Sunday, July 24, 2011
Family/Friends
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Vratsa
My legs and feet are tired today. We hiked up, what felt like 4,000 steps, to see the statue of the "guy on the horse". The view was amazing! I think if I wanted to see it again I would pay someone to drive me there! I'm sure they don't allow people to drive on the road that does go up there but it would be fun to try to find someone to do it.
Today, we are off to Popitsa to visit with Megan's host family. Hopefully, it will be a short visit and we will head back to Megan's. I feel like I have the deer in headlights look a lot. I have picked up on a few Bulgarian words but not much. It's always nice when they speak a little English, her host family does not.
The other day I was waiting outside of Megan's building for her to come down. A lady started talking to me in Bulgarian. I said the word English, she kept on talking and pointed to the other building. Luckily, I had met Lexi, another Peace Corps volunteer and knew that she lived in that building. I said Megan, and this lady got more excited, kept on talking away. Then I said the word mama and she really exploded! Come to find out it was the crazy cleaning lady I've heard so much about. Megan said she was probably telling me all about her grandson.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Another Train
We didn't do much of anything yesterday. Megan had to go to the police to get her identification card renewed. It was nice to just hang out at her place for a day.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Birthday Dinner!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Sunny Beach
It's so weird that we have put in a full day already and it is only 8:20 in the morning at home. We both managed to get a good sunburn! We decided not to go in the water today, it was pretty nasty looking until you got out about 30 yards and then the water was clear as could be. I don't know what all the green nasty stuff was, but not a chance I was going there.
We decided to take a walk out on a dock and ended up taking a boat ride to another tourist area. We hiked up to a church and ended up in the largest tourist trap every! It was kind of fun. We wandered around took a few pictures and eventually found our way out and back to the boats to take us back.
The beach...........still shaking my head............I have never seen so many sunburned people in my life. Not only should these people have been covered up from the sun but bikinis, speedos and thongs were not meant for everyone to wear.
We found Burger King for lunch! That was the closest thing to a real hamburger as you will find here.
Bulgaria, our motel in Plovdiv said they had air-conditioning, they did but it didn't work. This motel said restaurant attached, it's there, but it's not working either! This country is so laid back it's scary! You can always count on the buses and trains running on schedule though! You don't want to be late for those.
We are still undecided what we will be doing tomorrow. The castle or Megan's house.
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Burgas
Oh the sights I saw at the beach! There is no modesty or shame here. Enough said. This is a tourist town so I do have to be a little more careful about the comments I make, more people speak English here. Hehehehe!!!
I wish it would cool off just a bit. The plan is to go back to the beach tomorrow and hang out. (I won't be hanging out like the people that were there today!) Hopefully, I won't get too burned. It might make for a long train ride on Monday.
The plan was to go to see the castle on Monday but since the railways are under construction I think we will be heading back to Megan's. There is still lots to do there.
Bulgaria does have a few things over America! We really should take a few lessons from them. My favorite is at the hotel. With your key you get a metal keycard. You must put it in the little pocket inside the door for the electricity to work.
I hope all is well at home and everyone is staying cool! Looks like a scorcher there today!
The Black Sea
I have been from the west coast to the east now. It amazes me just how poor the villages are. I have seen so many buildings with missing windows, roofs falling in and clothes hanging on the lines. There are so many things I would like to take pictures of but I don't want to offend anyone either. The fields are full of sunflowers and wheat. They are harvesting the wheat now. There were a few small fields of corn but, corn is for the animals. I saw herds of sheep, goats, and a couple herds of cows. So far the country looks a lot like Wisconsin.
I have had a lot of time to watch people. Men shave their body hair and carry man purses. Women think beauty is looking like a hooker from the 80's. I might have to find a load of those man purses for all the men on my shopping list!
It's been kind of nice with the role reversal! Since I can't speak the language I just put Megan in control of everything, I'm just along for the ride. It's been fun to beg like a little kid for ice-cream and trinkets!
I won't be able to put any new pictures on until we get back to Megan's house.
I wonder what we will have for dinner tonight? If I had to live here I would become a vegetarian. I've tried a lot of new things. I'm not a fan of the Bulgarian yogurt or meat. I think I could eat their tomato cucumber onion salad for every meal! I don't care for their white cheese they cover it with so now I get it without.
Now that we have cooled off a bit it's time for a wander around town.