(4336,1,'2011-02-21 22:11:21','2011-02-21 20:11:21','Not last weekend but the weekend before, I went to Teteven to celebrate my Bulgarian tutor I.\'s birthday. If you\'ve been reading my blog for awhile now you probably know that every Sunday I have a Bulgarian lesson with I. She\'s really great. And, as you can probably guess, I am really lucky that she\'s my tutor.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4320\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hiking to Hija Rosi\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4320\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4320\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4320 \" title=\"Hiking to Hija Rosi\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02281-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may not know how we met.  Don\'t worry. I\'ll tell you.\r\n\r\nMy blog.\r\n\r\nYep. I wrote in at the beginning of year two in Bulgaria that this was my year to learn Bulgarian. Luckily, I. wrote to me on my blog that she\'d be willing to teach me Bulgarian. So two years later I speak a lot more Bulgarian than when we started and I have new friend.\r\n\r\nSee this blog is good for something!!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4321\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Backpacks!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4321\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4321\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4321 \" title=\"Backpacks!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02279-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow meet once a week. She makes me grammar handouts (and coffee) and gives me homework. I show up with a big smile on my face and some (if not all) of the homework completed and stumble through the completed exercises, reading tasks, dictations and anything else I. decides we should be doing. I am generally okay at the grammar exercises and the reading tasks but the dictations?! That\'s a different story. Luckily for me, a girl can live a long rich life even if she\'s not very good at dictations.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I. is really kind and even when I am having a bad day or the grammar is hard she has a smile on her face. And these days the grammar is always hard. It\'s like she gets a kick out of making it more and more complex each week.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4334\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"1024\" caption=\"Falling Down Fence\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4334\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4334\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4334\" title=\"Falling Down Fence\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02369-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo when I. asked me if I\'d like to go with her, her boyfriend J. and some of their friends to Teteven to celebrate her birthday I said yes right away. Then I. told me that we\'d all drive to Teteven, up a hill behind the city, park and then walk for about 40 minutes up a big hill, through a meadow and over some rolling hills to Hija Rosa. Okay. I just decided to pack light.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4322\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Road to Hija Rosi\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4322\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4322\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4322 \" title=\"Road to Hija Rosi\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02289-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI am really glad that I said yes. I am also really glad that we had such nice weather. It was sunny and relatively warm. And the road which is dirt also was only muddy in a few places. Who could ask for anything more?!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4323\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hija Rosi \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4323\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4323\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4323 \" title=\"Hija Rosi \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02282-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nTeteven is in the Stari Planina and the landscape surrounding the city is wild and beautiful. The walk to the hija was muddy but not very hard. A hija is translated roughly from Bulgarian as a mountain hut or maybe a mountain cabin. This hija was pretty great--with a big kitchen, a suite of seventeen different beds divided between a number of rooms and two horses.  Oh, yeah and really nice owners.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4324\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I. and J. at dinner\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4324\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4324\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4324 \" title=\"I. and J. at dinner\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02358-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWe all met up on Saturday morning divided up between 5 cars and drove the two or so hours to Teteven. We hiked in, ate lunch and then some of us rode horses.\r\n\r\nI. told her friends to speak to me in Bulgarian. That was great in theory but in practice it was totally impossible for me to keep up with people and conversations. So I spoke a little bit of Bulgarian, a little bit more English and I spent a lot of time listening to Bulgarian wishing I knew what people were talking about. Note to self: must learn Bulgarian.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4325\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Happy (late) Birthday I.! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4325\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4325\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4325 \" title=\"Happy (late) Birthday I.! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02353-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBetween walking around in the mountain, eating a lot of great food, taking some pictures, riding a horse and generally relaxing, I had a great time.','Teteven, Kind Of','','inherit','open','open','','4319-revision-10','','','2011-02-21 22:11:21','2011-02-21 20:11:21','',4319,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/21/4319-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(4337,1,'2011-02-21 22:11:40','2011-02-21 20:11:40','Not last weekend but the weekend before, I went to Teteven to celebrate my Bulgarian tutor I.\'s birthday. If you\'ve been reading my blog for awhile now you probably know that every Sunday I have a Bulgarian lesson with I. She\'s really great. And, as you can probably guess, I am really lucky that she\'s my tutor.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4320\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hiking to Hija Rosi\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4320\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4320\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4320 \" title=\"Hiking to Hija Rosi\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02281-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nYou may not know how we met.  Don\'t worry. I\'ll tell you.\n\nMy blog.\n\nYep. I wrote in at the beginning of year two in Bulgaria that this was my year to learn Bulgarian. Luckily, I. wrote to me on my blog that she\'d be willing to teach me Bulgarian. So two years later I speak a lot more Bulgarian than when we started and I have new friend.\n\nSee this blog is good for something!!\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4321\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Backpacks!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4321\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4321\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4321 \" title=\"Backpacks!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02279-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nNow meet once a week. She makes me grammar handouts (and coffee) and gives me homework. I show up with a big smile on my face and some (if not all) of the homework completed and stumble through the completed exercises, reading tasks, dictations and anything else I. decides we should be doing. I am generally okay at the grammar exercises and the reading tasks but the dictations?! That\'s a different story. Luckily for me, a girl can live a long rich life even if she\'s not very good at dictations.\n\nAnyhow, I. is really kind and even when I am having a bad day or the grammar is hard she has a smile on her face. And these days the grammar is always hard. It\'s like she gets a kick out of making it more and more complex each week.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4334\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"1024\" caption=\"Falling Down Fence\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4334\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4334\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4334\" title=\"Falling Down Fence\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02369-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSo when I. asked me if I\'d like to go with her, her boyfriend J. and some of their friends to Teteven to celebrate her birthday I said yes right away. Then I. told me that we\'d all drive to Teteven, up a hill behind the city, park and then walk for about 40 minutes up a big hill, through a meadow and over some rolling hills to Hija Rosa. Okay. I just decided to pack light.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4322\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Road to Hija Rosi\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4322\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4322\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4322 \" title=\"Road to Hija Rosi\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02289-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI am really glad that I said yes. I am also really glad that we had such nice weather. It was sunny and relatively warm. And the road which is dirt also was only muddy in a few places. Who could ask for anything more?!\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4323\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hija Rosi \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4323\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4323\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4323 \" title=\"Hija Rosi \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02282-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nTeteven is in the Stari Planina and the landscape surrounding the city is wild and beautiful. The walk to the hija was muddy but not very hard. A hija is translated roughly from Bulgarian as a mountain hut or maybe a mountain cabin. This hija was pretty great--with a big kitchen, a suite of seventeen different beds divided between a number of rooms and two horses.  Oh, yeah and really nice owners.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4324\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I. and J. at dinner\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4324\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4324\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4324 \" title=\"I. and J. at dinner\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02358-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nWe all met up on Saturday morning divided up between 5 cars and drove the two or so hours to Teteven. We hiked in, ate lunch and then some of us rode horses.\n\nI. told her friends to speak to me in Bulgarian. That was great in theory but in practice it was totally impossible for me to keep up with people and conversations. So I spoke a little bit of Bulgarian, a little bit more English and I spent a lot of time listening to Bulgarian wishing I knew what people were talking about. Note to self: must learn Bulgarian.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4325\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Happy (late) Birthday I.! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4325\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4325\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4325 \" title=\"Happy (late) Birthday I.! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02353-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nBetween walking around in the mountain, eating a lot of great food, taking some pictures, riding a horse and generally relaxing, I had a great time.','Teteven, Kind Of','','inherit','open','open','','4319-revision-11','','','2011-02-21 22:11:40','2011-02-21 20:11:40','',4319,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/21/4319-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(4338,1,'2011-02-21 22:11:57','2011-02-21 20:11:57','Not last weekend but the weekend before, I went to Teteven to celebrate my Bulgarian tutor I.\'s birthday. If you\'ve been reading my blog for awhile now you probably know that every Sunday I have a Bulgarian lesson with I. She\'s really great. And, as you can probably guess, I am really lucky that she\'s my tutor.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4320\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hiking to Hija Rosi\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4320\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4320\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4320 \" title=\"Hiking to Hija Rosi\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02281-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may not know how we met.  Don\'t worry. I\'ll tell you.\r\n\r\nMy blog.\r\n\r\nYep. I wrote in at the beginning of year two in Bulgaria that this was my year to learn Bulgarian. Luckily, I. wrote to me on my blog that she\'d be willing to teach me Bulgarian. So two years later I speak a lot more Bulgarian than when we started and I have new friend.\r\n\r\nSee this blog is good for something!!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4321\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Backpacks!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4321\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4321\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4321 \" title=\"Backpacks!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02279-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow meet once a week. She makes me grammar handouts (and coffee) and gives me homework. I show up with a big smile on my face and some (if not all) of the homework completed and stumble through the completed exercises, reading tasks, dictations and anything else I. decides we should be doing. I am generally okay at the grammar exercises and the reading tasks but the dictations?! That\'s a different story. Luckily for me, a girl can live a long rich life even if she\'s not very good at dictations.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I. is really kind and even when I am having a bad day or the grammar is hard she has a smile on her face. And these days the grammar is always hard. It\'s like she gets a kick out of making it more and more complex each week.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4334\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"1024\" caption=\"Falling Down Fence\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4334\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4334\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4334\" title=\"Falling Down Fence\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02369-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo when I. asked me if I\'d like to go with her, her boyfriend J. and some of their friends to Teteven to celebrate her birthday I said yes right away. Then I. told me that we\'d all drive to Teteven, up a hill behind the city, park and then walk for about 40 minutes up a big hill, through a meadow and over some rolling hills to Hija Rosa. Okay. I just decided to pack light.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4322\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Road to Hija Rosi\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4322\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4322\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4322 \" title=\"Road to Hija Rosi\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02289-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI am really glad that I said yes. I am also really glad that we had such nice weather. It was sunny and relatively warm. And the road which is dirt also was only muddy in a few places. Who could ask for anything more?!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4323\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hija Rosi \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4323\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4323\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4323 \" title=\"Hija Rosi \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02282-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nTeteven is in the Stari Planina and the landscape surrounding the city is wild and beautiful. The walk to the hija was muddy but not very hard. A hija is translated roughly from Bulgarian as a mountain hut or maybe a mountain cabin. This hija was pretty great--with a big kitchen, a suite of seventeen different beds divided between a number of rooms and two horses.  Oh, yeah and really nice owners.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4324\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I. and J. at dinner\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4324\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4324\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4324 \" title=\"I. and J. at dinner\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02358-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWe all met up on Saturday morning divided up between 5 cars and drove the two or so hours to Teteven. We hiked in, ate lunch and then some of us rode horses.\r\n\r\nI. told her friends to speak to me in Bulgarian. That was great in theory but in practice it was totally impossible for me to keep up with people and conversations. So I spoke a little bit of Bulgarian, a little bit more English and I spent a lot of time listening to Bulgarian wishing I knew what people were talking about. Note to self: must learn Bulgarian.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4325\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Happy (late) Birthday I.! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4325\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4325\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4325 \" title=\"Happy (late) Birthday I.! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02353-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBetween walking around in the mountain, eating a lot of great food, taking some pictures, riding a horse and generally relaxing, I had a great time.','Teteven, Kind Of','','inherit','open','open','','4319-revision-12','','','2011-02-21 22:11:57','2011-02-21 20:11:57','',4319,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/21/4319-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(4339,1,'2011-02-21 22:11:57','2011-02-21 20:11:57','Not last weekend but the weekend before, I went to Teteven to celebrate my Bulgarian tutor I.\'s birthday. If you\'ve been reading my blog for awhile now you probably know that every Sunday I have a Bulgarian lesson with I. She\'s really great. And, as you can probably guess, I am really lucky that she\'s my tutor.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4320\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hiking to Hija Rosi\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4320\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4320\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4320 \" title=\"Hiking to Hija Rosi\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02281-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may not know how we met.  Don\'t worry. I\'ll tell you.\r\n\r\nMy blog.\r\n\r\nYep. I wrote in at the beginning of year two in Bulgaria that this was my year to learn Bulgarian. Luckily, I. wrote to me on my blog that she\'d be willing to teach me Bulgarian. So two years later I speak a lot more Bulgarian than when we started and I have new friend.\r\n\r\nSee this blog is good for something!!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4321\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Backpacks!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4321\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4321\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4321 \" title=\"Backpacks!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02279-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow meet once a week. She makes me grammar handouts (and coffee) and gives me homework. I show up with a big smile on my face and some (if not all) of the homework completed and stumble through the completed exercises, reading tasks, dictations and anything else I. decides we should be doing. I am generally okay at the grammar exercises and the reading tasks but the dictations?! That\'s a different story. Luckily for me, a girl can live a long rich life even if she\'s not very good at dictations.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I. is really kind and even when I am having a bad day or the grammar is hard she has a smile on her face. And these days the grammar is always hard. It\'s like she gets a kick out of making it more and more complex each week.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4334\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"1024\" caption=\"Falling Down Fence\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4334\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4334\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4334\" title=\"Falling Down Fence\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02369-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo when I. asked me if I\'d like to go with her, her boyfriend J. and some of their friends to Teteven to celebrate her birthday I said yes right away. Then I. told me that we\'d all drive to Teteven, up a hill behind the city, park and then walk for about 40 minutes up a big hill, through a meadow and over some rolling hills to Hija Rosa. Okay. I just decided to pack light.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4322\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Road to Hija Rosi\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4322\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4322\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4322 \" title=\"Road to Hija Rosi\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02289-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI am really glad that I said yes. I am also really glad that we had such nice weather. It was sunny and relatively warm. And the road which is dirt also was only muddy in a few places. Who could ask for anything more?!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4323\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hija Rosi \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4323\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4323\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4323 \" title=\"Hija Rosi \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02282-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nTeteven is in the Stari Planina and the landscape surrounding the city is wild and beautiful. The walk to the hija was muddy but not very hard. A hija is translated roughly from Bulgarian as a mountain hut or maybe a mountain cabin. This hija was pretty great--with a big kitchen, a suite of seventeen different beds divided between a number of rooms and two horses.  Oh, yeah and really nice owners.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4324\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I. and J. at dinner\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4324\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4324\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4324 \" title=\"I. and J. at dinner\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02358-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWe all met up on Saturday morning divided up between 5 cars and drove the two or so hours to Teteven. We hiked in, ate lunch and then some of us rode horses.\r\n\r\nI. told her friends to speak to me in Bulgarian. That was great in theory but in practice it was totally impossible for me to keep up with people and conversations. So I spoke a little bit of Bulgarian, a little bit more English and I spent a lot of time listening to Bulgarian wishing I knew what people were talking about. Note to self: must learn Bulgarian.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4325\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Happy (late) Birthday I.! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4325\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4325\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4325 \" title=\"Happy (late) Birthday I.! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02353-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBetween walking around in the mountain, eating a lot of great food, taking some pictures, riding a horse and generally relaxing, I had a great time.','Teteven, Kind Of','','inherit','open','open','','4319-revision-13','','','2011-02-21 22:11:57','2011-02-21 20:11:57','',4319,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/21/4319-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(4340,1,'2011-02-21 22:13:54','2011-02-21 20:13:54','Not last weekend but the weekend before, I went to Teteven to celebrate my Bulgarian tutor I.\'s birthday. If you\'ve been reading my blog for awhile now you probably know that every Sunday I have a Bulgarian lesson with I. She\'s really great. And, as you can probably guess, I am really lucky that she\'s my tutor.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4320\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hiking to Hija Rosi\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4320\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4320\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4320 \" title=\"Hiking to Hija Rosi\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02281-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYou may not know how we met.  Don\'t worry. I\'ll tell you.\r\n\r\nMy blog.\r\n\r\nYep. I wrote in at the beginning of year two in Bulgaria that this was my year to learn Bulgarian. Luckily, I. wrote to me on my blog that she\'d be willing to teach me Bulgarian. So two years later I speak a lot more Bulgarian than when we started and I have new friend.\r\n\r\nSee this blog is good for something!!<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4321\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Backpacks!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4321\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4321\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4321 \" title=\"Backpacks!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02279-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow meet once a week. She makes me grammar handouts (and coffee) and gives me homework. I show up with a big smile on my face and some (if not all) of the homework completed and stumble through the completed exercises, reading tasks, dictations and anything else I. decides we should be doing. I am generally okay at the grammar exercises and the reading tasks but the dictations?! That\'s a different story. Luckily for me, a girl can live a long rich life even if she\'s not very good at dictations.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I. is really kind and even when I am having a bad day or the grammar is hard she has a smile on her face. And these days the grammar is always hard. It\'s like she gets a kick out of making it more and more complex each week.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4334\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Falling Down Fence\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4334\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4334\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4334 \" title=\"Falling Down Fence\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02369-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo when I. asked me if I\'d like to go with her, her boyfriend J. and some of their friends to Teteven to celebrate her birthday I said yes right away. Then I. told me that we\'d all drive to Teteven, up a hill behind the city, park and then walk for about 40 minutes up a big hill, through a meadow and over some rolling hills to Hija Rosi. Okay. I just decided to pack light.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4322\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Road to Hija Rosi\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4322\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4322\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4322 \" title=\"Road to Hija Rosi\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02289-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI am really glad that I said yes. I am also really glad that we had such nice weather. It was sunny and relatively warm. And the road which is dirt also was only muddy in a few places. Who could ask for anything more?!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4323\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hija Rosi \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4323\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4323\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4323 \" title=\"Hija Rosi \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02282-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nTeteven is in the Stari Planina and the landscape surrounding the city is wild and beautiful. The walk to the hija was muddy but not very hard. A hija is translated roughly from Bulgarian as a mountain hut or maybe a mountain cabin. This hija was pretty great--with a big kitchen, a suite of seventeen different beds divided between a number of rooms and two horses.  Oh, yeah and really nice owners.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4324\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I. and J. at dinner\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4324\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4324\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4324 \" title=\"I. and J. at dinner\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02358-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWe all met up on Saturday morning divided up between 5 cars and drove the two or so hours to Teteven. We hiked in, ate lunch and then some of us rode horses.\r\n\r\nI. told her friends to speak to me in Bulgarian. That was great in theory but in practice it was totally impossible for me to keep up with people and conversations. So I spoke a little bit of Bulgarian, a little bit more English and I spent a lot of time listening to Bulgarian wishing I knew what people were talking about. Note to self: must learn Bulgarian.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4325\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Happy (late) Birthday I.! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4325\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4325\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4325 \" title=\"Happy (late) Birthday I.! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02353-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBetween walking around in the mountain, eating a lot of great food, taking some pictures, riding a horse and generally relaxing, I had a great time.','Teteven, Kind Of','','inherit','open','open','','4319-revision-14','','','2011-02-21 22:13:54','2011-02-21 20:13:54','',4319,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/21/4319-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(4341,1,'2011-02-21 22:15:03','2011-02-21 20:15:03','Not last weekend but the weekend before, I went to Teteven to celebrate my Bulgarian tutor I.\'s birthday. If you\'ve been reading my blog for awhile now you probably know that every Sunday I have a Bulgarian lesson with I. She\'s really great. And, as you can probably guess, I am really lucky that she\'s my tutor.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4320\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hiking to Hija Rosi\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4320\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/21/teteven-kind-of/dsc02281/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4320 \" title=\"Hiking to Hija Rosi\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02281-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nYou may not know how we met.  Don\'t worry. I\'ll tell you.\n\nMy blog.\n\nYep. I wrote in at the beginning of year two in Bulgaria that this was my year to learn Bulgarian. Luckily, I. wrote to me on my blog that she\'d be willing to teach me Bulgarian. So two years later I speak a lot more Bulgarian than when we started and I have new friend.\n\nSee this blog is good for something!!<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4321\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Backpacks!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4321\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/21/teteven-kind-of/dsc02279/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4321 \" title=\"Backpacks!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02279-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nNow meet once a week. She makes me grammar handouts (and coffee) and gives me homework. I show up with a big smile on my face and some (if not all) of the homework completed and stumble through the completed exercises, reading tasks, dictations and anything else I. decides we should be doing. I am generally okay at the grammar exercises and the reading tasks but the dictations?! That\'s a different story. Luckily for me, a girl can live a long rich life even if she\'s not very good at dictations.\n\nAnyhow, I. is really kind and even when I am having a bad day or the grammar is hard she has a smile on her face. And these days the grammar is always hard. It\'s like she gets a kick out of making it more and more complex each week.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4334\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Falling Down Fence\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4334\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/21/teteven-kind-of/dsc02369/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4334 \" title=\"Falling Down Fence\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02369-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSo when I. asked me if I\'d like to go with her, her boyfriend J. and some of their friends to Teteven to celebrate her birthday I said yes right away. Then I. told me that we\'d all drive to Teteven, up a hill behind the city, park and then walk for about 40 minutes up a big hill, through a meadow and over some rolling hills to Hija Rosi. Okay. I just decided to pack light.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4322\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Road to Hija Rosi\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4322\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/21/teteven-kind-of/dsc02289/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4322 \" title=\"Road to Hija Rosi\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02289-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI am really glad that I said yes. I am also really glad that we had such nice weather. It was sunny and relatively warm. And the road which is dirt also was only muddy in a few places. Who could ask for anything more?!\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4323\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hija Rosi \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4323\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/21/teteven-kind-of/dsc02282/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4323 \" title=\"Hija Rosi \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02282-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nTeteven is in the Stari Planina and the landscape surrounding the city is wild and beautiful. The walk to the hija was muddy but not very hard. A hija is translated roughly from Bulgarian as a mountain hut or maybe a mountain cabin. This hija was pretty great--with a big kitchen, a suite of seventeen different beds divided between a number of rooms and two horses.  Oh, yeah and really nice owners.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4324\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I. and J. at dinner\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4324\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/21/teteven-kind-of/dsc02358/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4324 \" title=\"I. and J. at dinner\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02358-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nWe all met up on Saturday morning divided up between 5 cars and drove the two or so hours to Teteven. We hiked in, ate lunch and then some of us rode horses.\n\nI. told her friends to speak to me in Bulgarian. That was great in theory but in practice it was totally impossible for me to keep up with people and conversations. So I spoke a little bit of Bulgarian, a little bit more English and I spent a lot of time listening to Bulgarian wishing I knew what people were talking about. Note to self: must learn Bulgarian.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4325\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Happy (late) Birthday I.! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4325\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/21/teteven-kind-of/dsc02353/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4325 \" title=\"Happy (late) Birthday I.! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02353-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nBetween walking around in the mountain, eating a lot of great food, taking some pictures, riding a horse and generally relaxing, I had a great time.','Teteven, Kind Of','','inherit','open','open','','4319-autosave','','','2011-02-21 22:15:03','2011-02-21 20:15:03','',4319,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/21/4319-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(4342,1,'2011-02-22 07:04:58','2011-02-22 05:04:58','At this point, you probably know that I\'m a teacher. I work at the American College of Sofia which we fondly refer to ACS.  It\'s an acronym that just rolls off the tongue.\r\n\r\nAt ACS, I teach 10th and 11th grade English Literature. I have two classes of 10th grade and two classes of 11th grade. The students are slightly older than American students in the same grade as Bulgarians start 1st grade a year later than we do in the States.\r\n\r\nBut this isn\'t really a post about my students. Really this a quick post about a day in my life ACS.\r\n\r\nI am sort of obsessed with teaching so I wake up between 5:45 and 5:50 most mornings. I also love to drink coffee and I drink an inordinate amount of it each morning so I\'ve got to get up early to do this. I also really like to read through the news headlines, check and respond to my email, see what\'s going on on facebook, check out my blog stats and approve any comments, and then I try to think of something funny/clever/silly/witty to say on twitter.\r\n\r\nAside from all of this, I take a shower and try to put together a reasonable outfit out of the five dresses, four skirts and three or so pairs of work pants and misalliances shirts and sweaters that I brought to Bulgaria. Then I make and eat a bowl of oatmeal. All before 7:10 am when I leave the house for school. Yeah, I am busy in the mornings.\r\n\r\nAt school, I head to my classroom. Unlike most Bulgarian schools, I have my own classroom. I keep all of my things there from books to classroom materials and I have a fine but very slow computer. Some people require yoga or mediation to practice patience and mindfulness. Not me. My computer forces this upon me daily. <!--more-->\r\n\r\nIn my classroom, I flip on the lights, turn my computer on and then walk down the hall to find one of my colleagues G. We get a coffee at Onda together every morning. It\'s routine. The best kind really. Two mornings a week, I start teaching 1st period and the other mornings I am teaching by 3rd period. Our day goes until 3:15 and as teachers we are expected to be there between 8am and 3:15pm.\r\n\r\nI grab lunch in the school cafeteria. It\'s not amazing food but it\'s cheap and quick and for better or worse that\'s what matters to me most days.\r\n\r\nThroughout the week when I am not teaching, I have a number of other things that keep me busy. Two hours a week I meet at school with a woman who teaches foreigners Bulgarian and two hours a week I meet with two different students who help me review my lesson and practice any thing I need extra work on. This also gives the students a chance to laugh at my pronunciation and say things like: Ms. Emigh why didn\'t you do your homework? For the record, they like doing that.\r\n\r\nAt 3:15pm, the administrative part of my day starts. I mark attendance online for our dean and in hard copy for the ministry of education. Sometimes we have meetings after school. On the other days, I make and submit photocopy requests for later in the week and then I make sure that I\'ve got my lessons planned for the next day. After that it\'s time to respond to student emails (yes, they send them. In fact, they even have their own ACS email addresses.) and to grade homework/quizzes/papers. Most days I try to head home by 5pm.\r\n\r\nSome days though, there are things to do after school. Right now there\'s dance practice for a fundraiser at school on Monday afternoons, Tuesdays has yoga at 5pm and Balkan dance at 6pm, Wednesday there\'s kickboxing and Thursdays hosts another hour of Balkan dance. Needless to say, I can\'t do it all but I do enjoy participating in these events. It\'s a really great opportunity to get out my classroom, to leave any worries behind me and to get to know both my American and Bulgarian colleagues better.\r\n\r\nAnd this dear readers is a run down of a day in my life as a teacher at ACS.','A day a ACS ','','publish','open','open','','a-day-a-acs','','','2011-02-22 07:04:58','2011-02-22 05:04:58','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4342',0,'post','',0),(4343,1,'2011-02-22 07:04:34','2011-02-22 05:04:34','At this point, you probably know that I\'m a teacher. I work at the American College of Sofia which we fondly refer to ACS.  It rolls off the tongue. At ACS, I teach 10th and 11th grade English Literature. I have two classes of 10th grade and two classes of 11th grade. The students are slightly older than American students in the same grade as Bulgarians start 1st grade a year later than we do in the States.\n\nBut this isn\'t really a post about my students. Really this a quick post about a day in my life ACS.\n\nI am sort of obsessed with teaching so I wake up between 5:45 and 5:50 most mornings. I also love to drink coffee and I drink an inordinate amount of it each morning so I\'ve got to get up early to do this. I also really like to read through the news headlines, check and respond to my email, see what\'s going on on facebook, check out my blog stats and approve any comments, and then I try to think of something funny/clever/silly/witty to say on twitter.\n\nAside from all of this, I take a shower and try to put together a reasonable outfit out of the five dresses, four skirts and three or so pairs of work pants and misalliances shirts and sweaters that I brought to Bulgaria. Then I make and eat a bowl of oatmeal. All before 7:10 am when I leave the house for school. Yeah, I am busy in the mornings.\n\nAt school, I head to my classroom. Unlike most Bulgarian schools, I have my own classroom. I keep all of my things there from books to classroom materials and I have a fine but very slow computer. Some people require yoga or mediation to practice patience and mindfulness. Not me. My computer forces this upon me daily. <!--more-->\n\nIn my classroom, I flip on the lights, turn my computer on and then walk down the hall to find one of my colleagues G. We get a coffee at Onda together every morning. It\'s routine. The best kind really. Two mornings a week, I start teaching 1st period and the other mornings I am teaching by 3rd period. Our day goes until 3:15 and as teachers we are expected to be there between 8am and 3:15pm.\n\nI grab lunch in the school cafeteria. It\'s not amazing food but it\'s cheap and quick and for better or worse that\'s what matters to me most days.\n\nThroughout the week when I am not teaching, I have a number of other things that keep me busy. Two hours a week I meet at school with a woman who teaches foreigners Bulgarian and two hours a week I meet with two different students who help me review my lesson and practice any thing I need extra work on. This also gives the students a chance to laugh at my pronunciation and say things like: Ms. Emigh why didn\'t you do your homework? For the record, they like doing that.\n\nAt 3:15pm, the administrative part of my day starts. I mark attendance online for our dean and in hard copy for the ministry of education. Sometimes we have meetings after school. On the other days, I make and submit photocopy requests for later in the week and then I make sure that I\'ve got my lessons planned for the next day. After that it\'s time to respond to student emails (yes, they send them. In fact, they even have their own ACS email addresses.) and to grade homework/quizzes/papers. Most days I try to head home by 5pm.\n\nSome days though, there are things to do after school. Right now there\'s dance practice for a fundraiser at school on Monday afternoons, Tuesdays has yoga at 5pm and Balkan dance at 6pm, Wednesday there\'s kickboxing and Thursdays hosts another hour of Balkan dance. Needless to say, I can\'t do it all but I do enjoy participating in these events. It\'s a really great opportunity to get out my classroom, to leave any worries behind me and to get to know both my American and Bulgarian colleagues better.\n\nAnd this dear readers is a run down of a day in my life as a teacher at ACS.','A day a ACS ','','inherit','open','open','','4342-revision','','','2011-02-22 07:04:34','2011-02-22 05:04:34','',4342,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/4342-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(4344,1,'2011-02-22 17:49:20','2011-02-22 15:49:20','At this point, you probably know that I\'m a teacher. I work at the American College of Sofia which we fondly refer to ACS.  It\'s an acronym that just rolls off the tongue.\n\nAt ACS, I teach 10th and 11th grade English Literature. I have two classes of 10th grade and two classes of 11th grade. The students are slightly older than American students in the same grade as Bulgarians start 1st grade a year later than we do in the States.\n\nBut this isn\'t really a post about my students. Really this a quick post about a day in my life ACS.\n\nI am sort of obsessed with teaching so I wake up between 5:45 and 5:50 most mornings. I also love to drink coffee and I drink an inordinate amount of it each morning so I\'ve got to get up early to do this. I also really like to read through the news headlines, check and respond to my email, see what\'s going on on facebook, check out my blog stats and approve any comments, and then I try to think of something funny/clever/silly/witty to say on twitter.\n\nAside from all of this, I take a shower and try to put together a reasonable outfit out of the five dresses, four skirts and three or so pairs of work pants and misalliances shirts and sweaters that I brought to Bulgaria. Then I make and eat a bowl of oatmeal. All before 7:10 am when I leave the house for school. Yeah, I am busy in the mornings.\n\nAt school, I head to my classroom. Unlike most Bulgarian schools, I have my own classroom. I keep all of my things there from books to classroom materials and I have a fine but very slow computer. Some people require yoga or mediation to practice patience and mindfulness. Not me. My computer forces this upon me daily. <!--more-->\n\nIn my classroom, I flip on the lights, turn my computer on and then walk down the hall to find one of my colleagues G. We get a coffee at Onda together every morning. It\'s routine. The best kind really. Two mornings a week, I start teaching 1st period and the other mornings I am teaching by 3rd period. Our day goes until 3:15 and as teachers we are expected to be there between 8am and 3:15pm.\n\nI grab lunch in the school cafeteria. It\'s not amazing food but it\'s cheap and quick and for better or worse that\'s what matters to me most days.\n\nThroughout the week when I am not teaching, I have a number of other things that keep me busy. Two hours a week I meet at school with a woman who teaches foreigners Bulgarian and two hours a week I meet with two different students who help me review my lesson and practice any thing I need extra work on. This also gives the students a chance to laugh at my pronunciation and say things like: Ms. Emigh why didn\'t you do your homework? For the record, they like doing that.\n\nAt 3:15pm, the administrative part of my day starts. I mark attendance online for our dean and in hard copy for the ministry of education. Sometimes we have meetings after school. On the other days, I make and submit photocopy requests for later in the week and then I make sure that I\'ve got my lessons planned for the next day. After that it\'s time to respond to student emails (yes, they send them. In fact, they even have their own ACS email addresses.) and to grade homework/quizzes/papers. Most days I try to head home by 5pm.\n\nSome days though, there are things to do after school. Right now there\'s dance practice for a fundraiser at school on Monday afternoons, Tuesdays has yoga at 5pm and Balkan dance at 6pm, Wednesday there\'s kickboxing and Thursdays hosts another hour of Balkan dance. Needless to say, I can\'t do it all but I do enjoy participating in these events. It\'s a really great opportunity to get out my classroom, to leave any worries behind me and to get to know both my American and Bulgarian colleagues better.\n\nAnd this dear readers is a run down of a day in my life as a teacher at ACS.','A day a ACS ','','inherit','open','open','','4342-autosave','','','2011-02-22 17:49:20','2011-02-22 15:49:20','',4342,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/4342-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(4345,1,'2011-02-22 19:08:24','2011-02-22 17:08:24','I thought that if I was lucky I might get a sneak peak into a Bulgarian kitchen in Teteven two weekends ago. I also hoped hat by helping prepare some food, I might be able to count the experience toward my on going pursuit of mastering fifteen Bulgarian dishes this month.\r\n\r\nThis was not the case. But I did eat a lot of bread with lutinitsa and sirene cheese. I realized that I need to eat this combination more often. It\'s so tasty.\r\n\r\nI think it\'s the mix of chewy bread, the smooth tomato-y but slightly peppery lutinitsa spread and the tangy sirene that you bit into unevenly because it doesn\'t spread well that makes it a simple yet satisfying snack/open-face sandwich.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4349\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Salads!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4349\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/food-in-teteven/dsc02328/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4349 \" title=\"Salads!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02328-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOutside of lutinitsa sandwiches, we had a really great dinner. There was tons of food, lots of people eating, drinking and talking. And later into the night the talking turned into singing. In my mind, that\'s the sign of a great night.\r\n\r\nI wish I\'d been able to get into the kitchen to help more but as they say there were already too many cooks in the kitchen. I guess this happens when there are 19 people to feed hanging around. But, I. and her boyfriend J. are great planners and had things under control. They put people to work right away.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4347\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Pottery\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4347\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/food-in-teteven/dsc02309/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4347 \" title=\"Bulgarian Pottery\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02309-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI helped where I could.\r\n\r\nThat ended up being potatoes. I like potatoes. I pretty much figured that I\'d seen potatoes cooked and prepared every imaginable way.\r\n\r\nTurns out I. made a simple but tasty potato salad without mayonnaise. Of course it was great.\r\n\r\nThe one thing that I was surprised by was that the potatoes had been boiled with the skin on and then after they were soft enough to mash taken off the stove and pealed by hand. Basically, you take the potato and scratch the skin with your fingernail and the skin comes off in strips.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4348\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making Potato Salad\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4348\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/food-in-teteven/dsc02322/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4348 \" title=\"Making Potato Salad\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02322-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis seemed to me harder than pealing the potato and chopping it into piece before boiling it because when do it the other way around you\'re wrestling with a hot potato. This said, I think this way you probably toss out less potato than if you peal it ahead of time. I. thought that boiling the potatoes with the skin on meant that the potatoes didn\'t absorb too much water.\r\n\r\nI don\'t know. Maybe. Maybe it\'s just a matter of tradition. I think that\'s an okay reason too.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4350\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grilling Meat\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4350\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/food-in-teteven/dsc02332/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4350 \" title=\"Grilling meat\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02332-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo I helped peal a few potatoes, took some pictures and then missed out on the actual assembly of the salad because I was whisked out of the kitchen to speak some Bulgarian with one of I.\'s super-duper nice friends.\r\n\r\nWe spoke some English some Bulgarian and I tried really hard. I mean, I didn\'t want to embarrass I. with my bad Bulgarian. She\'s a really good teacher and I am a well intentioned but kind of lackluster student. I didn\'t want people to think that I. isn\'t doing her job. She is. <em>It\'s just me</em>.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, these things happen. So instead we chatted, drank rakiya and then dinner began to emerge from the kitchen on plates. That was pretty great. The highlight of the meal was grilled pork which took some time but was well worth the wait. Thanks J.!!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4352\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4352\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/food-in-teteven/dsc02346/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4352 \" title=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02346-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOnly now that I am writing this up two weeks later and few more rakiyas than I really should have drank, I have only the vaguest idea of what when into the potato salad and I have no idea what went into the killer bean salad. I guess that I\'ll have to track down the recipes for both of these dishes.\r\n\r\nLuckily for me that wont be too hard to do.','Food in Teteven ','','publish','open','open','','food-in-teteven','','','2011-02-22 19:08:24','2011-02-22 17:08:24','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4345',0,'post','',5),(4346,1,'2011-02-22 18:19:55','2011-02-22 16:19:55','I thought that if I was lucky I might get a sneak peak into a Bulgarian kitchen in Teteven two weekends ago and that by helping prepare some food, I might be able to count one of them as my own in my on going pursuit of mastering a few Bulgarian dishes this month.\n\nGreat plan. But in practice there were too many cooks in the kitchen. I guess this happens when there are 19 people to feed hanging around. I. and her boyfriend J. had things under control and put as many people as they could to work right away.\n\nI helped where I could.\n\nThat ended up being potatoes. I. made a simple but tasty potato salad. The thing that I was surprised by was that the potatoes had been boiled with the skin on and then after they were soft enough to mash taken off the stove and pealed by hand. Basically, you take the potato and scratch the skin with your fingernail and the skin comes off in strips.\n\nThis seemed to me harder than pealing the potato and chopping it into piece before boiling it because when do it the other way around you\'re wrestling with a hot potato. This said, I think this way you probably toss out less potato than if you peal it ahead of time. In my life though I am just not sure that it\'s really worth the savings.\n\nSo I helped peal a few potatoes, took some pictures and then missed out on the actual assembly of the salad because I was whisked out of the kitchen to speak some Bulgarian with one of I.\'s super-duper nice friends.\n\nThese things happen. So instead we chatted, drank rakiya and then dinner began to emerge from the kitchen on plates. That was pretty great too!!\n\nOnly now I have only the vagues','Food in Teteven ','','inherit','open','open','','4345-revision','','','2011-02-22 18:19:55','2011-02-22 16:19:55','',4345,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/4345-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(4347,1,'2011-02-22 18:22:46','2011-02-22 16:22:46','','Bulgarian Pottery','Bulgarian Pottery','inherit','open','open','','dsc02309','','','2011-02-22 18:22:46','2011-02-22 16:22:46','',4345,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02309.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4348,1,'2011-02-22 18:24:26','2011-02-22 16:24:26','','Making Potato Salad','Making Potato Salad','inherit','open','open','','dsc02322','','','2011-02-22 18:24:26','2011-02-22 16:24:26','',4345,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02322.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4349,1,'2011-02-22 18:27:42','2011-02-22 16:27:42','','Salads!!','Homemade Salads!!','inherit','open','open','','dsc02328','','','2011-02-22 18:27:42','2011-02-22 16:27:42','',4345,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02328.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4350,1,'2011-02-22 18:29:36','2011-02-22 16:29:36','','Grilling meat','Grilling Meat','inherit','open','open','','dsc02332','','','2011-02-22 18:29:36','2011-02-22 16:29:36','',4345,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02332.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4351,1,'2011-02-22 18:31:49','2011-02-22 16:31:49','','DSC02347','','inherit','open','open','','dsc02347','','','2011-02-22 18:31:49','2011-02-22 16:31:49','',4345,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02347.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4352,1,'2011-02-22 18:32:54','2011-02-22 16:32:54','','Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle','Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle','inherit','open','open','','dsc02346','','','2011-02-22 18:32:54','2011-02-22 16:32:54','',4345,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02346.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4353,1,'2011-02-22 18:28:50','2011-02-22 16:28:50','I thought that if I was lucky I might get a sneak peak into a Bulgarian kitchen in Teteven two weekends ago and that by helping prepare some food, I might be able to count one of them as my own in my on going pursuit of mastering a few Bulgarian dishes this month.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4349\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Salads!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4349\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4349\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4349 \" title=\"Salads!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02328-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nGreat plan. But in practice there were too many cooks in the kitchen. I guess this happens when there are 19 people to feed hanging around. I. and her boyfriend J. had things under control and put as many people as they could to work right away.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4347\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Pottery\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4347\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4347\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4347 \" title=\"Bulgarian Pottery\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02309-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI helped where I could.\n\nThat ended up being potatoes. I. made a simple but tasty potato salad. The thing that I was surprised by was that the potatoes had been boiled with the skin on and then after they were soft enough to mash taken off the stove and pealed by hand. Basically, you take the potato and scratch the skin with your fingernail and the skin comes off in strips.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4348\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making Potato Salad\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4348\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4348\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4348 \" title=\"Making Potato Salad\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02322-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThis seemed to me harder than pealing the potato and chopping it into piece before boiling it because when do it the other way around you\'re wrestling with a hot potato. This said, I think this way you probably toss out less potato than if you peal it ahead of time. In my life though I am just not sure that it\'s really worth the savings.\n\nSo I helped peal a few potatoes, took some pictures and then missed out on the actual assembly of the salad because I was whisked out of the kitchen to speak some Bulgarian with one of I.\'s super-duper nice friends.\n\nThese things happen. So instead we chatted, drank rakiya and then dinner began to emerge from the kitchen on plates. That was pretty great. The highlight of the meal was grilled pork which took some time but was well worth the wait.\n\nOnly now I have only the vaguest idea of what when into the potato salad and I have no idea what else went into the killer bean salad.','Food in Teteven ','','inherit','open','open','','4345-revision-2','','','2011-02-22 18:28:50','2011-02-22 16:28:50','',4345,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/4345-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(4354,1,'2011-02-22 18:34:01','2011-02-22 16:34:01','I thought that if I was lucky I might get a sneak peak into a Bulgarian kitchen in Teteven two weekends ago and that by helping prepare some food, I might be able to count one of them as my own in my on going pursuit of mastering a few Bulgarian dishes this month.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4349\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Salads!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4349\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4349\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4349 \" title=\"Salads!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02328-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nGreat plan. But in practice there were too many cooks in the kitchen. I guess this happens when there are 19 people to feed hanging around. I. and her boyfriend J. had things under control and put as many people as they could to work right away.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4347\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Pottery\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4347\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4347\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4347 \" title=\"Bulgarian Pottery\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02309-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI helped where I could.\r\n\r\nThat ended up being potatoes. I. made a simple but tasty potato salad. The thing that I was surprised by was that the potatoes had been boiled with the skin on and then after they were soft enough to mash taken off the stove and pealed by hand. Basically, you take the potato and scratch the skin with your fingernail and the skin comes off in strips.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4348\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making Potato Salad\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4348\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4348\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4348 \" title=\"Making Potato Salad\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02322-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis seemed to me harder than pealing the potato and chopping it into piece before boiling it because when do it the other way around you\'re wrestling with a hot potato. This said, I think this way you probably toss out less potato than if you peal it ahead of time. In my life though I am just not sure that it\'s really worth the savings.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4350\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grilling Meat\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4350\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4350\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4350 \" title=\"Grilling meat\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02332-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo I helped peal a few potatoes, took some pictures and then missed out on the actual assembly of the salad because I was whisked out of the kitchen to speak some Bulgarian with one of I.\'s super-duper nice friends.\r\n\r\nThese things happen. So instead we chatted, drank rakiya and then dinner began to emerge from the kitchen on plates. That was pretty great. The highlight of the meal was grilled pork which took some time but was well worth the wait.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4352\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4352\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4352\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4352 \" title=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02346-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOnly now I have only the vaguest idea of what when into the potato salad and I have no idea what else went into the killer bean salad.','Food in Teteven ','','inherit','open','open','','4345-revision-3','','','2011-02-22 18:34:01','2011-02-22 16:34:01','',4345,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/4345-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(4355,1,'2011-02-22 18:34:50','2011-02-22 16:34:50','I thought that if I was lucky I might get a sneak peak into a Bulgarian kitchen in Teteven two weekends ago and that by helping prepare some food, I might be able to count one of them as my own in my on going pursuit of mastering a few Bulgarian dishes this month.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4349\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Salads!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4349\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4349\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4349 \" title=\"Salads!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02328-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nGreat plan. But in practice there were too many cooks in the kitchen. I guess this happens when there are 19 people to feed hanging around. I. and her boyfriend J. had things under control and put as many people as they could to work right away.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4347\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Pottery\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4347\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4347\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4347 \" title=\"Bulgarian Pottery\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02309-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI helped where I could.\n\nThat ended up being potatoes. I. made a simple but tasty potato salad. The thing that I was surprised by was that the potatoes had been boiled with the skin on and then after they were soft enough to mash taken off the stove and pealed by hand. Basically, you take the potato and scratch the skin with your fingernail and the skin comes off in strips.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4348\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making Potato Salad\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4348\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4348\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4348 \" title=\"Making Potato Salad\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02322-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThis seemed to me harder than pealing the potato and chopping it into piece before boiling it because when do it the other way around you\'re wrestling with a hot potato. This said, I think this way you probably toss out less potato than if you peal it ahead of time. In my life though I am just not sure that it\'s really worth the savings.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4350\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grilling Meat\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4350\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4350\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4350 \" title=\"Grilling meat\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02332-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSo I helped peal a few potatoes, took some pictures and then missed out on the actual assembly of the salad because I was whisked out of the kitchen to speak some Bulgarian with one of I.\'s super-duper nice friends.\n\nThese things happen. So instead we chatted, drank rakiya and then dinner began to emerge from the kitchen on plates. That was pretty great. The highlight of the meal was grilled pork which took some time but was well worth the wait.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4352\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4352\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4352\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4352 \" title=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02346-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOnly now I have only the vaguest idea of what when into the potato salad and I have no idea what else went into the killer bean salad.','Food in Teteven ','','inherit','open','open','','4345-revision-4','','','2011-02-22 18:34:50','2011-02-22 16:34:50','',4345,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/4345-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(4356,1,'2011-02-22 18:55:09','2011-02-22 16:55:09','I thought that if I was lucky I might get a sneak peak into a Bulgarian kitchen in Teteven two weekends ago and that by helping prepare some food, I might be able to count one of them as my own in my on going pursuit of mastering a few Bulgarian dishes this month.\r\n\r\nThis was not the case. But I did eat a lot of bread with lutinitsa and sirene cheese. I realized that I need to eat this combination more often. It\'s so tasty. I think it\'s the mix of chewy bread, the smooth tomato-y but slightly peppery lutinitsa spread and the tangy sirene that you bit into unevenly because it doesn\'t spread well that makes it a simple yet satisfying snack/open-face sandwich.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4349\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Salads!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4349\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4349\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4349 \" title=\"Salads!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02328-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOutside of lutinitsa sandwiches, we had a really great dinner. There was tons of food, lots of people eating, drinking and talking. And later into the night the talking turned into singing. In my mind, that\'s the sign of a great night.\r\n\r\nI wish I\'d been able to get into the kitchen to help more but as they say there were already too many cooks in the kitchen. I guess this happens when there are 19 people to feed hanging around. Luckily, I. and her boyfriend J. are great planners and had things under control. They put as many people as they could to work right away.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4347\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Pottery\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4347\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4347\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4347 \" title=\"Bulgarian Pottery\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02309-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI helped where I could.\r\n\r\nThat ended up being potatoes. I like potatoes. I pretty much figured that I\'d seen potatoes cooked and prepared every imaginable way.\r\n\r\nTurns out I. made a simple but tasty potato salad without mayonnaise. Of course it was great.\r\n\r\nThe one thing that I was surprised by was that the potatoes had been boiled with the skin on and then after they were soft enough to mash taken off the stove and pealed by hand. Basically, you take the potato and scratch the skin with your fingernail and the skin comes off in strips.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4348\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making Potato Salad\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4348\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4348\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4348 \" title=\"Making Potato Salad\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02322-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis seemed to me harder than pealing the potato and chopping it into piece before boiling it because when do it the other way around you\'re wrestling with a hot potato. This said, I think this way you probably toss out less potato than if you peal it ahead of time. I. thought that boiling the potatoes with the skin on meant that the potatoes didn\'t absorb too much water. I don\'t know. Maybe.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4350\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grilling Meat\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4350\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4350\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4350 \" title=\"Grilling meat\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02332-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo I helped peal a few potatoes, took some pictures and then missed out on the actual assembly of the salad because I was whisked out of the kitchen to speak some Bulgarian with one of I.\'s super-duper nice friends.\r\n\r\nThese things happen. So instead we chatted, drank rakiya and then dinner began to emerge from the kitchen on plates. That was pretty great. The highlight of the meal was grilled pork which took some time but was well worth the wait.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4352\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4352\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4352\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4352 \" title=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02346-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOnly now I have only the vaguest idea of what when into the potato salad and I have no idea what else went into the killer bean salad.','Food in Teteven ','','inherit','open','open','','4345-revision-5','','','2011-02-22 18:55:09','2011-02-22 16:55:09','',4345,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/4345-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(4357,1,'2011-02-22 18:55:09','2011-02-22 16:55:09','I thought that if I was lucky I might get a sneak peak into a Bulgarian kitchen in Teteven two weekends ago and that by helping prepare some food, I might be able to count one of them as my own in my on going pursuit of mastering a few Bulgarian dishes this month.\r\n\r\nThis was not the case. But I did eat a lot of bread with lutinitsa and sirene cheese. I realized that I need to eat this combination more often. It\'s so tasty. I think it\'s the mix of chewy bread, the smooth tomato-y but slightly peppery lutinitsa spread and the tangy sirene that you bit into unevenly because it doesn\'t spread well that makes it a simple yet satisfying snack/open-face sandwich.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4349\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Salads!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4349\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4349\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4349 \" title=\"Salads!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02328-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOutside of lutinitsa sandwiches, we had a really great dinner. There was tons of food, lots of people eating, drinking and talking. And later into the night the talking turned into singing. In my mind, that\'s the sign of a great night.\r\n\r\nI wish I\'d been able to get into the kitchen to help more but as they say there were already too many cooks in the kitchen. I guess this happens when there are 19 people to feed hanging around. Luckily, I. and her boyfriend J. are great planners and had things under control. They put as many people as they could to work right away.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4347\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Pottery\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4347\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4347\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4347 \" title=\"Bulgarian Pottery\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02309-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI helped where I could.\r\n\r\nThat ended up being potatoes. I like potatoes. I pretty much figured that I\'d seen potatoes cooked and prepared every imaginable way.\r\n\r\nTurns out I. made a simple but tasty potato salad without mayonnaise. Of course it was great.\r\n\r\nThe one thing that I was surprised by was that the potatoes had been boiled with the skin on and then after they were soft enough to mash taken off the stove and pealed by hand. Basically, you take the potato and scratch the skin with your fingernail and the skin comes off in strips.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4348\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making Potato Salad\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4348\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4348\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4348 \" title=\"Making Potato Salad\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02322-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis seemed to me harder than pealing the potato and chopping it into piece before boiling it because when do it the other way around you\'re wrestling with a hot potato. This said, I think this way you probably toss out less potato than if you peal it ahead of time. I. thought that boiling the potatoes with the skin on meant that the potatoes didn\'t absorb too much water. I don\'t know. Maybe.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4350\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grilling Meat\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4350\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4350\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4350 \" title=\"Grilling meat\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02332-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo I helped peal a few potatoes, took some pictures and then missed out on the actual assembly of the salad because I was whisked out of the kitchen to speak some Bulgarian with one of I.\'s super-duper nice friends.\r\n\r\nThese things happen. So instead we chatted, drank rakiya and then dinner began to emerge from the kitchen on plates. That was pretty great. The highlight of the meal was grilled pork which took some time but was well worth the wait.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4352\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4352\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4352\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4352 \" title=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02346-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOnly now I have only the vaguest idea of what when into the potato salad and I have no idea what else went into the killer bean salad.','Food in Teteven ','','inherit','open','open','','4345-revision-6','','','2011-02-22 18:55:09','2011-02-22 16:55:09','',4345,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/4345-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(4358,1,'2011-02-22 19:03:15','2011-02-22 17:03:15','I thought that if I was lucky I might get a sneak peak into a Bulgarian kitchen in Teteven two weekends ago and that by helping prepare some food, I might be able to count one of them as my own in my on going pursuit of mastering a few Bulgarian dishes this month.\r\n\r\nThis was not the case. But I did eat a lot of bread with lutinitsa and sirene cheese. I realized that I need to eat this combination more often. It\'s so tasty. I think it\'s the mix of chewy bread, the smooth tomato-y but slightly peppery lutinitsa spread and the tangy sirene that you bit into unevenly because it doesn\'t spread well that makes it a simple yet satisfying snack/open-face sandwich.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4349\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Salads!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4349\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4349\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4349 \" title=\"Salads!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02328-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOutside of lutinitsa sandwiches, we had a really great dinner. There was tons of food, lots of people eating, drinking and talking. And later into the night the talking turned into singing. In my mind, that\'s the sign of a great night.\r\n\r\nI wish I\'d been able to get into the kitchen to help more but as they say there were already too many cooks in the kitchen. I guess this happens when there are 19 people to feed hanging around. Luckily, I. and her boyfriend J. are great planners and had things under control. They put as many people as they could to work right away.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4347\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Pottery\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4347\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4347\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4347 \" title=\"Bulgarian Pottery\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02309-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI helped where I could.\r\n\r\nThat ended up being potatoes. I like potatoes. I pretty much figured that I\'d seen potatoes cooked and prepared every imaginable way.\r\n\r\nTurns out I. made a simple but tasty potato salad without mayonnaise. Of course it was great.\r\n\r\nThe one thing that I was surprised by was that the potatoes had been boiled with the skin on and then after they were soft enough to mash taken off the stove and pealed by hand. Basically, you take the potato and scratch the skin with your fingernail and the skin comes off in strips.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4348\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making Potato Salad\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4348\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4348\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4348 \" title=\"Making Potato Salad\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02322-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis seemed to me harder than pealing the potato and chopping it into piece before boiling it because when do it the other way around you\'re wrestling with a hot potato. This said, I think this way you probably toss out less potato than if you peal it ahead of time. I. thought that boiling the potatoes with the skin on meant that the potatoes didn\'t absorb too much water. \r\n\r\nI don\'t know. Maybe. Maybe it\'s just a matter of tradition. I think that\'s an okay reason too. \r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4350\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grilling Meat\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4350\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4350\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4350 \" title=\"Grilling meat\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02332-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo I helped peal a few potatoes, took some pictures and then missed out on the actual assembly of the salad because I was whisked out of the kitchen to speak some Bulgarian with one of I.\'s super-duper nice friends.\r\n\r\nWe spoke some English some Bulgarian and I tried really hard. I mean, I didn\'t want to embarrass I. with my bad Bulgarian. She\'s a really good teacher and I am a well intentioned but kind of lackluster student. I didn\'t want people to think that I. isn\'t doing her job. She is. <em>It\'s just me</em>. \r\n\r\nAnyhow, these things happen. So instead we chatted, drank rakiya and then dinner began to emerge from the kitchen on plates. That was pretty great. The highlight of the meal was grilled pork which took some time but was well worth the wait. Thanks J.!! \r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4352\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4352\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4352\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4352 \" title=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02346-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOnly now that I am writing this up two weeks later and few more rakiyas than I really should have drank, I have only the vaguest idea of what when into the potato salad and I have no idea what went into the killer bean salad. I guess that I\'ll have to track down the recipes for both of these dishes. Luckily for me that wont be too hard to do. ','Food in Teteven ','','inherit','open','open','','4345-revision-7','','','2011-02-22 19:03:15','2011-02-22 17:03:15','',4345,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/4345-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(4359,1,'2011-02-22 19:03:15','2011-02-22 17:03:15','I thought that if I was lucky I might get a sneak peak into a Bulgarian kitchen in Teteven two weekends ago and that by helping prepare some food, I might be able to count one of them as my own in my on going pursuit of mastering a few Bulgarian dishes this month.\r\n\r\nThis was not the case. But I did eat a lot of bread with lutinitsa and sirene cheese. I realized that I need to eat this combination more often. It\'s so tasty. I think it\'s the mix of chewy bread, the smooth tomato-y but slightly peppery lutinitsa spread and the tangy sirene that you bit into unevenly because it doesn\'t spread well that makes it a simple yet satisfying snack/open-face sandwich.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4349\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Salads!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4349\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4349\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4349 \" title=\"Salads!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02328-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOutside of lutinitsa sandwiches, we had a really great dinner. There was tons of food, lots of people eating, drinking and talking. And later into the night the talking turned into singing. In my mind, that\'s the sign of a great night.\r\n\r\nI wish I\'d been able to get into the kitchen to help more but as they say there were already too many cooks in the kitchen. I guess this happens when there are 19 people to feed hanging around. Luckily, I. and her boyfriend J. are great planners and had things under control. They put as many people as they could to work right away.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4347\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Pottery\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4347\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4347\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4347 \" title=\"Bulgarian Pottery\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02309-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI helped where I could.\r\n\r\nThat ended up being potatoes. I like potatoes. I pretty much figured that I\'d seen potatoes cooked and prepared every imaginable way.\r\n\r\nTurns out I. made a simple but tasty potato salad without mayonnaise. Of course it was great.\r\n\r\nThe one thing that I was surprised by was that the potatoes had been boiled with the skin on and then after they were soft enough to mash taken off the stove and pealed by hand. Basically, you take the potato and scratch the skin with your fingernail and the skin comes off in strips.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4348\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making Potato Salad\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4348\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4348\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4348 \" title=\"Making Potato Salad\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02322-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis seemed to me harder than pealing the potato and chopping it into piece before boiling it because when do it the other way around you\'re wrestling with a hot potato. This said, I think this way you probably toss out less potato than if you peal it ahead of time. I. thought that boiling the potatoes with the skin on meant that the potatoes didn\'t absorb too much water. \r\n\r\nI don\'t know. Maybe. Maybe it\'s just a matter of tradition. I think that\'s an okay reason too. \r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4350\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grilling Meat\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4350\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4350\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4350 \" title=\"Grilling meat\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02332-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo I helped peal a few potatoes, took some pictures and then missed out on the actual assembly of the salad because I was whisked out of the kitchen to speak some Bulgarian with one of I.\'s super-duper nice friends.\r\n\r\nWe spoke some English some Bulgarian and I tried really hard. I mean, I didn\'t want to embarrass I. with my bad Bulgarian. She\'s a really good teacher and I am a well intentioned but kind of lackluster student. I didn\'t want people to think that I. isn\'t doing her job. She is. <em>It\'s just me</em>. \r\n\r\nAnyhow, these things happen. So instead we chatted, drank rakiya and then dinner began to emerge from the kitchen on plates. That was pretty great. The highlight of the meal was grilled pork which took some time but was well worth the wait. Thanks J.!! \r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4352\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4352\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4352\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4352 \" title=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02346-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOnly now that I am writing this up two weeks later and few more rakiyas than I really should have drank, I have only the vaguest idea of what when into the potato salad and I have no idea what went into the killer bean salad. I guess that I\'ll have to track down the recipes for both of these dishes. Luckily for me that wont be too hard to do. ','Food in Teteven ','','inherit','open','open','','4345-revision-8','','','2011-02-22 19:03:15','2011-02-22 17:03:15','',4345,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/4345-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(4360,1,'2011-02-22 19:08:24','2011-02-22 17:08:24','I thought that if I was lucky I might get a sneak peak into a Bulgarian kitchen in Teteven two weekends ago. I also hoped hat by helping prepare some food, I might be able to count the experience toward my on going pursuit of mastering fifteen Bulgarian dishes this month.\r\n\r\nThis was not the case. But I did eat a lot of bread with lutinitsa and sirene cheese. I realized that I need to eat this combination more often. It\'s so tasty.\r\n\r\nI think it\'s the mix of chewy bread, the smooth tomato-y but slightly peppery lutinitsa spread and the tangy sirene that you bit into unevenly because it doesn\'t spread well that makes it a simple yet satisfying snack/open-face sandwich.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4349\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Salads!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4349\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4349\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4349 \" title=\"Salads!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02328-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOutside of lutinitsa sandwiches, we had a really great dinner. There was tons of food, lots of people eating, drinking and talking. And later into the night the talking turned into singing. In my mind, that\'s the sign of a great night.\r\n\r\nI wish I\'d been able to get into the kitchen to help more but as they say there were already too many cooks in the kitchen. I guess this happens when there are 19 people to feed hanging around. But, I. and her boyfriend J. are great planners and had things under control. They put people to work right away.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4347\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Pottery\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4347\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4347\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4347 \" title=\"Bulgarian Pottery\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02309-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI helped where I could.\r\n\r\nThat ended up being potatoes. I like potatoes. I pretty much figured that I\'d seen potatoes cooked and prepared every imaginable way.\r\n\r\nTurns out I. made a simple but tasty potato salad without mayonnaise. Of course it was great.\r\n\r\nThe one thing that I was surprised by was that the potatoes had been boiled with the skin on and then after they were soft enough to mash taken off the stove and pealed by hand. Basically, you take the potato and scratch the skin with your fingernail and the skin comes off in strips.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4348\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making Potato Salad\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4348\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4348\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4348 \" title=\"Making Potato Salad\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02322-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThis seemed to me harder than pealing the potato and chopping it into piece before boiling it because when do it the other way around you\'re wrestling with a hot potato. This said, I think this way you probably toss out less potato than if you peal it ahead of time. I. thought that boiling the potatoes with the skin on meant that the potatoes didn\'t absorb too much water.\r\n\r\nI don\'t know. Maybe. Maybe it\'s just a matter of tradition. I think that\'s an okay reason too.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4350\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grilling Meat\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4350\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4350\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4350 \" title=\"Grilling meat\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02332-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo I helped peal a few potatoes, took some pictures and then missed out on the actual assembly of the salad because I was whisked out of the kitchen to speak some Bulgarian with one of I.\'s super-duper nice friends.\r\n\r\nWe spoke some English some Bulgarian and I tried really hard. I mean, I didn\'t want to embarrass I. with my bad Bulgarian. She\'s a really good teacher and I am a well intentioned but kind of lackluster student. I didn\'t want people to think that I. isn\'t doing her job. She is. <em>It\'s just me</em>.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, these things happen. So instead we chatted, drank rakiya and then dinner began to emerge from the kitchen on plates. That was pretty great. The highlight of the meal was grilled pork which took some time but was well worth the wait. Thanks J.!!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4352\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4352\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4352\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4352 \" title=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02346-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOnly now that I am writing this up two weeks later and few more rakiyas than I really should have drank, I have only the vaguest idea of what when into the potato salad and I have no idea what went into the killer bean salad. I guess that I\'ll have to track down the recipes for both of these dishes.\r\n\r\nLuckily for me that wont be too hard to do.','Food in Teteven ','','inherit','open','open','','4345-revision-9','','','2011-02-22 19:08:24','2011-02-22 17:08:24','',4345,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/4345-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0);
INSERT INTO `wp_posts` VALUES (4361,1,'2011-02-22 19:09:32','2011-02-22 17:09:32','I thought that if I was lucky I might get a sneak peak into a Bulgarian kitchen in Teteven two weekends ago. I also hoped hat by helping prepare some food, I might be able to count the experience toward my on going pursuit of mastering fifteen Bulgarian dishes this month.\n\nThis was not the case. But I did eat a lot of bread with lutinitsa and sirene cheese. I realized that I need to eat this combination more often. It\'s so tasty.\n\nI think it\'s the mix of chewy bread, the smooth tomato-y but slightly peppery lutinitsa spread and the tangy sirene that you bit into unevenly because it doesn\'t spread well that makes it a simple yet satisfying snack/open-face sandwich.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4349\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Salads!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4349\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/food-in-teteven/dsc02328/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4349 \" title=\"Salads!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02328-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOutside of lutinitsa sandwiches, we had a really great dinner. There was tons of food, lots of people eating, drinking and talking. And later into the night the talking turned into singing. In my mind, that\'s the sign of a great night.\n\nI wish I\'d been able to get into the kitchen to help more but as they say there were already too many cooks in the kitchen. I guess this happens when there are 19 people to feed hanging around. But, I. and her boyfriend J. are great planners and had things under control. They put people to work right away.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4347\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Pottery\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4347\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/food-in-teteven/dsc02309/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4347 \" title=\"Bulgarian Pottery\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02309-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI helped where I could.\n\nThat ended up being potatoes. I like potatoes. I pretty much figured that I\'d seen potatoes cooked and prepared every imaginable way.\n\nTurns out I. made a simple but tasty potato salad without mayonnaise. Of course it was great.\n\nThe one thing that I was surprised by was that the potatoes had been boiled with the skin on and then after they were soft enough to mash taken off the stove and pealed by hand. Basically, you take the potato and scratch the skin with your fingernail and the skin comes off in strips.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4348\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making Potato Salad\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4348\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/food-in-teteven/dsc02322/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4348 \" title=\"Making Potato Salad\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02322-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThis seemed to me harder than pealing the potato and chopping it into piece before boiling it because when do it the other way around you\'re wrestling with a hot potato. This said, I think this way you probably toss out less potato than if you peal it ahead of time. I. thought that boiling the potatoes with the skin on meant that the potatoes didn\'t absorb too much water.\n\nI don\'t know. Maybe. Maybe it\'s just a matter of tradition. I think that\'s an okay reason too.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4350\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grilling Meat\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4350\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/food-in-teteven/dsc02332/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4350 \" title=\"Grilling meat\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02332-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSo I helped peal a few potatoes, took some pictures and then missed out on the actual assembly of the salad because I was whisked out of the kitchen to speak some Bulgarian with one of I.\'s super-duper nice friends.\n\nWe spoke some English some Bulgarian and I tried really hard. I mean, I didn\'t want to embarrass I. with my bad Bulgarian. She\'s a really good teacher and I am a well intentioned but kind of lackluster student. I didn\'t want people to think that I. isn\'t doing her job. She is. <em>It\'s just me</em>.\n\nAnyhow, these things happen. So instead we chatted, drank rakiya and then dinner began to emerge from the kitchen on plates. That was pretty great. The highlight of the meal was grilled pork which took some time but was well worth the wait. Thanks J.!!\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4352\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4352\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/food-in-teteven/dsc02346/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4352 \" title=\"Homemade Rakiya in a Coke bottle\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02346-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOnly now that I am writing this up two weeks later and few more rakiyas than I really should have drank, I have only the vaguest idea of what when into the potato salad and I have no idea what went into the killer bean salad. I guess that I\'ll have to track down the recipes for both of these dishes.\n\nLuckily for me that wont be too hard to do.','Food in Teteven ','','inherit','open','open','','4345-autosave','','','2011-02-22 19:09:32','2011-02-22 17:09:32','',4345,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/4345-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(4362,1,'2011-02-27 08:43:47','2011-02-27 06:43:47','Magazines are my guilty pleasure. I love to flip through a magazine. I like to read the articles, to judge the celebrities, to check out fashion, to find new recipes.  I like magazines. A lot.\r\n\r\nSo when I moved to Bulgaria three years ago, I knew that my access to magazines in English would change dramatically. I wouldn\'t be pursuing them at the gym, the salon, friends houses or the doctor\'s office. A piece of me thought I\'d miss magazines.\r\n\r\nBut I don\'t.\r\n\r\nThen this last weekend for the first time in three years I thought to myself: I\'d like to sit around on this spa weekend and read a trashy gossip magazine. I\'d like to look at pictures of celebrities in the \"they\'re just like us\" column. I wouldn\'t mind reading ridiculous thing semi-famous stars are up to or what trouble they\'ve gotten themselves into now.  <em>Totally weird right?<!--more--></em>\r\n\r\nI curled up with my kindle instead.\r\n\r\nI still can\'t help but wonder why last weekend was the moment I thought: I really want to read a low brow American magazine. Probably it\'s connected in my mind with relaxing. It was just such a funny connection to make and it\'s not very often, I find myself wanting something I really can\'t have or get.\r\n\r\nSure I could easily get my hands on a wide range of Bulgarian magazines but these require a lot more from me than just leafing through the pages and skimming the stories. And frankly I am totally unfamiliar with 99% of Bulgarian stars which makes even the pictures kind of boring.\r\n\r\nI think the other reason, I haven\'t spent much time lamenting the loss of magazines from my life is that there are plenty of blogs to fill this void in my life. The blogs I\'ve found most interesting these days are fashion blogs of every-day girls who post about what they wear each day. I\'m especially interested in girls who are working with a limited budget and favor creativity over high fashion (Check out these blogs if you\'re interested: <a href=\"http://whatwouldanerdwear.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">What would a Nerd Wear?</a>, <a href=\"http://www.bluecollarcatwalk.com/2011/02/2030-slim-picking.html\" target=\"_blank\">Blue Collar Catwalk</a> and <a href=\"http://kendieveryday.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Kendi Everyday</a>) . These girls inspire me with their eye for color and shape and have made me rethink the clothes I have in my closet in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nEspecially on the days I stand in my room trying to get dressed and I think I have nothing to wear. There\'s nothing hiding in my closet as I think about my three pairs of jeans, a slew of work clothes including slacks, dresses and two blazers, my dozen tops and dozen tank tops, half dozen sweaters and cardigans, 5 or 6 skirts and about as many scarves and pairs of shoes. I\'ve worn, re-worn and re-mixed these things endlessly over the last three years.\r\n\r\nNothing surprises me. I know it all.\r\n\r\nSome times I get frustrated when I am looking for something and I can\'t find it. Like when I folded one of my favorite tee-shirts up in a sweater recently.  It wasn\'t in the washing machine (or dryer). It wasn\'t in my dirty clothes pile or draped over the back of my chair in pile the pile of clothes I am too lazy to hang up after trying it on and deciding not to wear it.\r\n\r\nI thought I was going to go crazy looking for that tee-shirt. I even convinced myself that I\'d lost it. Turns out I folded it up in a sweater and put my sweater away. Mystery solved.','Magazines Abroad ','','publish','open','open','','magazines-abroad','','','2011-02-27 08:43:47','2011-02-27 06:43:47','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4362',0,'post','',0),(4363,1,'2011-02-22 21:45:01','2011-02-22 19:45:01','Magazines are my guilty pleasure. I love to flip through a magazine. I like to read the articles, to judge the celebrities, to check out fashion, to find new recipes.  I like magazines. A lot.\n\nSo when I moved to Bulgaria three years ago, I knew that my access to magazines in English would change dramatically. I wouldn\'t be pursuing them at the gym, the salon, friends houses or the doctor\'s office. A piece of me thought I\'d miss magazines.\n\nBut I don\'t.\n\nThen this last weekend for the first time in three years I thought to myself: I\'d like to sit around on this spa weekend and read a trashy gossip magazine. I\'d like to look at pictures of celebrities in the \"they\'re just like us\" column. I wouldn\'t mind reading ridiculous thing semi-famous stars are up to or what trouble they\'ve gotten themselves into now.  <em>Totally weird right?</em>\n\nI curled up with my kindle instead.\n\nI still can\'t help but wonder why last weekend was the moment I thought: I really want to read a low brow American magazine. Probably it\'s connected in my mind with relaxing. It was just such a funny connection to make and it\'s not very often, I find myself wanting something I really can\'t have or get.\n\nSure I could easily get my hands on a wide range of Bulgarian magazines but these require a lot more from me than just leafing through the pages and skimming the stories. And frankly I am totally unfamiliar with 99% of Bulgarian stars which makes even the pictures kind of boring.\n\nI think the other reason, I haven\'t spent much time lamenting the loss of magazines from my life is that there are plenty of blogs to fill this void in my life. The blogs I\'ve found most interesting these days are fashion blogs of every-day girls who post about what they wear each day. I\'m especially interested in girls who are working with a limited budget and favor creativity over high fashion. These girls inspire me with their eye for color and shape and have made me rethink the clothes I have in my closet in Bulgaria.\n\nEspecially on the days I stand in my room trying to get dressed and I think I have nothing to wear. There\'s nothing hiding in my closet as I think about my three pairs of jeans, a slew of work clothes including slacks, dresses and two blazers, my dozen tops and dozen tank tops, half dozen sweaters and cardigans, 5 or 6 skirts and about as many scarves and pairs of shoes. I\'ve worn, re-worn and re-mixed these things endlessly over the last three years.\n\nNothing surprises me. I know it all.\n\nSome times I get frustrated when I am looking for something and I can\'t find it. Like when I folded one of my favorite tee-shirts up in a sweater recently.  It wasn\'t in the washing machine (or dryer). It wasn\'t in my dirty clothes pile or draped over the back of my chair in pile the pile of clothes I am too lazy to hang up after trying it on and deciding not to wear it.\n\nI thought I was going to go crazy looking for that tee-shirt. I even convinced myself that I\'d lost it.','Magazines Abroad ','','inherit','open','open','','4362-revision','','','2011-02-22 21:45:01','2011-02-22 19:45:01','',4362,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/4362-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(4364,1,'2011-02-23 20:34:34','2011-02-23 18:34:34','You may remember that earlier this month I wrote about <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/05/bulgarian-census/\" target=\"_blank\">the Bulgarian Census</a>. I have to say, it was intense. I filled out the census yesterday afternoon. And frankly, had one of my work colleauges not filled in all of the hard answers I would have definitely failed.\r\n\r\nFailed.\r\n\r\nThat is, if you can fail the census.\r\n\r\nBut really, who decided to make the census so hard?! I thought a census was just about counting people--Bible style. Last year the US census had 10 questions. Allegedly you could take it in 10 minutes.  This was not the case for the Bulgarian census.\r\n\r\nIt would have been a comedy of errors trying to fill this thing out in Bulgarian.\r\n\r\nI filled my name in easily enough and then five or so pages later when I got to fill in my occupation as teacher that went okay.\r\n\r\nWhat kind of stuff didn\'t I know?<!--more-->\r\n\r\nWell the three or so pages of the census asking me questions about my apartment and the building I live in could have tripped me up if they hadn\'t already been filled in. Like the question regarding the materials used in the construction of my building. Um, some stuff?\r\n\r\nNow, the color of my building? Had that been a question I would have nailed it: <em>orange</em>.\r\n\r\nBut the ratio of concrete to other building materials? No idea.\r\n\r\nWhen was the building built? Sometime before 2009 when I move in. Is there an elevator? Yes. How many apartments are in your building? Not sure. I\'ve never been past the 4th floor. What\'s the point? It\'s just more identical doors.\r\n\r\nEqually interesting was the long line of heating options one could choose from. There must have been fifteen choices. Central heat was the option filled in for me. <em>Thanks</em>. Then there was the option: no heat. Ug. That would be horrible. And who builds a house without some source of heat in Bulgaria?! It gets cold here.\r\n\r\nThen there was a series of questions about the rooms in my apartment and the size of these different spaces in square meters. You\'ve got to be kidding me <em>square-meters!</em>?! I can\'t even venture a guess in square feet.\r\n\r\nThese questions were followed by another list. This time a list of home appliances. The appliances on this list ranged from tv to cable tv (I don\'t know what the difference is), personal computer to cooker, washing machine to telephone/cellphone to the internet. I think that a dishwasher was on the list but that a dryer was not. Oh and as an aside how the internet is a household appliance totally escapes me. I guess it works the same way as cable tv.\r\n\r\nThis census is concerned with <em>things</em>. Who has them, what they are made of and how big they are.  I just don\'t really understand what these things will ultimately tell us.  Without a question related to how much money one makes what\'s the point? Wont you just end up with a list of stuff that people have and the size and state of the dwelling that houses the stuff and some basic information about the person who looks over and/or owns the stuff?\r\n\r\nAnyhow, then there was the question that made me how absurd the whole thing is. It was this: are you literate? Yes or no. Why this gem was tucked away on page four so is beyond me. It seems like this maybe should have opened up the survey but that\'s just me.\r\n\r\nAfter taking the census I found myself thinking about the questions. It strikes me as a strangest combination of questions I\'ve ever had to answer.  And really, how is a reasonable person supposed to know all the answers to questions related to the building and the apartment one lives in but rents? I mean I guess that I could climb the stairs or ride the elevator to the 6th floor and look around tonight but I\'m probably not going to.\r\n\r\nSo that\'s that. The Bulgarian census is over and I am really glad that I took it in English.','I took the Bulgarian Census ','','publish','open','open','','i-took-the-bulgarian-census','','','2011-02-23 20:34:34','2011-02-23 18:34:34','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4364',0,'post','',6),(4365,1,'2011-02-22 22:20:01','2011-02-22 20:20:01','The Bulgarian Census was intense. I filled it out yesterday afternoon. Had one of my work colleauges not filled in all of the hard answers I would have definitely failed.\n\nThat is, if you can fail the census.\n\nI filled my name in easily enough and then five or so pages later when I got to fill in my occupation as teacher that went okay.\n\nWhat kind of stuff didn\'t I know?\n\nWell the three or so pages of the census asking me questions about my apartment and the building I live in could have tripped me up if they hadn\'t already been filled in. Like the question regarding the materials used in the construction of my building. The color of my building? Had that been a question I would have nailed it: orange. But the ratio of concrete to other building materials? No idea.\n\nWhen was the building built? Sometime before 2009 when I move in.  How many apartments are in your building? Not sure. I\'ve never been past the 4th floor. What\'s the point? It\'s just more identical doors.\n\nEqually interesting was the long line of heating options one could choose from. There must have been fifteen choices. Then there was a series of questions about the rooms in the apartment and the size of these different spaces in square meters. You\'ve got to be kidding me <em>square-meters!</em>?! I can\'t even venture a guess in square feet.\n\nThese questions were followed by another list. This time a list of home appliances. The appliances on this list ranged from tv to cable tv (I don\'t know what the difference is), personal computer to cooker, washing machine to telephone/cellphone to the internet. I think that dishwasher was on the list but that dryer was not. Oh and as an aside how the internet is a household appliance totally escapes me.\n\nThe question that made me giggle way more than I should have was: are you literate: yes or no. Why this gem was tucked away on page four so is beyond me. It seems like this maybe should have opened up the survey but that\'s just me.\n\nAfter taking the census I found myself thinking about the questions. It strikes me as a strangest combination of questions I\'ve ever had to answer.  And really, how is a reasonable person supposed to know all the answers to questions related to the building and the apartment one lives in but rents?\n\nthis census isn\'t just interested in people it\'s equally interested in things.','Bulgarian Census ','','inherit','open','open','','4364-revision','','','2011-02-22 22:20:01','2011-02-22 20:20:01','',4364,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/22/4364-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(4366,1,'2011-02-23 06:24:38','2011-02-23 04:24:38','The Bulgarian Census was intense. I filled it out yesterday afternoon. Had one of my work colleauges not filled in all of the hard answers I would have definitely failed.\n\nThat is, if you can fail the census.\n\nI filled my name in easily enough and then five or so pages later when I got to fill in my occupation as teacher that went okay.\n\nWhat kind of stuff didn\'t I know?\n\nWell the three or so pages of the census asking me questions about my apartment and the building I live in could have tripped me up if they hadn\'t already been filled in. Like the question regarding the materials used in the construction of my building. The color of my building? Had that been a question I would have nailed it: orange. But the ratio of concrete to other building materials? No idea.\n\nWhen was the building built? Sometime before 2009 when I move in.  How many apartments are in your building? Not sure. I\'ve never been past the 4th floor. What\'s the point? It\'s just more identical doors.\n\nEqually interesting was the long line of heating options one could choose from. There must have been fifteen choices. Then there was a series of questions about the rooms in the apartment and the size of these different spaces in square meters. You\'ve got to be kidding me <em>square-meters!</em>?! I can\'t even venture a guess in square feet.\n\nThese questions were followed by another list. This time a list of home appliances. The appliances on this list ranged from tv to cable tv (I don\'t know what the difference is), personal computer to cooker, washing machine to telephone/cellphone to the internet. I think that dishwasher was on the list but that dryer was not. Oh and as an aside how the internet is a household appliance totally escapes me.\n\nThe question that made me giggle way more than I should have was: are you literate: yes or no. Why this gem was tucked away on page four so is beyond me. It seems like this maybe should have opened up the survey but that\'s just me.\n\nAfter taking the census I found myself thinking about the questions. It strikes me as a strangest combination of questions I\'ve ever had to answer.  And really, how is a reasonable person supposed to know all the answers to questions related to the building and the apartment one lives in but rents?\n\nthis census isn\'t just interested in people it\'s equally interested in things.','Bulgarian Census ','','inherit','open','open','','4364-revision-2','','','2011-02-23 06:24:38','2011-02-23 04:24:38','',4364,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/23/4364-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(4367,1,'2011-02-23 19:56:37','2011-02-23 17:56:37','The Bulgarian Census was intense. I filled it out yesterday afternoon. Had one of my work colleauges not filled in all of the hard answers I would have definitely failed.\n\nThat is, if you can fail the census.\n\nBut really, who decided to make the census so hard?! I thought a census was just about counting people--Bible style. Last year the US census had 10 questions. Allegedly you could take it in 10 minutes.  This was not the case for the Bulgarian census.\n\nIt would have been a comedy of errors trying to fill this thing out in Bulgarian.\n\nI filled my name in easily enough and then five or so pages later when I got to fill in my occupation as teacher that went okay.\n\nWhat kind of stuff didn\'t I know?\n\nWell the three or so pages of the census asking me questions about my apartment and the building I live in could have tripped me up if they hadn\'t already been filled in. Like the question regarding the materials used in the construction of my building. The color of my building? Had that been a question I would have nailed it: orange. But the ratio of concrete to other building materials? No idea.\n\nWhen was the building built? Sometime before 2009 when I move in.  How many apartments are in your building? Not sure. I\'ve never been past the 4th floor. What\'s the point? It\'s just more identical doors.\n\nEqually interesting was the long line of heating options one could choose from. There must have been fifteen choices. Then there was a series of questions about the rooms in the apartment and the size of these different spaces in square meters. You\'ve got to be kidding me <em>square-meters!</em>?! I can\'t even venture a guess in square feet.\n\nThese questions were followed by another list. This time a list of home appliances. The appliances on this list ranged from tv to cable tv (I don\'t know what the difference is), personal computer to cooker, washing machine to telephone/cellphone to the internet. I think that dishwasher was on the list but that dryer was not. Oh and as an aside how the internet is a household appliance totally escapes me.\n\nThe question that made me giggle way more than I should have was: are you literate: yes or no. Why this gem was tucked away on page four so is beyond me. It seems like this maybe should have opened up the survey but that\'s just me.\n\nAfter taking the census I found myself thinking about the questions. It strikes me as a strangest combination of questions I\'ve ever had to answer.  And really, how is a reasonable person supposed to know all the answers to questions related to the building and the apartment one lives in but rents?\n\nthis census isn\'t just interested in people it\'s equally interested in things.','Bulgarian Census ','','inherit','open','open','','4364-revision-3','','','2011-02-23 19:56:37','2011-02-23 17:56:37','',4364,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/23/4364-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(4368,1,'2011-02-23 19:57:38','2011-02-23 17:57:38','The Bulgarian Census was intense. I filled it out yesterday afternoon. Had one of my work colleauges not filled in all of the hard answers I would have definitely failed.\n\nThat is, if you can fail the census.\n\nBut really, who decided to make the census so hard?! I thought a census was just about counting people--Bible style. Last year the US census had 10 questions. Allegedly you could take it in 10 minutes.  This was not the case for the Bulgarian census.\n\nIt would have been a comedy of errors trying to fill this thing out in Bulgarian.\n\nI filled my name in easily enough and then five or so pages later when I got to fill in my occupation as teacher that went okay.\n\nWhat kind of stuff didn\'t I know?<!--more-->\n\nWell the three or so pages of the census asking me questions about my apartment and the building I live in could have tripped me up if they hadn\'t already been filled in. Like the question regarding the materials used in the construction of my building. The color of my building? Had that been a question I would have nailed it: orange. But the ratio of concrete to other building materials? No idea.\n\nWhen was the building built? Sometime before 2009 when I move in.  How many apartments are in your building? Not sure. I\'ve never been past the 4th floor. What\'s the point? It\'s just more identical doors.\n\nEqually interesting was the long line of heating options one could choose from. There must have been fifteen choices. Then there was a series of questions about the rooms in the apartment and the size of these different spaces in square meters. You\'ve got to be kidding me <em>square-meters!</em>?! I can\'t even venture a guess in square feet.\n\nThese questions were followed by another list. This time a list of home appliances. The appliances on this list ranged from tv to cable tv (I don\'t know what the difference is), personal computer to cooker, washing machine to telephone/cellphone to the internet. I think that dishwasher was on the list but that dryer was not. Oh and as an aside how the internet is a household appliance totally escapes me.\n\nThe question that made me giggle way more than I should have was: are you literate: yes or no. Why this gem was tucked away on page four so is beyond me. It seems like this maybe should have opened up the survey but that\'s just me.\n\nAfter taking the census I found myself thinking about the questions. It strikes me as a strangest combination of questions I\'ve ever had to answer.  And really, how is a reasonable person supposed to know all the answers to questions related to the building and the apartment one lives in but rents?\n\nthis census isn\'t just interested in people it\'s equally interested in things.','Bulgarian Census ','','inherit','open','open','','4364-revision-4','','','2011-02-23 19:57:38','2011-02-23 17:57:38','',4364,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/23/4364-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(4369,1,'2011-02-23 20:35:46','2011-02-23 18:35:46','You may remember that earlier this month I wrote about <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/05/bulgarian-census/\" target=\"_blank\">the Bulgarian Census</a>. I have to say, it was intense. I filled out the census yesterday afternoon. And frankly, had one of my work colleauges not filled in all of the hard answers I would have definitely failed.\n\nFailed.\n\nThat is, if you can fail the census.\n\nBut really, who decided to make the census so hard?! I thought a census was just about counting people--Bible style. Last year the US census had 10 questions. Allegedly you could take it in 10 minutes.  This was not the case for the Bulgarian census.\n\nIt would have been a comedy of errors trying to fill this thing out in Bulgarian.\n\nI filled my name in easily enough and then five or so pages later when I got to fill in my occupation as teacher that went okay.\n\nWhat kind of stuff didn\'t I know?<!--more-->\n\nWell the three or so pages of the census asking me questions about my apartment and the building I live in could have tripped me up if they hadn\'t already been filled in. Like the question regarding the materials used in the construction of my building. Um, some stuff?\n\nNow, the color of my building? Had that been a question I would have nailed it: <em>orange</em>.\n\nBut the ratio of concrete to other building materials? No idea.\n\nWhen was the building built? Sometime before 2009 when I move in. Is there an elevator? Yes. How many apartments are in your building? Not sure. I\'ve never been past the 4th floor. What\'s the point? It\'s just more identical doors.\n\nEqually interesting was the long line of heating options one could choose from. There must have been fifteen choices. Central heat was the option filled in for me. <em>Thanks</em>. Then there was the option: no heat. Ug. That would be horrible. And who builds a house without some source of heat in Bulgaria?! It gets cold here.\n\nThen there was a series of questions about the rooms in my apartment and the size of these different spaces in square meters. You\'ve got to be kidding me <em>square-meters!</em>?! I can\'t even venture a guess in square feet.\n\nThese questions were followed by another list. This time a list of home appliances. The appliances on this list ranged from tv to cable tv (I don\'t know what the difference is), personal computer to cooker, washing machine to telephone/cellphone to the internet. I think that a dishwasher was on the list but that a dryer was not. Oh and as an aside how the internet is a household appliance totally escapes me. I guess it works the same way as cable tv.\n\nThis census is concerned with <em>things</em>. Who has them, what they are made of and how big they are.  I just don\'t really understand what these things will ultimately tell us.  Without a question related to how much money one makes what\'s the point? Wont you just end up with a list of stuff that people have and the size and state of the dwelling that houses the stuff and some basic information about the person who looks over and/or owns the stuff?\n\nAnyhow, then there was the question that made me how absurd the whole thing is. It was this: are you literate? Yes or no. Why this gem was tucked away on page four so is beyond me. It seems like this maybe should have opened up the survey but that\'s just me.\n\nAfter taking the census I found myself thinking about the questions. It strikes me as a strangest combination of questions I\'ve ever had to answer.  And really, how is a reasonable person supposed to know all the answers to questions related to the building and the apartment one lives in but rents? I mean I guess that I could climb the stairs or ride the elevator to the 6th floor and look around tonight but I\'m probably not going to.\n\nSo that\'s that. The Bulgarian census is over and I am really glad that I took it in English.','I took the Bulgarian Census ','','inherit','open','open','','4364-autosave','','','2011-02-23 20:35:46','2011-02-23 18:35:46','',4364,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/23/4364-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(4371,1,'2011-02-24 19:48:04','2011-02-24 17:48:04','I\'ve been teaching this wonderful novel in 11th grade called <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Balzac-Little-Chinese-Seamstress-Novel/dp/0385722206/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1298566182&amp;sr=1-1\" target=\"_self\">Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress</a>. I love, love, love the story. It\'s perfect for teenagers exploring who they are, developing serious friendships and who are discovering the so-called great novels of Western Literature.  I\'d wholeheartedly recommend this book to almost anyone looking for a charming well written book.\n\nThis said there\'s a really intense scene at the end of the book that involves a bad tooth. The man with the bad tooth goes to the city from the mountains to have his tooth worked on. It ends up being extracted only apparently the dentist took the wrong tooth. (Ug.) This man then convinces two main characters who happen to be teenagers to fix his bad tooth. He seems to think that the boys can help him because one of them has a father who is a dentist. (Yes, this is strange.)\n\nAnyhow against all odds, the boys work on the tooth with a sewing machine they\'ve rigged up as a drill. They manage to drill out the decay and rot of the bad tooth and they fill it with a piece of melted tin.\n\nThe scene is super intense. I was reading the passage in class and one of my students actually asked me to stop reading (this has never happened to me before). The details just make the scene seem very real from the slow speed of the \"drill\" and the pain this causes to the blood the man spits out to the smell of rot coming from the man\'s mouth. I have shivers just thinking about it.\n\nNeedless to say, ever since reading this passage out loud two different times in two different classes I\'ve found myself worrying about cavities.  I\'ve been obsessing about whether one of my teeth is hot-cold sensitive. Then this morning I was sure that I was having tooth pain.\n\nThe thing is I am pretty sure that my teeth are fine. I haven\'t actually been having any pain or problems. It\'s all been psychosomatic. I just haven\'t been to see a dentist in about two years and after reading about the horrific dental scene in <em>Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress</em> my imagine is working in overdrive.\n\nIt seems pretty clear that I need to find a dentist in Sofia. I could really use a check up and a cleaning. And it would be great to rest assured that my teeth are in good shape and cavity free.\n\nI know that some of my colleagues have gone to a Bulgarian-Swedish dentistry practice in the Hotel Kempinski-Zografski which is  recommended on the US embassy website.  Before give them a call, I thought I\'d see if anyone else has a dentist that they love here in Sofia. Ideally this is a dentist they love who also speaks English. Anyone? Anyone at all?\n\nOh yeah, and for the record I\'d like to avoid the sewing machine drill if at all possible.','A Dentist? ','','inherit','open','open','','4370-revision','','','2011-02-24 19:48:04','2011-02-24 17:48:04','',4370,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/24/4370-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(4373,1,'2011-02-24 19:52:16','2011-02-24 17:52:16','I\'ve been teaching this wonderful novel in 11th grade called <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Balzac-Little-Chinese-Seamstress-Novel/dp/0385722206/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1298566182&amp;sr=1-1\" target=\"_self\">Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress</a>. I love, love, love the story. It\'s perfect for teenagers who are exploring their lives, developing serious friendships and who are discovering the so-called great novels of Western Literature.  It\'s just charming well written book.\n\nThis said there\'s a really wild scene at the end of the book that involves a bad tooth. The man with the bad tooth goes to the city from the mountains to have his tooth worked on. It ends up being extracted only apparently the dentist took the wrong tooth. (Ug.)\n\nThis man then convinces two main characters who happen to be teenagers to fix his bad tooth. He seems to think that the boys can help him because one of them has a father who is a dentist. (Yes, this is strange.)\n\nAnyhow against all odds, the boys work on the tooth with a sewing machine they\'ve rigged up as a drill. They manage to drill out the decay and rot of the bad tooth and they fill it with a piece of melted tin.\n\nThe scene is super intense. I was reading the passage in class and one of my students actually asked me to stop reading (this has never happened to me before). The details just make the scene seem very real from the slow speed of the \"drill\" and the pain this causes to the blood the man spits out to the smell of rot coming from the man\'s mouth. I have shivers just thinking about it.\n\nNeedless to say, ever since reading this passage out loud two different times in two different classes I\'ve found myself worrying about cavities.  <!--more-->I\'ve been obsessing about whether one of my teeth is hot-cold sensitive. Then this morning I was sure that I was having tooth pain.\n\nThe thing is I am pretty sure that my teeth are fine. I haven\'t actually been having any pain or problems. It\'s all been psychosomatic. I just haven\'t been to see a dentist in about two years and after reading about the horrific dental scene in <em>Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress</em> my imagine is working in overdrive.\n\nIt seems pretty clear that I need to find a dentist in Sofia. I could really use a check up and a cleaning. And it would be great to rest assured that my teeth are in good shape and cavity free.\n\nI know that some of my colleagues have gone to a Bulgarian-Swedish dentistry practice in the Hotel Kempinski-Zografski which is  recommended on the US embassy website.  Before give them a call, I thought I\'d see if anyone else has a dentist that they love here in Sofia. Ideally this is a dentist they love who also speaks English. Anyone? Anyone at all?\n\nOh yeah, and for the record I\'d like to avoid the sewing machine drill if at all possible.','A Dentist? ','','inherit','open','open','','4370-revision-3','','','2011-02-24 19:52:16','2011-02-24 17:52:16','',4370,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/24/4370-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(4372,1,'2011-02-24 19:48:09','2011-02-24 17:48:09','I\'ve been teaching this wonderful novel in 11th grade called <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Balzac-Little-Chinese-Seamstress-Novel/dp/0385722206/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1298566182&amp;sr=1-1\" target=\"_self\">Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress</a>. I love, love, love the story. It\'s perfect for teenagers exploring who they are, developing serious friendships and who are discovering the so-called great novels of Western Literature.  I\'d wholeheartedly recommend this book to almost anyone looking for a charming well written book.\r\n\r\nThis said there\'s a really intense scene at the end of the book that involves a bad tooth. The man with the bad tooth goes to the city from the mountains to have his tooth worked on. It ends up being extracted only apparently the dentist took the wrong tooth. (Ug.) This man then convinces two main characters who happen to be teenagers to fix his bad tooth. He seems to think that the boys can help him because one of them has a father who is a dentist. (Yes, this is strange.)\r\n\r\nAnyhow against all odds, the boys work on the tooth with a sewing machine they\'ve rigged up as a drill. They manage to drill out the decay and rot of the bad tooth and they fill it with a piece of melted tin.\r\n\r\nThe scene is super intense. I was reading the passage in class and one of my students actually asked me to stop reading (this has never happened to me before). The details just make the scene seem very real from the slow speed of the \"drill\" and the pain this causes to the blood the man spits out to the smell of rot coming from the man\'s mouth. I have shivers just thinking about it.\r\n\r\nNeedless to say, ever since reading this passage out loud two different times in two different classes I\'ve found myself worrying about cavities.  <!--more-->I\'ve been obsessing about whether one of my teeth is hot-cold sensitive. Then this morning I was sure that I was having tooth pain.\r\n\r\nThe thing is I am pretty sure that my teeth are fine. I haven\'t actually been having any pain or problems. It\'s all been psychosomatic. I just haven\'t been to see a dentist in about two years and after reading about the horrific dental scene in <em>Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress</em> my imagine is working in overdrive.\r\n\r\nIt seems pretty clear that I need to find a dentist in Sofia. I could really use a check up and a cleaning. And it would be great to rest assured that my teeth are in good shape and cavity free.\r\n\r\nI know that some of my colleagues have gone to a Bulgarian-Swedish dentistry practice in the Hotel Kempinski-Zografski which is  recommended on the US embassy website.  Before give them a call, I thought I\'d see if anyone else has a dentist that they love here in Sofia. Ideally this is a dentist they love who also speaks English. Anyone? Anyone at all?\r\n\r\nOh yeah, and for the record I\'d like to avoid the sewing machine drill if at all possible.','A Dentist? ','','inherit','open','open','','4370-revision-2','','','2011-02-24 19:48:09','2011-02-24 17:48:09','',4370,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/24/4370-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(4374,1,'2011-02-24 19:54:26','2011-02-24 17:54:26','I\'ve been teaching this wonderful novel in 11th grade called <a href=\"http://www.amazon.com/Balzac-Little-Chinese-Seamstress-Novel/dp/0385722206/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1298566182&amp;sr=1-1\" target=\"_self\">Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress</a>. I love, love, love the story. It\'s perfect for teenagers who are exploring their lives, developing serious friendships and who are discovering the so-called great novels of Western Literature.  It\'s just charming well written book.\n\nThis said there\'s a really wild scene at the end of the book that involves a bad tooth. The man with the bad tooth goes to the city from the mountains to have his tooth worked on. It ends up being extracted only apparently the dentist took the wrong tooth. (Ug.)\n\nThis man then convinces two main characters who happen to be teenagers to fix his bad tooth. He seems to think that the boys can help him because one of them has a father who is a dentist. (Yes, this is strange.)\n\nAnyhow against all odds, the boys work on the tooth with a sewing machine they\'ve rigged up as a drill. They manage to drill out the decay and rot of the bad tooth and they fill it with a piece of melted tin.\n\nThe scene is super intense. I was reading the passage in class and one of my students actually asked me to stop reading (this has never happened to me before). The details just make the scene seem very real from the slow speed of the \"drill\" and the pain this causes to the blood the man spits out to the smell of rot coming from the man\'s mouth. I have shivers just thinking about it.\n\nNeedless to say, ever since reading this passage out loud two different times in two different classes I\'ve found myself worrying about cavities.  <!--more-->I\'ve been obsessing about whether one of my teeth is hot-cold sensitive. Then this morning I was sure that I was having tooth pain.\n\nThe thing is I am pretty sure that my teeth are fine. I haven\'t actually been having any pain or problems. It\'s all been psychosomatic. I just haven\'t been to see a dentist in about two years and after reading about the horrific dental scene in <em>Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress</em> my imagine is working in overdrive.\n\nIt seems pretty clear that I need to find a dentist in Sofia. I could really use a check up and a cleaning. And it would be great to rest assured that my teeth are in good shape and cavity free.\n\nI know that some of my colleagues have gone to a Bulgarian-Swedish dentistry practice in the Hotel Kempinski-Zografski which is  recommended on the US embassy website.  Before give them a call, I thought I\'d see if anyone else has a dentist that they love here in Sofia. Ideally this is a dentist they love who also speaks English. Anyone? Anyone at all?\n\nOh yeah, and for the record I\'d like to avoid the sewing machine drill if at all possible.','A Dentist? ','','inherit','open','open','','4370-autosave','','','2011-02-24 19:54:26','2011-02-24 17:54:26','',4370,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/24/4370-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(4376,1,'2011-02-27 08:42:50','2011-02-27 06:42:50','Magazines are my guilty pleasure. I love to flip through a magazine. I like to read the articles, to judge the celebrities, to check out fashion, to find new recipes.  I like magazines. A lot.\n\nSo when I moved to Bulgaria three years ago, I knew that my access to magazines in English would change dramatically. I wouldn\'t be pursuing them at the gym, the salon, friends houses or the doctor\'s office. A piece of me thought I\'d miss magazines.\n\nBut I don\'t.\n\nThen this last weekend for the first time in three years I thought to myself: I\'d like to sit around on this spa weekend and read a trashy gossip magazine. I\'d like to look at pictures of celebrities in the \"they\'re just like us\" column. I wouldn\'t mind reading ridiculous thing semi-famous stars are up to or what trouble they\'ve gotten themselves into now.  <em>Totally weird right?</em>\n\nI curled up with my kindle instead.\n\nI still can\'t help but wonder why last weekend was the moment I thought: I really want to read a low brow American magazine. Probably it\'s connected in my mind with relaxing. It was just such a funny connection to make and it\'s not very often, I find myself wanting something I really can\'t have or get.\n\nSure I could easily get my hands on a wide range of Bulgarian magazines but these require a lot more from me than just leafing through the pages and skimming the stories. And frankly I am totally unfamiliar with 99% of Bulgarian stars which makes even the pictures kind of boring.\n\nI think the other reason, I haven\'t spent much time lamenting the loss of magazines from my life is that there are plenty of blogs to fill this void in my life. The blogs I\'ve found most interesting these days are fashion blogs of every-day girls who post about what they wear each day. I\'m especially interested in girls who are working with a limited budget and favor creativity over high fashion(<a href=\"http://whatwouldanerdwear.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">What would a Nerd Wear?</a>, <a href=\"http://www.bluecollarcatwalk.com/2011/02/2030-slim-picking.html\" target=\"_blank\">Blue Collar Catwalk</a> and <a href=\"http://kendieveryday.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Kendi Everyday</a>) . These girls inspire me with their eye for color and shape and have made me rethink the clothes I have in my closet in Bulgaria.\n\nEspecially on the days I stand in my room trying to get dressed and I think I have nothing to wear. There\'s nothing hiding in my closet as I think about my three pairs of jeans, a slew of work clothes including slacks, dresses and two blazers, my dozen tops and dozen tank tops, half dozen sweaters and cardigans, 5 or 6 skirts and about as many scarves and pairs of shoes. I\'ve worn, re-worn and re-mixed these things endlessly over the last three years.\n\nNothing surprises me. I know it all.\n\nSome times I get frustrated when I am looking for something and I can\'t find it. Like when I folded one of my favorite tee-shirts up in a sweater recently.  It wasn\'t in the washing machine (or dryer). It wasn\'t in my dirty clothes pile or draped over the back of my chair in pile the pile of clothes I am too lazy to hang up after trying it on and deciding not to wear it.\n\nI thought I was going to go crazy looking for that tee-shirt. I even convinced myself that I\'d lost it. Turns out I folded it up in a sweater and put my sweater away. Mystery solved.','Magazines Abroad ','','inherit','open','open','','4362-revision-2','','','2011-02-27 08:42:50','2011-02-27 06:42:50','',4362,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/27/4362-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(4377,1,'2011-02-27 08:44:53','2011-02-27 06:44:53','Magazines are my guilty pleasure. I love to flip through a magazine. I like to read the articles, to judge the celebrities, to check out fashion, to find new recipes.  I like magazines. A lot.\n\nSo when I moved to Bulgaria three years ago, I knew that my access to magazines in English would change dramatically. I wouldn\'t be pursuing them at the gym, the salon, friends houses or the doctor\'s office. A piece of me thought I\'d miss magazines.\n\nBut I don\'t.\n\nThen this last weekend for the first time in three years I thought to myself: I\'d like to sit around on this spa weekend and read a trashy gossip magazine. I\'d like to look at pictures of celebrities in the \"they\'re just like us\" column. I wouldn\'t mind reading ridiculous thing semi-famous stars are up to or what trouble they\'ve gotten themselves into now.  <em>Totally weird right?<!--more--></em>\n\nI curled up with my kindle instead.\n\nI still can\'t help but wonder why last weekend was the moment I thought: I really want to read a low brow American magazine. Probably it\'s connected in my mind with relaxing. It was just such a funny connection to make and it\'s not very often, I find myself wanting something I really can\'t have or get.\n\nSure I could easily get my hands on a wide range of Bulgarian magazines but these require a lot more from me than just leafing through the pages and skimming the stories. And frankly I am totally unfamiliar with 99% of Bulgarian stars which makes even the pictures kind of boring.\n\nI think the other reason, I haven\'t spent much time lamenting the loss of magazines from my life is that there are plenty of blogs to fill this void in my life. The blogs I\'ve found most interesting these days are fashion blogs of every-day girls who post about what they wear each day. I\'m especially interested in girls who are working with a limited budget and favor creativity over high fashion (Check out these blogs if you\'re interested: <a href=\"http://whatwouldanerdwear.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">What would a Nerd Wear?</a>, <a href=\"http://www.bluecollarcatwalk.com/2011/02/2030-slim-picking.html\" target=\"_blank\">Blue Collar Catwalk</a> and <a href=\"http://kendieveryday.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Kendi Everyday</a>) . These girls inspire me with their eye for color and shape and have made me rethink the clothes I have in my closet in Bulgaria.\n\nEspecially on the days I stand in my room trying to get dressed and I think I have nothing to wear. There\'s nothing hiding in my closet as I think about my three pairs of jeans, a slew of work clothes including slacks, dresses and two blazers, my dozen tops and dozen tank tops, half dozen sweaters and cardigans, 5 or 6 skirts and about as many scarves and pairs of shoes. I\'ve worn, re-worn and re-mixed these things endlessly over the last three years.\n\nNothing surprises me. I know it all.\n\nSome times I get frustrated when I am looking for something and I can\'t find it. Like when I folded one of my favorite tee-shirts up in a sweater recently.  It wasn\'t in the washing machine (or dryer). It wasn\'t in my dirty clothes pile or draped over the back of my chair in pile the pile of clothes I am too lazy to hang up after trying it on and deciding not to wear it.\n\nI thought I was going to go crazy looking for that tee-shirt. I even convinced myself that I\'d lost it. Turns out I folded it up in a sweater and put my sweater away. Mystery solved.','Magazines Abroad ','','inherit','open','open','','4362-autosave','','','2011-02-27 08:44:53','2011-02-27 06:44:53','',4362,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/27/4362-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(4378,1,'2011-02-27 20:04:28','2011-02-27 18:04:28','And I especially heart blogs about Sofia. Go figure.\r\n\r\nMy Bulgarian is so-so. Meaning, I really heart photoblogs about Sofia.\r\n\r\nI really love to see the city through other people\'s eyes. Or cameras. Or blogs. As I guess is the case.\r\n\r\nSometimes I think: maybe I should switch to just taking photos. Then I remember that most of the week I walk the less than awe inspiring walk  from Mladost 1A to Mladost 3 (or 4) depending which Mladost you believe the American College is in--an issue that is hotly debated in many a taxi.\r\n\r\nBut then again, maybe that\'s the point. Beautiful inspiring photos from unexpected places.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Women in Winter \"]<a href=\"http://isofia.tumblr.com/\"><img title=\"Women in Winter \" src=\"http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lh60rnteK21qfhwgno1_500.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMostly though I stick to what I am already doing on this blog because I think that there are already other people doing photoblogs better than I could. This past week I\'ve been really impressed with the tumbler microblog: <a href=\"http://isofia.tumblr.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia as I see it</a>.\r\n\r\nThe photo that caught my eye was of women in winter coats crossing the street. This past week I felt exactly as cold and as unhappy as those women look.\r\n\r\nThe rest of the photos on the blog seem to offer a humorous slightly ironic but still loving glimpse at the city. I can\'t get of it it. So I added the blog to my google right away. I\'d recommend that you do the same.','I heart Sofia & Photoblogs','','publish','open','open','','i-heart-sofia-photoblogs','','','2011-02-27 09:05:20','2011-02-27 07:05:20','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4378',0,'post','',3),(4379,1,'2011-02-27 09:04:03','2011-02-27 07:04:03','And I especially heart blogs about Sofia. Go figure.\n\nMy Bulgarian is so-so. Meaning, I really heart photoblogs about Sofia.\n\nI really love to see the city through other people\'s eyes. Or cameras. Or blogs. As I guess is the case.\n\nSometimes I think: maybe I should switch to just taking photos. Then I remember that most of the week I walk the less than awe inspiring walk  from Mladost 1A to Mladost 3 (or 4) depending which Mladost you believe the American College is in--an issue that is hotly debated in many a taxi.\n\nBut then again, maybe that\'s the point. Beautiful inspiring photos from unexpected places.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Women in Winter \"]<a href=\"http://isofia.tumblr.com/\"><img title=\"Women in Winter \" src=\"http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lh60rnteK21qfhwgno1_500.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMostly though I stick to what I am already doing on this blog because I think that there are already other people doing photoblogs better than I could. This past week I\'ve been really impressed with the tumbler microblog: <a href=\"http://isofia.tumblr.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia as I see it</a>.\n\nThe photo that caught my eye was of women in winter coats crossing the street. This past week I felt exactly as cold and as unhappy as those women look.\n\nThe rest of the photos on the blog seem to offer a humorous slightly ironic but still loving glimpse at the city. I can\'t get of it it. So I added the blog to my google right away. I\'d recommend that you do the same.','I heart Sofia & Photoblogs','','inherit','open','open','','4378-revision','','','2011-02-27 09:04:03','2011-02-27 07:04:03','',4378,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/27/4378-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(4380,1,'2011-02-27 09:04:27','2011-02-27 07:04:27','And I especially heart blogs about Sofia. Go figure.\r\n\r\nMy Bulgarian is so-so. Meaning, I really heart photoblogs about Sofia.\r\n\r\nI really love to see the city through other people\'s eyes. Or cameras. Or blogs. As I guess is the case.\r\n\r\nSometimes I think: maybe I should switch to just taking photos. Then I remember that most of the week I walk the less than awe inspiring walk  from Mladost 1A to Mladost 3 (or 4) depending which Mladost you believe the American College is in--an issue that is hotly debated in many a taxi.\r\n\r\nBut then again, maybe that\'s the point. Beautiful inspiring photos from unexpected places.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Women in Winter \"]<a href=\"http://isofia.tumblr.com/\"><img title=\"Women in Winter \" src=\"http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lh60rnteK21qfhwgno1_500.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMostly though I stick to what I am already doing on this blog because I think that there are already other people doing photoblogs better than I could. This past week I\'ve been really impressed with the tumbler microblog: <a href=\"http://isofia.tumblr.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia as I see it</a>.\r\n\r\nThe photo that caught my eye was of women in winter coats crossing the street. This past week I felt exactly as cold and as unhappy as those women look.\r\n\r\nThe rest of the photos on the blog seem to offer a humorous slightly ironic but still loving glimpse at the city. I can\'t get of it it. So I added the blog to my google right away. I\'d recommend that you do the same.','I heart Sofia & Photoblogs','','inherit','open','open','','4378-revision-2','','','2011-02-27 09:04:27','2011-02-27 07:04:27','',4378,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/27/4378-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(4381,1,'2011-02-27 09:04:31','2011-02-27 07:04:31','And I especially heart blogs about Sofia. Go figure.\r\n\r\nMy Bulgarian is so-so. Meaning, I really heart photoblogs about Sofia.\r\n\r\nI really love to see the city through other people\'s eyes. Or cameras. Or blogs. As I guess is the case.\r\n\r\nSometimes I think: maybe I should switch to just taking photos. Then I remember that most of the week I walk the less than awe inspiring walk  from Mladost 1A to Mladost 3 (or 4) depending which Mladost you believe the American College is in--an issue that is hotly debated in many a taxi.\r\n\r\nBut then again, maybe that\'s the point. Beautiful inspiring photos from unexpected places.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"500\" caption=\"Women in Winter \"]<a href=\"http://isofia.tumblr.com/\"><img title=\"Women in Winter \" src=\"http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lh60rnteK21qfhwgno1_500.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMostly though I stick to what I am already doing on this blog because I think that there are already other people doing photoblogs better than I could. This past week I\'ve been really impressed with the tumbler microblog: <a href=\"http://isofia.tumblr.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia as I see it</a>.\r\n\r\nThe photo that caught my eye was of women in winter coats crossing the street. This past week I felt exactly as cold and as unhappy as those women look.\r\n\r\nThe rest of the photos on the blog seem to offer a humorous slightly ironic but still loving glimpse at the city. I can\'t get of it it. So I added the blog to my google right away. I\'d recommend that you do the same.','I heart Sofia & Photoblogs','','inherit','open','open','','4378-revision-3','','','2011-02-27 09:04:31','2011-02-27 07:04:31','',4378,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/27/4378-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(4456,1,'2011-03-07 19:24:54','2011-03-07 17:24:54','Saturday night, I ended up at a new-to-me and relatively new-to-Sofia restaurant called in English/Bulgarian Tavite/Тавите. I saw it downtown a couple of months ago and wanted to try it but it took until Saturday night for me to actually make there.\r\n\r\nI ended up there with a friend after we\'d hoped to go to a different pizza place but there were no free tables  and I suggested Tavite. Only I didn\'t know the restaurant\'s name and I couldn\'t exactly remember where it was.  I warned my friend of this but we decided to risk it anyway.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\" caption=\"Tavite (photo from Facebook)\"]<img title=\"Tavite!\" src=\"http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/167390_185027078188372_182920888398991_552252_5706999_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" />[/caption]\r\n\r\nSomehow, I found the restaurant on the first try.  It\'s like I actually know the city (or something).  And we were lucky enough to snag the last free table!!\r\n\r\nI am so glad that I went.\r\n\r\nTavite is really cute. It has a lot of personality for a Bulgarian restaurant. It\'s casual without being too fussy. <!--more-->Maybe the part that I like best is that the restaurant is decked out in shades of white making it very clean and fresh feeling.\r\n\r\nThe food is modern Bulgarian and very tasty. What do I mean by that? Well, the menu has a lot of traditional Bulgarian foods made with a twist or with extra care. For example, much of the ground meat is \"homemade\" which I assume that means that the restaurant is grinding it fresh in their kitchen. And the homemade kuopolu (кьополу) or in English the eggplant puree/aubergine puree was far from a puree as the word in English suggests.  Rather it was a hearty mix of coarsely chopped roasted eggplant, garlic and I think maybe red peppers. It was so good.\r\n\r\nThe only thing that could have used a little extra ompf was the bread. Toasted slices of what appeared to be store bought white bread wasn\'t really in keeping with the modern-homemade vibe of the rest of the kitchen. But really, even that\'s not the end of the world. It\'s just bread.\r\n\r\nThen there was the waitstaff. On a whole they were attentive and relatively helpful. The table menu is only in Bulgarian. Luckily I know enough Bulgarian that it was easy to order from this menu. Upon handing us the Bulgarian only menus one of the waitresses also brought us a to-go paper menu which is in both English and Bulgarian. The font is tiny and some of the translations are just okay (like the домашна лютеница was translated as home-made chutney) but I think for most non-Bulgarian speakers this paper to-go menu will do the trick.\r\n\r\nAs I said, our meal was great. Then we got the bill and I have to say the prices are great! Okay we got mis-charged for one dish but when we pointed it out our waiter apologized profusely in both Bulgarian and in English. It was clearly a mistake and not an attempt to take advantage of two unsuspecting foreigners/tourists.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the best part, as soon as I left the restaurant I was plotting my return. That\'s how good it is.\r\n\r\nI am bummed that that I didn\'t have my camera with me. This happens sometimes. The good news <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/pages/%D0%A2%D0%90%D0%92%D0%98%D0%A2%D0%95-TAVITE/182920888398991?v=info#!/pages/%D0%A2%D0%90%D0%92%D0%98%D0%A2%D0%95-TAVITE/182920888398991?v=wall\" target=\"_self\">Tavite has a facebook page</a>. They also deliver on orders over 13.90 leva (02/980 37 47, 0882 880 901) or you can call for reservations. This might be a good idea considering the fact that the restaurant isn\'t huge. It\'s more cozy than huge.\r\n\r\nCheck it out 58 Gladstone Street. Basically from Slaveikov Square take a left on the street right before McDonalds (I think this is Ratcho Dimtchev) walk down two blocks or so until you reach a slightly off-kilter intersection there\'s a fancy-smanshy bar at the corner. Turn left. If all goes well, you\'ll be basically standing in front of Tavite.  Ta-da!','New Sofia Restaurant: Tavite or Тавите','','publish','open','open','','new-sofia-restaurant-tavite-or-%d1%82%d0%b0%d0%b2%d0%b8%d1%82%d0%b5','','','2011-03-07 19:25:21','2011-03-07 17:25:21','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4456',0,'post','',3),(4383,1,'2011-02-28 07:39:44','2011-02-28 05:39:44','I not so secretly dig Bulgarian films--last year it was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/14/eastern-plays/\" target=\"_self\">Eastern Plays</a>, the year before that <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2008/10/20/new-bulgaria-the-world-is-big-and-salvation-lurks-around-the-corner/\" target=\"_self\">The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner</a>.\r\n\r\nThis year it seems that the films <a href=\"http://www.tilt.bg/\" target=\"_self\">Tilt</a> (which apparently has the biggest distribution of any Bulgarian film released since 1989) and <a href=\"http://www.programata.bg/?p=30&amp;c=1&amp;id=60969&amp;l=2\" target=\"_self\">Foot Prints in the Sand</a> are the big Bulgarian films. Both are currently playing in movie theaters across Sofia and on top of this there\'s the <a href=\"http://siff.bg/index.php\" target=\"_self\">Sofia International Film Festival</a> which is opening next week.\r\n\r\nThe challenge is that my Bulgarian really isn\'t good enough to see a film without subtitles so in standard movie theaters, I am out of luck. I can follow the basics but I don\'t know any slang. Heck, I don\'t even know how to swear in Bulgarian. These two things combine to make standard movie watching in Bulgarian difficult.\r\n\r\nLast year, I saw Eastern Plays with subtitles during the Sofia International Film Festival. Sure, now I know more Bulgarian than last year but I certainly don\'t know enough to really understand what\'s going on.\r\n\r\nThe year however it\'s not clear to me which films in the festival will have English subtitles. I assume that I knew this based on the festival\'s website but this year I don\'t see this information listed anywhere. Leading me to ponder: how did find this out last year?\r\n\r\nAnd then there\'s the burning question: will Tilt play with English subtitles?!','Buglarian Films and the Sofia International Film Festival ','','publish','open','open','','buglarian-films-and-the-sofia-international-film-festival','','','2011-02-27 09:42:31','2011-02-27 07:42:31','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4383',0,'post','',9),(4384,1,'2011-02-27 09:38:54','2011-02-27 07:38:54','I not so secretly dig Bulgarian films--last year it was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/14/eastern-plays/\" target=\"_self\">Eastern Plays</a>, the year before that <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2008/10/20/new-bulgaria-the-world-is-big-and-salvation-lurks-around-the-corner/\" target=\"_self\">The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner</a>.\n\nThis year it seems that the films <a href=\"http://www.tilt.bg/\" target=\"_self\">Tilt</a> (which apparently has the biggest distribution of any Bulgarian film released since 1989) and <a href=\"http://www.programata.bg/?p=30&amp;c=1&amp;id=60969&amp;l=2\" target=\"_self\">Foot Prints in the Sand</a> are the big Bulgarian films. Both are currently playing in movie theaters across Sofia and on top of this there\'s the <a href=\"http://siff.bg/index.php\" target=\"_self\">Sofia International Film Festival</a> which is opening this week.\n\nThe challenge is that my Bulgarian really isn\'t good enough to see a film without subtitles so in standard movie theaters, I am out of luck. I can follow the basics but I don\'t know any slang. Heck, I don\'t even know how to swear in Bulgarian. These two things combine to make standard movie watching in Bulgarian difficult.\n\nLast year, I saw Eastern Plays with subtitles during the Sofia International Film Festival. Sure, now I know more Bulgarian than last year but I certainly don\'t know enough to really understand what\'s going on.\n\nThe year however it\'s not clear to me which films in the festival will have English subtitles. I assume that I knew this based on the festival\'s website but this year I don\'t see this information listed anywhere. Leading me to ponder: how did find this out last year?','Sofia International Film Festival ','','inherit','open','open','','4383-revision','','','2011-02-27 09:38:54','2011-02-27 07:38:54','',4383,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/27/4383-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(4385,1,'2011-02-27 09:39:43','2011-02-27 07:39:43','I not so secretly dig Bulgarian films--last year it was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/14/eastern-plays/\" target=\"_self\">Eastern Plays</a>, the year before that <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2008/10/20/new-bulgaria-the-world-is-big-and-salvation-lurks-around-the-corner/\" target=\"_self\">The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner</a>.\r\n\r\nThis year it seems that the films <a href=\"http://www.tilt.bg/\" target=\"_self\">Tilt</a> (which apparently has the biggest distribution of any Bulgarian film released since 1989) and <a href=\"http://www.programata.bg/?p=30&amp;c=1&amp;id=60969&amp;l=2\" target=\"_self\">Foot Prints in the Sand</a> are the big Bulgarian films. Both are currently playing in movie theaters across Sofia and on top of this there\'s the <a href=\"http://siff.bg/index.php\" target=\"_self\">Sofia International Film Festival</a> which is opening this week.\r\n\r\nThe challenge is that my Bulgarian really isn\'t good enough to see a film without subtitles so in standard movie theaters, I am out of luck. I can follow the basics but I don\'t know any slang. Heck, I don\'t even know how to swear in Bulgarian. These two things combine to make standard movie watching in Bulgarian difficult.\r\n\r\nLast year, I saw Eastern Plays with subtitles during the Sofia International Film Festival. Sure, now I know more Bulgarian than last year but I certainly don\'t know enough to really understand what\'s going on.\r\n\r\nThe year however it\'s not clear to me which films in the festival will have English subtitles. I assume that I knew this based on the festival\'s website but this year I don\'t see this information listed anywhere. Leading me to ponder: how did find this out last year?\r\n\r\nAnd then there\'s the burning question: will Tilt play with English subtitles?!','Sofia International Film Festival ','','inherit','open','open','','4383-revision-2','','','2011-02-27 09:39:43','2011-02-27 07:39:43','',4383,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/27/4383-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(4386,1,'2011-02-27 09:39:45','2011-02-27 07:39:45','I not so secretly dig Bulgarian films--last year it was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/14/eastern-plays/\" target=\"_self\">Eastern Plays</a>, the year before that <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2008/10/20/new-bulgaria-the-world-is-big-and-salvation-lurks-around-the-corner/\" target=\"_self\">The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner</a>.\r\n\r\nThis year it seems that the films <a href=\"http://www.tilt.bg/\" target=\"_self\">Tilt</a> (which apparently has the biggest distribution of any Bulgarian film released since 1989) and <a href=\"http://www.programata.bg/?p=30&amp;c=1&amp;id=60969&amp;l=2\" target=\"_self\">Foot Prints in the Sand</a> are the big Bulgarian films. Both are currently playing in movie theaters across Sofia and on top of this there\'s the <a href=\"http://siff.bg/index.php\" target=\"_self\">Sofia International Film Festival</a> which is opening this week.\r\n\r\nThe challenge is that my Bulgarian really isn\'t good enough to see a film without subtitles so in standard movie theaters, I am out of luck. I can follow the basics but I don\'t know any slang. Heck, I don\'t even know how to swear in Bulgarian. These two things combine to make standard movie watching in Bulgarian difficult.\r\n\r\nLast year, I saw Eastern Plays with subtitles during the Sofia International Film Festival. Sure, now I know more Bulgarian than last year but I certainly don\'t know enough to really understand what\'s going on.\r\n\r\nThe year however it\'s not clear to me which films in the festival will have English subtitles. I assume that I knew this based on the festival\'s website but this year I don\'t see this information listed anywhere. Leading me to ponder: how did find this out last year?\r\n\r\nAnd then there\'s the burning question: will Tilt play with English subtitles?!','Sofia International Film Festival ','','inherit','open','open','','4383-revision-3','','','2011-02-27 09:39:45','2011-02-27 07:39:45','',4383,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/27/4383-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(4387,1,'2011-02-27 09:40:07','2011-02-27 07:40:07','I not so secretly dig Bulgarian films--last year it was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/14/eastern-plays/\" target=\"_self\">Eastern Plays</a>, the year before that <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2008/10/20/new-bulgaria-the-world-is-big-and-salvation-lurks-around-the-corner/\" target=\"_self\">The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner</a>.\r\n\r\nThis year it seems that the films <a href=\"http://www.tilt.bg/\" target=\"_self\">Tilt</a> (which apparently has the biggest distribution of any Bulgarian film released since 1989) and <a href=\"http://www.programata.bg/?p=30&amp;c=1&amp;id=60969&amp;l=2\" target=\"_self\">Foot Prints in the Sand</a> are the big Bulgarian films. Both are currently playing in movie theaters across Sofia and on top of this there\'s the <a href=\"http://siff.bg/index.php\" target=\"_self\">Sofia International Film Festival</a> which is opening this week.\r\n\r\nThe challenge is that my Bulgarian really isn\'t good enough to see a film without subtitles so in standard movie theaters, I am out of luck. I can follow the basics but I don\'t know any slang. Heck, I don\'t even know how to swear in Bulgarian. These two things combine to make standard movie watching in Bulgarian difficult.\r\n\r\nLast year, I saw Eastern Plays with subtitles during the Sofia International Film Festival. Sure, now I know more Bulgarian than last year but I certainly don\'t know enough to really understand what\'s going on.\r\n\r\nThe year however it\'s not clear to me which films in the festival will have English subtitles. I assume that I knew this based on the festival\'s website but this year I don\'t see this information listed anywhere. Leading me to ponder: how did find this out last year?\r\n\r\nAnd then there\'s the burning question: will Tilt play with English subtitles?!','Sofia International Film Festival ','','inherit','open','open','','4383-revision-4','','','2011-02-27 09:40:07','2011-02-27 07:40:07','',4383,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/27/4383-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(4388,1,'2011-02-27 09:40:11','2011-02-27 07:40:11','I not so secretly dig Bulgarian films--last year it was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/14/eastern-plays/\" target=\"_self\">Eastern Plays</a>, the year before that <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2008/10/20/new-bulgaria-the-world-is-big-and-salvation-lurks-around-the-corner/\" target=\"_self\">The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner</a>.\r\n\r\nThis year it seems that the films <a href=\"http://www.tilt.bg/\" target=\"_self\">Tilt</a> (which apparently has the biggest distribution of any Bulgarian film released since 1989) and <a href=\"http://www.programata.bg/?p=30&amp;c=1&amp;id=60969&amp;l=2\" target=\"_self\">Foot Prints in the Sand</a> are the big Bulgarian films. Both are currently playing in movie theaters across Sofia and on top of this there\'s the <a href=\"http://siff.bg/index.php\" target=\"_self\">Sofia International Film Festival</a> which is opening this week.\r\n\r\nThe challenge is that my Bulgarian really isn\'t good enough to see a film without subtitles so in standard movie theaters, I am out of luck. I can follow the basics but I don\'t know any slang. Heck, I don\'t even know how to swear in Bulgarian. These two things combine to make standard movie watching in Bulgarian difficult.\r\n\r\nLast year, I saw Eastern Plays with subtitles during the Sofia International Film Festival. Sure, now I know more Bulgarian than last year but I certainly don\'t know enough to really understand what\'s going on.\r\n\r\nThe year however it\'s not clear to me which films in the festival will have English subtitles. I assume that I knew this based on the festival\'s website but this year I don\'t see this information listed anywhere. Leading me to ponder: how did find this out last year?\r\n\r\nAnd then there\'s the burning question: will Tilt play with English subtitles?!','Sofia International Film Festival ','','inherit','open','open','','4383-revision-5','','','2011-02-27 09:40:11','2011-02-27 07:40:11','',4383,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/27/4383-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(4389,1,'2011-02-27 09:43:36','2011-02-27 07:43:36','I not so secretly dig Bulgarian films--last year it was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/14/eastern-plays/\" target=\"_self\">Eastern Plays</a>, the year before that <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2008/10/20/new-bulgaria-the-world-is-big-and-salvation-lurks-around-the-corner/\" target=\"_self\">The World is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner</a>.\n\nThis year it seems that the films <a href=\"http://www.tilt.bg/\" target=\"_self\">Tilt</a> (which apparently has the biggest distribution of any Bulgarian film released since 1989) and <a href=\"http://www.programata.bg/?p=30&amp;c=1&amp;id=60969&amp;l=2\" target=\"_self\">Foot Prints in the Sand</a> are the big Bulgarian films. Both are currently playing in movie theaters across Sofia and on top of this there\'s the <a href=\"http://siff.bg/index.php\" target=\"_self\">Sofia International Film Festival</a> which is opening next week.\n\nThe challenge is that my Bulgarian really isn\'t good enough to see a film without subtitles so in standard movie theaters, I am out of luck. I can follow the basics but I don\'t know any slang. Heck, I don\'t even know how to swear in Bulgarian. These two things combine to make standard movie watching in Bulgarian difficult.\n\nLast year, I saw Eastern Plays with subtitles during the Sofia International Film Festival. Sure, now I know more Bulgarian than last year but I certainly don\'t know enough to really understand what\'s going on.\n\nThe year however it\'s not clear to me which films in the festival will have English subtitles. I assume that I knew this based on the festival\'s website but this year I don\'t see this information listed anywhere. Leading me to ponder: how did find this out last year?\n\nAnd then there\'s the burning question: will Tilt play with English subtitles?!','Buglarian Films and the Sofia International Film Festival ','','inherit','open','open','','4383-autosave','','','2011-02-27 09:43:36','2011-02-27 07:43:36','',4383,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/27/4383-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(4390,1,'2011-03-01 05:52:35','2011-03-01 03:52:35','It\'s that time of year:  ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА! Happy Baba Marta.\r\n\r\nHere\'s to the 1st of March!! And spring.\r\n\r\nHere\'s to storks, to new flowers and budding trees!! Here\'s to friendship and to Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nI can\'t believe that today is March 1st. Nor can I believe that I am celebrating this holiday for a <em>third</em> time in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nYes. Three years. That\'s totally weird.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4391\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I Love Martenitsi! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4391\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/01/%d1%87%d0%b5%d1%81%d1%82%d0%b8%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%b1%d0%b0%d0%b1%d0%b0-%d0%bc%d0%b0%d1%80%d1%82%d0%b0/dsc02391/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4391 \" title=\"I Love Martenitsi! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02391-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/01/chestita-baba-marta/\" target=\"_self\">I love martenitsi</a> as last year\'s post proves (and I got lots of them as the <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/02/martenitsa-fever-pitch/\" target=\"_self\">next day\'s post</a> demonstrates).  And then there was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/02/march-1st/\" target=\"_self\">the year before that too</a>. I like everything about the holiday but it\'s the red and white boy and girl Piju and Panda that really make my heart pitter-patter.\r\n\r\nSurprisingly, this year the holiday snuck up on me. I guess this happens. I mean out of the last three weekends I spent two of them traveling and one of them working.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4397\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"461\" caption=\"Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4397\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/01/%d1%87%d0%b5%d1%81%d1%82%d0%b8%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%b1%d0%b0%d0%b1%d0%b0-%d0%bc%d0%b0%d1%80%d1%82%d0%b0/dsc02378-2/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4397 \" title=\"Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC023781-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo I grabbed a few martenitsi on Sunday afternoon on my way to lunch with my old landlord and his family. Thank-god there are old people selling martenitsi at all of the major bus stops in Sofia. Only after I bought them did I notice that they didn\'t come with safety pins.\r\n\r\nI mean, really?! Who sells martenitsi without a little safety pin? How am I supposed to wear it? or pin it to a friend? That\'s when I realized: <a href=\"http://sofiaecho.com/2011/02/28/1051265_bulgarias-martenitsa-season-2011-baba-marta-meets-hannah-montana\" target=\"_self\">made in China</a>. (Actually I don\'t know that. I just suspect the Chinese are to blame for the lack of safety pins. Or at least that\'s what the Sofia Echo tells me.)\r\n\r\nThen yesterday after school, I was shamed into buying some more martenitsi. By the single thought: what if I don\'t have enough martenitsi to give my friends. So at 7pm I stood in the cold picking out martenitsi by the light from street lamps.\r\n\r\nThree years in, I have a single rule of thumb when buying martenitsi: buy from babas. Basically everyone has the same martenitsi fro sale at about the same price. So I buy from the little old ladies selling martenitsi. I do this for two reasons: I feel bad for them that they are out in the cold selling martenitsi and I think they are so much cuter than men of any age chain-smoking and selling martenitsi.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the great thing about teaching: lots of students = lots of martenitsi. Today, I will teach all day--two classes of 18 students and one class of 15. That\'s something like 53 martenitsi and doesn\'t even include colleagues. This math makes it pretty clear that I didn\'t buy enough martenitsi this year. Or I am going to be cutting things really, really close.\r\n\r\nI saw some great martenitsi this year but I am still keeping my eye out for one: the Justin Bieber martenitsa.  Yep. That\'s a martenitsi I\'d pay good money for.\r\n\r\nDon\'t worry, even without the Justin Bieber martenitsa I spent more than 20 leva on martenitsi. Sure I got home with a fairly questionable one--a plastic bird with feathers. It was a lot prettier in the yellow light of the bus stop. Good thing it was only one leva (see photo above top right). However, that questionable purchase was offset by the purchase of an extra large pair of girl and boy martenitsi dressed in \"traditional\" Bulgarian costumes.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, all of this said, I wish I knew what martenitsa etiquette was. Like do I give a martenitsa to everyone I know? What if someone gives me one and I wasn\'t planning on giving them one? Can I re-gift a martenitsa?','ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА!!','','publish','open','open','','%d1%87%d0%b5%d1%81%d1%82%d0%b8%d1%82%d0%b0-%d0%b1%d0%b0%d0%b1%d0%b0-%d0%bc%d0%b0%d1%80%d1%82%d0%b0','','','2011-02-28 21:57:35','2011-02-28 19:57:35','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4390',0,'post','',11),(4391,1,'2011-02-28 21:42:41','2011-02-28 19:42:41','','I Love Martenitsi! ','I Love Martenitsi! ','inherit','open','open','','dsc02391','','','2011-02-28 21:42:41','2011-02-28 19:42:41','',4390,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02391.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4392,1,'2011-02-28 21:38:00','2011-02-28 19:38:00','It\'s that time of year:  ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА! Happy Baba Marta. Here\'s to the 1st of March!! And spring.\n\nI can\'t believe that today is March 1st. Nor can I believe that I am celebrating this holiday for a <em>third</em> time in Bulgaria.\n\nYes. Three years. That\'s totally weird.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/01/chestita-baba-marta/\" target=\"_self\">I love martenitsi</a> as last year\'s post proves (and I got lots of them as the <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/02/martenitsa-fever-pitch/\" target=\"_self\">next day\'s post</a> demonstrates).  And then there was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/02/march-1st/\" target=\"_self\">the year before that too</a>. I like everything about the holiday but it\'s the red and white boy and girl Piju and Panda that really make my heart pitter-patter.\n\nSurprisingly, this year the holiday snuck up on me. I guess this happens. I mean out of the last three weekends I spent two of them traveling and one of them working.\n\nSo I grabbed a few martenitsi on Sunday afternoon on my way to lunch with my old landlord and his family. Thank-god there are old people selling martenitsi at all of the major bus stops in Sofia. Only after I bought them did I notice that they didn\'t come with safety pins.\n\nI mean, really?! Who sells martenitsi without a little safety pin? How am I supposed to wear it? or pin it to a friend? That\'s when I realized: <a href=\"http://sofiaecho.com/2011/02/28/1051265_bulgarias-martenitsa-season-2011-baba-marta-meets-hannah-montana\" target=\"_self\">made in China</a>. (Actually I don\'t know that. I just suspect the Chinese are to blame for the lack of safety pins. Or at least that\'s what the Sofia Echo tells me.)\n\nThen yesterday after school, I was shamed into buying some more martenitsi. By the single thought: what if I don\'t have enough martenitsi to give my friends. So at 7pm I stood in the cold picking out martenitsi by the light from street lamps.\n\nThree years in, I have a single rule of thumb when buying martenitsi: buy from babas. Basically everyone has the same martenitsi fro sale at about the same price. So I buy from the little old ladies selling martenitsi. I do this for two reasons: I feel bad for them that they are out in the cold selling martenitsi and I think they are so much cuter than men of any age chain-smoking and selling martenitsi.\n\nHere\'s the great thing about teaching: lots of students = lots of martenitsi. Today, I will teach all day--two classes of 18 students and one class of 15. That\'s something like 53 martenitsi and doesn\'t even include colleagues. This math makes it pretty clear that I didn\'t buy enough martenitsi this year. Or I am going to be cutting things really, really close.\n\nI saw some great martenitsi this year but I am still keeping my eye out for one: the Justin Bieber martenitsa.  Yep. That\'s a martenitsi I\'d pay good money for.\n\nDon\'t worry, even without the Justin Bieber martenitsa I spent more than 20 leva on martenitsi. Sure I got home with a fairly questionable one--a plastic bird with feathers. It was a lot prettier in the yellow light of the bus stop. Good thing it was only one leva. However, that questionable purchase was offset by the purchase of an extra large pair of girl and boy martenitsi dressed in \"tradition\" Buglarian costumes.\n\nAnyhow, all of this said, I wish I knew what martenitsa etiquette was. Like do I give a martenitsa to everyone I know? What if someone gives me one and I wasn\'t planning on giving them one? Can I re-gift a martenitsa?','ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА','','inherit','open','open','','4390-revision','','','2011-02-28 21:38:00','2011-02-28 19:38:00','',4390,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/28/4390-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(4393,1,'2011-02-28 21:44:13','2011-02-28 19:44:13','It\'s that time of year:  ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА! Happy Baba Marta. Here\'s to the 1st of March!! And spring.\r\n\r\nI can\'t believe that today is March 1st. Nor can I believe that I am celebrating this holiday for a <em>third</em> time in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nYes. Three years. That\'s totally weird.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4391\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I Love Martenitsi! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4391\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4391\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4391 \" title=\"I Love Martenitsi! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02391-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/01/chestita-baba-marta/\" target=\"_self\">I love martenitsi</a> as last year\'s post proves (and I got lots of them as the <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/02/martenitsa-fever-pitch/\" target=\"_self\">next day\'s post</a> demonstrates).  And then there was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/02/march-1st/\" target=\"_self\">the year before that too</a>. I like everything about the holiday but it\'s the red and white boy and girl Piju and Panda that really make my heart pitter-patter.\r\n\r\nSurprisingly, this year the holiday snuck up on me. I guess this happens. I mean out of the last three weekends I spent two of them traveling and one of them working.\r\n\r\nSo I grabbed a few martenitsi on Sunday afternoon on my way to lunch with my old landlord and his family. Thank-god there are old people selling martenitsi at all of the major bus stops in Sofia. Only after I bought them did I notice that they didn\'t come with safety pins.\r\n\r\nI mean, really?! Who sells martenitsi without a little safety pin? How am I supposed to wear it? or pin it to a friend? That\'s when I realized: <a href=\"http://sofiaecho.com/2011/02/28/1051265_bulgarias-martenitsa-season-2011-baba-marta-meets-hannah-montana\" target=\"_self\">made in China</a>. (Actually I don\'t know that. I just suspect the Chinese are to blame for the lack of safety pins. Or at least that\'s what the Sofia Echo tells me.)\r\n\r\nThen yesterday after school, I was shamed into buying some more martenitsi. By the single thought: what if I don\'t have enough martenitsi to give my friends. So at 7pm I stood in the cold picking out martenitsi by the light from street lamps.\r\n\r\nThree years in, I have a single rule of thumb when buying martenitsi: buy from babas. Basically everyone has the same martenitsi fro sale at about the same price. So I buy from the little old ladies selling martenitsi. I do this for two reasons: I feel bad for them that they are out in the cold selling martenitsi and I think they are so much cuter than men of any age chain-smoking and selling martenitsi.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the great thing about teaching: lots of students = lots of martenitsi. Today, I will teach all day--two classes of 18 students and one class of 15. That\'s something like 53 martenitsi and doesn\'t even include colleagues. This math makes it pretty clear that I didn\'t buy enough martenitsi this year. Or I am going to be cutting things really, really close.\r\n\r\nI saw some great martenitsi this year but I am still keeping my eye out for one: the Justin Bieber martenitsa.  Yep. That\'s a martenitsi I\'d pay good money for.\r\n\r\nDon\'t worry, even without the Justin Bieber martenitsa I spent more than 20 leva on martenitsi. Sure I got home with a fairly questionable one--a plastic bird with feathers. It was a lot prettier in the yellow light of the bus stop. Good thing it was only one leva. However, that questionable purchase was offset by the purchase of an extra large pair of girl and boy martenitsi dressed in \"tradition\" Buglarian costumes.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, all of this said, I wish I knew what martenitsa etiquette was. Like do I give a martenitsa to everyone I know? What if someone gives me one and I wasn\'t planning on giving them one? Can I re-gift a martenitsa?','ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА','','inherit','open','open','','4390-revision-2','','','2011-02-28 21:44:13','2011-02-28 19:44:13','',4390,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/28/4390-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(4394,1,'2011-02-28 21:44:13','2011-02-28 19:44:13','It\'s that time of year:  ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА! Happy Baba Marta. Here\'s to the 1st of March!! And spring.\r\n\r\nI can\'t believe that today is March 1st. Nor can I believe that I am celebrating this holiday for a <em>third</em> time in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nYes. Three years. That\'s totally weird.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4391\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I Love Martenitsi! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4391\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4391\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4391 \" title=\"I Love Martenitsi! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02391-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/01/chestita-baba-marta/\" target=\"_self\">I love martenitsi</a> as last year\'s post proves (and I got lots of them as the <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/02/martenitsa-fever-pitch/\" target=\"_self\">next day\'s post</a> demonstrates).  And then there was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/02/march-1st/\" target=\"_self\">the year before that too</a>. I like everything about the holiday but it\'s the red and white boy and girl Piju and Panda that really make my heart pitter-patter.\r\n\r\nSurprisingly, this year the holiday snuck up on me. I guess this happens. I mean out of the last three weekends I spent two of them traveling and one of them working.\r\n\r\nSo I grabbed a few martenitsi on Sunday afternoon on my way to lunch with my old landlord and his family. Thank-god there are old people selling martenitsi at all of the major bus stops in Sofia. Only after I bought them did I notice that they didn\'t come with safety pins.\r\n\r\nI mean, really?! Who sells martenitsi without a little safety pin? How am I supposed to wear it? or pin it to a friend? That\'s when I realized: <a href=\"http://sofiaecho.com/2011/02/28/1051265_bulgarias-martenitsa-season-2011-baba-marta-meets-hannah-montana\" target=\"_self\">made in China</a>. (Actually I don\'t know that. I just suspect the Chinese are to blame for the lack of safety pins. Or at least that\'s what the Sofia Echo tells me.)\r\n\r\nThen yesterday after school, I was shamed into buying some more martenitsi. By the single thought: what if I don\'t have enough martenitsi to give my friends. So at 7pm I stood in the cold picking out martenitsi by the light from street lamps.\r\n\r\nThree years in, I have a single rule of thumb when buying martenitsi: buy from babas. Basically everyone has the same martenitsi fro sale at about the same price. So I buy from the little old ladies selling martenitsi. I do this for two reasons: I feel bad for them that they are out in the cold selling martenitsi and I think they are so much cuter than men of any age chain-smoking and selling martenitsi.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the great thing about teaching: lots of students = lots of martenitsi. Today, I will teach all day--two classes of 18 students and one class of 15. That\'s something like 53 martenitsi and doesn\'t even include colleagues. This math makes it pretty clear that I didn\'t buy enough martenitsi this year. Or I am going to be cutting things really, really close.\r\n\r\nI saw some great martenitsi this year but I am still keeping my eye out for one: the Justin Bieber martenitsa.  Yep. That\'s a martenitsi I\'d pay good money for.\r\n\r\nDon\'t worry, even without the Justin Bieber martenitsa I spent more than 20 leva on martenitsi. Sure I got home with a fairly questionable one--a plastic bird with feathers. It was a lot prettier in the yellow light of the bus stop. Good thing it was only one leva. However, that questionable purchase was offset by the purchase of an extra large pair of girl and boy martenitsi dressed in \"tradition\" Buglarian costumes.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, all of this said, I wish I knew what martenitsa etiquette was. Like do I give a martenitsa to everyone I know? What if someone gives me one and I wasn\'t planning on giving them one? Can I re-gift a martenitsa?','ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА','','inherit','open','open','','4390-revision-3','','','2011-02-28 21:44:13','2011-02-28 19:44:13','',4390,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/28/4390-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(4395,1,'2011-02-28 21:44:14','2011-02-28 19:44:14','It\'s that time of year:  ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА! Happy Baba Marta. Here\'s to the 1st of March!! And spring.\r\n\r\nI can\'t believe that today is March 1st. Nor can I believe that I am celebrating this holiday for a <em>third</em> time in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nYes. Three years. That\'s totally weird.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4391\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I Love Martenitsi! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4391\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4391\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4391 \" title=\"I Love Martenitsi! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02391-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/01/chestita-baba-marta/\" target=\"_self\">I love martenitsi</a> as last year\'s post proves (and I got lots of them as the <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/02/martenitsa-fever-pitch/\" target=\"_self\">next day\'s post</a> demonstrates).  And then there was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/02/march-1st/\" target=\"_self\">the year before that too</a>. I like everything about the holiday but it\'s the red and white boy and girl Piju and Panda that really make my heart pitter-patter.\r\n\r\nSurprisingly, this year the holiday snuck up on me. I guess this happens. I mean out of the last three weekends I spent two of them traveling and one of them working.\r\n\r\nSo I grabbed a few martenitsi on Sunday afternoon on my way to lunch with my old landlord and his family. Thank-god there are old people selling martenitsi at all of the major bus stops in Sofia. Only after I bought them did I notice that they didn\'t come with safety pins.\r\n\r\nI mean, really?! Who sells martenitsi without a little safety pin? How am I supposed to wear it? or pin it to a friend? That\'s when I realized: <a href=\"http://sofiaecho.com/2011/02/28/1051265_bulgarias-martenitsa-season-2011-baba-marta-meets-hannah-montana\" target=\"_self\">made in China</a>. (Actually I don\'t know that. I just suspect the Chinese are to blame for the lack of safety pins. Or at least that\'s what the Sofia Echo tells me.)\r\n\r\nThen yesterday after school, I was shamed into buying some more martenitsi. By the single thought: what if I don\'t have enough martenitsi to give my friends. So at 7pm I stood in the cold picking out martenitsi by the light from street lamps.\r\n\r\nThree years in, I have a single rule of thumb when buying martenitsi: buy from babas. Basically everyone has the same martenitsi fro sale at about the same price. So I buy from the little old ladies selling martenitsi. I do this for two reasons: I feel bad for them that they are out in the cold selling martenitsi and I think they are so much cuter than men of any age chain-smoking and selling martenitsi.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the great thing about teaching: lots of students = lots of martenitsi. Today, I will teach all day--two classes of 18 students and one class of 15. That\'s something like 53 martenitsi and doesn\'t even include colleagues. This math makes it pretty clear that I didn\'t buy enough martenitsi this year. Or I am going to be cutting things really, really close.\r\n\r\nI saw some great martenitsi this year but I am still keeping my eye out for one: the Justin Bieber martenitsa.  Yep. That\'s a martenitsi I\'d pay good money for.\r\n\r\nDon\'t worry, even without the Justin Bieber martenitsa I spent more than 20 leva on martenitsi. Sure I got home with a fairly questionable one--a plastic bird with feathers. It was a lot prettier in the yellow light of the bus stop. Good thing it was only one leva. However, that questionable purchase was offset by the purchase of an extra large pair of girl and boy martenitsi dressed in \"tradition\" Buglarian costumes.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, all of this said, I wish I knew what martenitsa etiquette was. Like do I give a martenitsa to everyone I know? What if someone gives me one and I wasn\'t planning on giving them one? Can I re-gift a martenitsa?','ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА','','inherit','open','open','','4390-revision-4','','','2011-02-28 21:44:14','2011-02-28 19:44:14','',4390,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/28/4390-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(4396,1,'2011-02-28 21:45:32','2011-02-28 19:45:32','','DSC02378','','inherit','open','open','','dsc02378','','','2011-02-28 21:45:32','2011-02-28 19:45:32','',4390,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02378.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4397,1,'2011-02-28 21:46:46','2011-02-28 19:46:46','','Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost','Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost','inherit','open','open','','dsc02378-2','','','2011-02-28 21:46:46','2011-02-28 19:46:46','',4390,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC023781.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4398,1,'2011-02-28 21:44:14','2011-02-28 19:44:14','It\'s that time of year:  ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА! Happy Baba Marta. Here\'s to the 1st of March!! And spring.\r\n\r\nI can\'t believe that today is March 1st. Nor can I believe that I am celebrating this holiday for a <em>third</em> time in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nYes. Three years. That\'s totally weird.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4391\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I Love Martenitsi! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4391\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4391\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4391 \" title=\"I Love Martenitsi! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02391-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/01/chestita-baba-marta/\" target=\"_self\">I love martenitsi</a> as last year\'s post proves (and I got lots of them as the <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/02/martenitsa-fever-pitch/\" target=\"_self\">next day\'s post</a> demonstrates).  And then there was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/02/march-1st/\" target=\"_self\">the year before that too</a>. I like everything about the holiday but it\'s the red and white boy and girl Piju and Panda that really make my heart pitter-patter.\r\n\r\nSurprisingly, this year the holiday snuck up on me. I guess this happens. I mean out of the last three weekends I spent two of them traveling and one of them working.\r\n\r\nSo I grabbed a few martenitsi on Sunday afternoon on my way to lunch with my old landlord and his family. Thank-god there are old people selling martenitsi at all of the major bus stops in Sofia. Only after I bought them did I notice that they didn\'t come with safety pins.\r\n\r\nI mean, really?! Who sells martenitsi without a little safety pin? How am I supposed to wear it? or pin it to a friend? That\'s when I realized: <a href=\"http://sofiaecho.com/2011/02/28/1051265_bulgarias-martenitsa-season-2011-baba-marta-meets-hannah-montana\" target=\"_self\">made in China</a>. (Actually I don\'t know that. I just suspect the Chinese are to blame for the lack of safety pins. Or at least that\'s what the Sofia Echo tells me.)\r\n\r\nThen yesterday after school, I was shamed into buying some more martenitsi. By the single thought: what if I don\'t have enough martenitsi to give my friends. So at 7pm I stood in the cold picking out martenitsi by the light from street lamps.\r\n\r\nThree years in, I have a single rule of thumb when buying martenitsi: buy from babas. Basically everyone has the same martenitsi fro sale at about the same price. So I buy from the little old ladies selling martenitsi. I do this for two reasons: I feel bad for them that they are out in the cold selling martenitsi and I think they are so much cuter than men of any age chain-smoking and selling martenitsi.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the great thing about teaching: lots of students = lots of martenitsi. Today, I will teach all day--two classes of 18 students and one class of 15. That\'s something like 53 martenitsi and doesn\'t even include colleagues. This math makes it pretty clear that I didn\'t buy enough martenitsi this year. Or I am going to be cutting things really, really close.\r\n\r\nI saw some great martenitsi this year but I am still keeping my eye out for one: the Justin Bieber martenitsa.  Yep. That\'s a martenitsi I\'d pay good money for.\r\n\r\nDon\'t worry, even without the Justin Bieber martenitsa I spent more than 20 leva on martenitsi. Sure I got home with a fairly questionable one--a plastic bird with feathers. It was a lot prettier in the yellow light of the bus stop. Good thing it was only one leva. However, that questionable purchase was offset by the purchase of an extra large pair of girl and boy martenitsi dressed in \"tradition\" Buglarian costumes.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, all of this said, I wish I knew what martenitsa etiquette was. Like do I give a martenitsa to everyone I know? What if someone gives me one and I wasn\'t planning on giving them one? Can I re-gift a martenitsa?','ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА','','inherit','open','open','','4390-revision-5','','','2011-02-28 21:44:14','2011-02-28 19:44:14','',4390,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/28/4390-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(4399,1,'2011-02-28 21:47:51','2011-02-28 19:47:51','It\'s that time of year:  ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА! Happy Baba Marta. Here\'s to the 1st of March!! And spring.\r\n\r\nI can\'t believe that today is March 1st. Nor can I believe that I am celebrating this holiday for a <em>third</em> time in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nYes. Three years. That\'s totally weird.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4391\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I Love Martenitsi! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4391\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4391\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4391 \" title=\"I Love Martenitsi! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02391-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/01/chestita-baba-marta/\" target=\"_self\">I love martenitsi</a> as last year\'s post proves (and I got lots of them as the <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/02/martenitsa-fever-pitch/\" target=\"_self\">next day\'s post</a> demonstrates).  And then there was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/02/march-1st/\" target=\"_self\">the year before that too</a>. I like everything about the holiday but it\'s the red and white boy and girl Piju and Panda that really make my heart pitter-patter.\r\n\r\nSurprisingly, this year the holiday snuck up on me. I guess this happens. I mean out of the last three weekends I spent two of them traveling and one of them working.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4397\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"461\" caption=\"Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4397\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4397\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4397 \" title=\"Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC023781-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo I grabbed a few martenitsi on Sunday afternoon on my way to lunch with my old landlord and his family. Thank-god there are old people selling martenitsi at all of the major bus stops in Sofia. Only after I bought them did I notice that they didn\'t come with safety pins.\r\n\r\nI mean, really?! Who sells martenitsi without a little safety pin? How am I supposed to wear it? or pin it to a friend? That\'s when I realized: <a href=\"http://sofiaecho.com/2011/02/28/1051265_bulgarias-martenitsa-season-2011-baba-marta-meets-hannah-montana\" target=\"_self\">made in China</a>. (Actually I don\'t know that. I just suspect the Chinese are to blame for the lack of safety pins. Or at least that\'s what the Sofia Echo tells me.)\r\n\r\nThen yesterday after school, I was shamed into buying some more martenitsi. By the single thought: what if I don\'t have enough martenitsi to give my friends. So at 7pm I stood in the cold picking out martenitsi by the light from street lamps.\r\n\r\nThree years in, I have a single rule of thumb when buying martenitsi: buy from babas. Basically everyone has the same martenitsi fro sale at about the same price. So I buy from the little old ladies selling martenitsi. I do this for two reasons: I feel bad for them that they are out in the cold selling martenitsi and I think they are so much cuter than men of any age chain-smoking and selling martenitsi.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the great thing about teaching: lots of students = lots of martenitsi. Today, I will teach all day--two classes of 18 students and one class of 15. That\'s something like 53 martenitsi and doesn\'t even include colleagues. This math makes it pretty clear that I didn\'t buy enough martenitsi this year. Or I am going to be cutting things really, really close.\r\n\r\nI saw some great martenitsi this year but I am still keeping my eye out for one: the Justin Bieber martenitsa.  Yep. That\'s a martenitsi I\'d pay good money for.\r\n\r\nDon\'t worry, even without the Justin Bieber martenitsa I spent more than 20 leva on martenitsi. Sure I got home with a fairly questionable one--a plastic bird with feathers. It was a lot prettier in the yellow light of the bus stop. Good thing it was only one leva. However, that questionable purchase was offset by the purchase of an extra large pair of girl and boy martenitsi dressed in \"tradition\" Buglarian costumes.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, all of this said, I wish I knew what martenitsa etiquette was. Like do I give a martenitsa to everyone I know? What if someone gives me one and I wasn\'t planning on giving them one? Can I re-gift a martenitsa?','ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА','','inherit','open','open','','4390-revision-6','','','2011-02-28 21:47:51','2011-02-28 19:47:51','',4390,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/28/4390-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(4400,1,'2011-02-28 21:49:49','2011-02-28 19:49:49','','Martenitsi People','Martenitsi People','inherit','open','open','','dsc02388','','','2011-02-28 21:49:49','2011-02-28 19:49:49','',4390,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02388.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4401,1,'2011-02-28 21:51:41','2011-02-28 19:51:41','','The not so cute bird ','The not so cute bird ','inherit','open','open','','dsc02389','','','2011-02-28 21:51:41','2011-02-28 19:51:41','',4390,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02389.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4402,1,'2011-02-28 21:48:18','2011-02-28 19:48:18','It\'s that time of year:  ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА! Happy Baba Marta. Here\'s to the 1st of March!! And spring.\n\nI can\'t believe that today is March 1st. Nor can I believe that I am celebrating this holiday for a <em>third</em> time in Bulgaria.\n\nYes. Three years. That\'s totally weird.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4391\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I Love Martenitsi! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4391\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4391\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4391 \" title=\"I Love Martenitsi! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02391-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/01/chestita-baba-marta/\" target=\"_self\">I love martenitsi</a> as last year\'s post proves (and I got lots of them as the <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/02/martenitsa-fever-pitch/\" target=\"_self\">next day\'s post</a> demonstrates).  And then there was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/02/march-1st/\" target=\"_self\">the year before that too</a>. I like everything about the holiday but it\'s the red and white boy and girl Piju and Panda that really make my heart pitter-patter.\n\nSurprisingly, this year the holiday snuck up on me. I guess this happens. I mean out of the last three weekends I spent two of them traveling and one of them working.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4397\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"461\" caption=\"Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4397\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4397\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4397 \" title=\"Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC023781-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSo I grabbed a few martenitsi on Sunday afternoon on my way to lunch with my old landlord and his family. Thank-god there are old people selling martenitsi at all of the major bus stops in Sofia. Only after I bought them did I notice that they didn\'t come with safety pins.\n\nI mean, really?! Who sells martenitsi without a little safety pin? How am I supposed to wear it? or pin it to a friend? That\'s when I realized: <a href=\"http://sofiaecho.com/2011/02/28/1051265_bulgarias-martenitsa-season-2011-baba-marta-meets-hannah-montana\" target=\"_self\">made in China</a>. (Actually I don\'t know that. I just suspect the Chinese are to blame for the lack of safety pins. Or at least that\'s what the Sofia Echo tells me.)\n\nThen yesterday after school, I was shamed into buying some more martenitsi. By the single thought: what if I don\'t have enough martenitsi to give my friends. So at 7pm I stood in the cold picking out martenitsi by the light from street lamps.\n\nThree years in, I have a single rule of thumb when buying martenitsi: buy from babas. Basically everyone has the same martenitsi fro sale at about the same price. So I buy from the little old ladies selling martenitsi. I do this for two reasons: I feel bad for them that they are out in the cold selling martenitsi and I think they are so much cuter than men of any age chain-smoking and selling martenitsi.\n\nHere\'s the great thing about teaching: lots of students = lots of martenitsi. Today, I will teach all day--two classes of 18 students and one class of 15. That\'s something like 53 martenitsi and doesn\'t even include colleagues. This math makes it pretty clear that I didn\'t buy enough martenitsi this year. Or I am going to be cutting things really, really close.\n\nI saw some great martenitsi this year but I am still keeping my eye out for one: the Justin Bieber martenitsa.  Yep. That\'s a martenitsi I\'d pay good money for.\n\nDon\'t worry, even without the Justin Bieber martenitsa I spent more than 20 leva on martenitsi. Sure I got home with a fairly questionable one--a plastic bird with feathers. It was a lot prettier in the yellow light of the bus stop. Good thing it was only one leva. However, that questionable purchase was offset by the purchase of an extra large pair of girl and boy martenitsi dressed in \"tradition\" Buglarian costumes.\n\nAnyhow, all of this said, I wish I knew what martenitsa etiquette was. Like do I give a martenitsa to everyone I know? What if someone gives me one and I wasn\'t planning on giving them one? Can I re-gift a martenitsa?','ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА','','inherit','open','open','','4390-revision-7','','','2011-02-28 21:48:18','2011-02-28 19:48:18','',4390,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/28/4390-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(4406,1,'2011-02-28 21:56:39','2011-02-28 19:56:39','It\'s that time of year:  ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА! Happy Baba Marta.\n\nHere\'s to the 1st of March!! And spring.\n\nHere\'s to storks, to new flower\n\nI can\'t believe that today is March 1st. Nor can I believe that I am celebrating this holiday for a <em>third</em> time in Bulgaria.\n\nYes. Three years. That\'s totally weird.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4391\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I Love Martenitsi! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4391\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4391\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4391 \" title=\"I Love Martenitsi! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02391-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/01/chestita-baba-marta/\" target=\"_self\">I love martenitsi</a> as last year\'s post proves (and I got lots of them as the <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/02/martenitsa-fever-pitch/\" target=\"_self\">next day\'s post</a> demonstrates).  And then there was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/02/march-1st/\" target=\"_self\">the year before that too</a>. I like everything about the holiday but it\'s the red and white boy and girl Piju and Panda that really make my heart pitter-patter.\n\nSurprisingly, this year the holiday snuck up on me. I guess this happens. I mean out of the last three weekends I spent two of them traveling and one of them working.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4397\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"461\" caption=\"Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4397\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4397\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4397 \" title=\"Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC023781-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSo I grabbed a few martenitsi on Sunday afternoon on my way to lunch with my old landlord and his family. Thank-god there are old people selling martenitsi at all of the major bus stops in Sofia. Only after I bought them did I notice that they didn\'t come with safety pins.\n\nI mean, really?! Who sells martenitsi without a little safety pin? How am I supposed to wear it? or pin it to a friend? That\'s when I realized: <a href=\"http://sofiaecho.com/2011/02/28/1051265_bulgarias-martenitsa-season-2011-baba-marta-meets-hannah-montana\" target=\"_self\">made in China</a>. (Actually I don\'t know that. I just suspect the Chinese are to blame for the lack of safety pins. Or at least that\'s what the Sofia Echo tells me.)\n\nThen yesterday after school, I was shamed into buying some more martenitsi. By the single thought: what if I don\'t have enough martenitsi to give my friends. So at 7pm I stood in the cold picking out martenitsi by the light from street lamps.\n\nThree years in, I have a single rule of thumb when buying martenitsi: buy from babas. Basically everyone has the same martenitsi fro sale at about the same price. So I buy from the little old ladies selling martenitsi. I do this for two reasons: I feel bad for them that they are out in the cold selling martenitsi and I think they are so much cuter than men of any age chain-smoking and selling martenitsi.\n\nHere\'s the great thing about teaching: lots of students = lots of martenitsi. Today, I will teach all day--two classes of 18 students and one class of 15. That\'s something like 53 martenitsi and doesn\'t even include colleagues. This math makes it pretty clear that I didn\'t buy enough martenitsi this year. Or I am going to be cutting things really, really close.\n\nI saw some great martenitsi this year but I am still keeping my eye out for one: the Justin Bieber martenitsa.  Yep. That\'s a martenitsi I\'d pay good money for.\n\nDon\'t worry, even without the Justin Bieber martenitsa I spent more than 20 leva on martenitsi. Sure I got home with a fairly questionable one--a plastic bird with feathers. It was a lot prettier in the yellow light of the bus stop. Good thing it was only one leva (see photo above top right). However, that questionable purchase was offset by the purchase of an extra large pair of girl and boy martenitsi dressed in \"traditional\" Bulgarian costumes.\n\nAnyhow, all of this said, I wish I knew what martenitsa etiquette was. Like do I give a martenitsa to everyone I know? What if someone gives me one and I wasn\'t planning on giving them one? Can I re-gift a martenitsa?','ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА!!','','inherit','open','open','','4390-revision-11','','','2011-02-28 21:56:39','2011-02-28 19:56:39','',4390,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/28/4390-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(4403,1,'2011-02-28 21:52:34','2011-02-28 19:52:34','It\'s that time of year:  ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА! Happy Baba Marta. Here\'s to the 1st of March!! And spring.\r\n\r\nI can\'t believe that today is March 1st. Nor can I believe that I am celebrating this holiday for a <em>third</em> time in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nYes. Three years. That\'s totally weird.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4391\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I Love Martenitsi! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4391\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4391\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4391 \" title=\"I Love Martenitsi! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02391-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/01/chestita-baba-marta/\" target=\"_self\">I love martenitsi</a> as last year\'s post proves (and I got lots of them as the <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/02/martenitsa-fever-pitch/\" target=\"_self\">next day\'s post</a> demonstrates).  And then there was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/02/march-1st/\" target=\"_self\">the year before that too</a>. I like everything about the holiday but it\'s the red and white boy and girl Piju and Panda that really make my heart pitter-patter.\r\n\r\nSurprisingly, this year the holiday snuck up on me. I guess this happens. I mean out of the last three weekends I spent two of them traveling and one of them working.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4397\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"461\" caption=\"Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4397\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4397\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4397 \" title=\"Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC023781-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo I grabbed a few martenitsi on Sunday afternoon on my way to lunch with my old landlord and his family. Thank-god there are old people selling martenitsi at all of the major bus stops in Sofia. Only after I bought them did I notice that they didn\'t come with safety pins.\r\n\r\nI mean, really?! Who sells martenitsi without a little safety pin? How am I supposed to wear it? or pin it to a friend? That\'s when I realized: <a href=\"http://sofiaecho.com/2011/02/28/1051265_bulgarias-martenitsa-season-2011-baba-marta-meets-hannah-montana\" target=\"_self\">made in China</a>. (Actually I don\'t know that. I just suspect the Chinese are to blame for the lack of safety pins. Or at least that\'s what the Sofia Echo tells me.)\r\n\r\nThen yesterday after school, I was shamed into buying some more martenitsi. By the single thought: what if I don\'t have enough martenitsi to give my friends. So at 7pm I stood in the cold picking out martenitsi by the light from street lamps.\r\n\r\nThree years in, I have a single rule of thumb when buying martenitsi: buy from babas. Basically everyone has the same martenitsi fro sale at about the same price. So I buy from the little old ladies selling martenitsi. I do this for two reasons: I feel bad for them that they are out in the cold selling martenitsi and I think they are so much cuter than men of any age chain-smoking and selling martenitsi.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4400\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi People\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4400\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4400\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4400 \" title=\"Martenitsi People\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02388-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the great thing about teaching: lots of students = lots of martenitsi. Today, I will teach all day--two classes of 18 students and one class of 15. That\'s something like 53 martenitsi and doesn\'t even include colleagues. This math makes it pretty clear that I didn\'t buy enough martenitsi this year. Or I am going to be cutting things really, really close.\r\n\r\nI saw some great martenitsi this year but I am still keeping my eye out for one: the Justin Bieber martenitsa.  Yep. That\'s a martenitsi I\'d pay good money for.\r\n\r\nDon\'t worry, even without the Justin Bieber martenitsa I spent more than 20 leva on martenitsi. Sure I got home with a fairly questionable one--a plastic bird with feathers. It was a lot prettier in the yellow light of the bus stop. Good thing it was only one leva. However, that questionable purchase was offset by the purchase of an extra large pair of girl and boy martenitsi dressed in \"tradition\" Buglarian costumes.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4401\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The not so cute bird \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4401\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4401\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4401 \" title=\"The not so cute bird \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02389-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow, all of this said, I wish I knew what martenitsa etiquette was. Like do I give a martenitsa to everyone I know? What if someone gives me one and I wasn\'t planning on giving them one? Can I re-gift a martenitsa?','ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА','','inherit','open','open','','4390-revision-8','','','2011-02-28 21:52:34','2011-02-28 19:52:34','',4390,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/28/4390-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(4404,1,'2011-02-28 21:52:34','2011-02-28 19:52:34','It\'s that time of year:  ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА! Happy Baba Marta. Here\'s to the 1st of March!! And spring.\r\n\r\nI can\'t believe that today is March 1st. Nor can I believe that I am celebrating this holiday for a <em>third</em> time in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nYes. Three years. That\'s totally weird.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4391\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I Love Martenitsi! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4391\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4391\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4391 \" title=\"I Love Martenitsi! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02391-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/01/chestita-baba-marta/\" target=\"_self\">I love martenitsi</a> as last year\'s post proves (and I got lots of them as the <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/02/martenitsa-fever-pitch/\" target=\"_self\">next day\'s post</a> demonstrates).  And then there was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/02/march-1st/\" target=\"_self\">the year before that too</a>. I like everything about the holiday but it\'s the red and white boy and girl Piju and Panda that really make my heart pitter-patter.\r\n\r\nSurprisingly, this year the holiday snuck up on me. I guess this happens. I mean out of the last three weekends I spent two of them traveling and one of them working.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4397\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"461\" caption=\"Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4397\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4397\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4397 \" title=\"Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC023781-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo I grabbed a few martenitsi on Sunday afternoon on my way to lunch with my old landlord and his family. Thank-god there are old people selling martenitsi at all of the major bus stops in Sofia. Only after I bought them did I notice that they didn\'t come with safety pins.\r\n\r\nI mean, really?! Who sells martenitsi without a little safety pin? How am I supposed to wear it? or pin it to a friend? That\'s when I realized: <a href=\"http://sofiaecho.com/2011/02/28/1051265_bulgarias-martenitsa-season-2011-baba-marta-meets-hannah-montana\" target=\"_self\">made in China</a>. (Actually I don\'t know that. I just suspect the Chinese are to blame for the lack of safety pins. Or at least that\'s what the Sofia Echo tells me.)\r\n\r\nThen yesterday after school, I was shamed into buying some more martenitsi. By the single thought: what if I don\'t have enough martenitsi to give my friends. So at 7pm I stood in the cold picking out martenitsi by the light from street lamps.\r\n\r\nThree years in, I have a single rule of thumb when buying martenitsi: buy from babas. Basically everyone has the same martenitsi fro sale at about the same price. So I buy from the little old ladies selling martenitsi. I do this for two reasons: I feel bad for them that they are out in the cold selling martenitsi and I think they are so much cuter than men of any age chain-smoking and selling martenitsi.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4400\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi People\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4400\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4400\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4400 \" title=\"Martenitsi People\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02388-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the great thing about teaching: lots of students = lots of martenitsi. Today, I will teach all day--two classes of 18 students and one class of 15. That\'s something like 53 martenitsi and doesn\'t even include colleagues. This math makes it pretty clear that I didn\'t buy enough martenitsi this year. Or I am going to be cutting things really, really close.\r\n\r\nI saw some great martenitsi this year but I am still keeping my eye out for one: the Justin Bieber martenitsa.  Yep. That\'s a martenitsi I\'d pay good money for.\r\n\r\nDon\'t worry, even without the Justin Bieber martenitsa I spent more than 20 leva on martenitsi. Sure I got home with a fairly questionable one--a plastic bird with feathers. It was a lot prettier in the yellow light of the bus stop. Good thing it was only one leva. However, that questionable purchase was offset by the purchase of an extra large pair of girl and boy martenitsi dressed in \"tradition\" Buglarian costumes.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4401\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The not so cute bird \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4401\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4401\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4401 \" title=\"The not so cute bird \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02389-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow, all of this said, I wish I knew what martenitsa etiquette was. Like do I give a martenitsa to everyone I know? What if someone gives me one and I wasn\'t planning on giving them one? Can I re-gift a martenitsa?','ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА','','inherit','open','open','','4390-revision-9','','','2011-02-28 21:52:34','2011-02-28 19:52:34','',4390,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/28/4390-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(4405,1,'2011-02-28 21:52:35','2011-02-28 19:52:35','It\'s that time of year:  ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА! Happy Baba Marta. Here\'s to the 1st of March!! And spring.\r\n\r\nI can\'t believe that today is March 1st. Nor can I believe that I am celebrating this holiday for a <em>third</em> time in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nYes. Three years. That\'s totally weird.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4391\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I Love Martenitsi! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4391\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4391\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4391 \" title=\"I Love Martenitsi! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02391-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/01/chestita-baba-marta/\" target=\"_self\">I love martenitsi</a> as last year\'s post proves (and I got lots of them as the <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/02/martenitsa-fever-pitch/\" target=\"_self\">next day\'s post</a> demonstrates).  And then there was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/02/march-1st/\" target=\"_self\">the year before that too</a>. I like everything about the holiday but it\'s the red and white boy and girl Piju and Panda that really make my heart pitter-patter.\r\n\r\nSurprisingly, this year the holiday snuck up on me. I guess this happens. I mean out of the last three weekends I spent two of them traveling and one of them working.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4397\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"461\" caption=\"Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4397\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4397\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4397 \" title=\"Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC023781-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo I grabbed a few martenitsi on Sunday afternoon on my way to lunch with my old landlord and his family. Thank-god there are old people selling martenitsi at all of the major bus stops in Sofia. Only after I bought them did I notice that they didn\'t come with safety pins.\r\n\r\nI mean, really?! Who sells martenitsi without a little safety pin? How am I supposed to wear it? or pin it to a friend? That\'s when I realized: <a href=\"http://sofiaecho.com/2011/02/28/1051265_bulgarias-martenitsa-season-2011-baba-marta-meets-hannah-montana\" target=\"_self\">made in China</a>. (Actually I don\'t know that. I just suspect the Chinese are to blame for the lack of safety pins. Or at least that\'s what the Sofia Echo tells me.)\r\n\r\nThen yesterday after school, I was shamed into buying some more martenitsi. By the single thought: what if I don\'t have enough martenitsi to give my friends. So at 7pm I stood in the cold picking out martenitsi by the light from street lamps.\r\n\r\nThree years in, I have a single rule of thumb when buying martenitsi: buy from babas. Basically everyone has the same martenitsi fro sale at about the same price. So I buy from the little old ladies selling martenitsi. I do this for two reasons: I feel bad for them that they are out in the cold selling martenitsi and I think they are so much cuter than men of any age chain-smoking and selling martenitsi.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4400\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi People\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4400\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4400\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4400 \" title=\"Martenitsi People\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02388-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the great thing about teaching: lots of students = lots of martenitsi. Today, I will teach all day--two classes of 18 students and one class of 15. That\'s something like 53 martenitsi and doesn\'t even include colleagues. This math makes it pretty clear that I didn\'t buy enough martenitsi this year. Or I am going to be cutting things really, really close.\r\n\r\nI saw some great martenitsi this year but I am still keeping my eye out for one: the Justin Bieber martenitsa.  Yep. That\'s a martenitsi I\'d pay good money for.\r\n\r\nDon\'t worry, even without the Justin Bieber martenitsa I spent more than 20 leva on martenitsi. Sure I got home with a fairly questionable one--a plastic bird with feathers. It was a lot prettier in the yellow light of the bus stop. Good thing it was only one leva. However, that questionable purchase was offset by the purchase of an extra large pair of girl and boy martenitsi dressed in \"tradition\" Buglarian costumes.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4401\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The not so cute bird \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4401\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4401\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4401 \" title=\"The not so cute bird \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02389-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow, all of this said, I wish I knew what martenitsa etiquette was. Like do I give a martenitsa to everyone I know? What if someone gives me one and I wasn\'t planning on giving them one? Can I re-gift a martenitsa?','ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА','','inherit','open','open','','4390-revision-10','','','2011-02-28 21:52:35','2011-02-28 19:52:35','',4390,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/28/4390-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(4407,1,'2011-02-28 21:57:35','2011-02-28 19:57:35','It\'s that time of year:  ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА! Happy Baba Marta.\r\n\r\nHere\'s to the 1st of March!! And spring.\r\n\r\nHere\'s to storks, to new flowers and budding trees!! Here\'s to friendship and to Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nI can\'t believe that today is March 1st. Nor can I believe that I am celebrating this holiday for a <em>third</em> time in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nYes. Three years. That\'s totally weird.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4391\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"I Love Martenitsi! \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4391\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4391\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4391 \" title=\"I Love Martenitsi! \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC02391-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/01/chestita-baba-marta/\" target=\"_self\">I love martenitsi</a> as last year\'s post proves (and I got lots of them as the <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/03/02/martenitsa-fever-pitch/\" target=\"_self\">next day\'s post</a> demonstrates).  And then there was <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/02/march-1st/\" target=\"_self\">the year before that too</a>. I like everything about the holiday but it\'s the red and white boy and girl Piju and Panda that really make my heart pitter-patter.\r\n\r\nSurprisingly, this year the holiday snuck up on me. I guess this happens. I mean out of the last three weekends I spent two of them traveling and one of them working.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4397\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"461\" caption=\"Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4397\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4397\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4397 \" title=\"Martenitsi on the streets of Mladost\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/DSC023781-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"461\" height=\"614\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo I grabbed a few martenitsi on Sunday afternoon on my way to lunch with my old landlord and his family. Thank-god there are old people selling martenitsi at all of the major bus stops in Sofia. Only after I bought them did I notice that they didn\'t come with safety pins.\r\n\r\nI mean, really?! Who sells martenitsi without a little safety pin? How am I supposed to wear it? or pin it to a friend? That\'s when I realized: <a href=\"http://sofiaecho.com/2011/02/28/1051265_bulgarias-martenitsa-season-2011-baba-marta-meets-hannah-montana\" target=\"_self\">made in China</a>. (Actually I don\'t know that. I just suspect the Chinese are to blame for the lack of safety pins. Or at least that\'s what the Sofia Echo tells me.)\r\n\r\nThen yesterday after school, I was shamed into buying some more martenitsi. By the single thought: what if I don\'t have enough martenitsi to give my friends. So at 7pm I stood in the cold picking out martenitsi by the light from street lamps.\r\n\r\nThree years in, I have a single rule of thumb when buying martenitsi: buy from babas. Basically everyone has the same martenitsi fro sale at about the same price. So I buy from the little old ladies selling martenitsi. I do this for two reasons: I feel bad for them that they are out in the cold selling martenitsi and I think they are so much cuter than men of any age chain-smoking and selling martenitsi.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the great thing about teaching: lots of students = lots of martenitsi. Today, I will teach all day--two classes of 18 students and one class of 15. That\'s something like 53 martenitsi and doesn\'t even include colleagues. This math makes it pretty clear that I didn\'t buy enough martenitsi this year. Or I am going to be cutting things really, really close.\r\n\r\nI saw some great martenitsi this year but I am still keeping my eye out for one: the Justin Bieber martenitsa.  Yep. That\'s a martenitsi I\'d pay good money for.\r\n\r\nDon\'t worry, even without the Justin Bieber martenitsa I spent more than 20 leva on martenitsi. Sure I got home with a fairly questionable one--a plastic bird with feathers. It was a lot prettier in the yellow light of the bus stop. Good thing it was only one leva (see photo above top right). However, that questionable purchase was offset by the purchase of an extra large pair of girl and boy martenitsi dressed in \"traditional\" Bulgarian costumes.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, all of this said, I wish I knew what martenitsa etiquette was. Like do I give a martenitsa to everyone I know? What if someone gives me one and I wasn\'t planning on giving them one? Can I re-gift a martenitsa?','ЧЕСТИТА БАБА МАРТА!!','','inherit','open','open','','4390-revision-12','','','2011-02-28 21:57:35','2011-02-28 19:57:35','',4390,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/02/28/4390-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(4408,1,'2011-03-02 08:59:04','2011-03-02 06:59:04','In case you missed it, yesterday was the First of March. On this day Bulgarians exchange martenitsi and greet each other with the saying Chestita Baba Marta. Or Happy Grandmother March.\r\n\r\nAnd I want to wish you Chestita the-day-after Baba Marta!!\r\n\r\nAnyhow, here\'s a quick review of yesterday.\r\n\r\nMy students were again wonderfully funny when it comes to celebrating this Bulgarian holiday. They stream into the classroom with plastic bags of martenitsi or they extract martenitsi one at a time from their backpacks. Even the students who come off in class as a little too-cool for school are wearing and exchanging the red and white martenitsi.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4409\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4409\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/the-aftermath-march-2/dsc02395/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4409 \" title=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02395-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOn a whole, students feel the need not only to give their American teachers martenitsi but also to explain the tradition. The only problem is that for many of the younger students don\'t know all of vocabulary that need to explain the holiday and the tradition of the martenitsa.  Of course, they don\'t realize this until the are into the middle of story and can\'t come up with the word stork or an equally little used word in their vocabulary.\r\n\r\nIt\'s a wonderful thing to watch their minds working so hard to come up with another suitable word. Luckily after year two here in Bulgaria, I can help them fill in the story and the background without a round of charades or a string of questions!!\r\n\r\nNow there are two major kinds of martenitsi--the kind that you tie around your wrist and the kind that you pin to your shirt. It seems like most students give friends martenitsi that you tie around the wrist while they give teachers the larger and often more elaborate martenitsi which you pin to your shirt.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4410\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4410\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/the-aftermath-march-2/dsc02398/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4410 \" title=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02398-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow given the pictures of my wrist after a day of exchanging martenitsi at school this is clearly not a rule but I did receive more martenitsi than I could comfortably wear. Also many, many martenitsi came without safety pins this year (which I think is kind of annoying).\r\n\r\nThe thing about martenitsi is that they aren\'t really something that you can put on yourself. It\'s basically impossible to knot one to your wrist yourself.  So if you\'re a teacher like me, the result is that for half of the day you have students clamoring to pin things to you or tie red and white lengths of string around your wrist.\r\n\r\nIt\'s an interesting experience. First students are in your personal space much, much more than they normally are. And second, they take their job of pinning on a martenitsa or knotting around your wrist seriously. So you get open safety pins coming at you and martenitsi tied just a little to tightly to your wrist.\r\n\r\nOh and as they are struggling to tie a martenitsa around your wrist or pin it to you many students also feel obligated to tell you that you are to make a wish right before it\'s a attached to you as this is the luckiest moment of the process. I wasted a lot of wishes yesterday right at this moment as I thought: please don\'t stab me with that pin or ah, I hope that you don\'t tie that on to tightly. But I did get a few good wishes in for the speedy arrival of spring and good health.\r\n\r\nThis said, it\'s a wonderful holiday and there\'s something really wonderful about coming home at the end of the day with an arm full of martenitsi.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I\'ve downsized the number of martenitsi I\'ll wear around this month. There\'s one really cute red and white heart on my coat. There\'s a martenitsi on my purse and I\'ve got about four on my wrist. I mean, it\'s hard to do the dishes with too many more on than this.\r\n\r\nSo to each of you, I hope that you had a wonderful First of March and that spring finds you quickly!!','The Aftermath: March 2 ','','publish','open','open','','the-aftermath-march-2','','','2011-03-02 08:59:04','2011-03-02 06:59:04','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4408',0,'post','',3),(4409,1,'2011-03-02 06:58:38','2011-03-02 04:58:38','','Many Martenitsi!!!','Many Martenitsi!!!','inherit','open','open','','dsc02395','','','2011-03-02 06:58:38','2011-03-02 04:58:38','',4408,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02395.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4410,1,'2011-03-02 07:03:43','2011-03-02 05:03:43','','Martenitsi come in every shape and size','Martenitsi come in every shape and size','inherit','open','open','','dsc02398','','','2011-03-02 07:03:43','2011-03-02 05:03:43','',4408,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02398.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4411,1,'2011-03-02 07:05:40','2011-03-02 05:05:40','Chestita the day after Baba Marta!!\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4409\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4409\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4409\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4409 \" title=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02395-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMy students were again wonderfully funny when it comes to celebrating this Bulgarian holiday. Many of the students give friends martenitsi that you tie around the wrist while they give teachers larger martenitsi which you pin to your shirt. This said, I still ended up with an arm full of martenitsi. Even the students who come off in class as a little too-cool for school get in to this holiday.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4410\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4410\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4410\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4410 \" title=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02398-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAnyhow, I\'ve down sized the number of martenitsi I\'ll wear around this month. There\'s one really cute red and white heart on my coat. There\'s a martenitsi on my coat and I\'ve got about four on my wrist.\n\nIt\'s hard to do the dishes with too many more on than this.','The Aftermath: March 2 ','','inherit','open','open','','4408-revision','','','2011-03-02 07:05:40','2011-03-02 05:05:40','',4408,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/4408-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(4412,1,'2011-03-02 07:09:53','2011-03-02 05:09:53','Chestita the day after Baba Marta!!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4409\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4409\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4409\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4409 \" title=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02395-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMy students were again wonderfully funny when it comes to celebrating this Bulgarian holiday. Many of the students give friends martenitsi that you tie around the wrist while they give teachers larger martenitsi which you pin to your shirt. This said, I still ended up with an arm full of martenitsi. Even the students who come off in class as a little too-cool for school get in to this holiday.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4410\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4410\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4410\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4410 \" title=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02398-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I\'ve down sized the number of martenitsi I\'ll wear around this month. There\'s one really cute red and white heart on my coat. There\'s a martenitsi on my coat and I\'ve got about four on my wrist.\r\n\r\nIt\'s hard to do the dishes with too many more on than this.','The Aftermath: March 2 ','','inherit','open','open','','4408-revision-2','','','2011-03-02 07:09:53','2011-03-02 05:09:53','',4408,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/4408-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(4413,1,'2011-03-02 08:08:32','2011-03-02 06:08:32','Chestita the-day-after Baba Marta!!\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4409\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4409\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4409\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4409 \" title=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02395-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMy students were again wonderfully funny when it comes to celebrating this Bulgarian holiday.  They feel the need not only to give their American teachers martenitsi but also to explain the tradition. The only problem is that for many of them they don\'t know all of vocabulary that need to explain.  Of coruse, they don\'t realize this uunti\n\nMany of the students give friends martenitsi that you tie around the wrist while they give teachers larger martenitsi which you pin to your shirt. This said, I still ended up with an arm full of martenitsi. Even the students who come off in class as a little too-cool for school get in to this holiday.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4410\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4410\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4410\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4410 \" title=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02398-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAnyhow, I\'ve down sized the number of martenitsi I\'ll wear around this month. There\'s one really cute red and white heart on my coat. There\'s a martenitsi on my coat and I\'ve got about four on my wrist.\n\nIt\'s hard to do the dishes with too many more on than this.','The Aftermath: March 2 ','','inherit','open','open','','4408-revision-3','','','2011-03-02 08:08:32','2011-03-02 06:08:32','',4408,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/4408-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(4414,1,'2011-03-02 08:09:26','2011-03-02 06:09:26','Chestita the-day-after Baba Marta!!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4409\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4409\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4409\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4409 \" title=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02395-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMy students were again wonderfully funny when it comes to celebrating this Bulgarian holiday.  They feel the need not only to give their American teachers martenitsi but also to explain the tradition. The only problem is that for many of them they don\'t know all of vocabulary that need to explain the holiday and the tradition.  Of course, they don\'t realize this until the are into the middle of story and can\'t come up with the word stork or an equally\r\n\r\nMany of the students give friends martenitsi that you tie around the wrist while they give teachers larger martenitsi which you pin to your shirt. This said, I still ended up with an arm full of martenitsi. Even the students who come off in class as a little too-cool for school get in to this holiday.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4410\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4410\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4410\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4410 \" title=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02398-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I\'ve down sized the number of martenitsi I\'ll wear around this month. There\'s one really cute red and white heart on my coat. There\'s a martenitsi on my coat and I\'ve got about four on my wrist.\r\n\r\nIt\'s hard to do the dishes with too many more on than this.','The Aftermath: March 2 ','','inherit','open','open','','4408-revision-4','','','2011-03-02 08:09:26','2011-03-02 06:09:26','',4408,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/4408-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(4415,1,'2011-03-02 08:45:33','2011-03-02 06:45:33','Chestita the-day-after Baba Marta!!\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4409\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4409\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4409\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4409 \" title=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02395-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMy students were again wonderfully funny when it comes to celebrating this Bulgarian holiday. Even the students who come off in class as a little too-cool for school get into this holiday.\n\nOn a whole, students feel the need not only to give their American teachers martenitsi but also to explain the tradition. The only problem is that for many of the younger students they don\'t know all of vocabulary that need to explain the holiday and the tradition of the martenitsa.  Of course, they don\'t realize this until the are into the middle of story and can\'t come up with the word stork or an equally little used word in their vocabulary.\n\nIt\'s a wonderful thing to watch their minds working so hard to come up with another suitable word. Luckily after year two here in Bulgaria, I can help them fill in the story and the background without a round of charades or a string of questions!!\n\nNow there are two major kinds of martenitsi--the kind that you tie around your wrist and the kind that you pin to your shirt. It seems like most students give friends martenitsi that you tie around the wrist while they give teachers the larger and often more elaborate martenitsi which you pin to your shirt.\n\nNow given the pictures of my wrist after a day of exchanging martenitsi at school this is clearly not a rule but I did receive more martenitsi than I could comfortably wear. Also many, many martenitsi came without safety pins this year (which I think is kind of annoying).\n\nThe thing about martenitsi is that they aren\'t really something that you can put on yourself. It\'s basically impossible to knot one to your wrist yourself.  So if you\'re a teacher like me, the result is that for half of the day you have students clamoring to pin things to you or tie red and white lengths of string around your wrist.\n\nIt\'s an interesting experience. First students are in your personal space much, much more than they normally are. And second, they take their job of pinning on a martenitsa or knotting around your wrist seriously. So you get open safety pins coming at you and martenitsi tied just a little to tightly to your wrist.\n\nOh and as they are struggling to tie a martenitsa around your wrist or pin it to you may students also feel obligated to tell you that you are to make a wish right before it\'s a attached to you as this is the luckiest moment of the process. I wasted a lot of wishes yesterday right at this moment as I thought: please don\'t stab me with that pin or ah, I hope that you don\'t tie that on to tightly. But I did get a few good wishes in for the speedy arrival of spring and good health.\n\nThis said, it\'s a wonderful holiday and there\'s something really wonderful about coming home at the end of the day with an arm full of martenitsi.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4410\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4410\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4410\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4410 \" title=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02398-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAnyhow, I\'ve downsized the number of martenitsi I\'ll wear around this month. There\'s one really cute red and white heart on my coat. There\'s a martenitsi on my purse and I\'ve got about four on my wrist. I mean, it\'s hard to do the dishes with too many more on than this.\n\nSo to each of you, I hope that you had a wonderful First of March and that spring finds you','The Aftermath: March 2 ','','inherit','open','open','','4408-revision-5','','','2011-03-02 08:45:33','2011-03-02 06:45:33','',4408,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/4408-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(4416,1,'2011-03-02 08:45:44','2011-03-02 06:45:44','Chestita the-day-after Baba Marta!!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4409\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4409\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4409\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4409 \" title=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02395-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMy students were again wonderfully funny when it comes to celebrating this Bulgarian holiday. Even the students who come off in class as a little too-cool for school get into this holiday.\r\n\r\nOn a whole, students feel the need not only to give their American teachers martenitsi but also to explain the tradition. The only problem is that for many of the younger students they don\'t know all of vocabulary that need to explain the holiday and the tradition of the martenitsa.  Of course, they don\'t realize this until the are into the middle of story and can\'t come up with the word stork or an equally little used word in their vocabulary.\r\n\r\nIt\'s a wonderful thing to watch their minds working so hard to come up with another suitable word. Luckily after year two here in Bulgaria, I can help them fill in the story and the background without a round of charades or a string of questions!!\r\n\r\nNow there are two major kinds of martenitsi--the kind that you tie around your wrist and the kind that you pin to your shirt. It seems like most students give friends martenitsi that you tie around the wrist while they give teachers the larger and often more elaborate martenitsi which you pin to your shirt.\r\n\r\nNow given the pictures of my wrist after a day of exchanging martenitsi at school this is clearly not a rule but I did receive more martenitsi than I could comfortably wear. Also many, many martenitsi came without safety pins this year (which I think is kind of annoying).\r\n\r\nThe thing about martenitsi is that they aren\'t really something that you can put on yourself. It\'s basically impossible to knot one to your wrist yourself.  So if you\'re a teacher like me, the result is that for half of the day you have students clamoring to pin things to you or tie red and white lengths of string around your wrist.\r\n\r\nIt\'s an interesting experience. First students are in your personal space much, much more than they normally are. And second, they take their job of pinning on a martenitsa or knotting around your wrist seriously. So you get open safety pins coming at you and martenitsi tied just a little to tightly to your wrist.\r\n\r\nOh and as they are struggling to tie a martenitsa around your wrist or pin it to you may students also feel obligated to tell you that you are to make a wish right before it\'s a attached to you as this is the luckiest moment of the process. I wasted a lot of wishes yesterday right at this moment as I thought: please don\'t stab me with that pin or ah, I hope that you don\'t tie that on to tightly. But I did get a few good wishes in for the speedy arrival of spring and good health.\r\n\r\nThis said, it\'s a wonderful holiday and there\'s something really wonderful about coming home at the end of the day with an arm full of martenitsi.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4410\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4410\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4410\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4410 \" title=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02398-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I\'ve downsized the number of martenitsi I\'ll wear around this month. There\'s one really cute red and white heart on my coat. There\'s a martenitsi on my purse and I\'ve got about four on my wrist. I mean, it\'s hard to do the dishes with too many more on than this.\r\n\r\nSo to each of you, I hope that you had a wonderful First of March and that spring finds you quickly!!','The Aftermath: March 2 ','','inherit','open','open','','4408-revision-6','','','2011-03-02 08:45:44','2011-03-02 06:45:44','',4408,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/4408-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(4417,1,'2011-03-02 08:45:44','2011-03-02 06:45:44','Chestita the-day-after Baba Marta!!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4409\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4409\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4409\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4409 \" title=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02395-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMy students were again wonderfully funny when it comes to celebrating this Bulgarian holiday. Even the students who come off in class as a little too-cool for school get into this holiday.\r\n\r\nOn a whole, students feel the need not only to give their American teachers martenitsi but also to explain the tradition. The only problem is that for many of the younger students they don\'t know all of vocabulary that need to explain the holiday and the tradition of the martenitsa.  Of course, they don\'t realize this until the are into the middle of story and can\'t come up with the word stork or an equally little used word in their vocabulary.\r\n\r\nIt\'s a wonderful thing to watch their minds working so hard to come up with another suitable word. Luckily after year two here in Bulgaria, I can help them fill in the story and the background without a round of charades or a string of questions!!\r\n\r\nNow there are two major kinds of martenitsi--the kind that you tie around your wrist and the kind that you pin to your shirt. It seems like most students give friends martenitsi that you tie around the wrist while they give teachers the larger and often more elaborate martenitsi which you pin to your shirt.\r\n\r\nNow given the pictures of my wrist after a day of exchanging martenitsi at school this is clearly not a rule but I did receive more martenitsi than I could comfortably wear. Also many, many martenitsi came without safety pins this year (which I think is kind of annoying).\r\n\r\nThe thing about martenitsi is that they aren\'t really something that you can put on yourself. It\'s basically impossible to knot one to your wrist yourself.  So if you\'re a teacher like me, the result is that for half of the day you have students clamoring to pin things to you or tie red and white lengths of string around your wrist.\r\n\r\nIt\'s an interesting experience. First students are in your personal space much, much more than they normally are. And second, they take their job of pinning on a martenitsa or knotting around your wrist seriously. So you get open safety pins coming at you and martenitsi tied just a little to tightly to your wrist.\r\n\r\nOh and as they are struggling to tie a martenitsa around your wrist or pin it to you may students also feel obligated to tell you that you are to make a wish right before it\'s a attached to you as this is the luckiest moment of the process. I wasted a lot of wishes yesterday right at this moment as I thought: please don\'t stab me with that pin or ah, I hope that you don\'t tie that on to tightly. But I did get a few good wishes in for the speedy arrival of spring and good health.\r\n\r\nThis said, it\'s a wonderful holiday and there\'s something really wonderful about coming home at the end of the day with an arm full of martenitsi.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4410\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4410\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4410\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4410 \" title=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02398-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I\'ve downsized the number of martenitsi I\'ll wear around this month. There\'s one really cute red and white heart on my coat. There\'s a martenitsi on my purse and I\'ve got about four on my wrist. I mean, it\'s hard to do the dishes with too many more on than this.\r\n\r\nSo to each of you, I hope that you had a wonderful First of March and that spring finds you quickly!!','The Aftermath: March 2 ','','inherit','open','open','','4408-revision-7','','','2011-03-02 08:45:44','2011-03-02 06:45:44','',4408,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/4408-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(4418,1,'2011-03-02 08:45:45','2011-03-02 06:45:45','Chestita the-day-after Baba Marta!!\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4409\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4409\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4409\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4409 \" title=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02395-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMy students were again wonderfully funny when it comes to celebrating this Bulgarian holiday. Even the students who come off in class as a little too-cool for school get into this holiday.\r\n\r\nOn a whole, students feel the need not only to give their American teachers martenitsi but also to explain the tradition. The only problem is that for many of the younger students they don\'t know all of vocabulary that need to explain the holiday and the tradition of the martenitsa.  Of course, they don\'t realize this until the are into the middle of story and can\'t come up with the word stork or an equally little used word in their vocabulary.\r\n\r\nIt\'s a wonderful thing to watch their minds working so hard to come up with another suitable word. Luckily after year two here in Bulgaria, I can help them fill in the story and the background without a round of charades or a string of questions!!\r\n\r\nNow there are two major kinds of martenitsi--the kind that you tie around your wrist and the kind that you pin to your shirt. It seems like most students give friends martenitsi that you tie around the wrist while they give teachers the larger and often more elaborate martenitsi which you pin to your shirt.\r\n\r\nNow given the pictures of my wrist after a day of exchanging martenitsi at school this is clearly not a rule but I did receive more martenitsi than I could comfortably wear. Also many, many martenitsi came without safety pins this year (which I think is kind of annoying).\r\n\r\nThe thing about martenitsi is that they aren\'t really something that you can put on yourself. It\'s basically impossible to knot one to your wrist yourself.  So if you\'re a teacher like me, the result is that for half of the day you have students clamoring to pin things to you or tie red and white lengths of string around your wrist.\r\n\r\nIt\'s an interesting experience. First students are in your personal space much, much more than they normally are. And second, they take their job of pinning on a martenitsa or knotting around your wrist seriously. So you get open safety pins coming at you and martenitsi tied just a little to tightly to your wrist.\r\n\r\nOh and as they are struggling to tie a martenitsa around your wrist or pin it to you may students also feel obligated to tell you that you are to make a wish right before it\'s a attached to you as this is the luckiest moment of the process. I wasted a lot of wishes yesterday right at this moment as I thought: please don\'t stab me with that pin or ah, I hope that you don\'t tie that on to tightly. But I did get a few good wishes in for the speedy arrival of spring and good health.\r\n\r\nThis said, it\'s a wonderful holiday and there\'s something really wonderful about coming home at the end of the day with an arm full of martenitsi.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4410\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4410\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4410\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4410 \" title=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02398-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I\'ve downsized the number of martenitsi I\'ll wear around this month. There\'s one really cute red and white heart on my coat. There\'s a martenitsi on my purse and I\'ve got about four on my wrist. I mean, it\'s hard to do the dishes with too many more on than this.\r\n\r\nSo to each of you, I hope that you had a wonderful First of March and that spring finds you quickly!!','The Aftermath: March 2 ','','inherit','open','open','','4408-revision-8','','','2011-03-02 08:45:45','2011-03-02 06:45:45','',4408,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/4408-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(4419,1,'2011-03-02 08:48:48','2011-03-02 06:48:48','Chestita the-day-after Baba Marta!!\n\nMy students were again wonderfully funny when it comes to celebrating this Bulgarian holiday. Even the students who come off in class as a little too-cool for school get into this holiday.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4409\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4409\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4409\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4409 \" title=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02395-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOn a whole, students feel the need not only to give their American teachers martenitsi but also to explain the tradition. The only problem is that for many of the younger students they don\'t know all of vocabulary that need to explain the holiday and the tradition of the martenitsa.  Of course, they don\'t realize this until the are into the middle of story and can\'t come up with the word stork or an equally little used word in their vocabulary.\n\nIt\'s a wonderful thing to watch their minds working so hard to come up with another suitable word. Luckily after year two here in Bulgaria, I can help them fill in the story and the background without a round of charades or a string of questions!!\n\nNow there are two major kinds of martenitsi--the kind that you tie around your wrist and the kind that you pin to your shirt. It seems like most students give friends martenitsi that you tie around the wrist while they give teachers the larger and often more elaborate martenitsi which you pin to your shirt.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4410\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4410\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4410\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4410 \" title=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02398-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\nNow given the pictures of my wrist after a day of exchanging martenitsi at school this is clearly not a rule but I did receive more martenitsi than I could comfortably wear. Also many, many martenitsi came without safety pins this year (which I think is kind of annoying).\n\nThe thing about martenitsi is that they aren\'t really something that you can put on yourself. It\'s basically impossible to knot one to your wrist yourself.  So if you\'re a teacher like me, the result is that for half of the day you have students clamoring to pin things to you or tie red and white lengths of string around your wrist.\n\nIt\'s an interesting experience. First students are in your personal space much, much more than they normally are. And second, they take their job of pinning on a martenitsa or knotting around your wrist seriously. So you get open safety pins coming at you and martenitsi tied just a little to tightly to your wrist.\n\nOh and as they are struggling to tie a martenitsa around your wrist or pin it to you may students also feel obligated to tell you that you are to make a wish right before it\'s a attached to you as this is the luckiest moment of the process. I wasted a lot of wishes yesterday right at this moment as I thought: please don\'t stab me with that pin or ah, I hope that you don\'t tie that on to tightly. But I did get a few good wishes in for the speedy arrival of spring and good health.\n\nThis said, it\'s a wonderful holiday and there\'s something really wonderful about coming home at the end of the day with an arm full of martenitsi.\n\nAnyhow, I\'ve downsized the number of martenitsi I\'ll wear around this month. There\'s one really cute red and white heart on my coat. There\'s a martenitsi on my purse and I\'ve got about four on my wrist. I mean, it\'s hard to do the dishes with too many more on than this.\n\nSo to each of you, I hope that you had a wonderful First of March and that spring finds you quickly!!','The Aftermath: March 2 ','','inherit','open','open','','4408-revision-9','','','2011-03-02 08:48:48','2011-03-02 06:48:48','',4408,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/4408-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(4420,1,'2011-03-02 08:48:56','2011-03-02 06:48:56','Chestita the-day-after Baba Marta!!\r\n\r\nMy students were again wonderfully funny when it comes to celebrating this Bulgarian holiday. Even the students who come off in class as a little too-cool for school get into this holiday.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4409\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4409\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4409\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4409 \" title=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02395-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOn a whole, students feel the need not only to give their American teachers martenitsi but also to explain the tradition. The only problem is that for many of the younger students they don\'t know all of vocabulary that need to explain the holiday and the tradition of the martenitsa.  Of course, they don\'t realize this until the are into the middle of story and can\'t come up with the word stork or an equally little used word in their vocabulary.\r\n\r\nIt\'s a wonderful thing to watch their minds working so hard to come up with another suitable word. Luckily after year two here in Bulgaria, I can help them fill in the story and the background without a round of charades or a string of questions!!\r\n\r\nNow there are two major kinds of martenitsi--the kind that you tie around your wrist and the kind that you pin to your shirt. It seems like most students give friends martenitsi that you tie around the wrist while they give teachers the larger and often more elaborate martenitsi which you pin to your shirt.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4410\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4410\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4410\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4410 \" title=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02398-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow given the pictures of my wrist after a day of exchanging martenitsi at school this is clearly not a rule but I did receive more martenitsi than I could comfortably wear. Also many, many martenitsi came without safety pins this year (which I think is kind of annoying).\r\n\r\nThe thing about martenitsi is that they aren\'t really something that you can put on yourself. It\'s basically impossible to knot one to your wrist yourself.  So if you\'re a teacher like me, the result is that for half of the day you have students clamoring to pin things to you or tie red and white lengths of string around your wrist.\r\n\r\nIt\'s an interesting experience. First students are in your personal space much, much more than they normally are. And second, they take their job of pinning on a martenitsa or knotting around your wrist seriously. So you get open safety pins coming at you and martenitsi tied just a little to tightly to your wrist.\r\n\r\nOh and as they are struggling to tie a martenitsa around your wrist or pin it to you may students also feel obligated to tell you that you are to make a wish right before it\'s a attached to you as this is the luckiest moment of the process. I wasted a lot of wishes yesterday right at this moment as I thought: please don\'t stab me with that pin or ah, I hope that you don\'t tie that on to tightly. But I did get a few good wishes in for the speedy arrival of spring and good health.\r\n\r\nThis said, it\'s a wonderful holiday and there\'s something really wonderful about coming home at the end of the day with an arm full of martenitsi.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I\'ve downsized the number of martenitsi I\'ll wear around this month. There\'s one really cute red and white heart on my coat. There\'s a martenitsi on my purse and I\'ve got about four on my wrist. I mean, it\'s hard to do the dishes with too many more on than this.\r\n\r\nSo to each of you, I hope that you had a wonderful First of March and that spring finds you quickly!!','The Aftermath: March 2 ','','inherit','open','open','','4408-revision-10','','','2011-03-02 08:48:56','2011-03-02 06:48:56','',4408,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/4408-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(4421,1,'2011-03-02 08:48:56','2011-03-02 06:48:56','Chestita the-day-after Baba Marta!!\r\n\r\nMy students were again wonderfully funny when it comes to celebrating this Bulgarian holiday. Even the students who come off in class as a little too-cool for school get into this holiday.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4409\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4409\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4409\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4409 \" title=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02395-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOn a whole, students feel the need not only to give their American teachers martenitsi but also to explain the tradition. The only problem is that for many of the younger students they don\'t know all of vocabulary that need to explain the holiday and the tradition of the martenitsa.  Of course, they don\'t realize this until the are into the middle of story and can\'t come up with the word stork or an equally little used word in their vocabulary.\r\n\r\nIt\'s a wonderful thing to watch their minds working so hard to come up with another suitable word. Luckily after year two here in Bulgaria, I can help them fill in the story and the background without a round of charades or a string of questions!!\r\n\r\nNow there are two major kinds of martenitsi--the kind that you tie around your wrist and the kind that you pin to your shirt. It seems like most students give friends martenitsi that you tie around the wrist while they give teachers the larger and often more elaborate martenitsi which you pin to your shirt.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4410\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4410\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4410\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4410 \" title=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02398-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow given the pictures of my wrist after a day of exchanging martenitsi at school this is clearly not a rule but I did receive more martenitsi than I could comfortably wear. Also many, many martenitsi came without safety pins this year (which I think is kind of annoying).\r\n\r\nThe thing about martenitsi is that they aren\'t really something that you can put on yourself. It\'s basically impossible to knot one to your wrist yourself.  So if you\'re a teacher like me, the result is that for half of the day you have students clamoring to pin things to you or tie red and white lengths of string around your wrist.\r\n\r\nIt\'s an interesting experience. First students are in your personal space much, much more than they normally are. And second, they take their job of pinning on a martenitsa or knotting around your wrist seriously. So you get open safety pins coming at you and martenitsi tied just a little to tightly to your wrist.\r\n\r\nOh and as they are struggling to tie a martenitsa around your wrist or pin it to you may students also feel obligated to tell you that you are to make a wish right before it\'s a attached to you as this is the luckiest moment of the process. I wasted a lot of wishes yesterday right at this moment as I thought: please don\'t stab me with that pin or ah, I hope that you don\'t tie that on to tightly. But I did get a few good wishes in for the speedy arrival of spring and good health.\r\n\r\nThis said, it\'s a wonderful holiday and there\'s something really wonderful about coming home at the end of the day with an arm full of martenitsi.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I\'ve downsized the number of martenitsi I\'ll wear around this month. There\'s one really cute red and white heart on my coat. There\'s a martenitsi on my purse and I\'ve got about four on my wrist. I mean, it\'s hard to do the dishes with too many more on than this.\r\n\r\nSo to each of you, I hope that you had a wonderful First of March and that spring finds you quickly!!','The Aftermath: March 2 ','','inherit','open','open','','4408-revision-11','','','2011-03-02 08:48:56','2011-03-02 06:48:56','',4408,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/4408-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(4422,1,'2011-03-02 08:48:58','2011-03-02 06:48:58','Chestita the-day-after Baba Marta!!\r\n\r\nMy students were again wonderfully funny when it comes to celebrating this Bulgarian holiday. Even the students who come off in class as a little too-cool for school get into this holiday.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4409\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4409\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4409\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4409 \" title=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02395-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOn a whole, students feel the need not only to give their American teachers martenitsi but also to explain the tradition. The only problem is that for many of the younger students they don\'t know all of vocabulary that need to explain the holiday and the tradition of the martenitsa.  Of course, they don\'t realize this until the are into the middle of story and can\'t come up with the word stork or an equally little used word in their vocabulary.\r\n\r\nIt\'s a wonderful thing to watch their minds working so hard to come up with another suitable word. Luckily after year two here in Bulgaria, I can help them fill in the story and the background without a round of charades or a string of questions!!\r\n\r\nNow there are two major kinds of martenitsi--the kind that you tie around your wrist and the kind that you pin to your shirt. It seems like most students give friends martenitsi that you tie around the wrist while they give teachers the larger and often more elaborate martenitsi which you pin to your shirt.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4410\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4410\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4410\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4410 \" title=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02398-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow given the pictures of my wrist after a day of exchanging martenitsi at school this is clearly not a rule but I did receive more martenitsi than I could comfortably wear. Also many, many martenitsi came without safety pins this year (which I think is kind of annoying).\r\n\r\nThe thing about martenitsi is that they aren\'t really something that you can put on yourself. It\'s basically impossible to knot one to your wrist yourself.  So if you\'re a teacher like me, the result is that for half of the day you have students clamoring to pin things to you or tie red and white lengths of string around your wrist.\r\n\r\nIt\'s an interesting experience. First students are in your personal space much, much more than they normally are. And second, they take their job of pinning on a martenitsa or knotting around your wrist seriously. So you get open safety pins coming at you and martenitsi tied just a little to tightly to your wrist.\r\n\r\nOh and as they are struggling to tie a martenitsa around your wrist or pin it to you may students also feel obligated to tell you that you are to make a wish right before it\'s a attached to you as this is the luckiest moment of the process. I wasted a lot of wishes yesterday right at this moment as I thought: please don\'t stab me with that pin or ah, I hope that you don\'t tie that on to tightly. But I did get a few good wishes in for the speedy arrival of spring and good health.\r\n\r\nThis said, it\'s a wonderful holiday and there\'s something really wonderful about coming home at the end of the day with an arm full of martenitsi.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I\'ve downsized the number of martenitsi I\'ll wear around this month. There\'s one really cute red and white heart on my coat. There\'s a martenitsi on my purse and I\'ve got about four on my wrist. I mean, it\'s hard to do the dishes with too many more on than this.\r\n\r\nSo to each of you, I hope that you had a wonderful First of March and that spring finds you quickly!!','The Aftermath: March 2 ','','inherit','open','open','','4408-revision-12','','','2011-03-02 08:48:58','2011-03-02 06:48:58','',4408,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/4408-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(4423,1,'2011-03-02 08:59:02','2011-03-02 06:59:02','In case you missed it, yesterday was the First of March. On this day Bulgarians exchange martenitsi and greet each other with the saying Chestita Baba Marta. Or Happy Grandmother March.\n\nAnd I want to wish you Chestita the-day-after Baba Marta!!\n\nAnyhow, here\'s a quick review of yesterday.\n\nMy students were again wonderfully funny when it comes to celebrating this Bulgarian holiday. They stream into the classroom with plastic bags of martenitsi or they extract martenitsi one at a time from their backpacks. Even the students who come off in class as a little too-cool for school are wearing and exchanging the red and white martenitsi.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4409\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4409\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4409\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4409 \" title=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02395-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOn a whole, students feel the need not only to give their American teachers martenitsi but also to explain the tradition. The only problem is that for many of the younger students don\'t know all of vocabulary that need to explain the holiday and the tradition of the martenitsa.  Of course, they don\'t realize this until the are into the middle of story and can\'t come up with the word stork or an equally little used word in their vocabulary.\n\nIt\'s a wonderful thing to watch their minds working so hard to come up with another suitable word. Luckily after year two here in Bulgaria, I can help them fill in the story and the background without a round of charades or a string of questions!!\n\nNow there are two major kinds of martenitsi--the kind that you tie around your wrist and the kind that you pin to your shirt. It seems like most students give friends martenitsi that you tie around the wrist while they give teachers the larger and often more elaborate martenitsi which you pin to your shirt.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4410\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4410\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4410\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4410 \" title=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02398-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nNow given the pictures of my wrist after a day of exchanging martenitsi at school this is clearly not a rule but I did receive more martenitsi than I could comfortably wear. Also many, many martenitsi came without safety pins this year (which I think is kind of annoying).\n\nThe thing about martenitsi is that they aren\'t really something that you can put on yourself. It\'s basically impossible to knot one to your wrist yourself.  So if you\'re a teacher like me, the result is that for half of the day you have students clamoring to pin things to you or tie red and white lengths of string around your wrist.\n\nIt\'s an interesting experience. First students are in your personal space much, much more than they normally are. And second, they take their job of pinning on a martenitsa or knotting around your wrist seriously. So you get open safety pins coming at you and martenitsi tied just a little to tightly to your wrist.\n\nOh and as they are struggling to tie a martenitsa around your wrist or pin it to you many students also feel obligated to tell you that you are to make a wish right before it\'s a attached to you as this is the luckiest moment of the process. I wasted a lot of wishes yesterday right at this moment as I thought: please don\'t stab me with that pin or ah, I hope that you don\'t tie that on to tightly. But I did get a few good wishes in for the speedy arrival of spring and good health.\n\nThis said, it\'s a wonderful holiday and there\'s something really wonderful about coming home at the end of the day with an arm full of martenitsi.\n\nAnyhow, I\'ve downsized the number of martenitsi I\'ll wear around this month. There\'s one really cute red and white heart on my coat. There\'s a martenitsi on my purse and I\'ve got about four on my wrist. I mean, it\'s hard to do the dishes with too many more on than this.\n\nSo to each of you, I hope that you had a wonderful First of March and that spring finds you quickly!!','The Aftermath: March 2 ','','inherit','open','open','','4408-revision-13','','','2011-03-02 08:59:02','2011-03-02 06:59:02','',4408,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/4408-revision-13/',0,'revision','',0),(4424,1,'2011-03-02 08:59:04','2011-03-02 06:59:04','In case you missed it, yesterday was the First of March. On this day Bulgarians exchange martenitsi and greet each other with the saying Chestita Baba Marta. Or Happy Grandmother March.\r\n\r\nAnd I want to wish you Chestita the-day-after Baba Marta!!\r\n\r\nAnyhow, here\'s a quick review of yesterday.\r\n\r\nMy students were again wonderfully funny when it comes to celebrating this Bulgarian holiday. They stream into the classroom with plastic bags of martenitsi or they extract martenitsi one at a time from their backpacks. Even the students who come off in class as a little too-cool for school are wearing and exchanging the red and white martenitsi.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4409\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4409\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4409\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4409 \" title=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02395-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOn a whole, students feel the need not only to give their American teachers martenitsi but also to explain the tradition. The only problem is that for many of the younger students don\'t know all of vocabulary that need to explain the holiday and the tradition of the martenitsa.  Of course, they don\'t realize this until the are into the middle of story and can\'t come up with the word stork or an equally little used word in their vocabulary.\r\n\r\nIt\'s a wonderful thing to watch their minds working so hard to come up with another suitable word. Luckily after year two here in Bulgaria, I can help them fill in the story and the background without a round of charades or a string of questions!!\r\n\r\nNow there are two major kinds of martenitsi--the kind that you tie around your wrist and the kind that you pin to your shirt. It seems like most students give friends martenitsi that you tie around the wrist while they give teachers the larger and often more elaborate martenitsi which you pin to your shirt.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4410\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4410\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4410\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4410 \" title=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02398-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow given the pictures of my wrist after a day of exchanging martenitsi at school this is clearly not a rule but I did receive more martenitsi than I could comfortably wear. Also many, many martenitsi came without safety pins this year (which I think is kind of annoying).\r\n\r\nThe thing about martenitsi is that they aren\'t really something that you can put on yourself. It\'s basically impossible to knot one to your wrist yourself.  So if you\'re a teacher like me, the result is that for half of the day you have students clamoring to pin things to you or tie red and white lengths of string around your wrist.\r\n\r\nIt\'s an interesting experience. First students are in your personal space much, much more than they normally are. And second, they take their job of pinning on a martenitsa or knotting around your wrist seriously. So you get open safety pins coming at you and martenitsi tied just a little to tightly to your wrist.\r\n\r\nOh and as they are struggling to tie a martenitsa around your wrist or pin it to you many students also feel obligated to tell you that you are to make a wish right before it\'s a attached to you as this is the luckiest moment of the process. I wasted a lot of wishes yesterday right at this moment as I thought: please don\'t stab me with that pin or ah, I hope that you don\'t tie that on to tightly. But I did get a few good wishes in for the speedy arrival of spring and good health.\r\n\r\nThis said, it\'s a wonderful holiday and there\'s something really wonderful about coming home at the end of the day with an arm full of martenitsi.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I\'ve downsized the number of martenitsi I\'ll wear around this month. There\'s one really cute red and white heart on my coat. There\'s a martenitsi on my purse and I\'ve got about four on my wrist. I mean, it\'s hard to do the dishes with too many more on than this.\r\n\r\nSo to each of you, I hope that you had a wonderful First of March and that spring finds you quickly!!','The Aftermath: March 2 ','','inherit','open','open','','4408-revision-14','','','2011-03-02 08:59:04','2011-03-02 06:59:04','',4408,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/4408-revision-14/',0,'revision','',0),(4425,1,'2011-03-02 21:34:30','2011-03-02 19:34:30','Chestita the day after Baba Marta!!\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4409\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4409\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4409\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4409 \" title=\"Many Martenitsi!!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02395-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMy students were again wonderfully funny when it comes to celebrating this Bulgarian holiday. Many of the students give friends martenitsi that you tie around the wrist while they give teachers larger martenitsi which you pin to your shirt. This said, I still ended up with an arm full of martenitsi. Even the students who come off in class as a little too-cool for school get in to this holiday.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4410\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4410\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4410\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4410 \" title=\"Martenitsi come in every shape and size\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/DSC02398-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAnyhow, I\'ve down sized the number of martenitsi I\'ll wear around this month. There\'s one really cute red and white heart on my coat. There\'s a martenitsi on my coat and I\'ve got about four on my wrist.\n\nIt\'s hard to do the dishes with too many more on than this.','The Aftermath: March 2 ','','inherit','open','open','','4408-autosave','','','2011-03-02 21:34:30','2011-03-02 19:34:30','',4408,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/4408-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(4426,1,'2011-03-02 23:08:09','2011-03-02 21:08:09','Not to brag but there\'s a long weekend in Bulgaria. We\'ve got Thursday and Friday off.\r\n\r\nSo I am going to visit Brussels with a friend. I\'ll be back on Saturday so I won\'t be gone for the whole weekend.\r\n\r\nI just won\'t be posting about Bulgaria\'s Liberation tomorrow because at 6am I\'ll be on an airplane.\r\n\r\nAnd a few hours later I\'ll be eating chocolate, drinking coffee and wandering around the city. It\'s going to be great.\r\n\r\nWishing each of you a wonderful holiday!','Long Weekend','','publish','open','open','','long-weekend-2','','','2011-03-02 23:08:09','2011-03-02 21:08:09','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4426',0,'post','',1),(4427,1,'2011-03-02 23:07:25','2011-03-02 21:07:25','Not to brag but there\'s a long weekend in Bulgaria. We\'ve got Thursday and Friday off.\n\nSo I am going to visit Brussels with a friend. I\'ll be back on Saturday so I won\'t be gone for the whole weekend.\n\nI just won\'t be posting about Bulgaria\'s Liberation tomorrow because at 6am I\'ll be on an airplane.\n\nAnd a few hours later I\'ll be eating chocolate, drinking cof','Long Weekend','','inherit','open','open','','4426-revision','','','2011-03-02 23:07:25','2011-03-02 21:07:25','',4426,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/02/4426-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(4513,1,'2011-03-11 18:57:28','2011-03-11 16:57:28','My goodness it\'s a beautiful, sunny day in Sofia. It might be the most beautiful day we\'ve had in months--but I guess that depends on what you consider beautiful as there were a few rather beautiful snowy days. The big difference is the temperature.\r\n\r\nIt\'s actually warm today.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4516\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cafe!!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4516\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/11/ita-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/img_7262/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4516 \" title=\"Cafe!!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7262-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nTwo days ago I was bundling up in my winter coat, scarf, hat, gloves and boots and today a light jacket and tennis shoes are fine. Maybe that\'s because spring is the process of finding its way to Sofia.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, I went out with my camera to take some pictures this afternoon. I took some but then I realized, how can you really capture the first day of spring in photos?! Most people are still wearing coats that are slightly to heavy for the weather and the real sense of spring is in peoples attitudes and the energy in the air.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4517\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Vitosha Cake (in the shape of Vitosha Mt. kind of)\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4517\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/11/ita-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood/img_7259/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4517 \" title=\"Vitosha Cake (in the shape of Vitosha Mt. kind of)\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7259-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo in honor of this lovely day, I had a coffee <em>outside</em> with a friend.\r\n\r\nWhat a good day.','It\'a a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood! ','','publish','open','open','','ita-a-beautiful-day-in-the-neighborhood','','','2011-03-12 18:16:12','2011-03-12 16:16:12','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4513',0,'post','',0),(4431,1,'2011-03-04 20:15:10','2011-03-04 18:15:10','I am in Brussels right now so this is going to be a super-duper short post. It is also going to be short because I am writing it on my amazon kindle. how weird and cool is that? Oh and guess what wordpress is not very easy to use on my kindle.\r\n\r\nAnyhow I totally dig Bussels. The city is so clean and beautiful. The buildings are stately and the sidewalks are cobblestone. Okay not all of the sidewalks are--just the good ones!\r\n\r\nI have been busy sightseeing,  eating and shopping. Photos will follow. I am heading home to bulgaria tomorrow and all in all it has been a great trip. I am really glad I decided to come and visit.\r\n\r\nHope that everyone is havimg a great long weekend!!','','','publish','open','open','','4431','','','2011-03-04 20:15:10','2011-03-04 18:15:10','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4431',0,'post','',3),(4432,1,'2011-03-04 19:47:15','2011-03-04 17:47:15','','Auto Draft','','inherit','open','open','','4431-revision','','','2011-03-04 19:47:15','2011-03-04 17:47:15','',4431,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/04/4431-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(4434,1,'2011-03-06 11:41:26','2011-03-06 09:41:26','It turns out that I went to Brussels to eat.\r\n\r\nI thought that I went to get away from Sofia\'s winter and to explore Brussels but while there I spent a large portion of my time eating (and drinking).\r\n\r\nFor the record, that makes for a pretty great holiday.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4435\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4435\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/brussels-some-eating-highlights/img_7111/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4435 \" title=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7111-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4442\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4442\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/brussels-some-eating-highlights/img_7112/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4442 \" title=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7112-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAs it turned out the weather in Brussels was more or less the same as in Sofia. I had to wear my winter coat, scarf, hat and gloves and once or twice after being outside I thought: burr, I could really use my long-underwear but I didn\'t bring it with me. Even though it was cold, I saw more of the sun than I\'d seen recently in Sofia so that was nice.\r\n\r\nSo as luck would have it cold weather plus plenty of walking around, Belgian beer and a variety of semi-sinful treats made for a wonderful weekend away.\r\n\r\nWhat follows will either wow your or make you shake your head in disbelief. Either way, I hope that you enjoy the photos and a glimpse of my holiday through food.\r\n\r\nOh and I did do more than just eat but that\'s another post. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4437\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Belgian Waffles\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4437\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/brussels-some-eating-highlights/img_7175/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4437 \" title=\"Belgian Waffles\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7175-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4438\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Stand near Manneken Pis\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4438\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/brussels-some-eating-highlights/img_7171/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4438 \" title=\"Waffles near Manneken Pis\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7171-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4436\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Up-close \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4436\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/brussels-some-eating-highlights/img_7174/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4436 \" title=\"Waffle Up-close \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7174-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI went to Brussels with my friend S. We had a great time together. We wandered around the city. Took lots of photos. Ate a lot of food. Meandered some more and then ate some more.\r\n\r\nWe (gasp) didn\'t hit up a single museum but that\'s how it works sometimes. I guess you could say that we soaked up modern-Brussels and we had a blast doing it.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4439\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chimay Blue \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4439\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/brussels-some-eating-highlights/img_7214/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4439 \" title=\"Chimay Blue \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7214-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the two day food run down: five Belgian beers, two waffles, one cone of French fries (and mayonnaise and ketchup) and the better part of an hour in a chocolate shop. All of this was interspersed with coffee and some pastries plus a couple of real meals.\r\n\r\nThe chocolates. Oh the chocolates. Don\'t even get me started. Many of the shops were so beautiful and tempting. S. and stumbled into this lovely shop Elizabeth\'s and spent a lot of time ogling the chocolates before buying ourselves and our friends some. It was a wonderful way to spend an hour.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4440\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolates \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4440\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/brussels-some-eating-highlights/img_7219/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4440 \" title=\"Chocolates \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7219-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEating our way through the city was fantastic.\r\n\r\nAnd kind of gross.\r\n\r\nBut really more awesome than anything else.  Brussels is such a grown up city but there\'s also some great \"street food.\" If you can call waffles and french fries street food. This kind of street food is a little more refined than some places but you can\'t beat a warm waffle on a cold afternoon or a cone of pommes frites after walking around all day. This street food is just grown up enough for the cobble stones of Brussels.\r\n\r\nDecedent? Oh yes. Could you live like this? Heck no.\r\n\r\nBut a little indulgence now and then is okay. <em>Right?</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4441\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Eaten Street-side Pommes Frites\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4441\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/brussels-some-eating-highlights/img_7238/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4441 \" title=\"Pommes Frites\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7238-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSure I really want my own waffle iron now and I have a hunch I am going to be dreaming about Belgian waffles for a couple of weeks but isn\'t that what travel is about?\r\n\r\nNeedless to say, I am going to have to eat salads this week (and maybe next week too).','Brussels: Some Eating Highlights ','','publish','open','open','','brussels-some-eating-highlights','','','2011-03-06 11:41:27','2011-03-06 09:41:27','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4434',0,'post','',2),(4435,1,'2011-03-06 10:56:11','2011-03-06 08:56:11','','Kriek Boon Belgian Beer ','Kriek Boon Belgian Beer ','inherit','open','open','','img_7111','','','2011-03-06 10:56:11','2011-03-06 08:56:11','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7111.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4436,1,'2011-03-06 10:58:18','2011-03-06 08:58:18','','Waffle Up-close ','Waffle Up-close ','inherit','open','open','','img_7174','','','2011-03-06 10:58:18','2011-03-06 08:58:18','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7174.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4437,1,'2011-03-06 10:59:40','2011-03-06 08:59:40','','Belgian Waffles','Belgian Waffles','inherit','open','open','','img_7175','','','2011-03-06 10:59:40','2011-03-06 08:59:40','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7175.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4438,1,'2011-03-06 11:01:36','2011-03-06 09:01:36','','Waffles near Manneken Pis','Waffle Stand near Manneken Pis','inherit','open','open','','img_7171','','','2011-03-06 11:01:36','2011-03-06 09:01:36','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7171.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4439,1,'2011-03-06 11:05:35','2011-03-06 09:05:35','','Chimay Blue ','Chimay Blue ','inherit','open','open','','img_7214','','','2011-03-06 11:05:35','2011-03-06 09:05:35','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7214.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4440,1,'2011-03-06 11:08:46','2011-03-06 09:08:46','','Chocolates ','Chocolates ','inherit','open','open','','img_7219','','','2011-03-06 11:08:46','2011-03-06 09:08:46','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7219.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4441,1,'2011-03-06 11:10:26','2011-03-06 09:10:26','','Pommes Frites','Eaten Street-side Pommes Frites','inherit','open','open','','img_7238','','','2011-03-06 11:10:26','2011-03-06 09:10:26','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7238.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4442,1,'2011-03-06 11:14:05','2011-03-06 09:14:05','','My first Belgian Beer in Brussels ','My first Belgian Beer in Brussels ','inherit','open','open','','img_7112','','','2011-03-06 11:14:05','2011-03-06 09:14:05','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7112.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4443,1,'2011-03-06 11:15:41','2011-03-06 09:15:41','It turns out that I went to Brussels to eat. I mean, I went to get away from Sofia\'s winter and to explore Brussels but while there I spent a large portion of my time eating (and drinking). For the record, that makes for a pretty great holiday.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4435\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4435\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4435\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4435 \" title=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7111-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4442\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4442\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4442\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4442 \" title=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7112-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAs it turned out the weather in Brussels was more or less the same as in Sofia. I had to wear my winter coat, scarf, hat and gloves and once or twice after being outside I thought: burr, I could really use my long-underwear but I didn\'t bring it with me.  This has also been the winter of lost gloves  which has made my hyper-vigilant about my current pair. I am happy to report that I made it home with both of my gloves. Even though it was cold, I saw more of the sun than I\'d seen recently in Sofia so that was nice.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4437\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Belgian Waffles\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4437\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4437\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4437 \" title=\"Belgian Waffles\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7175-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4438\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Stand near Manneken Pis\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4438\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4438\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4438 \" title=\"Waffles near Manneken Pis\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7171-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n[caption id=\"attachment_4436\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"1024\" caption=\"Waffle Up-close \"]<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4436\" rel=\"attachment wp-att-4436\"><img src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7174-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Waffle Up-close \" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" class=\"size-large wp-image-4436\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI went to Brussels with my friend S. We had a great time together. We wandered around the city. Took lots of photos. Ate a lot of food. Meandered some more and then ate some more. We (gasp) didn\'t hit up a single museum but that\'s how it works sometimes. I guess you could say that we soaked up modern-Brussels and we had a blast doing it.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4439\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chimay Blue \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4439\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4439\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4439 \" title=\"Chimay Blue \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7214-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nHere\'s the two day run down: five Belgian beers, two waffles, one cone of French fries (and mayonnaise and ketchup) and the better part of an hour in a chocolate shop. Interspersed with some pastries and a couple of real meals.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4440\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolates \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4440\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4440\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4440 \" title=\"Chocolates \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7219-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nYeah it was totally awesome. And kind of gross. But really more awesome than anything else.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4441\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Eaten Street-side Pommes Frites\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4441\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4441\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4441 \" title=\"Pommes Frites\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7238-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI really want my own waffle iron now. Somehow that doesn\'t seem like the best investment considering the fact that I also want a full length mirror so I don\'t have to guess how my outfits look each day and I still haven\'t bought that either.\n\nNeedless to say, I am going to have to eat salads this week.','Brussels: Some Highlights ','','inherit','open','open','','4434-revision','','','2011-03-06 11:15:41','2011-03-06 09:15:41','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/4434-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(4444,1,'2011-03-06 11:16:02','2011-03-06 09:16:02','It turns out that I went to Brussels to eat. I mean, I went to get away from Sofia\'s winter and to explore Brussels but while there I spent a large portion of my time eating (and drinking). For the record, that makes for a pretty great holiday.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4435\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4435\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4435\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4435 \" title=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7111-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4442\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4442\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4442\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4442 \" title=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7112-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAs it turned out the weather in Brussels was more or less the same as in Sofia. I had to wear my winter coat, scarf, hat and gloves and once or twice after being outside I thought: burr, I could really use my long-underwear but I didn\'t bring it with me.  This has also been the winter of lost gloves  which has made my hyper-vigilant about my current pair. I am happy to report that I made it home with both of my gloves. Even though it was cold, I saw more of the sun than I\'d seen recently in Sofia so that was nice.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4437\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Belgian Waffles\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4437\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4437\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4437 \" title=\"Belgian Waffles\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7175-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4438\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Stand near Manneken Pis\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4438\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4438\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4438 \" title=\"Waffles near Manneken Pis\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7171-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4436\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Up-close \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4436\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4436\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4436 \" title=\"Waffle Up-close \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7174-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI went to Brussels with my friend S. We had a great time together. We wandered around the city. Took lots of photos. Ate a lot of food. Meandered some more and then ate some more. We (gasp) didn\'t hit up a single museum but that\'s how it works sometimes. I guess you could say that we soaked up modern-Brussels and we had a blast doing it.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4439\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chimay Blue \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4439\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4439\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4439 \" title=\"Chimay Blue \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7214-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the two day run down: five Belgian beers, two waffles, one cone of French fries (and mayonnaise and ketchup) and the better part of an hour in a chocolate shop. Interspersed with some pastries and a couple of real meals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4440\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolates \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4440\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4440\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4440 \" title=\"Chocolates \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7219-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYeah it was totally awesome. And kind of gross. But really more awesome than anything else.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4441\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Eaten Street-side Pommes Frites\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4441\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4441\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4441 \" title=\"Pommes Frites\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7238-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI really want my own waffle iron now. Somehow that doesn\'t seem like the best investment considering the fact that I also want a full length mirror so I don\'t have to guess how my outfits look each day and I still haven\'t bought that either.\r\n\r\nNeedless to say, I am going to have to eat salads this week.','Brussels: Some Highlights ','','inherit','open','open','','4434-revision-2','','','2011-03-06 11:16:02','2011-03-06 09:16:02','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/4434-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(4445,1,'2011-03-06 11:16:03','2011-03-06 09:16:03','It turns out that I went to Brussels to eat. I mean, I went to get away from Sofia\'s winter and to explore Brussels but while there I spent a large portion of my time eating (and drinking). For the record, that makes for a pretty great holiday.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4435\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4435\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4435\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4435 \" title=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7111-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4442\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4442\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4442\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4442 \" title=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7112-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAs it turned out the weather in Brussels was more or less the same as in Sofia. I had to wear my winter coat, scarf, hat and gloves and once or twice after being outside I thought: burr, I could really use my long-underwear but I didn\'t bring it with me.  This has also been the winter of lost gloves  which has made my hyper-vigilant about my current pair. I am happy to report that I made it home with both of my gloves. Even though it was cold, I saw more of the sun than I\'d seen recently in Sofia so that was nice.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4437\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Belgian Waffles\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4437\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4437\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4437 \" title=\"Belgian Waffles\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7175-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4438\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Stand near Manneken Pis\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4438\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4438\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4438 \" title=\"Waffles near Manneken Pis\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7171-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4436\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Up-close \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4436\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4436\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4436 \" title=\"Waffle Up-close \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7174-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI went to Brussels with my friend S. We had a great time together. We wandered around the city. Took lots of photos. Ate a lot of food. Meandered some more and then ate some more. We (gasp) didn\'t hit up a single museum but that\'s how it works sometimes. I guess you could say that we soaked up modern-Brussels and we had a blast doing it.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4439\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chimay Blue \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4439\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4439\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4439 \" title=\"Chimay Blue \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7214-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the two day run down: five Belgian beers, two waffles, one cone of French fries (and mayonnaise and ketchup) and the better part of an hour in a chocolate shop. Interspersed with some pastries and a couple of real meals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4440\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolates \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4440\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4440\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4440 \" title=\"Chocolates \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7219-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYeah it was totally awesome. And kind of gross. But really more awesome than anything else.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4441\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Eaten Street-side Pommes Frites\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4441\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4441\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4441 \" title=\"Pommes Frites\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7238-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI really want my own waffle iron now. Somehow that doesn\'t seem like the best investment considering the fact that I also want a full length mirror so I don\'t have to guess how my outfits look each day and I still haven\'t bought that either.\r\n\r\nNeedless to say, I am going to have to eat salads this week.','Brussels: Some Highlights ','','inherit','open','open','','4434-revision-3','','','2011-03-06 11:16:03','2011-03-06 09:16:03','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/4434-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(4446,1,'2011-03-06 11:16:06','2011-03-06 09:16:06','It turns out that I went to Brussels to eat. I mean, I went to get away from Sofia\'s winter and to explore Brussels but while there I spent a large portion of my time eating (and drinking). For the record, that makes for a pretty great holiday.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4435\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4435\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4435\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4435 \" title=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7111-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4442\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4442\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4442\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4442 \" title=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7112-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAs it turned out the weather in Brussels was more or less the same as in Sofia. I had to wear my winter coat, scarf, hat and gloves and once or twice after being outside I thought: burr, I could really use my long-underwear but I didn\'t bring it with me.  This has also been the winter of lost gloves  which has made my hyper-vigilant about my current pair. I am happy to report that I made it home with both of my gloves. Even though it was cold, I saw more of the sun than I\'d seen recently in Sofia so that was nice.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4437\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Belgian Waffles\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4437\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4437\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4437 \" title=\"Belgian Waffles\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7175-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4438\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Stand near Manneken Pis\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4438\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4438\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4438 \" title=\"Waffles near Manneken Pis\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7171-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4436\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Up-close \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4436\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4436\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4436 \" title=\"Waffle Up-close \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7174-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI went to Brussels with my friend S. We had a great time together. We wandered around the city. Took lots of photos. Ate a lot of food. Meandered some more and then ate some more. We (gasp) didn\'t hit up a single museum but that\'s how it works sometimes. I guess you could say that we soaked up modern-Brussels and we had a blast doing it.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4439\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chimay Blue \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4439\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4439\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4439 \" title=\"Chimay Blue \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7214-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the two day run down: five Belgian beers, two waffles, one cone of French fries (and mayonnaise and ketchup) and the better part of an hour in a chocolate shop. Interspersed with some pastries and a couple of real meals.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4440\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolates \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4440\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4440\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4440 \" title=\"Chocolates \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7219-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYeah it was totally awesome. And kind of gross. But really more awesome than anything else.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4441\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Eaten Street-side Pommes Frites\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4441\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4441\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4441 \" title=\"Pommes Frites\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7238-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI really want my own waffle iron now. Somehow that doesn\'t seem like the best investment considering the fact that I also want a full length mirror so I don\'t have to guess how my outfits look each day and I still haven\'t bought that either.\r\n\r\nNeedless to say, I am going to have to eat salads this week.','Brussels: Some Highlights ','','inherit','open','open','','4434-revision-4','','','2011-03-06 11:16:06','2011-03-06 09:16:06','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/4434-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(4447,1,'2011-03-06 11:29:15','2011-03-06 09:29:15','It turns out that I went to Brussels to eat. I mean, I went to get away from Sofia\'s winter and to explore Brussels but while there I spent a large portion of my time eating (and drinking). For the record, that makes for a pretty great holiday.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4435\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4435\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4435\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4435 \" title=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7111-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4442\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4442\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4442\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4442 \" title=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7112-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAs it turned out the weather in Brussels was more or less the same as in Sofia. I had to wear my winter coat, scarf, hat and gloves and once or twice after being outside I thought: burr, I could really use my long-underwear but I didn\'t bring it with me.  This has also been the winter of lost gloves  which has made my hyper-vigilant about my current pair. I am happy to report that I made it home with both of my gloves. Even though it was cold, I saw more of the sun than I\'d seen recently in Sofia so that was nice.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4437\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Belgian Waffles\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4437\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4437\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4437 \" title=\"Belgian Waffles\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7175-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4438\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Stand near Manneken Pis\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4438\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4438\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4438 \" title=\"Waffles near Manneken Pis\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7171-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4436\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Up-close \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4436\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4436\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4436 \" title=\"Waffle Up-close \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7174-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI went to Brussels with my friend S. We had a great time together. We wandered around the city. Took lots of photos. Ate a lot of food. Meandered some more and then ate some more. We (gasp) didn\'t hit up a single museum but that\'s how it works sometimes. I guess you could say that we soaked up modern-Brussels and we had a blast doing it.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4439\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chimay Blue \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4439\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4439\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4439 \" title=\"Chimay Blue \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7214-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nHere\'s the two day run down: five Belgian beers, two waffles, one cone of French fries (and mayonnaise and ketchup) and the better part of an hour in a chocolate shop. All of this was interspersed with some pastries and a couple of real meals.\n\nThe chocolates. Oh the chocolates. Don\'t even get me started. Many of the shops were so beautiful and tempting. S. and stumbled into this lovely shop Elizabeth\'s and spent a lot of time ogling the chocolates before buying ourselves and our friends some. It was a wonderful way to spend an hour. \n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4440\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolates \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4440\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4440\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4440 \" title=\"Chocolates \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7219-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nEating our way through the city was fantastic.  \n\nAnd kind of gross.\n\nBut really more awesome than anything else.  Brussels is such a grown up city but there\'s also some great \"street food.\" If you can call waffles and french fries street food. This kind of street food is a little more refined than some places but you can\'t beat a warm waffle on a cold afternoon or a cone of pommes frites after walking around all day. This street food is just grown up enough for the cobble stones of Brussels. \n\nDecedent? Oh yes. Could you live like this? Heck no.\n\nBut a little indulgence now and then is okay. <em>Right?</em>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4441\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Eaten Street-side Pommes Frites\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4441\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4441\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4441 \" title=\"Pommes Frites\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7238-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSure I really want my own waffle iron now and I have a hunch I am going to be dreaming about Belgian waffles for a couple of weeks but isn\'t that what travel is about? \n\nNeedless to say, I am going to have to eat salads this week.','Brussels: Some Eating Highlights ','','inherit','open','open','','4434-revision-5','','','2011-03-06 11:29:15','2011-03-06 09:29:15','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/4434-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(4448,1,'2011-03-06 11:29:46','2011-03-06 09:29:46','It turns out that I went to Brussels to eat. I mean, I went to get away from Sofia\'s winter and to explore Brussels but while there I spent a large portion of my time eating (and drinking). For the record, that makes for a pretty great holiday.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4435\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4435\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4435\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4435 \" title=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7111-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4442\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4442\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4442\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4442 \" title=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7112-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAs it turned out the weather in Brussels was more or less the same as in Sofia. I had to wear my winter coat, scarf, hat and gloves and once or twice after being outside I thought: burr, I could really use my long-underwear but I didn\'t bring it with me.  This has also been the winter of lost gloves  which has made my hyper-vigilant about my current pair. I am happy to report that I made it home with both of my gloves. Even though it was cold, I saw more of the sun than I\'d seen recently in Sofia so that was nice.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4437\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Belgian Waffles\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4437\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4437\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4437 \" title=\"Belgian Waffles\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7175-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4438\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Stand near Manneken Pis\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4438\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4438\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4438 \" title=\"Waffles near Manneken Pis\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7171-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4436\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Up-close \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4436\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4436\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4436 \" title=\"Waffle Up-close \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7174-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI went to Brussels with my friend S. We had a great time together. We wandered around the city. Took lots of photos. Ate a lot of food. Meandered some more and then ate some more. We (gasp) didn\'t hit up a single museum but that\'s how it works sometimes. I guess you could say that we soaked up modern-Brussels and we had a blast doing it.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4439\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chimay Blue \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4439\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4439\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4439 \" title=\"Chimay Blue \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7214-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the two day run down: five Belgian beers, two waffles, one cone of French fries (and mayonnaise and ketchup) and the better part of an hour in a chocolate shop. All of this was interspersed with some pastries and a couple of real meals.\r\n\r\nThe chocolates. Oh the chocolates. Don\'t even get me started. Many of the shops were so beautiful and tempting. S. and stumbled into this lovely shop Elizabeth\'s and spent a lot of time ogling the chocolates before buying ourselves and our friends some. It was a wonderful way to spend an hour. \r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4440\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolates \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4440\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4440\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4440 \" title=\"Chocolates \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7219-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEating our way through the city was fantastic.  \r\n\r\nAnd kind of gross.\r\n\r\nBut really more awesome than anything else.  Brussels is such a grown up city but there\'s also some great \"street food.\" If you can call waffles and french fries street food. This kind of street food is a little more refined than some places but you can\'t beat a warm waffle on a cold afternoon or a cone of pommes frites after walking around all day. This street food is just grown up enough for the cobble stones of Brussels. \r\n\r\nDecedent? Oh yes. Could you live like this? Heck no.\r\n\r\nBut a little indulgence now and then is okay. <em>Right?</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4441\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Eaten Street-side Pommes Frites\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4441\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4441\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4441 \" title=\"Pommes Frites\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7238-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSure I really want my own waffle iron now and I have a hunch I am going to be dreaming about Belgian waffles for a couple of weeks but isn\'t that what travel is about? \r\n\r\nNeedless to say, I am going to have to eat salads this week (and maybe next week too).','Brussels: Some Eating Highlights ','','inherit','open','open','','4434-revision-6','','','2011-03-06 11:29:46','2011-03-06 09:29:46','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/4434-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(4449,1,'2011-03-06 11:29:46','2011-03-06 09:29:46','It turns out that I went to Brussels to eat. I mean, I went to get away from Sofia\'s winter and to explore Brussels but while there I spent a large portion of my time eating (and drinking). For the record, that makes for a pretty great holiday.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4435\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4435\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4435\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4435 \" title=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7111-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4442\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4442\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4442\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4442 \" title=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7112-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAs it turned out the weather in Brussels was more or less the same as in Sofia. I had to wear my winter coat, scarf, hat and gloves and once or twice after being outside I thought: burr, I could really use my long-underwear but I didn\'t bring it with me.  This has also been the winter of lost gloves  which has made my hyper-vigilant about my current pair. I am happy to report that I made it home with both of my gloves. Even though it was cold, I saw more of the sun than I\'d seen recently in Sofia so that was nice.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4437\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Belgian Waffles\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4437\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4437\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4437 \" title=\"Belgian Waffles\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7175-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4438\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Stand near Manneken Pis\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4438\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4438\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4438 \" title=\"Waffles near Manneken Pis\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7171-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4436\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Up-close \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4436\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4436\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4436 \" title=\"Waffle Up-close \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7174-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI went to Brussels with my friend S. We had a great time together. We wandered around the city. Took lots of photos. Ate a lot of food. Meandered some more and then ate some more. We (gasp) didn\'t hit up a single museum but that\'s how it works sometimes. I guess you could say that we soaked up modern-Brussels and we had a blast doing it.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4439\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chimay Blue \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4439\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4439\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4439 \" title=\"Chimay Blue \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7214-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the two day run down: five Belgian beers, two waffles, one cone of French fries (and mayonnaise and ketchup) and the better part of an hour in a chocolate shop. All of this was interspersed with some pastries and a couple of real meals.\r\n\r\nThe chocolates. Oh the chocolates. Don\'t even get me started. Many of the shops were so beautiful and tempting. S. and stumbled into this lovely shop Elizabeth\'s and spent a lot of time ogling the chocolates before buying ourselves and our friends some. It was a wonderful way to spend an hour. \r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4440\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolates \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4440\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4440\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4440 \" title=\"Chocolates \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7219-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEating our way through the city was fantastic.  \r\n\r\nAnd kind of gross.\r\n\r\nBut really more awesome than anything else.  Brussels is such a grown up city but there\'s also some great \"street food.\" If you can call waffles and french fries street food. This kind of street food is a little more refined than some places but you can\'t beat a warm waffle on a cold afternoon or a cone of pommes frites after walking around all day. This street food is just grown up enough for the cobble stones of Brussels. \r\n\r\nDecedent? Oh yes. Could you live like this? Heck no.\r\n\r\nBut a little indulgence now and then is okay. <em>Right?</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4441\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Eaten Street-side Pommes Frites\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4441\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4441\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4441 \" title=\"Pommes Frites\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7238-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSure I really want my own waffle iron now and I have a hunch I am going to be dreaming about Belgian waffles for a couple of weeks but isn\'t that what travel is about? \r\n\r\nNeedless to say, I am going to have to eat salads this week (and maybe next week too).','Brussels: Some Eating Highlights ','','inherit','open','open','','4434-revision-7','','','2011-03-06 11:29:46','2011-03-06 09:29:46','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/4434-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(4450,1,'2011-03-06 11:29:47','2011-03-06 09:29:47','It turns out that I went to Brussels to eat. I mean, I went to get away from Sofia\'s winter and to explore Brussels but while there I spent a large portion of my time eating (and drinking). For the record, that makes for a pretty great holiday.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4435\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4435\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4435\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4435 \" title=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7111-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4442\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4442\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4442\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4442 \" title=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7112-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAs it turned out the weather in Brussels was more or less the same as in Sofia. I had to wear my winter coat, scarf, hat and gloves and once or twice after being outside I thought: burr, I could really use my long-underwear but I didn\'t bring it with me.  This has also been the winter of lost gloves  which has made my hyper-vigilant about my current pair. I am happy to report that I made it home with both of my gloves. Even though it was cold, I saw more of the sun than I\'d seen recently in Sofia so that was nice.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4437\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Belgian Waffles\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4437\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4437\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4437 \" title=\"Belgian Waffles\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7175-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4438\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Stand near Manneken Pis\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4438\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4438\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4438 \" title=\"Waffles near Manneken Pis\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7171-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4436\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Up-close \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4436\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4436\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4436 \" title=\"Waffle Up-close \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7174-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI went to Brussels with my friend S. We had a great time together. We wandered around the city. Took lots of photos. Ate a lot of food. Meandered some more and then ate some more. We (gasp) didn\'t hit up a single museum but that\'s how it works sometimes. I guess you could say that we soaked up modern-Brussels and we had a blast doing it.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4439\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chimay Blue \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4439\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4439\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4439 \" title=\"Chimay Blue \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7214-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the two day run down: five Belgian beers, two waffles, one cone of French fries (and mayonnaise and ketchup) and the better part of an hour in a chocolate shop. All of this was interspersed with some pastries and a couple of real meals.\r\n\r\nThe chocolates. Oh the chocolates. Don\'t even get me started. Many of the shops were so beautiful and tempting. S. and stumbled into this lovely shop Elizabeth\'s and spent a lot of time ogling the chocolates before buying ourselves and our friends some. It was a wonderful way to spend an hour. \r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4440\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolates \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4440\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4440\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4440 \" title=\"Chocolates \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7219-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEating our way through the city was fantastic.  \r\n\r\nAnd kind of gross.\r\n\r\nBut really more awesome than anything else.  Brussels is such a grown up city but there\'s also some great \"street food.\" If you can call waffles and french fries street food. This kind of street food is a little more refined than some places but you can\'t beat a warm waffle on a cold afternoon or a cone of pommes frites after walking around all day. This street food is just grown up enough for the cobble stones of Brussels. \r\n\r\nDecedent? Oh yes. Could you live like this? Heck no.\r\n\r\nBut a little indulgence now and then is okay. <em>Right?</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4441\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Eaten Street-side Pommes Frites\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4441\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4441\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4441 \" title=\"Pommes Frites\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7238-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSure I really want my own waffle iron now and I have a hunch I am going to be dreaming about Belgian waffles for a couple of weeks but isn\'t that what travel is about? \r\n\r\nNeedless to say, I am going to have to eat salads this week (and maybe next week too).','Brussels: Some Eating Highlights ','','inherit','open','open','','4434-revision-8','','','2011-03-06 11:29:47','2011-03-06 09:29:47','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/4434-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(4451,1,'2011-03-06 11:37:54','2011-03-06 09:37:54','It turns out that I went to Brussels to eat. \n\nI thought that I went to get away from Sofia\'s winter and to explore Brussels but while there I spent a large portion of my time eating (and drinking). \n\nFor the record, that makes for a pretty great holiday.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4435\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4435\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4435\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4435 \" title=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7111-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4442\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4442\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4442\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4442 \" title=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7112-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAs it turned out the weather in Brussels was more or less the same as in Sofia. I had to wear my winter coat, scarf, hat and gloves and once or twice after being outside I thought: burr, I could really use my long-underwear but I didn\'t bring it with me. Even though it was cold, I saw more of the sun than I\'d seen recently in Sofia so that was nice.\n\nSo as luck would have it cold weather plus plenty of walking around, Belgian beer and a variety of semi-sinful treats made for a wonderful weekend away. \n\nWhat follows will either wow your or make you shake your head in disbelief. Either way, I hope that you enjoy the photos and a glimpse of my holiday through food. \n\nOh and I did do more than just eat but that\'s another post. \n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4437\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Belgian Waffles\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4437\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4437\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4437 \" title=\"Belgian Waffles\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7175-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4438\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Stand near Manneken Pis\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4438\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4438\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4438 \" title=\"Waffles near Manneken Pis\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7171-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4436\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Up-close \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4436\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4436\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4436 \" title=\"Waffle Up-close \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7174-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI went to Brussels with my friend S. We had a great time together. We wandered around the city. Took lots of photos. Ate a lot of food. Meandered some more and then ate some more. \n\nWe (gasp) didn\'t hit up a single museum but that\'s how it works sometimes. I guess you could say that we soaked up modern-Brussels and we had a blast doing it.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4439\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chimay Blue \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4439\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4439\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4439 \" title=\"Chimay Blue \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7214-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nHere\'s the two day run down: five Belgian beers, two waffles, one cone of French fries (and mayonnaise and ketchup) and the better part of an hour in a chocolate shop. All of this was interspersed with some pastries and a couple of real meals.\n\nThe chocolates. Oh the chocolates. Don\'t even get me started. Many of the shops were so beautiful and tempting. S. and stumbled into this lovely shop Elizabeth\'s and spent a lot of time ogling the chocolates before buying ourselves and our friends some. It was a wonderful way to spend an hour. \n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4440\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolates \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4440\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4440\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4440 \" title=\"Chocolates \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7219-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nEating our way through the city was fantastic.  \n\nAnd kind of gross.\n\nBut really more awesome than anything else.  Brussels is such a grown up city but there\'s also some great \"street food.\" If you can call waffles and french fries street food. This kind of street food is a little more refined than some places but you can\'t beat a warm waffle on a cold afternoon or a cone of pommes frites after walking around all day. This street food is just grown up enough for the cobble stones of Brussels. \n\nDecedent? Oh yes. Could you live like this? Heck no.\n\nBut a little indulgence now and then is okay. <em>Right?</em>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4441\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Eaten Street-side Pommes Frites\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4441\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4441\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4441 \" title=\"Pommes Frites\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7238-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSure I really want my own waffle iron now and I have a hunch I am going to be dreaming about Belgian waffles for a couple of weeks but isn\'t that what travel is about? \n\nNeedless to say, I am going to have to eat salads this week (and maybe next week too).','Brussels: Some Eating Highlights ','','inherit','open','open','','4434-revision-9','','','2011-03-06 11:37:54','2011-03-06 09:37:54','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/4434-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(4453,1,'2011-03-06 11:38:54','2011-03-06 09:38:54','It turns out that I went to Brussels to eat. \n\nI thought that I went to get away from Sofia\'s winter and to explore Brussels but while there I spent a large portion of my time eating (and drinking). \n\nFor the record, that makes for a pretty great holiday.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4435\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4435\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4435\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4435 \" title=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7111-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4442\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4442\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4442\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4442 \" title=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7112-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAs it turned out the weather in Brussels was more or less the same as in Sofia. I had to wear my winter coat, scarf, hat and gloves and once or twice after being outside I thought: burr, I could really use my long-underwear but I didn\'t bring it with me. Even though it was cold, I saw more of the sun than I\'d seen recently in Sofia so that was nice.\n\nSo as luck would have it cold weather plus plenty of walking around, Belgian beer and a variety of semi-sinful treats made for a wonderful weekend away. \n\nWhat follows will either wow your or make you shake your head in disbelief. Either way, I hope that you enjoy the photos and a glimpse of my holiday through food. \n\nOh and I did do more than just eat but that\'s another post. \n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4437\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Belgian Waffles\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4437\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4437\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4437 \" title=\"Belgian Waffles\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7175-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4438\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Stand near Manneken Pis\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4438\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4438\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4438 \" title=\"Waffles near Manneken Pis\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7171-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4436\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Up-close \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4436\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4436\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4436 \" title=\"Waffle Up-close \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7174-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI went to Brussels with my friend S. We had a great time together. We wandered around the city. Took lots of photos. Ate a lot of food. Meandered some more and then ate some more. \n\nWe (gasp) didn\'t hit up a single museum but that\'s how it works sometimes. I guess you could say that we soaked up modern-Brussels and we had a blast doing it.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4439\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chimay Blue \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4439\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4439\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4439 \" title=\"Chimay Blue \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7214-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nHere\'s the two day food run down: five Belgian beers, two waffles, one cone of French fries (and mayonnaise and ketchup) and the better part of an hour in a chocolate shop. All of this was interspersed with coffee and some pastries plus a couple of real meals.\n\nThe chocolates. Oh the chocolates. Don\'t even get me started. Many of the shops were so beautiful and tempting. S. and stumbled into this lovely shop Elizabeth\'s and spent a lot of time ogling the chocolates before buying ourselves and our friends some. It was a wonderful way to spend an hour. \n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4440\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolates \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4440\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4440\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4440 \" title=\"Chocolates \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7219-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nEating our way through the city was fantastic.  \n\nAnd kind of gross.\n\nBut really more awesome than anything else.  Brussels is such a grown up city but there\'s also some great \"street food.\" If you can call waffles and french fries street food. This kind of street food is a little more refined than some places but you can\'t beat a warm waffle on a cold afternoon or a cone of pommes frites after walking around all day. This street food is just grown up enough for the cobble stones of Brussels. \n\nDecedent? Oh yes. Could you live like this? Heck no.\n\nBut a little indulgence now and then is okay. <em>Right?</em>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4441\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Eaten Street-side Pommes Frites\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4441\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4441\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4441 \" title=\"Pommes Frites\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7238-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSure I really want my own waffle iron now and I have a hunch I am going to be dreaming about Belgian waffles for a couple of weeks but isn\'t that what travel is about? \n\nNeedless to say, I am going to have to eat salads this week (and maybe next week too).','Brussels: Some Eating Highlights ','','inherit','open','open','','4434-revision-11','','','2011-03-06 11:38:54','2011-03-06 09:38:54','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/4434-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(4452,1,'2011-03-06 11:38:46','2011-03-06 09:38:46','It turns out that I went to Brussels to eat. \r\n\r\nI thought that I went to get away from Sofia\'s winter and to explore Brussels but while there I spent a large portion of my time eating (and drinking). \r\n\r\nFor the record, that makes for a pretty great holiday.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4435\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4435\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4435\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4435 \" title=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7111-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4442\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4442\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4442\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4442 \" title=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7112-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAs it turned out the weather in Brussels was more or less the same as in Sofia. I had to wear my winter coat, scarf, hat and gloves and once or twice after being outside I thought: burr, I could really use my long-underwear but I didn\'t bring it with me. Even though it was cold, I saw more of the sun than I\'d seen recently in Sofia so that was nice.\r\n\r\nSo as luck would have it cold weather plus plenty of walking around, Belgian beer and a variety of semi-sinful treats made for a wonderful weekend away. \r\n\r\nWhat follows will either wow your or make you shake your head in disbelief. Either way, I hope that you enjoy the photos and a glimpse of my holiday through food. \r\n\r\nOh and I did do more than just eat but that\'s another post. \r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4437\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Belgian Waffles\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4437\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4437\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4437 \" title=\"Belgian Waffles\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7175-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4438\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Stand near Manneken Pis\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4438\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4438\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4438 \" title=\"Waffles near Manneken Pis\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7171-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4436\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Up-close \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4436\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4436\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4436 \" title=\"Waffle Up-close \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7174-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI went to Brussels with my friend S. We had a great time together. We wandered around the city. Took lots of photos. Ate a lot of food. Meandered some more and then ate some more. \r\n\r\nWe (gasp) didn\'t hit up a single museum but that\'s how it works sometimes. I guess you could say that we soaked up modern-Brussels and we had a blast doing it.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4439\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chimay Blue \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4439\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4439\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4439 \" title=\"Chimay Blue \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7214-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the two day food run down: five Belgian beers, two waffles, one cone of French fries (and mayonnaise and ketchup) and the better part of an hour in a chocolate shop. All of this was interspersed with coffee and some pastries plus a couple of real meals.\r\n\r\nThe chocolates. Oh the chocolates. Don\'t even get me started. Many of the shops were so beautiful and tempting. S. and stumbled into this lovely shop Elizabeth\'s and spent a lot of time ogling the chocolates before buying ourselves and our friends some. It was a wonderful way to spend an hour. \r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4440\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolates \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4440\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4440\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4440 \" title=\"Chocolates \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7219-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEating our way through the city was fantastic.  \r\n\r\nAnd kind of gross.\r\n\r\nBut really more awesome than anything else.  Brussels is such a grown up city but there\'s also some great \"street food.\" If you can call waffles and french fries street food. This kind of street food is a little more refined than some places but you can\'t beat a warm waffle on a cold afternoon or a cone of pommes frites after walking around all day. This street food is just grown up enough for the cobble stones of Brussels. \r\n\r\nDecedent? Oh yes. Could you live like this? Heck no.\r\n\r\nBut a little indulgence now and then is okay. <em>Right?</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4441\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Eaten Street-side Pommes Frites\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4441\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4441\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4441 \" title=\"Pommes Frites\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7238-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSure I really want my own waffle iron now and I have a hunch I am going to be dreaming about Belgian waffles for a couple of weeks but isn\'t that what travel is about? \r\n\r\nNeedless to say, I am going to have to eat salads this week (and maybe next week too).','Brussels: Some Eating Highlights ','','inherit','open','open','','4434-revision-10','','','2011-03-06 11:38:46','2011-03-06 09:38:46','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/4434-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(4454,1,'2011-03-06 11:41:26','2011-03-06 09:41:26','It turns out that I went to Brussels to eat.\r\n\r\nI thought that I went to get away from Sofia\'s winter and to explore Brussels but while there I spent a large portion of my time eating (and drinking).\r\n\r\nFor the record, that makes for a pretty great holiday.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4435\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4435\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4435\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4435 \" title=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7111-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4442\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4442\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4442\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4442 \" title=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7112-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAs it turned out the weather in Brussels was more or less the same as in Sofia. I had to wear my winter coat, scarf, hat and gloves and once or twice after being outside I thought: burr, I could really use my long-underwear but I didn\'t bring it with me. Even though it was cold, I saw more of the sun than I\'d seen recently in Sofia so that was nice.\r\n\r\nSo as luck would have it cold weather plus plenty of walking around, Belgian beer and a variety of semi-sinful treats made for a wonderful weekend away.\r\n\r\nWhat follows will either wow your or make you shake your head in disbelief. Either way, I hope that you enjoy the photos and a glimpse of my holiday through food.\r\n\r\nOh and I did do more than just eat but that\'s another post. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4437\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Belgian Waffles\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4437\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4437\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4437 \" title=\"Belgian Waffles\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7175-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4438\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Stand near Manneken Pis\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4438\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4438\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4438 \" title=\"Waffles near Manneken Pis\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7171-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4436\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Up-close \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4436\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4436\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4436 \" title=\"Waffle Up-close \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7174-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI went to Brussels with my friend S. We had a great time together. We wandered around the city. Took lots of photos. Ate a lot of food. Meandered some more and then ate some more.\r\n\r\nWe (gasp) didn\'t hit up a single museum but that\'s how it works sometimes. I guess you could say that we soaked up modern-Brussels and we had a blast doing it.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4439\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chimay Blue \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4439\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4439\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4439 \" title=\"Chimay Blue \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7214-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the two day food run down: five Belgian beers, two waffles, one cone of French fries (and mayonnaise and ketchup) and the better part of an hour in a chocolate shop. All of this was interspersed with coffee and some pastries plus a couple of real meals.\r\n\r\nThe chocolates. Oh the chocolates. Don\'t even get me started. Many of the shops were so beautiful and tempting. S. and stumbled into this lovely shop Elizabeth\'s and spent a lot of time ogling the chocolates before buying ourselves and our friends some. It was a wonderful way to spend an hour.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4440\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolates \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4440\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4440\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4440 \" title=\"Chocolates \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7219-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEating our way through the city was fantastic.\r\n\r\nAnd kind of gross.\r\n\r\nBut really more awesome than anything else.  Brussels is such a grown up city but there\'s also some great \"street food.\" If you can call waffles and french fries street food. This kind of street food is a little more refined than some places but you can\'t beat a warm waffle on a cold afternoon or a cone of pommes frites after walking around all day. This street food is just grown up enough for the cobble stones of Brussels.\r\n\r\nDecedent? Oh yes. Could you live like this? Heck no.\r\n\r\nBut a little indulgence now and then is okay. <em>Right?</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4441\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Eaten Street-side Pommes Frites\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4441\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4441\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4441 \" title=\"Pommes Frites\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7238-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSure I really want my own waffle iron now and I have a hunch I am going to be dreaming about Belgian waffles for a couple of weeks but isn\'t that what travel is about?\r\n\r\nNeedless to say, I am going to have to eat salads this week (and maybe next week too).','Brussels: Some Eating Highlights ','','inherit','open','open','','4434-revision-12','','','2011-03-06 11:41:26','2011-03-06 09:41:26','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/4434-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(4455,1,'2011-03-06 11:42:32','2011-03-06 09:42:32','It turns out that I went to Brussels to eat.\n\nI thought that I went to get away from Sofia\'s winter and to explore Brussels but while there I spent a large portion of my time eating (and drinking).\n\nFor the record, that makes for a pretty great holiday.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4435\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4435\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/brussels-some-eating-highlights/img_7111/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4435 \" title=\"Kriek Boon Belgian Beer \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7111-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4442\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4442\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/brussels-some-eating-highlights/img_7112/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4442 \" title=\"My first Belgian Beer in Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7112-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAs it turned out the weather in Brussels was more or less the same as in Sofia. I had to wear my winter coat, scarf, hat and gloves and once or twice after being outside I thought: burr, I could really use my long-underwear but I didn\'t bring it with me. Even though it was cold, I saw more of the sun than I\'d seen recently in Sofia so that was nice.\n\nSo as luck would have it cold weather plus plenty of walking around, Belgian beer and a variety of semi-sinful treats made for a wonderful weekend away.\n\nWhat follows will either wow your or make you shake your head in disbelief. Either way, I hope that you enjoy the photos and a glimpse of my holiday through food.\n\nOh and I did do more than just eat but that\'s another post. <!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4437\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Belgian Waffles\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4437\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/brussels-some-eating-highlights/img_7175/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4437 \" title=\"Belgian Waffles\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7175-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4438\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Stand near Manneken Pis\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4438\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/brussels-some-eating-highlights/img_7171/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4438 \" title=\"Waffles near Manneken Pis\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7171-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4436\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Waffle Up-close \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4436\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/brussels-some-eating-highlights/img_7174/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4436 \" title=\"Waffle Up-close \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7174-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI went to Brussels with my friend S. We had a great time together. We wandered around the city. Took lots of photos. Ate a lot of food. Meandered some more and then ate some more.\n\nWe (gasp) didn\'t hit up a single museum but that\'s how it works sometimes. I guess you could say that we soaked up modern-Brussels and we had a blast doing it.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4439\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chimay Blue \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4439\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/brussels-some-eating-highlights/img_7214/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4439 \" title=\"Chimay Blue \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7214-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nHere\'s the two day food run down: five Belgian beers, two waffles, one cone of French fries (and mayonnaise and ketchup) and the better part of an hour in a chocolate shop. All of this was interspersed with coffee and some pastries plus a couple of real meals.\n\nThe chocolates. Oh the chocolates. Don\'t even get me started. Many of the shops were so beautiful and tempting. S. and stumbled into this lovely shop Elizabeth\'s and spent a lot of time ogling the chocolates before buying ourselves and our friends some. It was a wonderful way to spend an hour.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4440\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Chocolates \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4440\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/brussels-some-eating-highlights/img_7219/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4440 \" title=\"Chocolates \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7219-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nEating our way through the city was fantastic.\n\nAnd kind of gross.\n\nBut really more awesome than anything else.  Brussels is such a grown up city but there\'s also some great \"street food.\" If you can call waffles and french fries street food. This kind of street food is a little more refined than some places but you can\'t beat a warm waffle on a cold afternoon or a cone of pommes frites after walking around all day. This street food is just grown up enough for the cobble stones of Brussels.\n\nDecedent? Oh yes. Could you live like this? Heck no.\n\nBut a little indulgence now and then is okay. <em>Right?</em>\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4441\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Eaten Street-side Pommes Frites\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4441\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/brussels-some-eating-highlights/img_7238/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4441 \" title=\"Pommes Frites\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7238-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSure I really want my own waffle iron now and I have a hunch I am going to be dreaming about Belgian waffles for a couple of weeks but isn\'t that what travel is about?\n\nNeedless to say, I am going to have to eat salads this week (and maybe next week too).','Brussels: Some Eating Highlights ','','inherit','open','open','','4434-autosave','','','2011-03-06 11:42:32','2011-03-06 09:42:32','',4434,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/06/4434-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(4457,1,'2011-03-07 19:21:17','2011-03-07 17:21:17','Saturday night, I ended up at a new-to-me and relatively new-to-Sofia restaurant called in English/Bulgarian Tavite/Тавите. I saw it downtown a couple of months ago and wanted to try it but it took until Saturday night for me to actually make there.\n\nI ended up there with a friend after we\'d hoped to go to a different pizza place but there were no free tables  and I suggested Tavite. Only I didn\'t know the restaurant\'s name and I couldn\'t exactly remember where it was.  I warned my friend of this but we decided to risk it anyway.\n\nSomehow, I found the restaurant on the first try.  It\'s like I actually know the city (or something).  And we were lucky enough to snag the last free table!!\n\nI am so glad that I went.\n\nTavite is really cute. It has a lot of personality for a Bulgarian restaurant. It\'s casual without being too fussy. Maybe the part that I like best is that the restaurant is decked out in shades of white making it very clean and fresh feeling.\n\nThe food is modern Bulgarian and very tasty. What do I mean by that? Well, the menu has a lot of traditional Bulgarian foods made with a twist or with extra care. For example, much of the ground meat is \"homemade\" which I assume that means that the restaurant is grinding it fresh in their kitchen. And the homemade kuopolu (кьополу) or in English the eggplant puree/aubergine puree was far from a puree as the word in English suggests.  Rather it was a hearty mix of coarsely chopped roasted eggplant, garlic and I think maybe red peppers. It was so good.\n\nThe only thing that could have used a little extra ompf was the bread. Toasted slices of what appeared to be store bought white bread wasn\'t really in keeping with the modern-homemade vibe of the rest of the kitchen. But really, even that\'s not the end of the world. It\'s just bread.\n\nThen there was the waitstaff. On a whole they were attentive and relatively helpful. The table menu is only in Bulgarian. Luckily I know enough Bulgarian that it was easy to order from this menu. Upon handing us the Bulgarian only menus one of the waitresses also brought us a to-go paper menu which is in both English and Bulgarian. The font is tiny and some of the translations are just okay (like the домашна лютеница was translated as home-made chutney) but I think for most non-Bulgarian speakers this paper to-go menu will do the trick.\n\nAs I said, our meal was great. Then we got the bill and I have to say the prices are great! Okay we got mis-charged for one dish but when we pointed it out our waiter apologized profusely in both Bulgarian and in English. It was clearly a mistake and not an attempt to take advantage of two unsuspecting foreigners/tourists.\n\nHere\'s the best part, as soon as I left the restaurant I was plotting my return. That\'s how good it is.\n\nI am bummed that that I didn\'t have my camera with me. This happens sometimes. The good news <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/pages/%D0%A2%D0%90%D0%92%D0%98%D0%A2%D0%95-TAVITE/182920888398991?v=info#!/pages/%D0%A2%D0%90%D0%92%D0%98%D0%A2%D0%95-TAVITE/182920888398991?v=wall\" target=\"_self\">Tavite has a facebook page</a>. They also deliver on orders over 13.90 leva (02/980 37 47, 0882 880 901) or you can call for reservations. This might be a good idea considering the fact that the restaurant isn\'t huge. It\'s more cozy than huge.\n\nCheck it out 58 Gladstone Street. Basically from Slaveikov Square take a left on the street right before McDonalds (I think this is Ratcho Dimtchev) walk down two blocks or so until you reach a slightly off-kilter intersection there\'s a fancy-smanshy bar at the corner. Turn left. If all goes well, you\'ll be basically standing in front of Tavite.  Ta-da!','New Sofia Restaurant: Tavite or Тавите','','inherit','open','open','','4456-revision','','','2011-03-07 19:21:17','2011-03-07 17:21:17','',4456,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4456-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(4458,1,'2011-03-07 19:23:17','2011-03-07 17:23:17','Saturday night, I ended up at a new-to-me and relatively new-to-Sofia restaurant called in English/Bulgarian Tavite/Тавите. I saw it downtown a couple of months ago and wanted to try it but it took until Saturday night for me to actually make there.\n\nI ended up there with a friend after we\'d hoped to go to a different pizza place but there were no free tables  and I suggested Tavite. Only I didn\'t know the restaurant\'s name and I couldn\'t exactly remember where it was.  I warned my friend of this but we decided to risk it anyway.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\" caption=\"Tavite!\"]<img title=\"Tavite!\" src=\"http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/167390_185027078188372_182920888398991_552252_5706999_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" />[/caption]\n\nSomehow, I found the restaurant on the first try.  It\'s like I actually know the city (or something).  And we were lucky enough to snag the last free table!!\n\nI am so glad that I went.\n\nTavite is really cute. It has a lot of personality for a Bulgarian restaurant. It\'s casual without being too fussy. Maybe the part that I like best is that the restaurant is decked out in shades of white making it very clean and fresh feeling.\n\nThe food is modern Bulgarian and very tasty. What do I mean by that? Well, the menu has a lot of traditional Bulgarian foods made with a twist or with extra care. For example, much of the ground meat is \"homemade\" which I assume that means that the restaurant is grinding it fresh in their kitchen. And the homemade kuopolu (кьополу) or in English the eggplant puree/aubergine puree was far from a puree as the word in English suggests.  Rather it was a hearty mix of coarsely chopped roasted eggplant, garlic and I think maybe red peppers. It was so good.\n\nThe only thing that could have used a little extra ompf was the bread. Toasted slices of what appeared to be store bought white bread wasn\'t really in keeping with the modern-homemade vibe of the rest of the kitchen. But really, even that\'s not the end of the world. It\'s just bread.\n\nThen there was the waitstaff. On a whole they were attentive and relatively helpful. The table menu is only in Bulgarian. Luckily I know enough Bulgarian that it was easy to order from this menu. Upon handing us the Bulgarian only menus one of the waitresses also brought us a to-go paper menu which is in both English and Bulgarian. The font is tiny and some of the translations are just okay (like the домашна лютеница was translated as home-made chutney) but I think for most non-Bulgarian speakers this paper to-go menu will do the trick.\n\nAs I said, our meal was great. Then we got the bill and I have to say the prices are great! Okay we got mis-charged for one dish but when we pointed it out our waiter apologized profusely in both Bulgarian and in English. It was clearly a mistake and not an attempt to take advantage of two unsuspecting foreigners/tourists.\n\nHere\'s the best part, as soon as I left the restaurant I was plotting my return. That\'s how good it is.\n\nI am bummed that that I didn\'t have my camera with me. This happens sometimes. The good news <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/pages/%D0%A2%D0%90%D0%92%D0%98%D0%A2%D0%95-TAVITE/182920888398991?v=info#!/pages/%D0%A2%D0%90%D0%92%D0%98%D0%A2%D0%95-TAVITE/182920888398991?v=wall\" target=\"_self\">Tavite has a facebook page</a>. They also deliver on orders over 13.90 leva (02/980 37 47, 0882 880 901) or you can call for reservations. This might be a good idea considering the fact that the restaurant isn\'t huge. It\'s more cozy than huge.\n\nCheck it out 58 Gladstone Street. Basically from Slaveikov Square take a left on the street right before McDonalds (I think this is Ratcho Dimtchev) walk down two blocks or so until you reach a slightly off-kilter intersection there\'s a fancy-smanshy bar at the corner. Turn left. If all goes well, you\'ll be basically standing in front of Tavite.  Ta-da!','New Sofia Restaurant: Tavite or Тавите','','inherit','open','open','','4456-revision-2','','','2011-03-07 19:23:17','2011-03-07 17:23:17','',4456,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4456-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(4459,1,'2011-03-07 19:24:31','2011-03-07 17:24:31','Saturday night, I ended up at a new-to-me and relatively new-to-Sofia restaurant called in English/Bulgarian Tavite/Тавите. I saw it downtown a couple of months ago and wanted to try it but it took until Saturday night for me to actually make there.\r\n\r\nI ended up there with a friend after we\'d hoped to go to a different pizza place but there were no free tables  and I suggested Tavite. Only I didn\'t know the restaurant\'s name and I couldn\'t exactly remember where it was.  I warned my friend of this but we decided to risk it anyway.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\" caption=\"Tavite (photo from Facebook)\"]<img title=\"Tavite!\" src=\"http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/167390_185027078188372_182920888398991_552252_5706999_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" />[/caption]\r\n\r\nSomehow, I found the restaurant on the first try.  It\'s like I actually know the city (or something).  And we were lucky enough to snag the last free table!!\r\n\r\nI am so glad that I went.\r\n\r\nTavite is really cute. It has a lot of personality for a Bulgarian restaurant. It\'s casual without being too fussy. <!--more-->Maybe the part that I like best is that the restaurant is decked out in shades of white making it very clean and fresh feeling.\r\n\r\nThe food is modern Bulgarian and very tasty. What do I mean by that? Well, the menu has a lot of traditional Bulgarian foods made with a twist or with extra care. For example, much of the ground meat is \"homemade\" which I assume that means that the restaurant is grinding it fresh in their kitchen. And the homemade kuopolu (кьополу) or in English the eggplant puree/aubergine puree was far from a puree as the word in English suggests.  Rather it was a hearty mix of coarsely chopped roasted eggplant, garlic and I think maybe red peppers. It was so good.\r\n\r\nThe only thing that could have used a little extra ompf was the bread. Toasted slices of what appeared to be store bought white bread wasn\'t really in keeping with the modern-homemade vibe of the rest of the kitchen. But really, even that\'s not the end of the world. It\'s just bread.\r\n\r\nThen there was the waitstaff. On a whole they were attentive and relatively helpful. The table menu is only in Bulgarian. Luckily I know enough Bulgarian that it was easy to order from this menu. Upon handing us the Bulgarian only menus one of the waitresses also brought us a to-go paper menu which is in both English and Bulgarian. The font is tiny and some of the translations are just okay (like the домашна лютеница was translated as home-made chutney) but I think for most non-Bulgarian speakers this paper to-go menu will do the trick.\r\n\r\nAs I said, our meal was great. Then we got the bill and I have to say the prices are great! Okay we got mis-charged for one dish but when we pointed it out our waiter apologized profusely in both Bulgarian and in English. It was clearly a mistake and not an attempt to take advantage of two unsuspecting foreigners/tourists.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the best part, as soon as I left the restaurant I was plotting my return. That\'s how good it is.\r\n\r\nI am bummed that that I didn\'t have my camera with me. This happens sometimes. The good news <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/pages/%D0%A2%D0%90%D0%92%D0%98%D0%A2%D0%95-TAVITE/182920888398991?v=info#!/pages/%D0%A2%D0%90%D0%92%D0%98%D0%A2%D0%95-TAVITE/182920888398991?v=wall\" target=\"_self\">Tavite has a facebook page</a>. They also deliver on orders over 13.90 leva (02/980 37 47, 0882 880 901) or you can call for reservations. This might be a good idea considering the fact that the restaurant isn\'t huge. It\'s more cozy than huge.\r\n\r\nCheck it out 58 Gladstone Street. Basically from Slaveikov Square take a left on the street right before McDonalds (I think this is Ratcho Dimtchev) walk down two blocks or so until you reach a slightly off-kilter intersection there\'s a fancy-smanshy bar at the corner. Turn left. If all goes well, you\'ll be basically standing in front of Tavite.  Ta-da!','New Sofia Restaurant: Tavite or Тавите','','inherit','open','open','','4456-revision-3','','','2011-03-07 19:24:31','2011-03-07 17:24:31','',4456,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4456-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(4460,1,'2011-03-07 19:24:54','2011-03-07 17:24:54','Saturday night, I ended up at a new-to-me and relatively new-to-Sofia restaurant called in English/Bulgarian Tavite/Тавите. I saw it downtown a couple of months ago and wanted to try it but it took until Saturday night for me to actually make there.\r\n\r\nI ended up there with a friend after we\'d hoped to go to a different pizza place but there were no free tables  and I suggested Tavite. Only I didn\'t know the restaurant\'s name and I couldn\'t exactly remember where it was.  I warned my friend of this but we decided to risk it anyway.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"720\" caption=\"Tavite (photo from Facebook)\"]<img title=\"Tavite!\" src=\"http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash1/167390_185027078188372_182920888398991_552252_5706999_n.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" />[/caption]\r\n\r\nSomehow, I found the restaurant on the first try.  It\'s like I actually know the city (or something).  And we were lucky enough to snag the last free table!!\r\n\r\nI am so glad that I went.\r\n\r\nTavite is really cute. It has a lot of personality for a Bulgarian restaurant. It\'s casual without being too fussy. <!--more-->Maybe the part that I like best is that the restaurant is decked out in shades of white making it very clean and fresh feeling.\r\n\r\nThe food is modern Bulgarian and very tasty. What do I mean by that? Well, the menu has a lot of traditional Bulgarian foods made with a twist or with extra care. For example, much of the ground meat is \"homemade\" which I assume that means that the restaurant is grinding it fresh in their kitchen. And the homemade kuopolu (кьополу) or in English the eggplant puree/aubergine puree was far from a puree as the word in English suggests.  Rather it was a hearty mix of coarsely chopped roasted eggplant, garlic and I think maybe red peppers. It was so good.\r\n\r\nThe only thing that could have used a little extra ompf was the bread. Toasted slices of what appeared to be store bought white bread wasn\'t really in keeping with the modern-homemade vibe of the rest of the kitchen. But really, even that\'s not the end of the world. It\'s just bread.\r\n\r\nThen there was the waitstaff. On a whole they were attentive and relatively helpful. The table menu is only in Bulgarian. Luckily I know enough Bulgarian that it was easy to order from this menu. Upon handing us the Bulgarian only menus one of the waitresses also brought us a to-go paper menu which is in both English and Bulgarian. The font is tiny and some of the translations are just okay (like the домашна лютеница was translated as home-made chutney) but I think for most non-Bulgarian speakers this paper to-go menu will do the trick.\r\n\r\nAs I said, our meal was great. Then we got the bill and I have to say the prices are great! Okay we got mis-charged for one dish but when we pointed it out our waiter apologized profusely in both Bulgarian and in English. It was clearly a mistake and not an attempt to take advantage of two unsuspecting foreigners/tourists.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the best part, as soon as I left the restaurant I was plotting my return. That\'s how good it is.\r\n\r\nI am bummed that that I didn\'t have my camera with me. This happens sometimes. The good news <a href=\"http://www.facebook.com/pages/%D0%A2%D0%90%D0%92%D0%98%D0%A2%D0%95-TAVITE/182920888398991?v=info#!/pages/%D0%A2%D0%90%D0%92%D0%98%D0%A2%D0%95-TAVITE/182920888398991?v=wall\" target=\"_self\">Tavite has a facebook page</a>. They also deliver on orders over 13.90 leva (02/980 37 47, 0882 880 901) or you can call for reservations. This might be a good idea considering the fact that the restaurant isn\'t huge. It\'s more cozy than huge.\r\n\r\nCheck it out 58 Gladstone Street. Basically from Slaveikov Square take a left on the street right before McDonalds (I think this is Ratcho Dimtchev) walk down two blocks or so until you reach a slightly off-kilter intersection there\'s a fancy-smanshy bar at the corner. Turn left. If all goes well, you\'ll be basically standing in front of Tavite.  Ta-da!','New Sofia Restaurant: Tavite or Тавите','','inherit','open','open','','4456-revision-4','','','2011-03-07 19:24:54','2011-03-07 17:24:54','',4456,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4456-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(4461,1,'2011-03-08 13:06:26','2011-03-08 11:06:26','Brussels is a comfortable city. Clean. Well taken care of. And old. It\'s also fun and pretty hip.\r\n\r\nOh and they speak both French and Dutch. That\'s pretty cool.\r\n\r\nI spent a little bit of time pretending that I could read Dutch. But that\'s kind of silly. I mean it does look like mix of German and English.\r\n\r\nWhat a wonderful trip.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4462\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grand Place/Grote Markt \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4462\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7087/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4462 \" title=\"Grand Place/ Grote Markt \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7087-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4463\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Table and Chairs\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4463\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7108/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4463 \" title=\"Table and Chairs\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7108-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4464\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"On the Streets of Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4464\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7119/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4464 \" title=\"On the Streets of Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7119-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4465\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4465\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7083/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4465 \" title=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7083-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4466\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Stone Flowers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4466\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7135/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4466 \" title=\"Stone Flowers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7135-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4467\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4467\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7159/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4467 \" title=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7159-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4468\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4468\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7202/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4468 \" title=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7202-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4469\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flea Market\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4469\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7209/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4469 \" title=\"Flea Market\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7209-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4470\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"People on the Grand Place \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4470\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7090/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4470 \" title=\"People on the Grand Place \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7090-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]','Brussels in Photos ','','publish','open','open','','brussels-in-photos','','','2011-03-07 20:47:44','2011-03-07 18:47:44','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4461',0,'post','',1),(4462,1,'2011-03-07 19:43:57','2011-03-07 17:43:57','','Grand Place/ Grote Markt ','Grand Place/Grote Markt ','inherit','open','open','','img_7087','','','2011-03-07 19:43:57','2011-03-07 17:43:57','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7087.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4463,1,'2011-03-07 19:46:04','2011-03-07 17:46:04','','Table and Chairs','Table and Chairs','inherit','open','open','','img_7108','','','2011-03-07 19:46:04','2011-03-07 17:46:04','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7108.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4464,1,'2011-03-07 19:47:37','2011-03-07 17:47:37','','On the Streets of Brussels ','On the Streets of Brussels ','inherit','open','open','','img_7119','','','2011-03-07 19:47:37','2011-03-07 17:47:37','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7119.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4465,1,'2011-03-07 19:49:26','2011-03-07 17:49:26','','Manneken Pis in Chocolate','Manneken Pis in Chocolate','inherit','open','open','','img_7083','','','2011-03-07 19:49:26','2011-03-07 17:49:26','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7083.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4466,1,'2011-03-07 19:51:41','2011-03-07 17:51:41','','Stone Flowers','Stone Flowers','inherit','open','open','','img_7135','','','2011-03-07 19:51:41','2011-03-07 17:51:41','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7135.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4467,1,'2011-03-07 19:53:48','2011-03-07 17:53:48','','Covered Shopping Walk-way','Covered Shopping Walk-way','inherit','open','open','','img_7159','','','2011-03-07 19:53:48','2011-03-07 17:53:48','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7159.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4468,1,'2011-03-07 19:55:46','2011-03-07 17:55:46','','Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop','Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop','inherit','open','open','','img_7202','','','2011-03-07 19:55:46','2011-03-07 17:55:46','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7202.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4469,1,'2011-03-07 19:57:33','2011-03-07 17:57:33','','Flea Market','Flea Market','inherit','open','open','','img_7209','','','2011-03-07 19:57:33','2011-03-07 17:57:33','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7209.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',1),(4470,1,'2011-03-07 20:02:30','2011-03-07 18:02:30','','People on the Grand Place ','People on the Grand Place ','inherit','open','open','','img_7090','','','2011-03-07 20:02:30','2011-03-07 18:02:30','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7090.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4471,1,'2011-03-07 20:06:06','2011-03-07 18:06:06','Brussels is a comfortable city. Clean. Well taken care of. And old. It\'s also fun and pretty hip.\n\nOh and they speak both French and Dutch. That\'s pretty cool. I spent a little bit of time pretending that I could read Dutch. It kind of looks like a silly mix of German and English.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4462\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grand Place/Grote Markt \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4462\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4462\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4462 \" title=\"Grand Place/ Grote Markt \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7087-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4463\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Table and Chairs\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4463\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4463\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4463 \" title=\"Table and Chairs\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7108-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4464\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"On the Streets of Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4464\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4464\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4464 \" title=\"On the Streets of Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7119-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4465\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4465\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4465\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4465 \" title=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7083-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4466\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Stone Flowers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4466\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4466\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4466 \" title=\"Stone Flowers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7135-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4467\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4467\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4467\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4467 \" title=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7159-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4468\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4468\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4468\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4468 \" title=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7202-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4469\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flea Market\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4469\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4469\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4469 \" title=\"Flea Market\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7209-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4470\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"People on the Grand Place \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4470\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4470\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4470 \" title=\"People on the Grand Place \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7090-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]','Brussels in Photos ','','inherit','open','open','','4461-revision','','','2011-03-07 20:06:06','2011-03-07 18:06:06','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4461-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(4472,1,'2011-03-07 20:06:24','2011-03-07 18:06:24','Brussels is a comfortable city. Clean. Well taken care of. And old. It\'s also fun and pretty hip.\r\n\r\nOh and they speak both French and Dutch. That\'s pretty cool. I spent a little bit of time pretending that I could read Dutch. It kind of looks like a silly mix of German and English.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4462\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grand Place/Grote Markt \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4462\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4462\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4462 \" title=\"Grand Place/ Grote Markt \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7087-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4463\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Table and Chairs\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4463\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4463\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4463 \" title=\"Table and Chairs\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7108-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4464\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"On the Streets of Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4464\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4464\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4464 \" title=\"On the Streets of Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7119-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4465\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4465\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4465\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4465 \" title=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7083-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4466\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Stone Flowers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4466\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4466\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4466 \" title=\"Stone Flowers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7135-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4467\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4467\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4467\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4467 \" title=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7159-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4468\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4468\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4468\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4468 \" title=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7202-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4469\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flea Market\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4469\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4469\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4469 \" title=\"Flea Market\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7209-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4470\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"People on the Grand Place \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4470\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4470\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4470 \" title=\"People on the Grand Place \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7090-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]','Brussels in Photos ','','inherit','open','open','','4461-revision-2','','','2011-03-07 20:06:24','2011-03-07 18:06:24','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4461-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(4473,1,'2011-03-07 20:06:24','2011-03-07 18:06:24','Brussels is a comfortable city. Clean. Well taken care of. And old. It\'s also fun and pretty hip.\r\n\r\nOh and they speak both French and Dutch. That\'s pretty cool. I spent a little bit of time pretending that I could read Dutch. It kind of looks like a silly mix of German and English.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4462\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grand Place/Grote Markt \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4462\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4462\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4462 \" title=\"Grand Place/ Grote Markt \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7087-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4463\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Table and Chairs\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4463\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4463\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4463 \" title=\"Table and Chairs\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7108-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4464\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"On the Streets of Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4464\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4464\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4464 \" title=\"On the Streets of Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7119-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4465\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4465\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4465\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4465 \" title=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7083-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4466\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Stone Flowers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4466\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4466\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4466 \" title=\"Stone Flowers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7135-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4467\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4467\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4467\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4467 \" title=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7159-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4468\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4468\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4468\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4468 \" title=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7202-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4469\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flea Market\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4469\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4469\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4469 \" title=\"Flea Market\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7209-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4470\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"People on the Grand Place \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4470\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4470\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4470 \" title=\"People on the Grand Place \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7090-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]','Brussels in Photos ','','inherit','open','open','','4461-revision-3','','','2011-03-07 20:06:24','2011-03-07 18:06:24','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4461-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(4474,1,'2011-03-07 20:06:26','2011-03-07 18:06:26','Brussels is a comfortable city. Clean. Well taken care of. And old. It\'s also fun and pretty hip.\r\n\r\nOh and they speak both French and Dutch. That\'s pretty cool. I spent a little bit of time pretending that I could read Dutch. It kind of looks like a silly mix of German and English.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4462\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grand Place/Grote Markt \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4462\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4462\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4462 \" title=\"Grand Place/ Grote Markt \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7087-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4463\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Table and Chairs\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4463\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4463\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4463 \" title=\"Table and Chairs\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7108-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4464\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"On the Streets of Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4464\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4464\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4464 \" title=\"On the Streets of Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7119-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4465\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4465\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4465\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4465 \" title=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7083-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4466\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Stone Flowers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4466\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4466\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4466 \" title=\"Stone Flowers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7135-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4467\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4467\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4467\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4467 \" title=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7159-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4468\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4468\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4468\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4468 \" title=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7202-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4469\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flea Market\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4469\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4469\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4469 \" title=\"Flea Market\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7209-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4470\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"People on the Grand Place \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4470\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4470\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4470 \" title=\"People on the Grand Place \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7090-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]','Brussels in Photos ','','inherit','open','open','','4461-revision-4','','','2011-03-07 20:06:26','2011-03-07 18:06:26','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4461-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(4475,1,'2011-03-07 20:10:33','2011-03-07 18:10:33','Brussels is a comfortable city. Clean. Well taken care of. And old. It\'s also fun and pretty hip.\n\nOh and they speak both French and Dutch. That\'s pretty cool.\n\nI spent a little bit of time pretending that I could read Dutch. But that\'s kind of silly. I mean it does look like mix of German and English.\n\nWhat a wonderful trip.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4462\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grand Place/Grote Markt \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4462\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4462\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4462 \" title=\"Grand Place/ Grote Markt \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7087-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\ntalk. <!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4463\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Table and Chairs\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4463\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4463\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4463 \" title=\"Table and Chairs\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7108-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4464\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"On the Streets of Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4464\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4464\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4464 \" title=\"On the Streets of Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7119-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4465\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4465\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4465\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4465 \" title=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7083-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4466\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Stone Flowers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4466\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4466\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4466 \" title=\"Stone Flowers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7135-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4467\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4467\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4467\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4467 \" title=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7159-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4468\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4468\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4468\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4468 \" title=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7202-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4469\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flea Market\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4469\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4469\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4469 \" title=\"Flea Market\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7209-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4470\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"People on the Grand Place \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4470\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4470\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4470 \" title=\"People on the Grand Place \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7090-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]','Brussels in Photos ','','inherit','open','open','','4461-revision-5','','','2011-03-07 20:10:33','2011-03-07 18:10:33','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4461-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(4476,1,'2011-03-07 20:11:14','2011-03-07 18:11:14','Brussels is a comfortable city. Clean. Well taken care of. And old. It\'s also fun and pretty hip.\r\n\r\nOh and they speak both French and Dutch. That\'s pretty cool.\r\n\r\nI spent a little bit of time pretending that I could read Dutch. But that\'s kind of silly. I mean it does look like mix of German and English.\r\n\r\nWhat a wonderful trip.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4462\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grand Place/Grote Markt \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4462\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4462\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4462 \" title=\"Grand Place/ Grote Markt \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7087-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4463\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Table and Chairs\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4463\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4463\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4463 \" title=\"Table and Chairs\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7108-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4464\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"On the Streets of Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4464\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4464\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4464 \" title=\"On the Streets of Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7119-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4465\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4465\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4465\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4465 \" title=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7083-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4466\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Stone Flowers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4466\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4466\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4466 \" title=\"Stone Flowers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7135-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4467\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4467\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4467\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4467 \" title=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7159-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4468\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4468\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4468\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4468 \" title=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7202-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4469\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flea Market\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4469\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4469\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4469 \" title=\"Flea Market\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7209-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4470\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"People on the Grand Place \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4470\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4470\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4470 \" title=\"People on the Grand Place \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7090-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]','Brussels in Photos ','','inherit','open','open','','4461-revision-6','','','2011-03-07 20:11:14','2011-03-07 18:11:14','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4461-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(4477,1,'2011-03-07 20:11:14','2011-03-07 18:11:14','Brussels is a comfortable city. Clean. Well taken care of. And old. It\'s also fun and pretty hip.\r\n\r\nOh and they speak both French and Dutch. That\'s pretty cool.\r\n\r\nI spent a little bit of time pretending that I could read Dutch. But that\'s kind of silly. I mean it does look like mix of German and English.\r\n\r\nWhat a wonderful trip.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4462\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grand Place/Grote Markt \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4462\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4462\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4462 \" title=\"Grand Place/ Grote Markt \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7087-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4463\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Table and Chairs\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4463\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4463\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4463 \" title=\"Table and Chairs\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7108-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4464\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"On the Streets of Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4464\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4464\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4464 \" title=\"On the Streets of Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7119-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4465\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4465\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4465\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4465 \" title=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7083-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4466\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Stone Flowers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4466\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4466\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4466 \" title=\"Stone Flowers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7135-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4467\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4467\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4467\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4467 \" title=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7159-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4468\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4468\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4468\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4468 \" title=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7202-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4469\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flea Market\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4469\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4469\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4469 \" title=\"Flea Market\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7209-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4470\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"People on the Grand Place \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4470\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4470\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4470 \" title=\"People on the Grand Place \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7090-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]','Brussels in Photos ','','inherit','open','open','','4461-revision-7','','','2011-03-07 20:11:14','2011-03-07 18:11:14','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4461-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(4478,1,'2011-03-07 20:11:37','2011-03-07 18:11:37','Brussels is a comfortable city. Clean. Well taken care of. And old. It\'s also fun and pretty hip.\r\n\r\nOh and they speak both French and Dutch. That\'s pretty cool.\r\n\r\nI spent a little bit of time pretending that I could read Dutch. But that\'s kind of silly. I mean it does look like mix of German and English.\r\n\r\nWhat a wonderful trip.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4462\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grand Place/Grote Markt \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4462\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4462\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4462 \" title=\"Grand Place/ Grote Markt \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7087-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4463\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Table and Chairs\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4463\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4463\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4463 \" title=\"Table and Chairs\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7108-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4464\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"On the Streets of Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4464\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4464\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4464 \" title=\"On the Streets of Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7119-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4465\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4465\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4465\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4465 \" title=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7083-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4466\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Stone Flowers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4466\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4466\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4466 \" title=\"Stone Flowers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7135-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4467\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4467\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4467\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4467 \" title=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7159-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4468\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4468\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4468\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4468 \" title=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7202-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4469\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flea Market\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4469\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4469\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4469 \" title=\"Flea Market\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7209-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4470\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"People on the Grand Place \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4470\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4470\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4470 \" title=\"People on the Grand Place \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7090-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]','Brussels in Photos ','','inherit','open','open','','4461-revision-8','','','2011-03-07 20:11:37','2011-03-07 18:11:37','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4461-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(4479,1,'2011-03-07 20:12:42','2011-03-07 18:12:42','Brussels is a comfortable city. Clean. Well taken care of. And old. It\'s also fun and pretty hip.\n\nOh and they speak both French and Dutch. That\'s pretty cool.\n\nI spent a little bit of time pretending that I could read Dutch. But that\'s kind of silly. I mean it does look like mix of German and English.\n\nWhat a wonderful trip.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4462\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grand Place/Grote Markt \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4462\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7087/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4462 \" title=\"Grand Place/ Grote Markt \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7087-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4463\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Table and Chairs\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4463\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7108/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4463 \" title=\"Table and Chairs\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7108-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4464\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"On the Streets of Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4464\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7119/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4464 \" title=\"On the Streets of Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7119-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4465\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4465\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7083/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4465 \" title=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7083-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4466\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Stone Flowers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4466\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7135/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4466 \" title=\"Stone Flowers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7135-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4467\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4467\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7159/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4467 \" title=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7159-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4468\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4468\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7202/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4468 \" title=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7202-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4469\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flea Market\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4469\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7209/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4469 \" title=\"Flea Market\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7209-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4470\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"People on the Grand Place \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4470\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7090/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4470 \" title=\"People on the Grand Place \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7090-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]','Brussels in Photos ','','inherit','open','open','','4461-autosave','','','2011-03-07 20:12:42','2011-03-07 18:12:42','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4461-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(4480,1,'2011-03-08 05:13:24','2011-03-08 03:13:24','Dear Baba Marta,\r\n\r\nI\'m writing to you because I\'d like to check in with you about spring. Any idea when it\'s coming?\r\n\r\nI know it\'s only early March but I\'d like to retire my winter scarf, my hat and mittens. Since March 1st I\'ve been wearing my martenitsi faithfully. So frankly, the snow this week was a little bit much. Sure it was cool that the snow fall started off like grated Parmesan cheese falling from heaven and turned into puffs of cotton candy but it seems like we must be reaching our snow quota for the year.\r\n\r\nDon\'t get me wrong. I don\'t mind cold weather but I\'d like it to be sunny and cold. The sun suggests that one day (hopefully sooner than later) warmer weather will find me. And as a side note, I like wearing my sunglasses and I haven\'t had many opportunities lately.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, what I\'d really like is for the weather warm up a little bit. This past weekend, I just dug my tan spring coat out from my closet thinking maybe I\'ll be able to wear this again soon. It has 3/4 length sleeves and black and white poka-dot lining. Needless to say, the snow but a kibosh on that plan.\r\n\r\nSo what do you think? Can I expect to see any little hints of spring in the next week or two?\r\n\r\nThen again, Baba Marta, maybe this is all my fault. I mean I did sort of downsize the number of martenitsi I was wearing last week.  For the record, I am sorry. Could you send spring anyway?\r\n\r\n--Me','Hey, Baba Marta!','','publish','open','open','','hey-baba-marta','','','2011-03-07 20:46:28','2011-03-07 18:46:28','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4480',0,'post','',5),(4481,1,'2011-03-07 20:45:30','2011-03-07 18:45:30','Dear Baba Marta,\n\nI\'m writing to you because I\'d like to check in with you about spring. Any idea when it\'s coming?\n\nI know it\'s only early March but I\'d like to retire my winter scarf, my hat and mittens. Since March 1st I\'ve been wearing my martenitsi faithfully. So frankly, the snow this week was a little bit much. Sure it was cool that the snow fall started off like grated Parmesan cheese falling from heaven and turned into puffs of cotton candy but it seems like we must be reaching our snow quota for the year.\n\nDon\'t get me wrong. I don\'t mind cold weather but I\'d like it to be sunny and cold. The sun suggests that one day (hopefully sooner than later) warmer weather will find me. And as a side note, I like wearing my sunglasses and I haven\'t had many opportunities lately.\n\nHere\'s the thing, what I\'d really like is for the weather warm up a little bit. This past weekend, I just dug my tan spring coat out from my closet thinking maybe I\'ll be able to wear this again soon. It has 3/4 length sleeves and black and white poka-dot lining. Needless to say, the snow but a kibosh on that plan.\n\nSo what do you think? Can I expect to see any little hints of spring in the next week or two?\n\nThen again, Baba Marta, maybe this is all my fault. I mean I did sort of downsize the number of martenitsi I was wearing last week.  For the record, I am sorry. Could you send spring anyway?\n\n--Me','Hey, Baba Marta!','','inherit','open','open','','4480-revision','','','2011-03-07 20:45:30','2011-03-07 18:45:30','',4480,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4480-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(4482,1,'2011-03-07 20:11:37','2011-03-07 18:11:37','Brussels is a comfortable city. Clean. Well taken care of. And old. It\'s also fun and pretty hip.\r\n\r\nOh and they speak both French and Dutch. That\'s pretty cool.\r\n\r\nI spent a little bit of time pretending that I could read Dutch. But that\'s kind of silly. I mean it does look like mix of German and English.\r\n\r\nWhat a wonderful trip.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4462\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grand Place/Grote Markt \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4462\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7087/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4462 \" title=\"Grand Place/ Grote Markt \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7087-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4463\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Table and Chairs\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4463\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7108/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4463 \" title=\"Table and Chairs\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7108-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4464\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"On the Streets of Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4464\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7119/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4464 \" title=\"On the Streets of Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7119-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4465\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4465\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7083/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4465 \" title=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7083-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4466\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Stone Flowers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4466\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7135/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4466 \" title=\"Stone Flowers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7135-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4467\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4467\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7159/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4467 \" title=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7159-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4468\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4468\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7202/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4468 \" title=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7202-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4469\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flea Market\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4469\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7209/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4469 \" title=\"Flea Market\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7209-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4470\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"People on the Grand Place \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4470\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7090/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4470 \" title=\"People on the Grand Place \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7090-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]','Brussels in Photos ','','inherit','open','open','','4461-revision-9','','','2011-03-07 20:11:37','2011-03-07 18:11:37','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4461-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(4483,1,'2011-03-07 20:47:32','2011-03-07 18:47:32','Brussels is a comfortable city. Clean. Well taken care of. And old. It\'s also fun and pretty hip.\r\n\r\nOh and they speak both French and Dutch. That\'s pretty cool.\r\n\r\nI spent a little bit of time pretending that I could read Dutch. But that\'s kind of silly. I mean it does look like mix of German and English.\r\n\r\nWhat a wonderful trip.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4462\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grand Place/Grote Markt \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4462\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7087/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4462 \" title=\"Grand Place/ Grote Markt \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7087-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4463\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Table and Chairs\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4463\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7108/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4463 \" title=\"Table and Chairs\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7108-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4464\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"On the Streets of Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4464\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7119/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4464 \" title=\"On the Streets of Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7119-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4465\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4465\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7083/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4465 \" title=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7083-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4466\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Stone Flowers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4466\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7135/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4466 \" title=\"Stone Flowers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7135-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4467\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4467\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7159/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4467 \" title=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7159-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4468\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4468\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7202/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4468 \" title=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7202-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4469\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flea Market\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4469\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7209/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4469 \" title=\"Flea Market\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7209-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4470\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"People on the Grand Place \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4470\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7090/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4470 \" title=\"People on the Grand Place \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7090-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]','Brussels in Photos ','','inherit','open','open','','4461-revision-10','','','2011-03-07 20:47:32','2011-03-07 18:47:32','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4461-revision-10/',0,'revision','',0),(4484,1,'2011-03-07 20:47:32','2011-03-07 18:47:32','Brussels is a comfortable city. Clean. Well taken care of. And old. It\'s also fun and pretty hip.\r\n\r\nOh and they speak both French and Dutch. That\'s pretty cool.\r\n\r\nI spent a little bit of time pretending that I could read Dutch. But that\'s kind of silly. I mean it does look like mix of German and English.\r\n\r\nWhat a wonderful trip.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4462\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grand Place/Grote Markt \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4462\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7087/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4462 \" title=\"Grand Place/ Grote Markt \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7087-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4463\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Table and Chairs\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4463\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7108/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4463 \" title=\"Table and Chairs\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7108-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4464\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"On the Streets of Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4464\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7119/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4464 \" title=\"On the Streets of Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7119-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4465\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4465\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7083/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4465 \" title=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7083-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4466\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Stone Flowers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4466\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7135/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4466 \" title=\"Stone Flowers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7135-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4467\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4467\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7159/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4467 \" title=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7159-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4468\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4468\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7202/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4468 \" title=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7202-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4469\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flea Market\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4469\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7209/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4469 \" title=\"Flea Market\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7209-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4470\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"People on the Grand Place \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4470\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7090/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4470 \" title=\"People on the Grand Place \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7090-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]','Brussels in Photos ','','inherit','open','open','','4461-revision-11','','','2011-03-07 20:47:32','2011-03-07 18:47:32','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4461-revision-11/',0,'revision','',0),(4485,1,'2011-03-07 20:47:44','2011-03-07 18:47:44','Brussels is a comfortable city. Clean. Well taken care of. And old. It\'s also fun and pretty hip.\r\n\r\nOh and they speak both French and Dutch. That\'s pretty cool.\r\n\r\nI spent a little bit of time pretending that I could read Dutch. But that\'s kind of silly. I mean it does look like mix of German and English.\r\n\r\nWhat a wonderful trip.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4462\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Grand Place/Grote Markt \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4462\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7087/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4462 \" title=\"Grand Place/ Grote Markt \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7087-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4463\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Table and Chairs\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4463\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7108/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4463 \" title=\"Table and Chairs\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7108-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4464\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"On the Streets of Brussels \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4464\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7119/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4464 \" title=\"On the Streets of Brussels \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7119-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4465\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4465\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7083/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4465 \" title=\"Manneken Pis in Chocolate\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7083-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4466\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Stone Flowers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4466\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7135/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4466 \" title=\"Stone Flowers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7135-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4467\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4467\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7159/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4467 \" title=\"Covered Shopping Walk-way\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7159-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4468\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4468\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7202/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4468 \" title=\"Window of Chairs in an Antique Shop\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7202-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4469\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flea Market\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4469\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7209/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4469 \" title=\"Flea Market\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7209-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4470\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"People on the Grand Place \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4470\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/08/brussels-in-photos/img_7090/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4470 \" title=\"People on the Grand Place \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7090-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]','Brussels in Photos ','','inherit','open','open','','4461-revision-12','','','2011-03-07 20:47:44','2011-03-07 18:47:44','',4461,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/07/4461-revision-12/',0,'revision','',0),(4486,1,'2011-03-07 20:48:50','0000-00-00 00:00:00','','Women\'s Day in Bulgaria ','','draft','open','open','','','','','2011-03-07 20:48:50','2011-03-07 18:48:50','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4486',0,'post','',0),(4487,1,'2011-03-10 20:59:05','2011-03-10 18:59:05','Last night was book club with some of the teachers from school. We discussed the book Cold Snap. Yep that\'s the book that I was in love with this fall--here\'s my review of the novel <a href=\"../2010/10/22/cold-snap-and-cynthia-morrison-phoel/\">Cold Snap</a>. The meeting last night made me want to re-read the book, like tonight.\r\n\r\nThere are a lot of wonderful moments in the book but one of them is this dog named Krastivtsa (or cucumber in English).  We we meet him in the book he kind of looks like a cucumber--long, skinny and fur-less.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4488\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pealed Cucumber\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4488\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/10/cucumbers/img_7247/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4488 \" title=\"Pealed Cucumber\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7247-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow in honor of Krastivtsa, I made the yummiest cucumber appetizer.  I\'ve been trying to figure out what to call it since I made it. Most descriptive might be stuffed cucumber bites. Then there\'s deviled cucumbers--that\'s a take a deviled eggs. Or garlic-cream cheese logs.  <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4489\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4489\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/10/cucumbers/img_7245/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4489  \" title=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7245-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI thought about some play on twice baked potatoes but this dish never saw the oven.\r\n\r\nThen I realized that if I\'d added some dill to the mix I basically had a tarator-soup dip which one can convey to her mouth on a cucumber.\r\n\r\nYeah. These cucumber appetizers were very tasty.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4490\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Finished Cucumbers \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4490\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/10/cucumbers/img_7244/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4490 \" title=\"Finished Cucumbers \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7244-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWant to make your own?\r\n\r\nTake three or four large cucumbers. Peal them. Cut them length-wise and then into bite size-ish pieces. Then scoop out the seedy middle so that it\'s a little bit hollowed out like a canoe.\r\n\r\nThen grab 250 grams of cream cheese (or so) and mix this in a bowl with four minced garlic heads and one small hot green pepper. Make sure the mixture is as smooth as possible. Add salt and pepper to taste.\r\n\r\nOh and if your cucumbers don\'t have huge seeds inside you can mix what you\'ve scooped out of the cucumbers into the cream cheese-garlic spread. Of course, if you had dill this would be the time to chop it up really finely and stir it in too.\r\n\r\nThen using a spoon fill up the cucumber canoe with the cream cheese-garlic spread you\'ve made.\r\n\r\nAnd ta-da! Stuffed cucumbers.','Cucumbers!!','','publish','open','open','','cucumbers','','','2011-03-10 20:59:05','2011-03-10 18:59:05','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4487',0,'post','',0),(4488,1,'2011-03-10 20:35:59','2011-03-10 18:35:59','','Pealed Cucumber','Pealed Cucumber','inherit','open','open','','img_7247','','','2011-03-10 20:35:59','2011-03-10 18:35:59','',4487,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7247.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4489,1,'2011-03-10 20:37:26','2011-03-10 18:37:26','','Scooped out Cucumbers','Scooped out Cucumbers','inherit','open','open','','img_7245','','','2011-03-10 20:37:26','2011-03-10 18:37:26','',4487,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7245.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4490,1,'2011-03-10 20:45:48','2011-03-10 18:45:48','','Finished Cucumbers ','Finished Cucumbers ','inherit','open','open','','img_7244','','','2011-03-10 20:45:48','2011-03-10 18:45:48','',4487,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7244.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4491,1,'2011-03-10 20:47:23','2011-03-10 18:47:23','Last night was book club with some of the teachers from school. We discussed the book Cold Snap. Yep that\'s the book that I was in love with this fall--here\'s my review of the novel <a href=\"../2010/10/22/cold-snap-and-cynthia-morrison-phoel/\">Cold Snap</a>. The meeting last night made me want to re-read the book, like tonight.\n\nThere are a lot of wonderful moments in the book but one of them is this dog named Krastivtsa (or cucumber in English).  We we meet him in the book he kind of looks like a cucumber--long, skinny and fur-less.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4488\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pealed Cucumber\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4488\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4488\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4488 \" title=\"Pealed Cucumber\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7247-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAnyhow in honor of Krastivtsa, I made the yummiest cucumber appetizer.  I\'ve been trying to figure out what to call it since I made it. Most descriptive might be stuffed cucumber bites. Then there\'s deviled cucumbers--that\'s a take a deviled eggs. Or garlic-cream cheese logs.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4489\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4489\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4489\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4489  \" title=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7245-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI thought about some play on twice baked potatoes but this dish never saw the oven.\n\nThen I realized that if I\'d added some dill to the mix I basically had a tarator-soup dip which one can convey to her mouth on a cucumber.\n\nYeah. These cucumber appetizers were very tasty.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4490\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Finished Cucumbers \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4490\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4490\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4490 \" title=\"Finished Cucumbers \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7244-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nWant to make your own?','Cucumbers!!','','inherit','open','open','','4487-revision','','','2011-03-10 20:47:23','2011-03-10 18:47:23','',4487,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/10/4487-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(4492,1,'2011-03-10 20:47:36','2011-03-10 18:47:36','Last night was book club with some of the teachers from school. We discussed the book Cold Snap. Yep that\'s the book that I was in love with this fall--here\'s my review of the novel <a href=\"../2010/10/22/cold-snap-and-cynthia-morrison-phoel/\">Cold Snap</a>. The meeting last night made me want to re-read the book, like tonight.\r\n\r\nThere are a lot of wonderful moments in the book but one of them is this dog named Krastivtsa (or cucumber in English).  We we meet him in the book he kind of looks like a cucumber--long, skinny and fur-less.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4488\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pealed Cucumber\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4488\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4488\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4488 \" title=\"Pealed Cucumber\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7247-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow in honor of Krastivtsa, I made the yummiest cucumber appetizer.  I\'ve been trying to figure out what to call it since I made it. Most descriptive might be stuffed cucumber bites. Then there\'s deviled cucumbers--that\'s a take a deviled eggs. Or garlic-cream cheese logs.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4489\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4489\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4489\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4489  \" title=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7245-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI thought about some play on twice baked potatoes but this dish never saw the oven.\r\n\r\nThen I realized that if I\'d added some dill to the mix I basically had a tarator-soup dip which one can convey to her mouth on a cucumber.\r\n\r\nYeah. These cucumber appetizers were very tasty.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4490\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Finished Cucumbers \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4490\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4490\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4490 \" title=\"Finished Cucumbers \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7244-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWant to make your own?','Cucumbers!!','','inherit','open','open','','4487-revision-2','','','2011-03-10 20:47:36','2011-03-10 18:47:36','',4487,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/10/4487-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(4493,1,'2011-03-10 20:47:36','2011-03-10 18:47:36','Last night was book club with some of the teachers from school. We discussed the book Cold Snap. Yep that\'s the book that I was in love with this fall--here\'s my review of the novel <a href=\"../2010/10/22/cold-snap-and-cynthia-morrison-phoel/\">Cold Snap</a>. The meeting last night made me want to re-read the book, like tonight.\r\n\r\nThere are a lot of wonderful moments in the book but one of them is this dog named Krastivtsa (or cucumber in English).  We we meet him in the book he kind of looks like a cucumber--long, skinny and fur-less.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4488\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pealed Cucumber\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4488\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4488\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4488 \" title=\"Pealed Cucumber\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7247-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow in honor of Krastivtsa, I made the yummiest cucumber appetizer.  I\'ve been trying to figure out what to call it since I made it. Most descriptive might be stuffed cucumber bites. Then there\'s deviled cucumbers--that\'s a take a deviled eggs. Or garlic-cream cheese logs.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4489\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4489\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4489\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4489  \" title=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7245-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI thought about some play on twice baked potatoes but this dish never saw the oven.\r\n\r\nThen I realized that if I\'d added some dill to the mix I basically had a tarator-soup dip which one can convey to her mouth on a cucumber.\r\n\r\nYeah. These cucumber appetizers were very tasty.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4490\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Finished Cucumbers \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4490\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4490\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4490 \" title=\"Finished Cucumbers \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7244-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWant to make your own?','Cucumbers!!','','inherit','open','open','','4487-revision-3','','','2011-03-10 20:47:36','2011-03-10 18:47:36','',4487,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/10/4487-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(4494,1,'2011-03-10 20:58:04','2011-03-10 18:58:04','Last night was book club with some of the teachers from school. We discussed the book Cold Snap. Yep that\'s the book that I was in love with this fall--here\'s my review of the novel <a href=\"../2010/10/22/cold-snap-and-cynthia-morrison-phoel/\">Cold Snap</a>. The meeting last night made me want to re-read the book, like tonight.\r\n\r\nThere are a lot of wonderful moments in the book but one of them is this dog named Krastivtsa (or cucumber in English).  We we meet him in the book he kind of looks like a cucumber--long, skinny and fur-less.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4488\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pealed Cucumber\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4488\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4488\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4488 \" title=\"Pealed Cucumber\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7247-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow in honor of Krastivtsa, I made the yummiest cucumber appetizer.  I\'ve been trying to figure out what to call it since I made it. Most descriptive might be stuffed cucumber bites. Then there\'s deviled cucumbers--that\'s a take a deviled eggs. Or garlic-cream cheese logs.  <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4489\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4489\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4489\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4489  \" title=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7245-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI thought about some play on twice baked potatoes but this dish never saw the oven.\r\n\r\nThen I realized that if I\'d added some dill to the mix I basically had a tarator-soup dip which one can convey to her mouth on a cucumber.\r\n\r\nYeah. These cucumber appetizers were very tasty.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4490\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Finished Cucumbers \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4490\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4490\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4490 \" title=\"Finished Cucumbers \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7244-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWant to make your own?\r\n\r\nTake three or four large cucumbers. Peal them. Cut them length-wise and then into bite size-ish pieces. Then scoop out the seedy middle so that it\'s a little bit hollowed out like a canoe.\r\n\r\nThen grab 250 grams of cream cheese (or so) and mix this in a bowl with four minced garlic heads and one small hot green pepper. Make sure the mixture is as smooth as possible. Add salt and pepper to taste.\r\n\r\nOh and if your cucumbers don\'t have huge seeds inside you can mix what you\'ve scooped out of the cucumbers into the cream cheese-garlic spread. Of course, if you had dill this would be the time to chop it up really finely and stir it in too.\r\n\r\nThen using a spoon fill up the cucumber canoe with the cream cheese-garlic spread you\'ve made.\r\n\r\nAnd ta-da! Stuffed cucumbers.','Cucumbers!!','','inherit','open','open','','4487-revision-4','','','2011-03-10 20:58:04','2011-03-10 18:58:04','',4487,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/10/4487-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(4495,1,'2011-03-10 20:58:04','2011-03-10 18:58:04','Last night was book club with some of the teachers from school. We discussed the book Cold Snap. Yep that\'s the book that I was in love with this fall--here\'s my review of the novel <a href=\"../2010/10/22/cold-snap-and-cynthia-morrison-phoel/\">Cold Snap</a>. The meeting last night made me want to re-read the book, like tonight.\r\n\r\nThere are a lot of wonderful moments in the book but one of them is this dog named Krastivtsa (or cucumber in English).  We we meet him in the book he kind of looks like a cucumber--long, skinny and fur-less.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4488\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pealed Cucumber\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4488\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4488\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4488 \" title=\"Pealed Cucumber\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7247-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow in honor of Krastivtsa, I made the yummiest cucumber appetizer.  I\'ve been trying to figure out what to call it since I made it. Most descriptive might be stuffed cucumber bites. Then there\'s deviled cucumbers--that\'s a take a deviled eggs. Or garlic-cream cheese logs.  <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4489\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4489\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4489\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4489  \" title=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7245-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI thought about some play on twice baked potatoes but this dish never saw the oven.\r\n\r\nThen I realized that if I\'d added some dill to the mix I basically had a tarator-soup dip which one can convey to her mouth on a cucumber.\r\n\r\nYeah. These cucumber appetizers were very tasty.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4490\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Finished Cucumbers \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4490\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4490\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4490 \" title=\"Finished Cucumbers \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7244-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWant to make your own?\r\n\r\nTake three or four large cucumbers. Peal them. Cut them length-wise and then into bite size-ish pieces. Then scoop out the seedy middle so that it\'s a little bit hollowed out like a canoe.\r\n\r\nThen grab 250 grams of cream cheese (or so) and mix this in a bowl with four minced garlic heads and one small hot green pepper. Make sure the mixture is as smooth as possible. Add salt and pepper to taste.\r\n\r\nOh and if your cucumbers don\'t have huge seeds inside you can mix what you\'ve scooped out of the cucumbers into the cream cheese-garlic spread. Of course, if you had dill this would be the time to chop it up really finely and stir it in too.\r\n\r\nThen using a spoon fill up the cucumber canoe with the cream cheese-garlic spread you\'ve made.\r\n\r\nAnd ta-da! Stuffed cucumbers.','Cucumbers!!','','inherit','open','open','','4487-revision-5','','','2011-03-10 20:58:04','2011-03-10 18:58:04','',4487,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/10/4487-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(4496,1,'2011-03-10 20:58:06','2011-03-10 18:58:06','Last night was book club with some of the teachers from school. We discussed the book Cold Snap. Yep that\'s the book that I was in love with this fall--here\'s my review of the novel <a href=\"../2010/10/22/cold-snap-and-cynthia-morrison-phoel/\">Cold Snap</a>. The meeting last night made me want to re-read the book, like tonight.\r\n\r\nThere are a lot of wonderful moments in the book but one of them is this dog named Krastivtsa (or cucumber in English).  We we meet him in the book he kind of looks like a cucumber--long, skinny and fur-less.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4488\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pealed Cucumber\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4488\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4488\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4488 \" title=\"Pealed Cucumber\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7247-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow in honor of Krastivtsa, I made the yummiest cucumber appetizer.  I\'ve been trying to figure out what to call it since I made it. Most descriptive might be stuffed cucumber bites. Then there\'s deviled cucumbers--that\'s a take a deviled eggs. Or garlic-cream cheese logs.  <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4489\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4489\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4489\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4489  \" title=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7245-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI thought about some play on twice baked potatoes but this dish never saw the oven.\r\n\r\nThen I realized that if I\'d added some dill to the mix I basically had a tarator-soup dip which one can convey to her mouth on a cucumber.\r\n\r\nYeah. These cucumber appetizers were very tasty.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4490\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Finished Cucumbers \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4490\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4490\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4490 \" title=\"Finished Cucumbers \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7244-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWant to make your own?\r\n\r\nTake three or four large cucumbers. Peal them. Cut them length-wise and then into bite size-ish pieces. Then scoop out the seedy middle so that it\'s a little bit hollowed out like a canoe.\r\n\r\nThen grab 250 grams of cream cheese (or so) and mix this in a bowl with four minced garlic heads and one small hot green pepper. Make sure the mixture is as smooth as possible. Add salt and pepper to taste.\r\n\r\nOh and if your cucumbers don\'t have huge seeds inside you can mix what you\'ve scooped out of the cucumbers into the cream cheese-garlic spread. Of course, if you had dill this would be the time to chop it up really finely and stir it in too.\r\n\r\nThen using a spoon fill up the cucumber canoe with the cream cheese-garlic spread you\'ve made.\r\n\r\nAnd ta-da! Stuffed cucumbers.','Cucumbers!!','','inherit','open','open','','4487-revision-6','','','2011-03-10 20:58:06','2011-03-10 18:58:06','',4487,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/10/4487-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(4497,1,'2011-03-10 20:58:06','2011-03-10 18:58:06','Last night was book club with some of the teachers from school. We discussed the book Cold Snap. Yep that\'s the book that I was in love with this fall--here\'s my review of the novel <a href=\"../2010/10/22/cold-snap-and-cynthia-morrison-phoel/\">Cold Snap</a>. The meeting last night made me want to re-read the book, like tonight.\r\n\r\nThere are a lot of wonderful moments in the book but one of them is this dog named Krastivtsa (or cucumber in English).  We we meet him in the book he kind of looks like a cucumber--long, skinny and fur-less.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4488\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pealed Cucumber\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4488\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4488\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4488 \" title=\"Pealed Cucumber\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7247-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow in honor of Krastivtsa, I made the yummiest cucumber appetizer.  I\'ve been trying to figure out what to call it since I made it. Most descriptive might be stuffed cucumber bites. Then there\'s deviled cucumbers--that\'s a take a deviled eggs. Or garlic-cream cheese logs.  <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4489\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4489\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4489\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4489  \" title=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7245-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI thought about some play on twice baked potatoes but this dish never saw the oven.\r\n\r\nThen I realized that if I\'d added some dill to the mix I basically had a tarator-soup dip which one can convey to her mouth on a cucumber.\r\n\r\nYeah. These cucumber appetizers were very tasty.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4490\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Finished Cucumbers \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4490\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4490\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4490 \" title=\"Finished Cucumbers \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7244-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWant to make your own?\r\n\r\nTake three or four large cucumbers. Peal them. Cut them length-wise and then into bite size-ish pieces. Then scoop out the seedy middle so that it\'s a little bit hollowed out like a canoe.\r\n\r\nThen grab 250 grams of cream cheese (or so) and mix this in a bowl with four minced garlic heads and one small hot green pepper. Make sure the mixture is as smooth as possible. Add salt and pepper to taste.\r\n\r\nOh and if your cucumbers don\'t have huge seeds inside you can mix what you\'ve scooped out of the cucumbers into the cream cheese-garlic spread. Of course, if you had dill this would be the time to chop it up really finely and stir it in too.\r\n\r\nThen using a spoon fill up the cucumber canoe with the cream cheese-garlic spread you\'ve made.\r\n\r\nAnd ta-da! Stuffed cucumbers.','Cucumbers!!','','inherit','open','open','','4487-revision-7','','','2011-03-10 20:58:06','2011-03-10 18:58:06','',4487,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/10/4487-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(4498,1,'2011-03-10 20:59:05','2011-03-10 18:59:05','Last night was book club with some of the teachers from school. We discussed the book Cold Snap. Yep that\'s the book that I was in love with this fall--here\'s my review of the novel <a href=\"../2010/10/22/cold-snap-and-cynthia-morrison-phoel/\">Cold Snap</a>. The meeting last night made me want to re-read the book, like tonight.\r\n\r\nThere are a lot of wonderful moments in the book but one of them is this dog named Krastivtsa (or cucumber in English).  We we meet him in the book he kind of looks like a cucumber--long, skinny and fur-less.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4488\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pealed Cucumber\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4488\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4488\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4488 \" title=\"Pealed Cucumber\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7247-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow in honor of Krastivtsa, I made the yummiest cucumber appetizer.  I\'ve been trying to figure out what to call it since I made it. Most descriptive might be stuffed cucumber bites. Then there\'s deviled cucumbers--that\'s a take a deviled eggs. Or garlic-cream cheese logs.  <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4489\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4489\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4489\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4489  \" title=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7245-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI thought about some play on twice baked potatoes but this dish never saw the oven.\r\n\r\nThen I realized that if I\'d added some dill to the mix I basically had a tarator-soup dip which one can convey to her mouth on a cucumber.\r\n\r\nYeah. These cucumber appetizers were very tasty.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4490\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Finished Cucumbers \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4490\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4490\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4490 \" title=\"Finished Cucumbers \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7244-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWant to make your own?\r\n\r\nTake three or four large cucumbers. Peal them. Cut them length-wise and then into bite size-ish pieces. Then scoop out the seedy middle so that it\'s a little bit hollowed out like a canoe.\r\n\r\nThen grab 250 grams of cream cheese (or so) and mix this in a bowl with four minced garlic heads and one small hot green pepper. Make sure the mixture is as smooth as possible. Add salt and pepper to taste.\r\n\r\nOh and if your cucumbers don\'t have huge seeds inside you can mix what you\'ve scooped out of the cucumbers into the cream cheese-garlic spread. Of course, if you had dill this would be the time to chop it up really finely and stir it in too.\r\n\r\nThen using a spoon fill up the cucumber canoe with the cream cheese-garlic spread you\'ve made.\r\n\r\nAnd ta-da! Stuffed cucumbers.','Cucumbers!!','','inherit','open','open','','4487-revision-8','','','2011-03-10 20:59:05','2011-03-10 18:59:05','',4487,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/10/4487-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(4499,1,'2011-03-10 21:00:11','2011-03-10 19:00:11','Last night was book club with some of the teachers from school. We discussed the book Cold Snap. Yep that\'s the book that I was in love with this fall--here\'s my review of the novel <a href=\"../2010/10/22/cold-snap-and-cynthia-morrison-phoel/\">Cold Snap</a>. The meeting last night made me want to re-read the book, like tonight.\n\nThere are a lot of wonderful moments in the book but one of them is this dog named Krastivtsa (or cucumber in English).  We we meet him in the book he kind of looks like a cucumber--long, skinny and fur-less.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4488\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pealed Cucumber\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4488\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/10/cucumbers/img_7247/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4488 \" title=\"Pealed Cucumber\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7247-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAnyhow in honor of Krastivtsa, I made the yummiest cucumber appetizer.  I\'ve been trying to figure out what to call it since I made it. Most descriptive might be stuffed cucumber bites. Then there\'s deviled cucumbers--that\'s a take a deviled eggs. Or garlic-cream cheese logs.  <!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4489\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4489\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/10/cucumbers/img_7245/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4489  \" title=\"Scooped out Cucumbers\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7245-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI thought about some play on twice baked potatoes but this dish never saw the oven.\n\nThen I realized that if I\'d added some dill to the mix I basically had a tarator-soup dip which one can convey to her mouth on a cucumber.\n\nYeah. These cucumber appetizers were very tasty.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_4490\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Finished Cucumbers \"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4490\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/10/cucumbers/img_7244/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4490 \" title=\"Finished Cucumbers \" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7244-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nWant to make your own?\n\nTake three or four large cucumbers. Peal them. Cut them length-wise and then into bite size-ish pieces. Then scoop out the seedy middle so that it\'s a little bit hollowed out like a canoe.\n\nThen grab 250 grams of cream cheese (or so) and mix this in a bowl with four minced garlic heads and one small hot green pepper. Make sure the mixture is as smooth as possible. Add salt and pepper to taste.\n\nOh and if your cucumbers don\'t have huge seeds inside you can mix what you\'ve scooped out of the cucumbers into the cream cheese-garlic spread. Of course, if you had dill this would be the time to chop it up really finely and stir it in too.\n\nThen using a spoon fill up the cucumber canoe with the cream cheese-garlic spread you\'ve made.\n\nAnd ta-da! Stuffed cucumbers.','Cucumbers!!','','inherit','open','open','','4487-autosave','','','2011-03-10 21:00:11','2011-03-10 19:00:11','',4487,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/10/4487-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(4500,1,'2011-03-11 06:45:50','2011-03-11 04:45:50','So I don\'t know where I\'ve been for the past three years.\r\n\r\nOkay Sofia, Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nBut apparently I\'ve been living under a rock.\r\n\r\nSomehow until last night I\'d never had homemade yogurt.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4501\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Yogurt in a Jar\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4501\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/11/its-friday-i-am-in-love/img_7249/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4501 \" title=\"Homemade Yogurt in a Jar\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7249-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSure I\'ve eaten lots of store bought yogurt. Heck I\'ve had so much that I know which brands in the store that I prefer.  I\'ve eaten really thick creamy yogurt in traditional Bulgarian restaurants.\r\n\r\nBut not until last night did I finally eat homemade yogurt.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4502\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Yum, yum, yum yogurt!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4502\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/11/its-friday-i-am-in-love/img_7250/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4502 \" title=\"Yum, yum, yum yogurt!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7250-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI wasn\'t really sure what to expect. I got the jar of yogurt and a jar of really-thick yogurt from a colleague at work who knew that I like both yogurt and honey.  I guess that her father has bees and her step-mother makes yogurt.\r\n\r\nI got the yogurt and honey home and thought: Oh, no, what if I can\'t get the jars open?! The yogurt opened up pretty easily but the honey look a little bit more work.\r\n\r\nThen I stood in my kitchen eating yogurt by the spoonful straight from the jar and alternating ever few bites with honey.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4503\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Yogurt and Honey\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4503\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/11/its-friday-i-am-in-love/img_7253/\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4503 \" title=\"Yogurt and Honey\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7253-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nLuckily, I didn\'t eat it all last night.\r\n\r\nHello, breakfast!!\r\n\r\nOh and for the record, while writing this post I got so pumped up about yogurt that I looked up how to make yogurt at home. Then I realized that I don\'t make yogurt at home because it\'s a question of money and time. It\'s not so expensive and requires a lot less time to buy at the store than to make.','It\'s Friday I am in Love','','publish','open','open','','its-friday-i-am-in-love','','','2011-03-10 21:48:22','2011-03-10 19:48:22','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=4500',0,'post','',5),(4501,1,'2011-03-10 21:26:21','2011-03-10 19:26:21','','Homemade Yogurt in a Jar','Homemade Yogurt in a Jar','inherit','open','open','','img_7249','','','2011-03-10 21:26:21','2011-03-10 19:26:21','',4500,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7249.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4502,1,'2011-03-10 21:34:13','2011-03-10 19:34:13','','Yum, yum, yum yogurt!','Yum, yum, yum yogurt!','inherit','open','open','','img_7250','','','2011-03-10 21:34:13','2011-03-10 19:34:13','',4500,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7250.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4503,1,'2011-03-10 21:39:04','2011-03-10 19:39:04','','Yogurt and Honey','Yogurt and Honey','inherit','open','open','','img_7253','','','2011-03-10 21:39:04','2011-03-10 19:39:04','',4500,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7253.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(4504,1,'2011-03-10 21:25:07','2011-03-10 19:25:07','So I don\'t know where I\'ve been for the past three years. Okay Sofia, Bulgaria. But apparently I\'ve been living under a rock.\n\nSomehow until last night I\'d never had homemade yogurt.\n\nSure I\'ve eaten lots of store bought yogurt. Heck I\'ve had so much that I know which brands in the store that I prefer.  I\'ve eaten really thick creamy yogurt in traditional Bulgarian restaurants.\n\nBut not until last night did I finally eat homemade yogurt.\n\nI wasn\'t really sure what to expect. I got the jar of yogurt and a jar of really-thick yogurt from a colleague at work who knew that I like both yogurt and honey.  I guess that her father has bees and her step-mother makes yogurt.\n\nI got the yogurt and honey home and thought: Oh, no, what if I can\'t get the jars open?! The yogurt opened up pretty easily but the honey look a little bit more work.\n\nThen I stood in my kitchen eating yogurt by the spoonful straight from the jar and alternating ever few bites with honey.\n\nLuckily, I didn\'t eat it all last night.\n\nHello, breakfast!!','It\'s Friday I am in Love','','inherit','open','open','','4500-revision','','','2011-03-10 21:25:07','2011-03-10 19:25:07','',4500,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/10/4500-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(4505,1,'2011-03-10 21:40:54','2011-03-10 19:40:54','So I don\'t know where I\'ve been for the past three years. Okay Sofia, Bulgaria. But apparently I\'ve been living under a rock.\r\n\r\nSomehow until last night I\'d never had homemade yogurt.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4501\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade Yogurt in a Jar\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4501\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4501\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4501 \" title=\"Homemade Yogurt in a Jar\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7249-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSure I\'ve eaten lots of store bought yogurt. Heck I\'ve had so much that I know which brands in the store that I prefer.  I\'ve eaten really thick creamy yogurt in traditional Bulgarian restaurants.\r\n\r\nBut not until last night did I finally eat homemade yogurt.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4502\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Yum, yum, yum yogurt!\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4502\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4502\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4502 \" title=\"Yum, yum, yum yogurt!\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7250-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI wasn\'t really sure what to expect. I got the jar of yogurt and a jar of really-thick yogurt from a colleague at work who knew that I like both yogurt and honey.  I guess that her father has bees and her step-mother makes yogurt.\r\n\r\nI got the yogurt and honey home and thought: Oh, no, what if I can\'t get the jars open?! The yogurt opened up pretty easily but the honey look a little bit more work.\r\n\r\nThen I stood in my kitchen eating yogurt by the spoonful straight from the jar and alternating ever few bites with honey.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4503\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Yogurt and Honey\"]<a rel=\"attachment wp-att-4503\" href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?attachment_id=4503\"><img class=\"size-large wp-image-4503 \" title=\"Yogurt and Honey\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/IMG_7253-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"614\" height=\"409\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nLuckily, I didn\'t eat it all last night.\r\n\r\nHello, breakfast!!','It\'s Friday I am in Love','','inherit','open','open','','4500-revision-2','','','2011-03-10 21:40:54','2011-03-10 19:40:54','',4500,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/03/10/4500-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),