzegovina is playing tonight, and Turkey and Kosovo. SInce the internet cafe is right across from my hotel, I'll be checking in more frequently for the next 3 days, so feel free to email me.
Hope all is well and I hope y'all are taking care of the Sparkler for me. She gets kinda destructive when she gets lonely. Chews on furniture and stuff.
-peaceout
=rs
Day 1 - spent in airports. All flights delayed.
Day 2 - spent in airports. Had to shell out an extra $300 for missed flight to Athens.
Day 3 - Left Athens with some girls on a train, made a stop in Thessaloniki, back on the train, off to Sofia. Read 1/2 of Harry Potter book 5 on the way. Nobody was smoking in our compartment but there was nasty smoke smell seeping in through the air vents the whole way. Felt like I smoked 9 packs, and y'all know how much I love smoking. Party that night at our choir director's house in Sofia. Reunited with Angie. Fell asleep really hard somewhere.
Day 4 - Woke up early in basement of choir director's house, got on a tour bus for like 4 hours. We stopped at the Rila Monastary and met some rather rude monks. I got some really interesting pictures here. Afterwards, back on the bus. For the next two days we were staying in a place that had mineral baths. Lovely resort. Party at the resort restaurant that night, much rakia.
Day 5 - Day trip to a small village, then concert that night in Pazardzhik, another small village. The hall was packed, the crowd loved us, and Eva made the first 3 rows of little old ladies cry. Dinner that night was quite delayed. Much irritation.
Day 6 - Left the resort, and went to Tzvetanka's parents' house where her mom made us Bulgarian granny food. It was this awesome cheese pie. I took many pictures of their tomato garden. Sweet people. Then back on the tour bus to Veliko Turno, one of the oldest towns in Bulgaria. We did a tour of the king's palace (or what's left of it). It's on a hill and on the way up there were these tour robots - you know like on the Simpsons in the Springfield Natural History Museum? The spoke in loud exaggerated American voices, probably recorded in the 70's. Campy, creepy, and garish. Photos were taken. Dinner that night in Bozhentsy. We checked into a 300-year-old house that had been converted into a super-nice hotel. Lovely and rustic. Dinner was: Shopska Salata (tomatoes, onions, feta, cucumbers) and a lamb roast. The lamb had been buried underground and roasted for 7 hours. SO GOOD! I wonder how they were able to maintain a fire underground...doesn't that cut off the oxygen or something? Whatever...The guest of honor that night was one of the most famous composers in Bulgaria. He's kind of a hermit and doesn't like people but he's friends with Tzvetanka so he agreed to see us. We sang one of his songs for him and he LOVED us. In particular, he loved Eleanor and he made that clear by blowing into her ear during a photo shoot. Creepy!
Day 7 - oh wait. This was the day that we went to Veliko Turno. My bad. So, Veliko Turno, then we got back and Eleanor and I got a bit sidetracked at a roadside folk art stand. I bought a fruit bowl and then we lost the rest of the group. We started walking back to the hotel. This place is literally a storybook village, so no street signs or anything. Only the occasional cow, and they're not good at giving directions. 45 minutes later, we started wondering where the hell we were. Apparently we were in the middle of some enchanted forest and it was getting dark. I have no idea how we found our way back, but we managed to be the first ones at rehearsal at the composer's house. I promised ELeanor a human shield, but the guy sorta appologized to her so all was made well.
Day 8 - Left Bozhentsy and went to Bourgas. Arrived at soundcheck and for some reason was very inspired to make all the girls model while I took pictures. Got some good photos, some not so good photos. But I'm thinking about taking a fashion photography class during my unemployment...Anyway. Soundcheck, more photos, concert, crazy belly-dancing madness with the Egyptian folk group backstage. Big concert on Bulgarian National TV, then off to "the hotel". The hotel was a Soviet-style dormatory for a university that specializes in food production or something. Picture industrial. Picture the scariest bathroom you've ever seen. Now picture something much worse. Picture bed bugs. Dinner at the cafeteria that night was tomatoes and peaches. By the way, we were on the 13th floor and there was a lightening storm.
Day 9 - After bursting into tears the previous night and calling mommy, I was hell-bent on getting a hotel in town. I took the tour bus with the rest of the group to the beach, and then broke off from the group with a few girls. We went up and down the main drag, and then I found it. BEAUTIFUL ultra-modern, clean, nice bathroom, reasonably priced. Sold. Concert this night in Ivan's village. Made more old ladies cry, and then made them dance their asses off in the town square. The local men's choir serenaded us at a dinner party after the concert. This was the most amazing, authentic music experience. The tappan player was so fucking rad I had to personally thank him after the show. He sang a good-bye song to Martha and she sang him one in Greek in response. Amazing.
Day 10 - I think that's today. Woke up in a swanky hotel, had swanky breakfast, wlked around town, tried to shop but didn't want anything. Now it's now.
I gotta say, out of the 3 soloists, Martha is the only one who has ever actually moved me to tears. I don't know why Eva gets all the press. Martha is just as good a singer, but she's so much more modest and honest. I vote Martha.
Ok being in a dark internet cafe between sweaty teenage gamers is seriously taking a toll on my creativity right now. Tonight I'm having dinner with body-builder/accordion player Gee (you saw her playing at Phoebe's wedding on Friends), and then we're going to check out the festival. I think Bosnia-Herzegovina is playing tonight, and Turkey and Kosovo. SInce the internet cafe is right across from my hotel, I'll be checking in more frequently for the next 3 days, so feel free to email me.
Hope all is well and I hope y'all are taking care of the Sparkler for me. She gets kinda destructive when she gets lonely. Chews on furniture and stuff.
-peaceout
=rs
posted by Myasorubka at 4:36 AM
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