Burgas Rain and Sredets

Ramona writing this time.

What amazing opportunities come our way! This morning began a rushed, early breakfast at our Varna hotel Odessos, so that we might be filmed by NOVA television for their morning show "Wake Up" Subudi Se. We were mistakenly told to be ready by 8:30am to sing (whose singing voice works in the morning anyway?) but happily at 8:30am, the news reporter, Nikolai Vasilkovski, said we would not be on until 9:40am. This gave everyone time to finish breakfast and warm up their voices properly. Then, just because he seemed to be impressed with us, he asked us to sing parts of two more songs, and these were were recorded for a possible showing on the evening news. We'll check in a few minutes to see if it is shown. I hear that for those of you on facebook or who browse Youtube, the morning show is already there!

(Let me insert here, many thanks are due to our friends in Seattle who have helped connect us to these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. None of us expected that we would have a chance to sing live on the radio, be part of a cooking show of a famous chef, or be on the national news! You are amazing.)

After the filming finished and we managed to quickly pack, we herded our easily scatterable gaggle of geese, into the bus so we could travel to Bliznatsi, a smaller village outside Varna. Here, Nikolai Doctorov brought us to the most impressive summer home of Boris Tsonev Georgiev and Anka Georgieva (and family). Boris, a well known singer from Targovishte area, and his wife were so excited about our love of Bulgarian folk music and culture that they honored us with a special lunch. We exited the bus in song (a song which we are preparing for tonight's concert in Sredets) and both Boris and Anka welcomed us in full costume with a most delicious bread, rakia, and kisses of greeting. The table was set with woven fabrics, colorful pottery, and of course, tasty food; banitsa, a homemade goat and sheep cheese, homemade wine (even I, who never drinks wine, was impressed with this wine), rakia, a salad of homegrown tomatoes and cucumbers, melons, and more rolls. More impressive than the food was that Boris honored us with several songs while Nikolai played kaval. It turns out that this day is Tsvetanka and Ivan's wedding anniversary and so the mood was festive and congratulatory all around. Boris sand. Nikolai and Ivan (on gaida) played some songs together. Ts. and I. dueted, and girls from Dunava would add in songs whenever we could. (Nikolai, Tsvetanka, and Ivan are all old classmates from the music school in Kotel as well as sometime studying together at the Plovdiv music academy. Their ability to play well together is founded on many years of friendship).

You can tell from above that the music and camaraderie  was beautiful, but let me also take time to describe the grounds of this home to you. Boris and Anka (and whomever else works the garden) must be master gardeners. They appreciate the aesthetic as well as the practical. Let me explain. Bulgarian houses often have yards, but these yards are most always gardens of peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, melons, etc, without lawn or flower beds. This particular garden was thriving from good care. The tomato plants were giant, there were vines of fruit, vegetables and flowers on every upright pole, and an outdoor summer kitchen with covered seating for at least 20 people. There was also a full greenhouse and chicken shed, and large variety of fruit trees throughout. Quite impressive.
They were so hospitable, and I am happy to report that we've been invited back next year...now if only we can come again!

After our rest at the Tsonev house, we continued south along the road to Burgas. The remainder of the windy drive south took us through Nesseber, Pomorie, Byala and other coast resort towns. Upon arrival in Burgas a deluge began and we rushed quickly into our new hotel, Atagen. It is yet undecided whether we will sing in our big concert tonight in Sredets or not, as it was meant to be outdoors. Regardless, we will have dinner with the musicians and singers we were meant to perform with.

Until later,
Mnogo pozdravi ot Burgas