I really love, love traveling but I don't <em>love </em>buses, trains, planes or even cars. The thing is I'm happy to hop on a bus or a train if I know that I am going some place interesting, beautiful or unique. Luckily for me Sozopol fits this bill. You may remember that I've been to Sozopol before with my MoM and Aunt the first year that I lived in Bulgaria so I knew that I was going to have a wonderful time.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Me enjoying Sozopol at night"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Me enjoying Sozopol" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124350338/"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6124350338_3674a43870_b.jpg" alt="Me enjoying Sozopol" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

So after my first day of work last Friday, I headed to the Black Sea town of Sozopol for the long weekend with friends. We had a four day weekend because Bulgarian Unification Day fell on Tuesday this week. Nothing like a four day weekend in Sozopol to get ready for the school year. It was the perfect way to get energized for the start of school.<!--more-->

Even with the thought of new school year on the horizon, we managed to have a great time.  However we were reminded of school when we bumped into a number of our students at the beach. When I asked one of my students how his summer was going he just looked at me and said: it's almost over. There are only 10 days of vacation left.  <em>No kidding.</em> Kids are funny sometimes.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Beach by day"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Beach by day" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123821707/"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6123821707_e0a56e25eb_b.jpg" alt="Beach by day" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

The weekend was great: Friends. Food. Weather. Beach. Music Festival.

Sure some people say that the Black Sea is too built up and there are too many people at the beach and they might be right. Many of the hotels are far from beautiful but the warm water, the fine-grain sand and hot sunny weather really does a lot to counter the looming hotels. There was plenty of seaweed in the water which I am not sure what to make of but the water was refreshing and at the beginning of September the sun was perfect. I couldn't be happier that I escaped without a sunburn.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="View of old town"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="View of old town" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123826983/"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6070/6123826983_f56a41e3e2_b.jpg" alt="View of old town" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

I got back to Sofia last night and found myself greeted by rain. Huna. That's a pretty clear reminder that fall is on the way and that now I am supposed to get serious and prep for the start of the school year. The problem is I kind of need a vacation from my vacation. Luckily for me this is only a three day work week and because it's Wednesday night I've only got two days of work left this week.

I guess that's okay.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="Clouds on the beach at dusk"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="Clouds on the beach at dusk" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124349150/"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6085/6124349150_e32a90e054_b.jpg" alt="Clouds on the beach at dusk" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]