I decided to go naked to Bulgaria as I had little use for the powerbook while I was there. That was basically why I took so long to update my blog. I wasn't dipping in at night. Maybe I need to get a pda or something if I'm going to keep up travelling without a laptop and the blog.
My flight to Varna leaves from Dusseldorf, so I have to get the train from Amsterdam to Dusseldorf. This isn't as bad as I though it would be - I read a book and listen to my iPod, and the time passes quite quickly. As if Bulgaria wasn't a big enough adventure, changing at some small German station(Duisberg) makes it quite exciting and reminds me of reading Kerouac and travelling around Britain, where my train always seemed to change in a tiny station. You have to make sure you've got your ticket, and your bags and everything, and then you have 20 minutes of staring at the surroundings and looking forward to your trip. Enjoying that floating bit in the middle when for 20 minutes you are in Germany.
I head off to the airport and board the trip, which is full of Dutch and German sun worshippers heading off to resorts. I get the same feeling as when I go to Gran Canaria on these flights. I am so glad that I'm going to something more interesting than a resort holiday. The flight puts me off enough - maybe i would enjoy it if I was there, but i suspect not. No matter the nationality off the resort populaters, Dutch, German, Scottish, English. They are the same pink, leather skinned sun worshippers, who won't speak to a local and never leave the resort - rant rant - takes al sorts etc.
Anyway. We eventually land, and step off the plane. It feels great - tiny little airport, with BAPHA/VARNA written at the top. I'm here, and after a 10 minute staring competition with passport control, I am in the country and have a new stamp on my passport:
==Stamp
50 minutes later, I even have my luggage. Even though it's 10 metres from the aeroplane to the luggage ramp, it's taken what seems like an age, in a room with no toilet, no drinks machine etc. Luckily I'm early, so my friend(The Bride) arrives half way through my wait, and gives me a wave. She looks tanned and healthy, and I look forward having the same glow after a week of relaxation in the sun.
Her parents greet me and tell me that I'm fatter than I was last time they visited Amsterdam. I assume this is part of there culture and a polite greeting associated with a a sign of prosperity or something like that(or that's what they tell themselves.) Her parents are there to drive me to my hotel, and it's one of those conversations where The Bride is having a conversation with me in English and her parents in Bulgarian effortlessly as we drive along.
I am reliably informed that the Russian made car we drive in is called Gorbochov's revenge:
Varna is larger than I expected it to be. It's a 15 minute drive to my Hotel, where the reception is going to be and a lot of the guests are staying. I settle into what is a lovely bright room, change into shorts and then head out to say my hello's to everyone. The Bride's son, Obi Wan Kenobev, is in the pool, and greets me ecstatically. He's always full of energy, and my ability to enjoy star wars films and have a Lord of the Rings game on the computer makes me one of the coolest people in the world.
We meet up with the groom and head into the town centre of Varna in order to do a couple of tasks for the wedding and get me something to eat. The bride is very stressed, running around making sure everything is organised and in place, but we manage to get to the centre and see the church that the wedding is in:
We then go to BMS for some dinner. It's now about 6pm so I'm a wee bit peckish. BMS is Bulgaria's answer to fast food. The only difference is that it's real food which is het up when you order it, so it's closer to turning up late for a good family dinner and getting it rehet in the oven than it is to MacDonalds, which is across the road:
We have:
Shopska salata:
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Tarator:
(Shkembe Chorba) Tripe soup
It all comes to about 8 Leva(roughly 4 euros), and I am full. The main street is full foi things to see, even though we're not at the market, theres still that feeling of bustle and life to the streets. We carry out a few more errands and then head back to the hotel for dinner with the bride's parents.
We have a dinner of cold meats and assorted tapas on the balcony with Bride Groom, Bride's parents and a Dutch couple who are the parents of a child who has come over to play with Obi Wan Kenobev.
I have a few rakiyas and then I'm off to bed.
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