Things To Love About Bulgaria

It's been about 4 weeks since I left the ACS campus for California and our 10 week long summer vacation. I have to be honest and say that I really have not had much of a break from school. I've been pretty much thinking about school and working on ideas for my classes 24/7. Although this is natural for almost every dedicated teacher I know, we constantly are thinking about how to be better teachers and what we need to change to make the next year better for our students, it is not how most non-teachers imagine summer vacations to be. In fact, it probably has not been that healthy for me professionally to be working this hard. In the end, however, my surgery and recovery have relegated me to a month-long stay in Woodland, CA; it's the longest stretch I have stayed at home since my first summer vacation from UCSB in 1994. This is not a knock on Woodland (although I must say that I've been sneaking over to Davis every other day to sit in Peet's Coffee and fake like I'm a UC Davis grad student in Education), and I have to say I relish the moments hanging out with my mom and stepdad (my mom takes care of both of us). In the end, though, it is not my first choice. So, maybe it's surprising, maybe not, but sitting back without much to do in the big W has got me thinking a great deal about my first year in Bulgaria. These thoughts led me to create this list of the many, many things there are to love about Bulgaria or, at least, some of the things I love and I find fascinating about this small Balkan country.

In no particular order, here we go:

1. Mt. Vitosha

It dominates the horizon. It looms over the city with awe-inspiring power. It helps to orient me when I am lost on the downtown streets. Mt. Vitosha, standing tall 7,500 feet into the sky, guided my way to the ACS campus each and every school day. No matter my mood, the sight of the rust colored leaves on fire in fall or the blinding white after a heavy snowfall in the deep of winter, the mountain inspired.

2. Sofia

The city center continues to satisfy and surprise, to offer up gift after gift - a golden dome, a young muslim teen walking into the beautiful mosque for prayer, a hidden outdoor cafe surrounded by stone sculptures, a sleek new metro making a trip a little bit easier, the Queen of Pop in August, fresh vegetables and even fresher fruits, and so much more. Yes, we can despise and criticize the trash and the wild dogs, the traffic and the absence of Mexican food, but this is a great city and I'm looking forward to my 2nd year.


3. Everything outside of Sofia

I didn't know anything about Bulgaria before accepting the job at ACS. What I quickly learned is this - Bulgaria is an absolutley stunning country in terms of its natural beauty. It can offer you amazing hiking and skiing opportunities, Black Sea beaches big and small, hot springs, wine country, mind boggling rock formations, small and magical lakes, seasonal colors from the imagination, and endless reasons to jump into your old, beat-up Volkswagon Passat and explore.


4. Location, Location, Location

And when you get that itch to see another country, Bulgaria's location makes travel a cinch. Rome is a 2-hour flight; the island of Thassos is a 5 1/2 hour drive; or hop on an overnight train and wake up in Istanbul or Belgrade.


5. 2 Acts of Civil Disobedience
- bus tickets

I love taking the bus. One of the first things I noticed when I started riding the buses in Sofia is sometimes you would find a bus ticket on the seat. The more I observed, the more I would see strangers exiting the bus trying to hand a stranger getting onto the bus their bus tickets. The first time this happened to me I was completely bewildered. What are these crazy Bulgarians trying to do? It didn't take me long to figure out, and then come to love, this act of Sofian civil disobedience. Bus passengers are sharing their tickets. Since each ticket is good for a single bus trip on a single bus, and since there is no way for the wicked, despised ticket controllers to know the time of your trip, one can give a used bus ticket as she disembarks from the bus to someone coming on, or leave it on the worn out bus seat for somebody else to pick up and use. It's a collective middle-finger to the Sofia government and establishment. I've never seen so much hatred as the hate I see the bus riders have for the ticket controllers, and this is just one great way, my favorite way in fact, that they, no WE, get back at them.



6. Cheap Beer

Cheaper beer in Europe? Maybe, but probably not. Bulgarians love their beer, they have many national beers that are pretty darn tasty, and going out for drinks will never break the bank.

7. Balkan Dancing

On our first trip through southern Bulgaria, while eating dinner at our hotel, a local band started playing some traditional Bulgarian music. Before I knew it, many of the hotel guests were up, hands linked, moving in an intricate snake-like circle filled with tricky steps, kicks and hops. As the music changed, new dances were performed, and it seemed to me that this dance was known by every guest at the hotel except for me. This was my first introduction to the beautiful tradition of Balkan dancing. ACS has a Balkan Dance Troupe and when they performed in December, in full costume, it blew me away. I'm pretty sure that Balkan dancing comes naturally to Bulgarians; it's in their blood. It does not come as naturally to the many internationals at the school who give it a sporting try and attempt the many intricate dance moves. Because of my knee injury last year, I was not able to participate. I look forward to making a feeble attempt to learn this artform; please don't laugh when you see me up on stage.



8. Bulgarian Women's Hockey Team

You can't help but love and feel for a team that loses 82-0. I'm pretty sure there are only 60 minutes in a hockey game; that is a goal every 43 seconds. Yet, these women keep at it, even though I have never seen an ice rink or a hockey stick anywhere in Bulgaria. I will look for a Bulgarian hockey jersey and support the women's team until the day I die.

9. Black Audi's and Beamer's


Cars can say a lot about a country and its values. I'm writing this from small-town Woodland and I'm pretty sure I've seen at least 5 different H2 Hummers. Why anyone in his right mind would need a Hummer at all, much less in Woodland, is beyond me. Well, not exactly - for these guys here the Hummer is a feeble attempt to show power and masculinity. In Bulgaria, the equivalent is the black Audi or black BMW. These are the cars of the powerful. I have rarely seen these cars in other colors - always black, and usually with the windows tinted so you can't see the drivers. And who are these drivers? - well, speaking in stereotypes (and my apologies if you disagree with this assessment), these cars are more often than not manned by members of the various Bulgarian mafias. I remember just weeks after my arrival in Sofia coming out of Kaufland and seeing two black Audis, all windows tinted, and eight thicker than thick men with shaved heads talking on cell-phones and smoking, waiting for somebody who was probably pretty imprortant (at least for them). Well, anyways, they ARE nice rides.

10. American College of Sofia
http://www.vimeo.com/4887577

Check out this professionally shot mini-movie about ACS. It offers one small slice of what life is like on our campus but, in some way, also gives you a glimpse into some of the very many reasons I love this place.

note: Originally, I had hoped to take my own shots of these things listed here, but moving and life got in the way; or perhaps I was just lazy. Anyways, I grabbed these pics off of google images searches and I'm sure there is some copywrite infringment going on - I apologize for this blatant stealing.

Roma: A+ Eats and Tourist Treats!

Ever since we got married in Rome, we continue to get requests from friends about where to visit in the Eternal City. Who knew that so many people were traveling to one of our favorite spots in the world? At any rate, I decided to upload to the blog some of our secrets so that we always have our recommendations available. Consider this your personal Lonely Planet or Rick Steve’s…

For great food in popular, central areas of Rome:
You may want to try Pizzeria Baffetto on Via Governo Di Vechio (near Piazza Navona); Pizzeria Monte Carlo (right around the corner from Baffetto); Ristorante da Francesco (Piazza del Fico near Piazza Navona). We’ve tried pizza and pasta at all three and all are delicious and cheap.

OUR personal favorite spot, which incidentally is two blocks from our old apartment is:
La Rusticella. Via Angela Emo 1. It is near (sort of between) the Cipro and Ottoviano Metro Stops and also in walking distance of the Vatican. Basically if you look on your travel map, I have a feeling you won’t see the street Via Angela Emo-BUT you will see Via Candia. Right about where you map stops (I bet) and close to the Cipro Metro strop, Via Candia turns into the street named Via Angela Emo. If you go to that point on your map, the restaurant is #1 on the street. And, for reference, it is basically right across the street from the steps from the Vatican MUSEUM door—you go cross the street, go down the steps and around the corner). The food is excellent. We recommend their pizza (although the pastas are delicious too) and split fried calamari for the second plate if you like seafood. Incidentally, we had our rehearsal dinner there!

And finally: the place you will LOVE is where we had our wedding dinner:
La Osteria del Sostegno (Via delle Collonelle 5) http://www.ilsostegno.it/sostegno_SWF.html. Go here for some of the best Italian food you will find in Roma. Basically, find the Pantheon Piazza. With you back to the pantheon walk away from it up the road leading out of the square in front of you (of the two roads leading out of the square, it is the one on the right-- McDonalds should be on your left as you walk up this alley/road). Continue up that walking street until you get to the next “big” cross street. Take a right on it—that is Collonelle. (Mind you--these are all walking streets) the restaurant is on the right side of the street, down a little side alley. It should be about a 4 minute walk from the Pantheon.

In case you going other places in Italy, we can continue to feed you!

For example, in Florence, you MUST try Acqua Al Due (http://www.acquaal2.it/2008/index.html). The 'assaggio" plate (which means mixture) is best option here, as it allows you to sample a variety of appetizers, salads, pastas, meats, and/or desserts! Incidentally, there is a “sister” restaurant in San Diego if you are ever in Southern California (http://www.acquaal2.com/)!

And here are some spots that we recommend for guests to do while visiting Rome—these are complimentary of Mike, who put this list together for our wedding guests.

Borghese Gallery

In terms of museums, this one is perfect. It is small and contains masterpieces by Bernini and Caravaggio. You need to reserve a two hour block of time for your visit; you can do that here: http://www.ticketeria.it/ Located within the Villa Borghese park, you can do this before or after we meet for our park lunch.

Cost = 8.50 euro per person

A walk along the Gianicolo

One of the most beautiful walks takes you from right outside the Vatican, up overlooking the city of Rome, and into Trastevere.

cost = free

Go to the top of St. Peter’s dome (via stairs)

Skip the elevator and climb all the way to the top. As you come closer to the apex of La Cupola, your body will need to contort and conform to the curve of Michelangelo’s greatest dome (watch your head). Once you reach the top, you will appreciate just how massive St. Peter’s is and, perhaps, have a little one on one with God while you are up there.

Cost = 4 Euros for stairs; 5 Euros for elevator/stairs

Sistine Chapel + Vatican Museum(Sistine Chapel, Map Room, “School of Athens”)

You could spend hours here, but if it’s your first time to Roma and you have a ton of things to do, this is my favorite option. First, avoid all the lines by coming at 3 or 3:30 – last entrance into the Sistine Chapel is 4 pm. However, it does not close until 6 pm. This gives you 2 ½ - 3 hours of prime viewing time; you will practically have the place to yourself. It takes a while to walk through the museum and to the Sistine Chapel, but I recommend going straight there and then doing the other things on the return trip.

Sistine Chapel – This will blow you away; absolutely stunning. Sit for a bit, look up a lot, bring a book that explains what Michelangelo did, including the Final Judgment.

Map Room – This long stretch is my favorite part of the Vatican museums; the ceiling shines brilliantly, and the maps are just a lot of fun to study.

Raphael’s Rooms, including the famous “School of Athens”

Cost = 14 Euros

Ostia Antica

If the ruins within the city of Rome don’t do it for you, and you are sick and tired of harrowing rides in taxis and near-death experiences with mopeds, take a quick trip out of the city to the quiet ruins of Ostia Antica. As beautiful as the Forum, and perhaps more impressive than Pompeii.

To get there take the metro from Roma Piramide (look for signs to Roma-Lido) and take the train to the stop Ostia Antica. You will find a path that will lead you to the ruins. It takes about 45 minutes to reach the entrance.

Cost = 6.50 euro

Caravaggio Trail

One of my favorite artists and, if the Galleria Borghese isn’t enough, you want more of that magical light, just take a stroll to these churches, each with another Caravaggio masterpiece:

Santa Maria del Popolo (in Piazza del Popolo)

St. Agostino (right off Piazza Navona)

San Luigi dei Francesi (in between the Pantheon and Piazza Navona)

cost = free

Passeggiata on Via del Corso

This is 100% Italian; starting at about 5 pm on Friday or Saturday, all Italians aged 1-99 hit the streets for the passeggiata – an evening walk. The one on Via Del Corso, one of the main shopping streets in Rome, stretching out between Piazza Venezia and Piazza del Popolo, is a highlight. It will be some of the best people watching every.

cost = free

A drink in Campo dei Fiori

Rome’s most famous drinking piazza. Avoid the backpackers’ spots The Drunken Ship or Sloppy Sam’s, find an outdoor table and order a bottle of wine. It is a great place to begin or end your night.

cost = depends on how much you drink

Santa Maria della Trastevere

Located in the heart of Trastevere, this church is simply a beautiful and spiritual experience for all who enter its doors. There is just something calming when you step inside.

cost = free

Spend the extra euro for a café and get an outdoor seat at the Pantheon (or Navona) and sit for a few hours watching the world go by

A café will set you back $10.00, but you have the opportunity to sit, sip and soak in La Dolce Vita.

cost = 6-10 euro