Saturday, 31 May 2008
Cultural Tour 2008- Last day!
The highlight of the tour. . .
After a well-earned lay-in, we gathered at Sofia Baptist Church to share worship with the children, see pictures of the Hon. Secretary's fund-raising sky-dive, and think about the issues around giving our selves and our resources.
A guided tour of the new Social, Medical and Training Centre in the afternoon made us realise just how big this project is, and how much has been achieved so far.
The evening meeting was a traditional Bulgarian event with a youth band and exquisite violin-playing by two students at Sofia School of Music.
Then there was a 'bosa-drinking' contest. Bosa is an oaten breakfast-drink much loved by Bulgarians, but not to every newcomer's taste!
Thank you Didi for organising, Radi and Plami (married just 3 weeks before the event) for hosting, Demenujka for guiding, and Pepe for driving.
You gave us an unforgettable experience!
All the 'Tourists' not only paid for their own trip but also generously agreed to pay an additional 500 pounds towards the Centre building-costs. Thank you folks !
Dear reader, please contact me, Geoff Wallis immediately on 077395-22075 anytime
if you would like to do the same!
posted by Bulgarian Partners at
Friday, 30 May 2008
Cultural Tour 2008- Visit to Rila Monastery
Today, at the Museum of Sofia we were treated to a high-speed tour by a knowledgeable guide who introduced us to almost all the exhibits in 1 1/2 hours! Items on display dated from 3,000 years BC and included some exquisite gold and silverware.
The Rila Monastery, high on wooded mountain slopes south of Sofia is the largest and grandest in the Balkans. It has an exquisite gilded iconoclast (wooden screen) and its walls are 
painted inside and out with murals, many depicting biblical and theological themes which we were interested to study under Teddi's guidance.
The natural fortress formed by the amazing weather-worn rocks at Belogradchik were occupied by invading armies from Roman to Ottoman times. The views over northern Bulgaria were fantastic.
posted by Bulgarian Partners at
Thursday, 29 May 2008
Cultural Tour 2008- Visit to Berkovitsa Orphanage
Today we had our longest excursion - to Berkovitsa Orphanage for children with learning disabilities. Sofia Baptists have been supporting the children and staff for over a decade with food, clothing, and gifts, and last year even put on a Christmas puppet show which the kids loved.
With funding from a UK church they have constructed a new classroom and dormitory, and a toilet block to replace a squalid unheated original 'Turkish toilet'.
The youngsters welcomed us warmly and each was delighted to receive a small hand-made teddy-bear. We all wished we could have spent longer with these lovely kids.
posted by Bulgarian Partners at
Wednesday, 28 May 2008
Cultural Tour 2008- Part one!
''Inspiring, interesting and great fun . . . but not restful!''
At the old capital of Bulgaria Veliko Turnovo we walked around the amazing Tsarevets walled fortress on a rocky hill. Then, as night fell we assembled on an opposing promontory and watched a 20 minute 'son et lumiere' presentation involving 2,000 lights, miles of cables, four lasers and two computers! An amazing spectacle depicting the history of Bulgaria.
We visited a beautiful traditional Bulgarian house from pre-communist times with its separate women's quarters where a new mother was literally 'confined' with her attendants for six weeks after giving birth.
A whole day was spent wandering around the traditional buildings at Etera open air museum watching real craftsmen at work turning bowls on a water-powered lathe, making bells, knives, leather goods, pottery, copper, silver and iron wares, carving, baking, sweet-making and weaving.
We sampled locally-made 'white jam', a sugary mix kept under water, Turkish delight and Turkish coffee cooked on hot sand. Several of our number discovered to their cost that it is not wise to drink the dregs of this very strong brew!
Lunch was traditional salad, 'Mish-Mash', 'Kadiaff' and enormous loaves of bread . . . most enjoyable on a warm day
'al fresco' under the trees.
It was here that we found some of our most interesting translations. (For breakfasts, read snacks)
Other translations which created mirth were the promise of 'Bull’s Yoghurt' (turned out to be Buffalo), and 'pancakes with feelings of your choice' Auto translators and spell-checkers have a lot to answer for!!
posted by Bulgarian Partners at
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