(5474,1,'2011-08-27 12:17:24','2011-08-27 10:17:24','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"295\" caption=\"The red star that graced Communist Party headquarters in detail against a wall\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"The red star that graced Communist Party headquarters\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6085258752/\"><img class=\"  \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6184/6085258752_84ba3234e2_b.jpg\" alt=\"The red star that graced Communist Party headquarters\" width=\"295\" height=\"442\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSofia is opening a new museum!\n\nA Museum of Socialist Art.\n\nThe expected opening has been covered by the <a href=\"http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=131521\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia News Agency/novinite</a> and by the <a href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/bulgaria-opening-museum-socialist-art-124651273.html\" target=\"_blank\">Associated Press/yahoo</a>. However neither of these articles revealed the actual location of the museum. <em>Awesome</em>. Really, who needs to know that?!\n\nBut there has a big deal made about the red star which once graced Communist Party headquarters. It\'s in most of the photos illustrating the articles announcing the new museum. This star will be on display again.\n\nThat\'s probably better than it\'s previous home. It was tucked away behind a fence and leaning up against the Sofia Bathhouse in downtown Sofia. The start was pointed out to me on <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/04/23/sofia-and-easter-weekend/\" target=\"_blank\">a tour with Free Sofia Tour</a>. Very likely, I would have never noticed the broken red star or if I had I wouldn\'t have known the history of the battered star. (Want a better look at the star? Check it out in <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6085259136/\" target=\"_blank\">my flickr accoun</a>t. The lighting is pretty horrible but you can see the whole star.)\n\nLuckily, I also stumbled across the \"address\" for the new museum in a <a href=\"http://www.sofiaecho.com/2011/08/26/1145333_national-art-gallery-in-sofia-to-close-for-four-months\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia Echo article</a> regarding the National Gallery in Sofia closing for 4 months for renovation. This is something the museum has been in desperate need of <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/06/29/museum-kind-of-day/\" target=\"_blank\">since I\'ve lived in Sofia</a> so I was very glad to read this.\n\nThe new museum? Well, apparently it\'s on Lachezar Stanchev Street in the Izgrev borough, near the Sofia office of the traffic police. But I have no idea where that is. Google wasn\'t really anymore helpful--the google arrow seems to be plopped down on an unnamed street close to the GM Dimitrov Metro stop.\n\nHum. This whole thing seems very, um, Bulgarian.  We\'re opening a museum but we\'re not going to give you the address or the hours. Don\'t get me wrong. I am going to check out the museum--that is once I know where it is and when I can visit.\n\nI like museums. I like history. I like old things. I like Bulgaria. So this museum seems right up my alley but what I really want to see is how this museum and the collection has been curated.','A New Museum in Sofia: Socialist Art ','','inherit','open','open','','5469-revision-5','','','2011-08-27 12:17:24','2011-08-27 10:17:24','',5469,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/27/5469-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(5475,1,'2011-08-27 12:18:24','2011-08-27 10:18:24','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"295\" caption=\"The red star that graced Communist Party headquarters in detail against a wall\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"The red star that graced Communist Party headquarters\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6085258752/\"><img class=\"  \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6184/6085258752_84ba3234e2_b.jpg\" alt=\"The red star that graced Communist Party headquarters\" width=\"295\" height=\"442\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSofia is opening a new museum!\n\nA Museum of Socialist Art.\n\nThe expected opening has been covered by the <a href=\"http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=131521\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia News Agency/novinite</a> and by the <a href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/bulgaria-opening-museum-socialist-art-124651273.html\" target=\"_blank\">Associated Press/yahoo</a>. However neither of these articles revealed the actual location of the museum. <em>Awesome</em>. Really, who needs to know that?!\n\nBut there has a big deal made about the red star which once graced Communist Party headquarters. It\'s in most of the photos illustrating the articles announcing the new museum. This star will be on display again.\n\nThat\'s probably better than it\'s previous home. It was tucked away behind a fence and leaning up against the Sofia Bathhouse in downtown Sofia. The start was pointed out to me on <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/04/23/sofia-and-easter-weekend/\" target=\"_blank\">a tour with Free Sofia Tour</a>. Very likely, I would have never noticed the broken red star or if I had I wouldn\'t have known the history of the battered star. (Want a better look at the star? Check it out in <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6085259136/\" target=\"_blank\">my flickr accoun</a>t. The lighting is pretty horrible but you can see the whole star.)\n\nLuckily, I also stumbled across the \"address\" for the new museum in a <a href=\"http://www.sofiaecho.com/2011/08/26/1145333_national-art-gallery-in-sofia-to-close-for-four-months\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia Echo article</a> regarding the National Gallery in Sofia closing for 4 months for renovation. This is something the museum has been in desperate need of <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/06/29/museum-kind-of-day/\" target=\"_blank\">since I\'ve lived in Sofia</a> so I was very glad to read this.\n\nThe new museum? Well, apparently it\'s on Lachezar Stanchev Street in the Izgrev borough, near the Sofia office of the traffic police. But I have no idea where that is. Google wasn\'t really anymore helpful--the google arrow seems to be plopped down on an unnamed street close to the GM Dimitrov Metro stop.\n\nHum. This whole thing seems very, um, Bulgarian.  We\'re opening a museum but we\'re not going to give you the address or the hours. Don\'t get me wrong. I am going to check out the museum--that is once I know where it is and when I can visit.\n\nI like museums. I like history. I like old things. I like Bulgaria. So this museum seems right up my alley but what I\'m really looking forward to seeing is how this museum and the collection has been curated.','A New Museum in Sofia: Socialist Art ','','inherit','open','open','','5469-revision-6','','','2011-08-27 12:18:24','2011-08-27 10:18:24','',5469,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/27/5469-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(5476,1,'2011-08-27 12:21:48','2011-08-27 10:21:48','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"295\" caption=\"The red star that graced Communist Party headquarters in detail against a wall\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"The red star that graced Communist Party headquarters\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6085258752/\"><img class=\"  \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6184/6085258752_84ba3234e2_b.jpg\" alt=\"The red star that graced Communist Party headquarters\" width=\"295\" height=\"442\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSofia is opening a new museum!\n\nA Museum of Socialist Art.\n\nThe expected opening has been covered by the <a href=\"http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=131521\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia News Agency/novinite</a> and by the <a href=\"http://news.yahoo.com/bulgaria-opening-museum-socialist-art-124651273.html\" target=\"_blank\">Associated Press/yahoo</a>. However neither of these articles revealed the actual location of the museum. <em>Awesome</em>. Really, who needs to know that?!\n\nBut there has a big deal made about the red star which once graced Communist Party headquarters. It\'s in most of the photos illustrating the articles announcing the new museum. This star will be on display again.\n\nThat\'s probably better than it\'s previous home. It was tucked away behind a fence and leaning up against the Sofia Bathhouse in downtown Sofia.\n\nThe start was pointed out to me on <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/04/23/sofia-and-easter-weekend/\" target=\"_blank\">a tour with Free Sofia Tour</a>. Very likely, I would have never noticed the broken red star or if I had I wouldn\'t have known the history of the battered star. (Want a better look at the star? Check it out in <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6085259136/\" target=\"_blank\">my flickr accoun</a>t. The lighting is pretty horrible but you can see the whole star.)<!--more-->Luckily, I also stumbled across the \"address\" for the new museum in a <a href=\"http://www.sofiaecho.com/2011/08/26/1145333_national-art-gallery-in-sofia-to-close-for-four-months\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia Echo article</a> regarding the National Gallery in Sofia closing for 4 months for renovation. This is something the museum has been in desperate need of <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/06/29/museum-kind-of-day/\" target=\"_blank\">since I\'ve lived in Sofia</a> so I was very glad to read this.\n\nThe new museum? Well, apparently it\'s on Lachezar Stanchev Street in the Izgrev borough, near the Sofia office of the traffic police. But I have no idea where that is. Google wasn\'t really anymore helpful--the google arrow seems to be plopped down on an unnamed street close to the GM Dimitrov Metro stop.\n\nHum. This whole thing seems very, um, Bulgarian: we\'re opening a museum but we\'re not going to give you the address or the hours. Don\'t get me wrong. I am going to check out the museum--that is once I know where it is and when I can visit.\n\nI like museums. I like history. I like old things. I like Bulgaria. So this museum seems right up my alley but what I\'m really looking forward to seeing is how this museum and the collection has been curated.','A New Museum in Sofia: Socialist Art ','','inherit','open','open','','5469-autosave','','','2011-08-27 12:21:48','2011-08-27 10:21:48','',5469,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/27/5469-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5477,1,'2011-08-28 13:39:59','2011-08-28 11:39:59','Yep. Two weekends ago I bought a pack of cigarettes. It was my first pack ever.\r\n\r\nBefore you start freaking out, they weren\'t for me. I know, I know. Isn\'t that always the cliche?\r\n\r\n<em>No mom those cigarettes you found in my backpack aren\'t mine they\'re a friend\'s.</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Merilyn Cigarettes: it&#39;s the beauty mark that completes the feeling\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088579222/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6081/6088579222_ba3cba3552_b.jpg\" alt=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, <em>really</em>, they weren\'t for me but for the little 75 year old woman I was staying with in <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/22/a-weekend-in-zheravna/\" target=\"_blank\">Zheravna for the folk life festival</a>. She lives at the far end of town. It was a hot day and there are lots of uneven cobble stones on the way down to the city center. So when she asked, I agreed.\r\n\r\nI agreed even despite the fact that she woke me up the first morning with a hacking cough. I agreed because I understood was she was asking me to do in Bulgarian (!!) and who am I to say no?<!--more-->\r\n\r\nI felt super sheepish at 30 years old buying a pack of cigarettes. I\'ve never bought a pack of cigarettes before.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Merilyn Cigarettes, her face wraps around the box\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088032545/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6197/6088032545_e7d55608e3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn all honestly, I\'ve smoked fewer than 10 cigarettes in my entire life and I smoked those 10 cigarettes over the course of two years of college as everyone came back from study abroad with newly adopted \"exotic and worldly\" smoking habits. After college my sympathetic sure I\'ll have a cigarette with you as you tell me about your study abroad adventures habit ended. That is, if it was ever even a habit. I am guessing it was not.\r\n\r\nSince then I\'ve never even considered smoking.\r\n\r\nNow that\'s saying something seeing as I live in Bulgaria. This is a country where it seems like everyone is smoking everywhere. Bus drivers smoke and drive city buses. All cafes have ashtrays as a permanent part of their decor. Some restaurants have non-smoking sections but these are mostly for looks and in practice are in fact anything but smoke free.\r\n\r\nSmoking seems to be a way of life here. I\'ve even heard smart educated Bulgarians make the argument that their smoking doesn\'t hurt anyone and if smoking is banned in public, drinking should also be banned because drinking hurts more people than smoking. Um, this is not a debate I\'m even going to enter into.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088032313/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6209/6088032313_eb139eb858_b.jpg\" alt=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBack to buying the cigarettes. I was instructed to buy Marilyn cigarettes.\r\n\r\nNow I\'ve always thought it was strange that there\'s a brand of Marilyn cigarettes in Bulgaria with the actress Marilyn Monroe\'s name and likeness on the box. But with the pack in hand I realized two things. First, these cigarettes are actually Merilyn with an \"e\" not Marilyn with an \"a\" and second, the picture evokes a sense of the Marilyn I know but it is more of a caricature of her than anything else. Ah, that\'s who they get away with it.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Coffee in a plastic cup and sparkling water\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Coffee in a plastic cup and sparkling water\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088578366/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6089/6088578366_3b09d493a1_b.jpg\" alt=\"Coffee in a plastic cup and sparkling water\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI sat down outside the shop with my purchases.\r\n\r\nCoffee in a plastic cup, a sparkling water and a pack of cigarettes and I realized that without even trying I\'ve become cliche--well except the fact that I was looking at the box, turning it over in my hands and not smoking. After my coffee I walked home with the cigarettes in my purse. At home, I handed over the pack and was invited to join my hostess in a coffee and a cigarette. I declined the cigarette but I had a coffee and we talked for a long time.','I buy my first pack of cigarettes ever & they are Merilyn cigarettes','','publish','open','open','','i-buy-my-first-pack-of-cigarettes-ever-they-are-merilyn-cigarettes','','','2011-08-28 13:39:59','2011-08-28 11:39:59','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5477',0,'post','',3),(5478,1,'2011-08-28 13:26:32','2011-08-28 11:26:32','Yep. Two weekends ago I bought a pack of cigarettes. It was my first pack ever.\n\nBefore you start freaking out, they weren\'t for me. I know, I know. Isn\'t that always the cliche? No mom those cigarettes you found in my backpack aren\'t mine they\'re a friend\'s.\n\nHere\'s the thing, <em>really</em>, they weren\'t for me but for the little 75 year old woman I was staying with in <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/22/a-weekend-in-zheravna/\" target=\"_blank\">Zheravna for the folk life festival</a>. She lives at the far end of town. It was a hot day and there are lots of uneven cobble stones on the way down to the city center. So when she asked, I agreed.\n\nI agreed even despite the fact that she woke me up the first morning with a hacking cough. I agreed because I understood was she was asking me to do in Bulgarian (!!) and who am I to say no?\n\nI felt super sheepish at 30 buying a pack of cigarettes. I\'ve never bought a pack of cigarettes before.\n\nIn all honestly, I\'ve smoked fewer than 10 cigarettes in my entire life and I smoked those 10 cigarettes over the course of two years of college as everyone came back from study abroad with newly adopted \"exotic and worldly\" smoking habits. After college my sympathetic sure I\'ll have a cigarette with you as you tell me about your study abroad adventures habit ended. That is, if it was ever even a habit. I am guessing it was not.\n\nSince then I\'ve never even considered smoking. Now that\'s saying something seeing as I live in Bulgaria. This is a country where it seems like everyone is smoking everywhere. Bus drivers smoke and drive city buses. All cafes have ashtrays as a permanent part of their decor. Some restaurants have non-smoking sections but these are mostly for looks and in practice are in fact anything but smoke free.\n\nSmoking seems to be a way of life here. I\'ve even heard smart educated Bulgarians make the argument that their smoking doesn\'t hurt anyone and if smoking is banned in public, drinking should also be banned because drinking hurts more people than smoking. Um, this is not a debate I\'m even going to enter into.\n\nBack to buying the cigarettes. I was instructed to buy Marilyn cigarettes. Now I\'ve always thought it was strange that there\'s a brand of Marilyn cigarettes in Bulgaria with the actress Marilyn Monroe\'s name and likeness on the box. But with the pack in hand I realized two things. First, these cigarettes are actually Merilyn with an \"e\" not Marilyn with an \"a\" and second, the picture evokes a sense of the Marilyn I know but it is more of a caricature of her than anything else. Ah, that\'s who they get away with it.\n\nI sat down outside the shop with my coffee in a plastic cup, a sparkling water and a pack of cigarettes and realized that without even trying I\'ve become cliche--well except the fact that I was looking at the box, turning it over in my hands and not smoking. After my coffee I walked home with the cigarettes in my purse. At home, I handed over the pack and was invited to join my hostess in a coffee and a cigarette. I dec','I buy my first pack of cigarettes ever and they are Merilyn Cigarettes, Ug','','inherit','open','open','','5477-revision','','','2011-08-28 13:26:32','2011-08-28 11:26:32','',5477,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/28/5477-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5479,1,'2011-08-28 13:27:27','2011-08-28 11:27:27','Yep. Two weekends ago I bought a pack of cigarettes. It was my first pack ever.\r\n\r\nBefore you start freaking out, they weren\'t for me. I know, I know. Isn\'t that always the cliche? No mom those cigarettes you found in my backpack aren\'t mine they\'re a friend\'s.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, <em>really</em>, they weren\'t for me but for the little 75 year old woman I was staying with in <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/22/a-weekend-in-zheravna/\" target=\"_blank\">Zheravna for the folk life festival</a>. She lives at the far end of town. It was a hot day and there are lots of uneven cobble stones on the way down to the city center. So when she asked, I agreed.\r\n\r\nI agreed even despite the fact that she woke me up the first morning with a hacking cough. I agreed because I understood was she was asking me to do in Bulgarian (!!) and who am I to say no?\r\n\r\nI felt super sheepish at 30 buying a pack of cigarettes. I\'ve never bought a pack of cigarettes before.\r\n\r\nIn all honestly, I\'ve smoked fewer than 10 cigarettes in my entire life and I smoked those 10 cigarettes over the course of two years of college as everyone came back from study abroad with newly adopted \"exotic and worldly\" smoking habits. After college my sympathetic sure I\'ll have a cigarette with you as you tell me about your study abroad adventures habit ended. That is, if it was ever even a habit. I am guessing it was not.\r\n\r\nSince then I\'ve never even considered smoking. Now that\'s saying something seeing as I live in Bulgaria. This is a country where it seems like everyone is smoking everywhere. Bus drivers smoke and drive city buses. All cafes have ashtrays as a permanent part of their decor. Some restaurants have non-smoking sections but these are mostly for looks and in practice are in fact anything but smoke free.\r\n\r\nSmoking seems to be a way of life here. I\'ve even heard smart educated Bulgarians make the argument that their smoking doesn\'t hurt anyone and if smoking is banned in public, drinking should also be banned because drinking hurts more people than smoking. Um, this is not a debate I\'m even going to enter into.\r\n\r\nBack to buying the cigarettes. I was instructed to buy Marilyn cigarettes. Now I\'ve always thought it was strange that there\'s a brand of Marilyn cigarettes in Bulgaria with the actress Marilyn Monroe\'s name and likeness on the box. But with the pack in hand I realized two things. First, these cigarettes are actually Merilyn with an \"e\" not Marilyn with an \"a\" and second, the picture evokes a sense of the Marilyn I know but it is more of a caricature of her than anything else. Ah, that\'s who they get away with it.\r\n\r\nI sat down outside the shop with my coffee in a plastic cup, a sparkling water and a pack of cigarettes and realized that without even trying I\'ve become cliche--well except the fact that I was looking at the box, turning it over in my hands and not smoking. After my coffee I walked home with the cigarettes in my purse. At home, I handed over the pack and was invited to join my hostess in a coffee and a cigarette. I declined the cigarette but I had a coffee and we talked for a long time.','I buy my first pack of cigarettes ever and they are Merilyn Cigarettes, Ug','','inherit','open','open','','5477-revision-2','','','2011-08-28 13:27:27','2011-08-28 11:27:27','',5477,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/28/5477-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5480,1,'2011-08-28 13:38:36','2011-08-28 11:38:36','Yep. Two weekends ago I bought a pack of cigarettes. It was my first pack ever.\n\nBefore you start freaking out, they weren\'t for me. I know, I know. Isn\'t that always the cliche?\n\n<em>No mom those cigarettes you found in my backpack aren\'t mine they\'re a friend\'s.</em>\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Merilyn Cigarettes: it&#39;s the beauty mark that completes the feeling\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088579222/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6081/6088579222_ba3cba3552_b.jpg\" alt=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nHere\'s the thing, <em>really</em>, they weren\'t for me but for the little 75 year old woman I was staying with in <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/22/a-weekend-in-zheravna/\" target=\"_blank\">Zheravna for the folk life festival</a>. She lives at the far end of town. It was a hot day and there are lots of uneven cobble stones on the way down to the city center. So when she asked, I agreed.\n\nI agreed even despite the fact that she woke me up the first morning with a hacking cough. I agreed because I understood was she was asking me to do in Bulgarian (!!) and who am I to say no?<!--more-->\n\nI felt super sheepish at 30 years old buying a pack of cigarettes. I\'ve never bought a pack of cigarettes before.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Merilyn Cigarettes, her face wraps around the box\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088032545/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6197/6088032545_e7d55608e3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIn all honestly, I\'ve smoked fewer than 10 cigarettes in my entire life and I smoked those 10 cigarettes over the course of two years of college as everyone came back from study abroad with newly adopted \"exotic and worldly\" smoking habits. After college my sympathetic sure I\'ll have a cigarette with you as you tell me about your study abroad adventures habit ended. That is, if it was ever even a habit. I am guessing it was not.\n\nSince then I\'ve never even considered smoking.\n\nNow that\'s saying something seeing as I live in Bulgaria. This is a country where it seems like everyone is smoking everywhere. Bus drivers smoke and drive city buses. All cafes have ashtrays as a permanent part of their decor. Some restaurants have non-smoking sections but these are mostly for looks and in practice are in fact anything but smoke free.\n\nSmoking seems to be a way of life here. I\'ve even heard smart educated Bulgarians make the argument that their smoking doesn\'t hurt anyone and if smoking is banned in public, drinking should also be banned because drinking hurts more people than smoking. Um, this is not a debate I\'m even going to enter into.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088032313/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6209/6088032313_eb139eb858_b.jpg\" alt=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nBack to buying the cigarettes. I was instructed to buy Marilyn cigarettes.\n\nNow I\'ve always thought it was strange that there\'s a brand of Marilyn cigarettes in Bulgaria with the actress Marilyn Monroe\'s name and likeness on the box. But with the pack in hand I realized two things. First, these cigarettes are actually Merilyn with an \"e\" not Marilyn with an \"a\" and second, the picture evokes a sense of the Marilyn I know but it is more of a caricature of her than anything else. Ah, that\'s who they get away with it.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Coffee in a plastic cup and sparkling water\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Coffee in a plastic cup and sparkling water\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088578366/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6089/6088578366_3b09d493a1_b.jpg\" alt=\"Coffee in a plastic cup and sparkling water\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI sat down outside the shop with my purchases.\n\nCoffee in a plastic cup, a sparkling water and a pack of cigarettes and I realized that without even trying I\'ve become cliche--well except the fact that I was looking at the box, turning it over in my hands and not smoking. After my coffee I walked home with the cigarettes in my purse. At home, I handed over the pack and was invited to join my hostess in a coffee and a cigarette. I declined the cigarette but I had a coffee and we talked for a long time.','I buy my first pack of cigarettes ever & they are Merilyn cigarettes','','inherit','open','open','','5477-revision-3','','','2011-08-28 13:38:36','2011-08-28 11:38:36','',5477,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/28/5477-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5482,1,'2011-08-28 13:39:50','2011-08-28 11:39:50','Yep. Two weekends ago I bought a pack of cigarettes. It was my first pack ever.\n\nBefore you start freaking out, they weren\'t for me. I know, I know. Isn\'t that always the cliche?\n\n<em>No mom those cigarettes you found in my backpack aren\'t mine they\'re a friend\'s.</em>\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Merilyn Cigarettes: it&#39;s the beauty mark that completes the feeling\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088579222/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6081/6088579222_ba3cba3552_b.jpg\" alt=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nHere\'s the thing, <em>really</em>, they weren\'t for me but for the little 75 year old woman I was staying with in <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/22/a-weekend-in-zheravna/\" target=\"_blank\">Zheravna for the folk life festival</a>. She lives at the far end of town. It was a hot day and there are lots of uneven cobble stones on the way down to the city center. So when she asked, I agreed.\n\nI agreed even despite the fact that she woke me up the first morning with a hacking cough. I agreed because I understood was she was asking me to do in Bulgarian (!!) and who am I to say no?<!--more-->\n\nI felt super sheepish at 30 years old buying a pack of cigarettes. I\'ve never bought a pack of cigarettes before.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Merilyn Cigarettes, her face wraps around the box\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088032545/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6197/6088032545_e7d55608e3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIn all honestly, I\'ve smoked fewer than 10 cigarettes in my entire life and I smoked those 10 cigarettes over the course of two years of college as everyone came back from study abroad with newly adopted \"exotic and worldly\" smoking habits. After college my sympathetic sure I\'ll have a cigarette with you as you tell me about your study abroad adventures habit ended. That is, if it was ever even a habit. I am guessing it was not.\n\nSince then I\'ve never even considered smoking.\n\nNow that\'s saying something seeing as I live in Bulgaria. This is a country where it seems like everyone is smoking everywhere. Bus drivers smoke and drive city buses. All cafes have ashtrays as a permanent part of their decor. Some restaurants have non-smoking sections but these are mostly for looks and in practice are in fact anything but smoke free.\n\nSmoking seems to be a way of life here. I\'ve even heard smart educated Bulgarians make the argument that their smoking doesn\'t hurt anyone and if smoking is banned in public, drinking should also be banned because drinking hurts more people than smoking. Um, this is not a debate I\'m even going to enter into.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088032313/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6209/6088032313_eb139eb858_b.jpg\" alt=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nBack to buying the cigarettes. I was instructed to buy Marilyn cigarettes.\n\nNow I\'ve always thought it was strange that there\'s a brand of Marilyn cigarettes in Bulgaria with the actress Marilyn Monroe\'s name and likeness on the box. But with the pack in hand I realized two things. First, these cigarettes are actually Merilyn with an \"e\" not Marilyn with an \"a\" and second, the picture evokes a sense of the Marilyn I know but it is more of a caricature of her than anything else. Ah, that\'s who they get away with it.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Coffee in a plastic cup and sparkling water\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Coffee in a plastic cup and sparkling water\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088578366/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6089/6088578366_3b09d493a1_b.jpg\" alt=\"Coffee in a plastic cup and sparkling water\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI sat down outside the shop with my purchases.\n\nCoffee in a plastic cup, a sparkling water and a pack of cigarettes and I realized that without even trying I\'ve become cliche--well except the fact that I was looking at the box, turning it over in my hands and not smoking. After my coffee I walked home with the cigarettes in my purse. At home, I handed over the pack and was invited to join my hostess in a coffee and a cigarette. I declined the cigarette but I had a coffee and we talked for a long time.','I buy my first pack of cigarettes ever & they are Merilyn cigarettes','','inherit','open','open','','5477-revision-5','','','2011-08-28 13:39:50','2011-08-28 11:39:50','',5477,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/28/5477-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(5481,1,'2011-08-28 13:38:43','2011-08-28 11:38:43','Yep. Two weekends ago I bought a pack of cigarettes. It was my first pack ever.\r\n\r\nBefore you start freaking out, they weren\'t for me. I know, I know. Isn\'t that always the cliche?\r\n\r\n<em>No mom those cigarettes you found in my backpack aren\'t mine they\'re a friend\'s.</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Merilyn Cigarettes: it&#39;s the beauty mark that completes the feeling\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088579222/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6081/6088579222_ba3cba3552_b.jpg\" alt=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, <em>really</em>, they weren\'t for me but for the little 75 year old woman I was staying with in <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/22/a-weekend-in-zheravna/\" target=\"_blank\">Zheravna for the folk life festival</a>. She lives at the far end of town. It was a hot day and there are lots of uneven cobble stones on the way down to the city center. So when she asked, I agreed.\r\n\r\nI agreed even despite the fact that she woke me up the first morning with a hacking cough. I agreed because I understood was she was asking me to do in Bulgarian (!!) and who am I to say no?<!--more-->\r\n\r\nI felt super sheepish at 30 years old buying a pack of cigarettes. I\'ve never bought a pack of cigarettes before.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Merilyn Cigarettes, her face wraps around the box\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088032545/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6197/6088032545_e7d55608e3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn all honestly, I\'ve smoked fewer than 10 cigarettes in my entire life and I smoked those 10 cigarettes over the course of two years of college as everyone came back from study abroad with newly adopted \"exotic and worldly\" smoking habits. After college my sympathetic sure I\'ll have a cigarette with you as you tell me about your study abroad adventures habit ended. That is, if it was ever even a habit. I am guessing it was not.\r\n\r\nSince then I\'ve never even considered smoking.\r\n\r\nNow that\'s saying something seeing as I live in Bulgaria. This is a country where it seems like everyone is smoking everywhere. Bus drivers smoke and drive city buses. All cafes have ashtrays as a permanent part of their decor. Some restaurants have non-smoking sections but these are mostly for looks and in practice are in fact anything but smoke free.\r\n\r\nSmoking seems to be a way of life here. I\'ve even heard smart educated Bulgarians make the argument that their smoking doesn\'t hurt anyone and if smoking is banned in public, drinking should also be banned because drinking hurts more people than smoking. Um, this is not a debate I\'m even going to enter into.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088032313/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6209/6088032313_eb139eb858_b.jpg\" alt=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBack to buying the cigarettes. I was instructed to buy Marilyn cigarettes.\r\n\r\nNow I\'ve always thought it was strange that there\'s a brand of Marilyn cigarettes in Bulgaria with the actress Marilyn Monroe\'s name and likeness on the box. But with the pack in hand I realized two things. First, these cigarettes are actually Merilyn with an \"e\" not Marilyn with an \"a\" and second, the picture evokes a sense of the Marilyn I know but it is more of a caricature of her than anything else. Ah, that\'s who they get away with it.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Coffee in a plastic cup and sparkling water\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Coffee in a plastic cup and sparkling water\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088578366/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6089/6088578366_3b09d493a1_b.jpg\" alt=\"Coffee in a plastic cup and sparkling water\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI sat down outside the shop with my purchases.\r\n\r\nCoffee in a plastic cup, a sparkling water and a pack of cigarettes and I realized that without even trying I\'ve become cliche--well except the fact that I was looking at the box, turning it over in my hands and not smoking. After my coffee I walked home with the cigarettes in my purse. At home, I handed over the pack and was invited to join my hostess in a coffee and a cigarette. I declined the cigarette but I had a coffee and we talked for a long time.','I buy my first pack of cigarettes ever & they are Merilyn cigarettes','','inherit','open','open','','5477-revision-4','','','2011-08-28 13:38:43','2011-08-28 11:38:43','',5477,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/28/5477-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5483,1,'2011-08-28 13:41:05','2011-08-28 11:41:05','Yep. Two weekends ago I bought a pack of cigarettes. It was my first pack ever.\n\nBefore you start freaking out, they weren\'t for me. I know, I know. Isn\'t that always the cliche?\n\n<em>No mom those cigarettes you found in my backpack aren\'t mine they\'re a friend\'s.</em>\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Merilyn Cigarettes: it&#39;s the beauty mark that completes the feeling\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088579222/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6081/6088579222_ba3cba3552_b.jpg\" alt=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nHere\'s the thing, <em>really</em>, they weren\'t for me but for the little 75 year old woman I was staying with in <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/22/a-weekend-in-zheravna/\" target=\"_blank\">Zheravna for the folk life festival</a>. She lives at the far end of town. It was a hot day and there are lots of uneven cobble stones on the way down to the city center. So when she asked, I agreed.\n\nI agreed even despite the fact that she woke me up the first morning with a hacking cough. I agreed because I understood was she was asking me to do in Bulgarian (!!) and who am I to say no?<!--more-->\n\nI felt super sheepish at 30 years old buying a pack of cigarettes. I\'ve never bought a pack of cigarettes before.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Merilyn Cigarettes, her face wraps around the box\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088032545/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6197/6088032545_e7d55608e3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIn all honestly, I\'ve smoked fewer than 10 cigarettes in my entire life and I smoked those 10 cigarettes over the course of two years of college as everyone came back from study abroad with newly adopted \"exotic and worldly\" smoking habits. After college my sympathetic sure I\'ll have a cigarette with you as you tell me about your study abroad adventures habit ended. That is, if it was ever even a habit. I am guessing it was not.\n\nSince then I\'ve never even considered smoking.\n\nNow that\'s saying something seeing as I live in Bulgaria. This is a country where it seems like everyone is smoking everywhere. Bus drivers smoke and drive city buses. All cafes have ashtrays as a permanent part of their decor. Some restaurants have non-smoking sections but these are mostly for looks and in practice are in fact anything but smoke free.\n\nSmoking seems to be a way of life here. I\'ve even heard smart educated Bulgarians make the argument that their smoking doesn\'t hurt anyone and if smoking is banned in public, drinking should also be banned because drinking hurts more people than smoking. Um, this is not a debate I\'m even going to enter into.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088032313/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6209/6088032313_eb139eb858_b.jpg\" alt=\"Merilyn Cigarettes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nBack to buying the cigarettes. I was instructed to buy Marilyn cigarettes.\n\nNow I\'ve always thought it was strange that there\'s a brand of Marilyn cigarettes in Bulgaria with the actress Marilyn Monroe\'s name and likeness on the box. But with the pack in hand I realized two things. First, these cigarettes are actually Merilyn with an \"e\" not Marilyn with an \"a\" and second, the picture evokes a sense of the Marilyn I know but it is more of a caricature of her than anything else. Ah, that\'s who they get away with it.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Coffee in a plastic cup and sparkling water\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Coffee in a plastic cup and sparkling water\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6088578366/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6089/6088578366_3b09d493a1_b.jpg\" alt=\"Coffee in a plastic cup and sparkling water\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI sat down outside the shop with my purchases.\n\nCoffee in a plastic cup, a sparkling water and a pack of cigarettes and I realized that without even trying I\'ve become cliche--well except the fact that I was looking at the box, turning it over in my hands and not smoking. After my coffee I walked home with the cigarettes in my purse. At home, I handed over the pack and was invited to join my hostess in a coffee and a cigarette. I declined the cigarette but I had a coffee and we talked for a long time.','I buy my first pack of cigarettes ever & they are Merilyn cigarettes','','inherit','open','open','','5477-autosave','','','2011-08-28 13:41:05','2011-08-28 11:41:05','',5477,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/28/5477-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5484,1,'2011-08-29 12:31:00','2011-08-29 10:31:00','We\'ve got a new-ish bike path in Mladost. It \"opened\" this past spring. I use \"opened\" because I am not really sure if there\'s a better verb beside some combination of it was built/poured/established this past spring.<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"New Bike Path\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6092581946/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6092581946_29027c47a1_b.jpg\" alt=\"New Bike Path\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\n\nNow for those of you who don\'t live in Sofia, I should make this clear: Sofia is <em>not</em> a bike friendly place. It\'s not even a pedestrian friendly place. As best as I can make out, cars rule the roads. The bigger the better and it\'s your job if you\'re not in the biggest car to get out of its way.\n\nSo the new bike path is a sight to be seen and a welcome addition in the Mladosts.<!--more-->\n\nThe bike lane is dyed red asphalt and it\'s been delineated with cobble stones and then there\'s regular old black asphalt for everyone else.  I don\'t own a bike. And I wont be buying one any time soon but I\'m down with the bike path.\n\nFirst of all, I\'ve seen so many more people riding their bikes in the last two weeks than ever before. Second with the inception of the bike path the sidewalk became much, much nicer to walk on. The asphalt is even and currently in great shape as opposed to much of the asphalt and concrete-tiles that line the sidewalks in Mladost.\n\nThe result? Every morning over the past two weeks I\'ve been out taking a serious lap through the Mladosts. I\'ve been doing it for health, for peace of mind and simply because I can. It\'s actually pleasant to walk along the bike path in Mladost. Mostly, I don\'t have to worry about uneven sidewalks which makes me a happy camper.\n\nThe bike path though is clearly a new thing for people. I\'ve noticed that lots of people choose to walk on it even if they could walk next to it and plenty of moms push their baby-filled strollers on it.','Bike path in Mladost','','inherit','open','open','','5450-revision-3','','','2011-08-29 12:31:00','2011-08-29 10:31:00','',5450,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/29/5450-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5485,1,'2011-08-29 12:33:01','2011-08-29 10:33:01','We\'ve got a new-ish bike path in Mladost. It \"opened\" this past spring. I use \"opened\" because I am not really sure if there\'s a better verb beside some combination of it was built/poured/established this past spring.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"New Bike Path\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"New Bike Path\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6092581946/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6092581946_29027c47a1_b.jpg\" alt=\"New Bike Path\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nNow for those of you who don\'t live in Sofia, I should make this clear: Sofia is <em>not</em> a bike friendly place. It\'s not even a pedestrian friendly place. As best as I can make out, cars rule the roads. The bigger the better and it\'s your job if you\'re not in the biggest car to get out of its way.\n\nSo the new bike path is a sight to be seen and a welcome addition in the Mladosts.\n\nThe bike lane is dyed red asphalt and it\'s been delineated with cobble stones and then there\'s regular old black asphalt for everyone else.  I don\'t own a bike. And I wont be buying one any time soon but I\'m down with the bike path.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"New Mladost Bike Path\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"New Mladost Bike Path\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6092581076/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6092581076_e6aae2118b_b.jpg\" alt=\"New Mladost Bike Path\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nFirst of all, I\'ve seen so many more people riding their bikes in the last two weeks than ever before. Second with the inception of the bike path the sidewalk became much, much nicer to walk on. The asphalt is even and currently in great shape as opposed to much of the asphalt and concrete-tiles that line the sidewalks in Mladost.\n\nThe result? Every morning over the past two weeks I\'ve been out taking a serious lap through the Mladosts. I\'ve been doing it for health, for peace of mind and simply because I can. It\'s actually pleasant to walk along the bike path in Mladost. Mostly, I don\'t have to worry about uneven sidewalks which makes me a happy camper.\n\nThe bike path though is clearly a new thing for people. I\'ve noticed that lots of people choose to walk on it even if they could walk next to it and plenty of moms push their baby-filled strollers on it.','Bike path in Mladost','','inherit','open','open','','5450-revision-4','','','2011-08-29 12:33:01','2011-08-29 10:33:01','',5450,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/29/5450-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5486,1,'2011-08-29 12:42:11','2011-08-29 10:42:11','We\'ve got a new-ish bike path in Mladost. It \"opened\" this past spring. I use \"opened\" because I am not really sure if there\'s a better verb beside some combination of it was built/poured/established this past spring.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"New Bike Path\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"New Bike Path\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6092581946/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6092581946_29027c47a1_b.jpg\" alt=\"New Bike Path\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow for those of you who don\'t live in Sofia, I should make this clear: Sofia is <em>not</em> a bike friendly place. It\'s not even a pedestrian friendly place. As best as I can make out, cars rule the roads. The bigger the better and it\'s your job if you\'re not in the biggest car to get out of its way.\r\n\r\nSo the new bike path is a sight to be seen and a welcome addition to the Mladosts.\r\n\r\nThe bike lane is dyed red asphalt and it\'s been delineated with cobble stones and then there\'s regular old black asphalt for everyone else.  I don\'t own a bike. And I wont be buying one any time soon but I\'m down with the bike path.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"New Mladost Bike Path\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"New Mladost Bike Path\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6092581076/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6092581076_e6aae2118b_b.jpg\" alt=\"New Mladost Bike Path\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFirst of all, I\'ve seen so many more people riding their bikes in the last two weeks than ever before. Second with the inception of the bike path the sidewalk became much, much nicer to walk on. The asphalt is even and currently in great shape as opposed to much of the asphalt and concrete-tiles that line the sidewalks in Mladost.\r\n\r\nThe result? Every morning over the past two weeks I\'ve been out taking a serious lap through the Mladosts. I\'ve been doing it for health, for peace of mind and simply because I can. It\'s actually pleasant to walk along the bike path in Mladost. Mostly, I don\'t have to worry about uneven sidewalks which makes me a happy camper.\r\n\r\nThe bike path though is clearly a new thing for people. I\'ve noticed that lots of people choose to walk on it even if they could walk next to it and plenty of moms push their baby-filled strollers on it. The result is that bikes often have to weave around pedestrians. This is something that might annoy me if I was a biking but to date I\'ve never heard a biker use a bell or yell at anyone in their way.\r\n\r\nThe one thing I\'ve noticed? No matter what time I am out and walking I never see anyone else walking or running for health/exercise even though the road conditions make it seemingly the perfect place for it. Sure there are lots of people out and walking--walking to the bus stop, meandering to the grocery store or pushing a stroller in two inch heals but no one else seems to be enjoying a morning walk. Well, maybe the moms are but how they can enjoy a walk in heels is beyond me and many of them seem more concerned with their cigarettes than anything else.','Bike path in Mladost','','inherit','open','open','','5450-revision-5','','','2011-08-29 12:42:11','2011-08-29 10:42:11','',5450,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/29/5450-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(5487,1,'2011-08-29 12:51:20','2011-08-29 10:51:20','We\'ve got a new-ish bike path in Mladost. Watch out world, we\'re moving on up!!\n\nIt \"opened\" this past spring. I use \"opened\" because I am not really sure if there\'s a better verb for the establishment of the bike path beside some combination of the verbs it was built/poured/established this past spring.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"New Bike Path\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"New Bike Path\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6092581946/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6092581946_29027c47a1_b.jpg\" alt=\"New Bike Path\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nNow for those of you who don\'t live in Sofia, I should make this clear: Sofia is <em>not</em> a bike friendly place. It\'s not even a pedestrian friendly place. As best as I can make out, cars rule the roads. The bigger the better and it\'s your job if you\'re not in the biggest car to get out of its way.\n\nSo the new bike path is a sight to be seen and a welcome addition to the Mladosts.\n\nThe bike lane is dyed red asphalt and it\'s been delineated with cobble stones and then there\'s regular old black asphalt for everyone else.  I don\'t own a bike. And I wont be buying one any time soon but I\'m down with the bike path.<!--more-->\n\nWhat\'s great about the bike path? First of all, I\'ve seen so many more people riding their bikes in the last two weeks than ever before. Second with the inception of the bike path the sidewalk became much, much nicer to walk on. The asphalt is even and currently in great shape as opposed to much of the asphalt and concrete-tiles that line the sidewalks in Mladost.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"New Mladost Bike Path\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"New Mladost Bike Path\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6092581076/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6092581076_e6aae2118b_b.jpg\" alt=\"New Mladost Bike Path\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI\'ve been inspired by the bike path. Every morning over the past two weeks I\'ve been out taking a serious lap through the Mladosts. I\'ve been doing it for health, for peace of mind and simply because I can. It\'s actually pleasant to walk along the bike path in Mladost. Mostly, I don\'t have to worry about uneven sidewalks which makes me a happy camper.\n\nThe bike path though is clearly a new thing for people. I\'ve noticed that lots of people choose to walk on it even if they could walk next to it and plenty of moms push their baby-filled strollers on it. The result is that bikes often have to weave around pedestrians. This is something that might annoy me if I was a biking but to date I\'ve never heard a biker use a bell or yell at anyone in their way. That\'s pretty cool.\n\nThe one thing I\'ve noticed?\n\nNo matter what time I am out and walking I never see anyone else walking or running for health/exercise even though the road conditions make it seemingly the perfect place for it. Sure there are lots of people out and walking--walking to the bus stop, meandering to the grocery store or pushing a stroller in two inch heals but no one else seems to be enjoying a morning walk. Well, maybe the moms are but how they can enjoy a walk in heels is beyond me and many of them seem more concerned with their cigarettes than anything else.\n\nSo that\'s that. We\'ve got a new bike path and I like it. I like it so much, I want more of it. Bike paths make good sense for everyone.','What?! What?! A Bike Path in Mladost','','inherit','open','open','','5450-revision-6','','','2011-08-29 12:51:20','2011-08-29 10:51:20','',5450,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/29/5450-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(5489,1,'2011-08-29 12:52:43','2011-08-29 10:52:43','We\'ve got a new-ish bike path in Mladost. Watch out world, we\'re moving on up!!\n\nIt \"opened\" this past spring. I use \"opened\" because I am not really sure if there\'s a better verb for the establishment of the bike path beside some combination of the verbs it was built/poured/established this past spring.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"New Bike Path\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"New Bike Path\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6092581946/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6092581946_29027c47a1_b.jpg\" alt=\"New Bike Path\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nNow for those of you who don\'t live in Sofia, I should make this clear: Sofia is <em>not</em> a bike friendly place. It\'s not even a pedestrian friendly place. As best as I can make out, cars rule the roads. The bigger the better and it\'s your job if you\'re not in the biggest car to get out of its way.\n\nSo the new bike path is a sight to be seen and a welcome addition to the Mladosts.\n\nThe bike lane is dyed red asphalt and it\'s been delineated with cobble stones and then there\'s regular old black asphalt for everyone else.  I don\'t own a bike. And I wont be buying one any time soon but I\'m down with the bike path.<!--more-->\n\nWhat\'s great about the bike path? First of all, I\'ve seen so many more people riding their bikes in the last two weeks than ever before. Second with the inception of the bike path the sidewalk became much, much nicer to walk on. The asphalt is even and currently in great shape as opposed to much of the asphalt and concrete-tiles that line the sidewalks in Mladost.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"New Mladost Bike Path\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"New Mladost Bike Path\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6092581076/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6092581076_e6aae2118b_b.jpg\" alt=\"New Mladost Bike Path\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI\'ve been inspired by the bike path. Every morning over the past two weeks I\'ve been out taking a serious lap through the Mladosts. I\'ve been doing it for health, for peace of mind and simply because I can. It\'s actually pleasant to walk along the bike path in Mladost. Mostly, I don\'t have to worry about uneven sidewalks which makes me a happy camper.\n\nThe bike path though is clearly a new thing for people. I\'ve noticed that lots of people choose to walk on it even if they could walk next to it and plenty of moms push their baby-filled strollers on it. The result is that bikes often have to weave around pedestrians. This is something that might annoy me if I was a biking but to date I\'ve never heard a biker use a bell or yell at anyone in their way. That\'s pretty cool.\n\nThe one thing I\'ve noticed?\n\nNo matter what time I am out and walking I never see anyone else walking or running for health/exercise even though the road conditions make it seemingly the perfect place for it. Sure there are lots of people out and walking--walking to the bus stop, meandering to the grocery store or pushing a stroller in two inch heals but no one else seems to be enjoying a morning walk. Well, maybe the moms are but how they can enjoy a walk in heels is beyond me and many of them seem more concerned with their cigarettes than anything else.\n\nSo that\'s that. We\'ve got a new bike path and I like it. I like it so much, I want more of it. Bike paths make good sense for everyone.','What?! What?! A Bike Path in Mladost','','inherit','open','open','','5450-revision-8','','','2011-08-29 12:52:43','2011-08-29 10:52:43','',5450,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/29/5450-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(5488,1,'2011-08-29 12:51:36','2011-08-29 10:51:36','We\'ve got a new-ish bike path in Mladost. Watch out world, we\'re moving on up!!\r\n\r\nIt \"opened\" this past spring. I use \"opened\" because I am not really sure if there\'s a better verb for the establishment of the bike path beside some combination of the verbs it was built/poured/established this past spring.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"New Bike Path\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"New Bike Path\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6092581946/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6092581946_29027c47a1_b.jpg\" alt=\"New Bike Path\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow for those of you who don\'t live in Sofia, I should make this clear: Sofia is <em>not</em> a bike friendly place. It\'s not even a pedestrian friendly place. As best as I can make out, cars rule the roads. The bigger the better and it\'s your job if you\'re not in the biggest car to get out of its way.\r\n\r\nSo the new bike path is a sight to be seen and a welcome addition to the Mladosts.\r\n\r\nThe bike lane is dyed red asphalt and it\'s been delineated with cobble stones and then there\'s regular old black asphalt for everyone else.  I don\'t own a bike. And I wont be buying one any time soon but I\'m down with the bike path.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nWhat\'s great about the bike path? First of all, I\'ve seen so many more people riding their bikes in the last two weeks than ever before. Second with the inception of the bike path the sidewalk became much, much nicer to walk on. The asphalt is even and currently in great shape as opposed to much of the asphalt and concrete-tiles that line the sidewalks in Mladost.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"New Mladost Bike Path\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"New Mladost Bike Path\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6092581076/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6092581076_e6aae2118b_b.jpg\" alt=\"New Mladost Bike Path\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI\'ve been inspired by the bike path. Every morning over the past two weeks I\'ve been out taking a serious lap through the Mladosts. I\'ve been doing it for health, for peace of mind and simply because I can. It\'s actually pleasant to walk along the bike path in Mladost. Mostly, I don\'t have to worry about uneven sidewalks which makes me a happy camper.\r\n\r\nThe bike path though is clearly a new thing for people. I\'ve noticed that lots of people choose to walk on it even if they could walk next to it and plenty of moms push their baby-filled strollers on it. The result is that bikes often have to weave around pedestrians. This is something that might annoy me if I was a biking but to date I\'ve never heard a biker use a bell or yell at anyone in their way. That\'s pretty cool.\r\n\r\nThe one thing I\'ve noticed?\r\n\r\nNo matter what time I am out and walking I never see anyone else walking or running for health/exercise even though the road conditions make it seemingly the perfect place for it. Sure there are lots of people out and walking--walking to the bus stop, meandering to the grocery store or pushing a stroller in two inch heals but no one else seems to be enjoying a morning walk. Well, maybe the moms are but how they can enjoy a walk in heels is beyond me and many of them seem more concerned with their cigarettes than anything else.\r\n\r\nSo that\'s that. We\'ve got a new bike path and I like it. I like it so much, I want more of it. Bike paths make good sense for everyone.','What?! What?! A Bike Path in Mladost','','inherit','open','open','','5450-revision-7','','','2011-08-29 12:51:36','2011-08-29 10:51:36','',5450,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/29/5450-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(5490,1,'2011-08-29 12:53:44','2011-08-29 10:53:44','We\'ve got a new-ish bike path in Mladost. Watch out world, we\'re moving on up!!\n\nIt \"opened\" this past spring. I use \"opened\" because I am not really sure if there\'s a better verb for the establishment of the new bike path in Mladost beside some combination of the verbs it was built/poured/established this past spring.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"New Bike Path\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"New Bike Path\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6092581946/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6092581946_29027c47a1_b.jpg\" alt=\"New Bike Path\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nNow for those of you who don\'t live in Sofia, I should make this clear: Sofia is <em>not</em> a bike friendly place. It\'s not even a pedestrian friendly place. As best as I can make out, cars rule the roads. The bigger the better and it\'s your job if you\'re not in the biggest car to get out of its way.\n\nSo the new bike path is a sight to be seen and a welcome addition to the Mladosts.\n\nThe bike lane is dyed red asphalt and it\'s been delineated with cobble stones and then there\'s regular old black asphalt for everyone else.  I don\'t own a bike. And I wont be buying one any time soon but I\'m down with the bike path.<!--more-->\n\nWhat\'s great about the bike path? First of all, I\'ve seen so many more people riding their bikes in the last two weeks than ever before. Second with the inception of the bike path the sidewalk became much, much nicer to walk on. The asphalt is even and currently in great shape as opposed to much of the asphalt and concrete-tiles that line the sidewalks in Mladost.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"New Mladost Bike Path\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"New Mladost Bike Path\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6092581076/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6092581076_e6aae2118b_b.jpg\" alt=\"New Mladost Bike Path\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI\'ve been inspired by the bike path. Every morning over the past two weeks I\'ve been out taking a serious lap through the Mladosts. I\'ve been doing it for health, for peace of mind and simply because I can. It\'s actually pleasant to walk along the bike path in Mladost. Mostly, I don\'t have to worry about uneven sidewalks which makes me a happy camper.\n\nThe bike path though is clearly a new thing for people. I\'ve noticed that lots of people choose to walk on it even if they could walk next to it and plenty of moms push their baby-filled strollers on it. The result is that bikes often have to weave around pedestrians. This is something that might annoy me if I was a biking but to date I\'ve never heard a biker use a bell or yell at anyone in their way. That\'s pretty cool.\n\nThe one thing I\'ve noticed?\n\nNo matter what time I am out and walking I never see anyone else walking or running for health/exercise even though the road conditions make it seemingly the perfect place for it. Sure there are lots of people out and walking--walking to the bus stop, meandering to the grocery store or pushing a stroller in two inch heals but no one else seems to be enjoying a morning walk. Well, maybe the moms are but how they can enjoy a walk in heels is beyond me and many of them seem more concerned with their cigarettes than anything else.\n\nSo that\'s that. We\'ve got a new bike path and I like it. I like it so much, I want more of it. Bike paths make good sense for everyone','What?! What?! A Bike Path in Mladost','','inherit','open','open','','5450-revision-9','','','2011-08-29 12:53:44','2011-08-29 10:53:44','',5450,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/29/5450-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(5658,1,'2011-10-08 20:37:28','2011-10-08 18:37:28','Wow. Wow. A cupcake bakery in Sofia.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Take a Cake: the cupcake bakery\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Take a Cake: the cupcake bakery\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6222874159/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6216/6222874159_67601b0857_b.jpg\" alt=\"Take a Cake: the cupcake bakery\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI heard a rumor about a cupcake place opening in Sofia a while back. I never followed up on it. Then sometime last week, I thought: I\'ve got to find this bakery.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pumpkin cupcake\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Pumpkin cupcake\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223433388/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6037/6223433388_1521a0177b_b.jpg\" alt=\"Pumpkin cupcake\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSo I did what I always do, I posted an inquiry on twitter and later that day I\'d been directed to the website of <a href=\"http://take-a-cake-bakery.blogspot.com/\" target=\"_blank\">Take a Cake</a>.  And about the same time I found a piece on <a href=\"http://www.spottedbylocals.com/sofia/take-a-cake/\" target=\"_blank\">Spotted by Locals about the bakery</a> as well. <em>Thanks friends! </em>\r\n\r\nTake a Cake is a tiny but super cute bakery specializing in cupcakes.  <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cupcake inspired wall art\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cupcake inspired wall art\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223404350/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6108/6223404350_db2c441929_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cupcake inspired wall art\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThey aren\'t so easy to find but totally worth it. We wandered around the neighborhood for a bit. In my mind, these things happen when streets aren\'t well labeled and dots aren\'t well placed on google maps.  Luckily I stopped a couple of people for directions and the guy at Costa Coffee on Sheynovo knew where the bakery is.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Me enjoying cupcakes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Me enjoying cupcakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6222920745/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6234/6222920745_07ee9c723d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Me enjoying cupcakes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe street address is: Tulovo 1. It\'s one of the little streets behind Sofia University--a street that appears to be one block long. Here\'s the best way to find the shop. From the University metro take the Russian monument exit and the underpass to the street San Stefano and at the five way intersection take the street on your right. The shop is halfway down the block on the left hand side of the street.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Row after row of cupcakes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Row after row of cupcakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6222877561/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6180/6222877561_933e77f44d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Row after row of cupcakes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe cupcakes are beautifully decorated and the shop is immaculate. Today there were probably 12 different cupcakes to pick from.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Ball jar lighting\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ball jar lighting\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223400506/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6175/6223400506_c06ded0b39_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ball jar lighting\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI started with the pumpkin spice cupcake and an Americano (which was pretty great) and ended the adventure with a coffee cupcake. Yep. For those of you who are counting, I ate two cupcakes. These things are allowed (and encouraged) when you know you\'re going to be writing a blog-review <em>or</em> when you like cupcakes as much as I do.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Rows of cupcakes\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Rows of cupcakes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223418670/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6048/6223418670_1055c266cf_b.jpg\" alt=\"Rows of cupcakes\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBoth cupcakes were tasty but given the change in weather and seasons, I think that the pumpkin spice cupcake was my favorite. It was moist, pumpkin-y and a little sweet.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, these are not exactly the cupcakes I know and love from my childhood. The cupcakes I tried today are much more reminiscent of a muffin rather than the smooth, fine crumb of cupcakes in the States. They were still tasty but not what I think of as a cupcake. These were something more like sweet muffins with frosting.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Vanilla cupcake and strawberry frosting\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Vanilla cupcake and strawberry frosting\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6223430904/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6040/6223430904_cc78ba4daa_b.jpg\" alt=\"Vanilla cupcake and strawberry frosting\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWas this a problem for me? Not really. I\'ve come to understand that nothing will be exactly as I expect it in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nDid I like the cupcakes? Oh, yes.\r\n\r\nWill I go back? Of course.\r\n\r\nAm I complaining? Not really. I just thought you should know. Tasty. Just not exactly traditional cupcakes.\r\n\r\nOh and if these pictures remind you of <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/04/18/new-find-supastar/\" target=\"_blank\">SupaStar</a> you have a good eye. The wall art and attention to detail certainly reminded me of SupaStar and apparently the two shops are owned by the same people. My love of these two shops makes me want to know about the creators/owners of these shops. Who are they? What inspires them?','Cupcakes in Sofia ','','publish','open','open','','cupcakes-in-sofia','','','2011-10-08 20:39:31','2011-10-08 18:39:31','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5658',0,'post','',7),(5633,1,'2011-10-02 18:48:13','2011-10-02 16:48:13','On Friday night I met 20 new Fulbright ETAs in Bulgaria. They are teaching all over the country from Sofia to Russe to Varna to Vidin and Kurdzhali among other places. This is pretty incredible considering the fact that four years ago when I showed up in Bulgaria as an ETA, I was one of<em> two</em> ETAs. I was in Sofia and the other ETA was in Plovdiv.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, I don\'t think it\'s easy to move to a new country, learn a new language, make new friends, start a new job and try to figure out which way is up anywhere in the world. Bulgaria is no exception. But of all of the jobs you could have and all of the places you could work, I think that teaching in a Bulgarian school is especially difficult.\r\n\r\nIt\'s difficult for a lot of different reasons: differences in educational school systems, underpaid teachers (the starting salary is something like 450 leva), underfunded schools, huge class sizes (think 30+ students), poor textbooks and often a pervasive sense of apathy.\r\n\r\nOn top of this being a foreign teacher and quote \"Native Speaker\" is difficult because more often than not the school wants as many students as possible to have access to you and your language. It often means that you see 8-12 different groups of students each week. That\'s probably 200+ students and given the fact you see these students once a week (or worse) every other week, you quickly realize: I am not going to know these kids names until Christmas break.\r\n\r\nThis alone would be enough to frustrate anyone but then there\'s the always-changing schedule, the awesomely bureaucratic paperwork, chalk boards (or white boards sans whiteboard markers) and the fact that you don\'t get your own classroom. You go to the students.\r\n\r\nSo what\'s a Fulbrighter teaching in a Bulgarian school to do?<img title=\"More...\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif\" alt=\"\" /><!--more-->\r\n\r\nWell, you\'ve got to take a deep breath and jump in.\r\n\r\nThe job is going to be amazing and at other times amazingly frustrating.  The middle road doesn\'t really exist in Bulgaria so get ready for both the highs and the lows.\r\n\r\nTeaching in Bulgaria is going to stretch you, push you, exhaust you and wow you.\r\n\r\nSo, I think it boils down to this: if you\'re a Fulbrighter teaching in Bulgaria you\'ve got to adjust your expectations, look for the joyful moments at work and let the rest of it go. I realize these things are probably easier said that done. But here\'s the thing, you can really only control yourself. So you\'ve got to make your corner of the world the best it can be.\r\n\r\nLook for the students are excited to learn and plan activities with them. Find the teachers who are trying to make a difference at school and in the lives of students even though the system is set-up in such a way as to discourage this and talk to them. Learn as much Bulgarian as you can and use it as often as you can (Bulgarians love it). Create a project for yourself outside of school.\r\n\r\n<em>Mine?</em> Well, you\'re reading it.\r\n\r\nMy first year I\'d go to school and students would be texting under the desk (or in one bold case making a telephone call during a dictation), they\'d never complete their homework (or blatantly copy and paste from wikipedia), they\'d throw paper and ignore my instructions. Most times, if felt more like I was a babysitter than their teacher.\r\n\r\nThis enough to get anyone down but there\'s more.\r\n\r\nI had too many students and saw them too infrequently to actually know all of their names. I knew the names of the best students and the worst students and I hated that. I also hated that administration regularly questioned my need for photocopies and chalk. I was teaching a conversation class without a textbook and needed worksheets/handouts for class but when I asked for 150 copies administration would ask me: how about 50? (Um, how could you like me to decide which students wont get photocopies?)\r\n\r\nThe low point for me?\r\n\r\nI bought seven copies of the game Scrabble from the States in order to teach my students the game and to have them practice their vocabulary and problem solving skills. The second time my students played they spent more time throwing the tiles around the room than playing the game. I spent the 15 minutes after class with tears in my eyes picking up Scrabble pieces off the floor determined not to actually cry at school.\r\n\r\nI left school that day miserable (and I cried outside the school gate).\r\n\r\nSofia looked uglier than I could ever remember it and every step I took on my home that day reminded me of the day\'s earlier events because the damn Scrabble tiles were rattling in my bag. Luckily for me though, I had something more in my life than just school.\r\n\r\nBy the time I\'d gotten home my anger, frustration and tears had morphed into a blog post. A blog post that has since turned out to be one of my most popular posts of all time, <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/31/things-i-dont-understand/\" target=\"_blank\">Things I don\'t Understand</a>, and the post which introduced me to a much wider Bulgarian readership.\r\n\r\nSo here\'s my advice, when you go to school each day do something each that you\'re excited about and at the end of the day, make sure that you have something else to look forward to as well because if the only thing you have in your life is school/work, I can just about guarantee heartbreak for you here in Bulgaria. My own experience teaching in a public school in Sofia was neither satisfying nor especially gratifying but the whole experience taught me a lot about myself and frankly given same opportunity I\'d do it again in a heartbeat.','Teaching In Bulgarian Schools ','','draft','open','open','','teaching-in-bulgarian-schools','','','2011-10-02 18:55:35','2011-10-02 16:55:35','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5633',0,'post','',0),(5520,1,'2011-09-07 20:56:45','2011-09-07 18:56:45','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 <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/06/22/sozopol/\" target=\"_blank\">I\'ve been to Sozopol before with my MoM and Aunt the first year that I lived in Bulgaria</a>, so I knew that I was going to have a wonderful time.\r\n\r\n[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]\r\n\r\nSo 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-->\r\n\r\nEven 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.\r\n\r\n[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]\r\n\r\nThe weekend was great: Friends. Food. Weather. Beach. Music Festival.\r\n\r\nSure 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.\r\n\r\n[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]\r\n\r\nI 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.\r\n\r\nI guess that\'s okay.\r\n\r\n[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]','A weekend in Sozopol ','','publish','open','open','','a-weekend-in-sozopol','','','2011-09-07 20:56:45','2011-09-07 18:56:45','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5520',0,'post','',3),(5494,1,'2011-08-30 10:27:01','2011-08-30 08:27:01','Holy smokes, work starts on Friday. <em>This Friday</em>. Friday the 2nd.\n\nDon\'t get me wrong, I\'ve known this for a while. It\'s just snuck up on me. I\'ve been enjoying two months of summer vacation and in July September seemed so far away. Now September is nearly upon us.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"In my parents backyard\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"In my parents backyard\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6095536663/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6194/6095536663_dfc7bb2421_b.jpg\" alt=\"In my parents backyard\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSchool is about to start. <em>School</em>. School starts on September 15th.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hot dog, beer and corn\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Hot dog, beer and corn\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096078478/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6096078478_5e484fdb2e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Hot dog, beer and corn\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIt doesn\'t seem like it could possibly be time for school to start up again but it is. Or at least that\'s what my calendar tells me.\n\nRather than dwell on that, I decided to pull together some snap shots from the summer. That\'s a much better use of my time after all and more productive than drinking a beer at a cafe in downtown Sofia and lamenting the loss of summer. <a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Silly sister photo, two\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6095535869/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6200/6095535869_9d9b7cdd8d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Silly sister photo, two\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Silly sister photo, one\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096078156/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6206/6096078156_7f35e4b076_b.jpg\" alt=\"Silly sister photo, one\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> Luckily for me, I had a great summer vacation and as if that wasn\'t great enough, we also have some serious holidays during the month of September.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brother and me at a baseball game\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096077652/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/6096077652_e69a7f6211_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brother and me at a baseball game\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> After the first day of work, we have a four day weekend from September 3-6th! Hip-hip-houray. Black Sea here I come. Then school starts in the middle of a week and the very next week we have another four day weekend from the 22nd to the 25th.  I\'ll be hopping on a plane and heading to Stuttgart for the Cannstatter Volksfest.<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Taking photos with dAd\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096079166/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6188/6096079166_59060fa09e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Taking photos with dAd\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\n\nThree cheers for holidays in Bulgaria. Oh and three cheers for my cuttie-puttie high school students. I\'m not-so-secretly looking forward to seeing their smiling faces as well.<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"In Elena\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096079458/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6080/6096079458_73501276a0_b.jpg\" alt=\"In Elena\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>','Gasp, where did my summer go? ','','inherit','open','open','','5491-revision','','','2011-08-30 10:27:01','2011-08-30 08:27:01','',5491,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/30/5491-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5495,1,'2011-08-30 10:28:35','2011-08-30 08:28:35','Holy smokes, work starts on Friday. <em>This Friday</em>. Friday the 2nd.\r\n\r\nDon\'t get me wrong, I\'ve known this for a while. It\'s just snuck up on me. I\'ve been enjoying two months of summer vacation and in July September seemed so far away. Now September is nearly upon us.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"In my parents backyard\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"In my parents backyard\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6095536663/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6194/6095536663_dfc7bb2421_b.jpg\" alt=\"In my parents backyard\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSchool is about to start. <em>School</em>. School starts on September 15th.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hot dog, beer and corn\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Hot dog, beer and corn\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096078478/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6096078478_5e484fdb2e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Hot dog, beer and corn\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIt doesn\'t seem like it could possibly be time for school to start up again but it is. Or at least that\'s what my calendar tells me.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Silly sisters\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Silly sister photo, two\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6095535869/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6200/6095535869_9d9b7cdd8d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Silly sister photo, two\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nRather than dwell on that, I decided to pull together some snap shots from the summer. That\'s a much better use of my time after all and more productive than drinking a beer at a cafe in downtown Sofia and lamenting the loss of summer.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Silly sisters, two\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Silly sister photo, one\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096078156/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6206/6096078156_7f35e4b076_b.jpg\" alt=\"Silly sister photo, one\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nLuckily for me, I had a great summer vacation and as if that wasn\'t great enough, we also have some serious holidays during the month of September.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Brother and me at a baseball game\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brother and me at a baseball game\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096077652/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/6096077652_e69a7f6211_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brother and me at a baseball game\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter the first day of work, we have a four day weekend from September 3-6th! Hip-hip-houray. Black Sea here I come. Then school starts in the middle of a week and the very next week we have another four day weekend from the 22nd to the 25th.  I\'ll be hopping on a plane and heading to Stuttgart for the Cannstatter Volksfest.<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Taking photos with dAd\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096079166/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6188/6096079166_59060fa09e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Taking photos with dAd\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"In Elena with teachers\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"In Elena\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096079458/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6080/6096079458_73501276a0_b.jpg\" alt=\"In Elena\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThree cheers for holidays in Bulgaria. Oh and three cheers for my cuttie-puttie high school students. I\'m not-so-secretly looking forward to seeing their smiling faces as well.','Gasp, where did my summer go? ','','inherit','open','open','','5491-revision-2','','','2011-08-30 10:28:35','2011-08-30 08:28:35','',5491,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/30/5491-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5496,1,'2011-08-30 10:29:40','2011-08-30 08:29:40','Holy smokes, work starts on Friday. <em>This Friday</em>. Friday the 2nd.\n\nDon\'t get me wrong, I\'ve known this for a while. It\'s just snuck up on me. I\'ve been enjoying two months of summer vacation and in July September seemed so far away. Now September is nearly upon us.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"In my parents backyard\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"In my parents backyard\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6095536663/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6194/6095536663_dfc7bb2421_b.jpg\" alt=\"In my parents backyard\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSchool is about to start. <em>School</em>. School starts on September 15th.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hot dog, beer and corn\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Hot dog, beer and corn\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096078478/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6096078478_5e484fdb2e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Hot dog, beer and corn\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIt doesn\'t seem like it could possibly be time for school to start up again but it is. Or at least that\'s what my calendar tells me.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Silly sisters\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Silly sister photo, two\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6095535869/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6200/6095535869_9d9b7cdd8d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Silly sister photo, two\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nRather than dwell on that, I decided to pull together some snap shots from the summer. That\'s a much better use of my time after all and more productive than drinking a beer at a cafe in downtown Sofia and lamenting the loss of summer.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Silly sisters, two\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Silly sister photo, one\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096078156/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6206/6096078156_7f35e4b076_b.jpg\" alt=\"Silly sister photo, one\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nLuckily for me, I had a great summer vacation and as if that wasn\'t great enough, we also have some serious holidays during the month of September.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Brother and me at a baseball game\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brother and me at a baseball game\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096077652/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/6096077652_e69a7f6211_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brother and me at a baseball game\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter the first day of work, we have a four day weekend from September 3-6th! Hip-hip-houray. Black Sea here I come. Then school starts in the middle of a week and the very next week we have another four day weekend from the 22nd to the 25th.  I\'ll be hopping on a plane and heading to Stuttgart for the Cannstatter Volksfest.<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Taking photos with dAd\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096079166/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6188/6096079166_59060fa09e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Taking photos with dAd\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"In Elena with teachers\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"In Elena\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096079458/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6080/6096079458_73501276a0_b.jpg\" alt=\"In Elena\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThree cheers for holidays in Bulgaria. Oh and three cheers for my cuttie-puttie high school students. I\'m not-so-secretly looking forward to seeing their smiling faces as well.','Gasp, where did my summer go? ','','inherit','open','open','','5491-revision-3','','','2011-08-30 10:29:40','2011-08-30 08:29:40','',5491,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/30/5491-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5497,1,'2011-08-30 10:32:15','2011-08-30 08:32:15','Holy smokes, work starts on Friday. <em>This Friday</em>. Friday the 2nd.\r\n\r\nDon\'t get me wrong, I\'ve known this for a while. It\'s just snuck up on me. I\'ve been enjoying two months of summer vacation and in July September seemed so far away. Now September is nearly upon us.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"In my parents backyard\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"In my parents backyard\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6095536663/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6194/6095536663_dfc7bb2421_b.jpg\" alt=\"In my parents backyard\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSchool is about to start. <em>School</em>. School starts on September 15th.\r\n\r\nThe good news that\'s still more than 15 days away. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hot dog, beer and corn\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Hot dog, beer and corn\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096078478/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6096078478_5e484fdb2e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Hot dog, beer and corn\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIt doesn\'t seem like it could possibly be time for school to start up again but it is. Or at least that\'s what my calendar tells me.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Silly sisters\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Silly sister photo, two\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6095535869/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6200/6095535869_9d9b7cdd8d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Silly sister photo, two\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nRather than dwell on that, I decided to pull together some snap shots from the summer. That\'s a much better use of my time after all and more productive than drinking a beer at a cafe in downtown Sofia and lamenting the loss of summer.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Silly sisters, two\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Silly sister photo, one\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096078156/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6206/6096078156_7f35e4b076_b.jpg\" alt=\"Silly sister photo, one\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nLuckily for me, I had a great summer vacation and as if that wasn\'t great enough, we also have some serious holidays during the month of September. We\'re not talking one three day weekend like we\'d get in the States for Labor Day. No sir. We\'ve got two four day weekends in September.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Brother and me at a baseball game\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brother and me at a baseball game\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096077652/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/6096077652_e69a7f6211_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brother and me at a baseball game\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Taking photos with dAd\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Taking photos with dAd\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096079166/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6188/6096079166_59060fa09e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Taking photos with dAd\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter the first day of work, we have a four day weekend from September 3-6th! Hip-hip-houray. Black Sea here I come. Then school starts in the middle of a week and the very next week we have another four day weekend from the 22nd to the 25th.  I\'ll be hopping on a plane and heading to Stuttgart for the Cannstatter Volksfest.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"In Elena with teachers\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"In Elena\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096079458/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6080/6096079458_73501276a0_b.jpg\" alt=\"In Elena\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThree cheers for holidays in Bulgaria. Oh and three cheers for my cuttie-puttie high school students. I\'m not-so-secretly looking forward to seeing their smiling faces as well.','Gasp, where did my summer go? ','','inherit','open','open','','5491-revision-4','','','2011-08-30 10:32:15','2011-08-30 08:32:15','',5491,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/30/5491-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5498,1,'2011-08-30 10:35:19','2011-08-30 08:35:19','Holy smokes, work starts on Friday. <em>This Friday</em>. Friday the 2nd.\n\nDon\'t get me wrong, I\'ve known this for a while. It\'s just snuck up on me. I\'ve been enjoying two months of summer vacation and in July September seemed so far away. Now September is nearly upon us.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"In my parents backyard\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"In my parents backyard\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6095536663/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6194/6095536663_dfc7bb2421_b.jpg\" alt=\"In my parents backyard\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSchool is about to start. <em>School</em>. School starts on September 15th.\n\nThe good news that\'s still more than 15 days away and in a month I\'ll be able to start accessorizing with scarfs again.  I do like fall.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hot dog, beer and corn\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Hot dog, beer and corn\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096078478/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6096078478_5e484fdb2e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Hot dog, beer and corn\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIt doesn\'t seem like it could possibly be time for school to start up again. But it is. Or at least that\'s what my calendar tells me.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Silly sisters\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Silly sister photo, two\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6095535869/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6200/6095535869_9d9b7cdd8d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Silly sister photo, two\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nRather than dwell on that, I decided to pull together some snap shots from the summer. That\'s a much better use of my time after all and more productive than drinking a beer at a cafe in downtown Sofia and lamenting the loss of summer.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Silly sisters, two\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Silly sister photo, one\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096078156/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6206/6096078156_7f35e4b076_b.jpg\" alt=\"Silly sister photo, one\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nLuckily for me, I had a great summer vacation and as if that wasn\'t great enough, we also have some serious holidays during the month of September. We\'re not talking one three day weekend like we\'d get in the States for Labor Day. No sir. We\'ve got two four day weekends in September.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Brother and me at a baseball game\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Brother and me at a baseball game\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096077652/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/6096077652_e69a7f6211_b.jpg\" alt=\"Brother and me at a baseball game\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Taking photos with dAd\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Taking photos with dAd\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096079166/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6188/6096079166_59060fa09e_b.jpg\" alt=\"Taking photos with dAd\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter the first day of work, we have a four day weekend from September 3-6th! Hip-hip-houray. Black Sea here I come. Then school starts in the middle of a week and the very next week we have another four day weekend from the 22nd to the 25th.  I\'ll be hopping on a plane and heading to Stuttgart for the Cannstatter Volksfest.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"In Elena with teachers\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"In Elena\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6096079458/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6080/6096079458_73501276a0_b.jpg\" alt=\"In Elena\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThree cheers for holidays in Bulgaria. Oh and three cheers for my cuttie-puttie high school students. I\'m not-so-secretly looking forward to seeing their smiling faces as well.','Gasp, where did my summer go? ','','inherit','open','open','','5491-revision-5','','','2011-08-30 10:35:19','2011-08-30 08:35:19','',5491,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/30/5491-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(5500,1,'2011-08-31 20:10:01','2011-08-31 18:10:01','Recently I had two of my favorite boys over while their parents and my colleagues at ACS ran errands. The boys are 3 and 6-ish and full of energy. A. &amp; A. are very funny and cute.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100030071/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6100030071_1d591027d4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThey showed up at my house with a backpack each of toys. Ever wonder with a little boy thinks he might need for the afternoon? Each boy had between 3 and 5 cars, a stuffed animal, books including the picture encyclopedia of space, pens, <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Libs\" target=\"_blank\">mad libs</a>, dinosaurs and a large copy of Buzz Lightyear the space ranger from the children\'s movie Toy Story.\r\n\r\nWe raced cars for a while on my tile floor. Now I have to say, I\'ve never loved an entire apartment of tile but man-o-man the cars really fly on the tiles. Then we flew the cars around and bounced on my bed for awhile.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100575264/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6100575264_8320206674_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100031089/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/6100031089_9543536bc5_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThen we got things together to make homemade playdough. It\'s not much basically salt, flour, water and a little food color. This is the <a href=\"http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Playdough-Play-doh/\" target=\"_blank\">basic recipe I used</a>. It\'s quick to make on the stove and only requires a little bit of time to cool.\r\n\r\nYou kneed it, add color to it and then play with it. Playing with it is clearly the best part.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100576274/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6100576274_eb268b95cc_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Homemade play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100579360/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6065/6100579360_f47b50f155_b.jpg\" alt=\"Homemade play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nPlaydough is magic and takes enough time from start to finish that I had a captive audience for nearly two hours. A. &amp; A. kept saying: Wow, we\'re making playdough. Real playdough from food. There was also some concern about whether they could eat it or not. I told them they could but it would be very salty.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Play&#39;n with play dough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play\'n with play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100580402/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6100580402_760502be5f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play\'n with play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBig A. announced that he\'d eaten playdough before. Little A. was appalled and questioned: is it still in your stomach?! Big A: No. I pooped it out. Little A. was relieved by this.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Play&#39;n with play dough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play\'n with play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100036747/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6100036747_fbb374c303_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play\'n with play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Playdough heart\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play dough heart\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100037307/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6192/6100037307_920244dc16_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play dough heart\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow I must report that I didn\'t see either boy try any which in my mind is kind of too bad because that\'s half the point of making your own playdough. Oh well. Maybe they snuck it behind my back.\r\n\r\nAt some point in all of this, two hot wheels found their way into my freezer. They change color based on the temperature. Thus cold water makes them orange. It\'s pretty great but then they were promptly forgotten.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hot wheels + water\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Hot wheels + water\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100578766/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6100578766_7663491037_b.jpg\" alt=\"Hot wheels + water\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The science of color changing hot wheeels\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"The science of color changing hot wheeels\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100578322/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6194/6100578322_575a09f2b5_b.jpg\" alt=\"The science of color changing hot wheeels\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter some serious playdough playing, the boys wanted to watch some tv. Then they wanted something to eat. I had pretzel sticks on hand. They ate those. I had peaches. They ate those. I had cucumbers. They ate those. Then they asked for something sweet. I gave them each a little cookie. They ate those.\r\n\r\nThen their parents showed up. This was probably a good thing. I have a hunch that Big A. &amp; Little A. were in the process of eating me out of house and home.\r\n\r\nOf course as soon as mom and dad showed up, the boys didn\'t want to leave but had to show their parents the homemade playdough. I sent them home with the playdough because really what I am going to do with it?\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hot wheel ice cube\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Hot wheel ice cube\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100038465/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6193/6100038465_c666dc87f2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Hot wheel ice cube\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOnly thing is that they forgot their in-the-process-of-freezing hot wheels. I found those a couple of hours later.\r\n\r\nLittle kids are funny.','Fun and Games in Mladost ','','publish','open','open','','fun-and-games-in-mladost','','','2011-08-31 20:10:01','2011-08-31 18:10:01','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5500',0,'post','',4),(5501,1,'2011-08-31 20:01:37','2011-08-31 18:01:37','Recently I had two of my favorite boys over while their parents and my colleagues at ACS ran errands. The boys are 3 and 6-ish and full of energy. A. &amp; A. are very funny and cute.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100030071/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6100030071_1d591027d4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThey showed up at my house with a backpack each of toys. Ever wonder with a little boy thinks he might need for the afternoon? Each boy had between 3 and 5 cars, a stuffed animal, books including the picture encyclopedia of space, pens, <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Libs\" target=\"_blank\">mad libs</a>, dinosaurs and a large copy of Buzz Lightyear the space ranger from the children\'s movie Toy Story.\n\nWe raced cars for a while on my tile floor. Now I have to say, I\'ve never loved an entire apartment of tile but man-o-man the cars really fly on the tiles. Then we flew the cars around and bounced on my bed for a while.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100575264/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6100575264_8320206674_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThen we got things together to make homemade playdough. It\'s not much basically salt, flour, water and a little food color. This is the <a href=\"http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Playdough-Play-doh/\" target=\"_blank\">basic recipe I used</a>. It\'s quick to make on the stove and only requires a little bit of time to cool.<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100031089/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/6100031089_9543536bc5_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\n\nYou kneed it, add color to it and then play with it.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100576274/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6100576274_eb268b95cc_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nPlaydough is magic and takes enough time from start to finish that I had a captive audience for nearly two hours. A. &amp; A. kept saying: Wow, we\'re making playdough. Real playdough from food. There was also some concern about whether they could eat it or not. I told them they could but it would be very salty.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Play&#39;n with play dough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play\'n with play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100580402/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6100580402_760502be5f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play\'n with play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nBig A. announced that he\'d eaten playdough before. Little A. was appalled and questioned: is it still in your stomach?! Big A: No. I pooped it out. Little A. was relieved by this.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Play&#39;n with play dough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play\'n with play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100036747/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6100036747_fbb374c303_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play\'n with play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nNow I must report that I didn\'t see either boy try any which in my mind is kind of too bad because that\'s half the point of making your own playdough. Oh well. Maybe they snuck it behind my back.\n\nAt some point in all of this, two hot wheels found their way into my freezer. They change color based on the temperature. Thus cold water makes them orange. It\'s pretty great but then they were promptly forgotten.\n\nAfter some serious playdough playing, the boys wanted to watch some tv. Then they wanted something to eat. I had pretzel sticks on hand. They ate those. I had peaches. They ate those. I had cucumbers. They ate those. Then they asked for something sweet. I gave them each a little cookie. They ate those.\n\nThen their parents showed up. This was probably a good thing. I have a hunch that Big A. &amp; Little A. were in the process of eating me out of house and home.\n\nOf course as soon as mom and dad showed up, the boys didn\'t want to leave but had to show their parents the homemade playdough. I sent them home with the playdough because really what I am going to do with it?\n\nOnly thing is that they forgot their in-the-process-of-freezing hot wheels. I found those a couple of hours later.\n\nLittle kids are funny.','Fun and Games in Mladost ','','inherit','open','open','','5500-revision','','','2011-08-31 20:01:37','2011-08-31 18:01:37','',5500,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/31/5500-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5502,1,'2011-08-31 20:02:50','2011-08-31 18:02:50','Recently I had two of my favorite boys over while their parents and my colleagues at ACS ran errands. The boys are 3 and 6-ish and full of energy. A. &amp; A. are very funny and cute.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100030071/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6100030071_1d591027d4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThey showed up at my house with a backpack each of toys. Ever wonder with a little boy thinks he might need for the afternoon? Each boy had between 3 and 5 cars, a stuffed animal, books including the picture encyclopedia of space, pens, <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Libs\" target=\"_blank\">mad libs</a>, dinosaurs and a large copy of Buzz Lightyear the space ranger from the children\'s movie Toy Story.\r\n\r\nWe raced cars for a while on my tile floor. Now I have to say, I\'ve never loved an entire apartment of tile but man-o-man the cars really fly on the tiles. Then we flew the cars around and bounced on my bed for a while.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100575264/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6100575264_8320206674_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100031089/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/6100031089_9543536bc5_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThen we got things together to make homemade playdough. It\'s not much basically salt, flour, water and a little food color. This is the <a href=\"http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Playdough-Play-doh/\" target=\"_blank\">basic recipe I used</a>. It\'s quick to make on the stove and only requires a little bit of time to cool.\r\n\r\nYou kneed it, add color to it and then play with it.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100576274/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6100576274_eb268b95cc_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nPlaydough is magic and takes enough time from start to finish that I had a captive audience for nearly two hours. A. &amp; A. kept saying: Wow, we\'re making playdough. Real playdough from food. There was also some concern about whether they could eat it or not. I told them they could but it would be very salty.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Play&#39;n with play dough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play\'n with play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100580402/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6100580402_760502be5f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play\'n with play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBig A. announced that he\'d eaten playdough before. Little A. was appalled and questioned: is it still in your stomach?! Big A: No. I pooped it out. Little A. was relieved by this.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Play&#39;n with play dough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play\'n with play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100036747/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6100036747_fbb374c303_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play\'n with play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Playdough heart\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play dough heart\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100037307/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6192/6100037307_920244dc16_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play dough heart\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow I must report that I didn\'t see either boy try any which in my mind is kind of too bad because that\'s half the point of making your own playdough. Oh well. Maybe they snuck it behind my back.\r\n\r\nAt some point in all of this, two hot wheels found their way into my freezer. They change color based on the temperature. Thus cold water makes them orange. It\'s pretty great but then they were promptly forgotten.\r\n\r\nAfter some serious playdough playing, the boys wanted to watch some tv. Then they wanted something to eat. I had pretzel sticks on hand. They ate those. I had peaches. They ate those. I had cucumbers. They ate those. Then they asked for something sweet. I gave them each a little cookie. They ate those.\r\n\r\nThen their parents showed up. This was probably a good thing. I have a hunch that Big A. &amp; Little A. were in the process of eating me out of house and home.\r\n\r\nOf course as soon as mom and dad showed up, the boys didn\'t want to leave but had to show their parents the homemade playdough. I sent them home with the playdough because really what I am going to do with it?\r\n\r\nOnly thing is that they forgot their in-the-process-of-freezing hot wheels. I found those a couple of hours later.\r\n\r\nLittle kids are funny.','Fun and Games in Mladost ','','inherit','open','open','','5500-revision-2','','','2011-08-31 20:02:50','2011-08-31 18:02:50','',5500,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/31/5500-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5503,1,'2011-08-31 20:02:51','2011-08-31 18:02:51','Recently I had two of my favorite boys over while their parents and my colleagues at ACS ran errands. The boys are 3 and 6-ish and full of energy. A. &amp; A. are very funny and cute.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100030071/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6100030071_1d591027d4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThey showed up at my house with a backpack each of toys. Ever wonder with a little boy thinks he might need for the afternoon? Each boy had between 3 and 5 cars, a stuffed animal, books including the picture encyclopedia of space, pens, <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Libs\" target=\"_blank\">mad libs</a>, dinosaurs and a large copy of Buzz Lightyear the space ranger from the children\'s movie Toy Story.\r\n\r\nWe raced cars for a while on my tile floor. Now I have to say, I\'ve never loved an entire apartment of tile but man-o-man the cars really fly on the tiles. Then we flew the cars around and bounced on my bed for a while.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100575264/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6100575264_8320206674_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100031089/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/6100031089_9543536bc5_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThen we got things together to make homemade playdough. It\'s not much basically salt, flour, water and a little food color. This is the <a href=\"http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Playdough-Play-doh/\" target=\"_blank\">basic recipe I used</a>. It\'s quick to make on the stove and only requires a little bit of time to cool.\r\n\r\nYou kneed it, add color to it and then play with it.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100576274/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6100576274_eb268b95cc_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nPlaydough is magic and takes enough time from start to finish that I had a captive audience for nearly two hours. A. &amp; A. kept saying: Wow, we\'re making playdough. Real playdough from food. There was also some concern about whether they could eat it or not. I told them they could but it would be very salty.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Play&#39;n with play dough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play\'n with play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100580402/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6100580402_760502be5f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play\'n with play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBig A. announced that he\'d eaten playdough before. Little A. was appalled and questioned: is it still in your stomach?! Big A: No. I pooped it out. Little A. was relieved by this.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Play&#39;n with play dough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play\'n with play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100036747/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6100036747_fbb374c303_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play\'n with play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Playdough heart\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play dough heart\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100037307/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6192/6100037307_920244dc16_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play dough heart\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow I must report that I didn\'t see either boy try any which in my mind is kind of too bad because that\'s half the point of making your own playdough. Oh well. Maybe they snuck it behind my back.\r\n\r\nAt some point in all of this, two hot wheels found their way into my freezer. They change color based on the temperature. Thus cold water makes them orange. It\'s pretty great but then they were promptly forgotten.\r\n\r\nAfter some serious playdough playing, the boys wanted to watch some tv. Then they wanted something to eat. I had pretzel sticks on hand. They ate those. I had peaches. They ate those. I had cucumbers. They ate those. Then they asked for something sweet. I gave them each a little cookie. They ate those.\r\n\r\nThen their parents showed up. This was probably a good thing. I have a hunch that Big A. &amp; Little A. were in the process of eating me out of house and home.\r\n\r\nOf course as soon as mom and dad showed up, the boys didn\'t want to leave but had to show their parents the homemade playdough. I sent them home with the playdough because really what I am going to do with it?\r\n\r\nOnly thing is that they forgot their in-the-process-of-freezing hot wheels. I found those a couple of hours later.\r\n\r\nLittle kids are funny.','Fun and Games in Mladost ','','inherit','open','open','','5500-revision-3','','','2011-08-31 20:02:51','2011-08-31 18:02:51','',5500,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/31/5500-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5504,1,'2011-08-31 20:07:37','2011-08-31 18:07:37','Recently I had two of my favorite boys over while their parents and my colleagues at ACS ran errands. The boys are 3 and 6-ish and full of energy. A. &amp; A. are very funny and cute.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100030071/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6100030071_1d591027d4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThey showed up at my house with a backpack each of toys. Ever wonder with a little boy thinks he might need for the afternoon? Each boy had between 3 and 5 cars, a stuffed animal, books including the picture encyclopedia of space, pens, <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Libs\" target=\"_blank\">mad libs</a>, dinosaurs and a large copy of Buzz Lightyear the space ranger from the children\'s movie Toy Story.\n\nWe raced cars for a while on my tile floor. Now I have to say, I\'ve never loved an entire apartment of tile but man-o-man the cars really fly on the tiles. Then we flew the cars around and bounced on my bed for a while.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100575264/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6100575264_8320206674_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100031089/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/6100031089_9543536bc5_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThen we got things together to make homemade playdough. It\'s not much basically salt, flour, water and a little food color. This is the <a href=\"http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Playdough-Play-doh/\" target=\"_blank\">basic recipe I used</a>. It\'s quick to make on the stove and only requires a little bit of time to cool.\n\nYou kneed it, add color to it and then play with it.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100576274/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6100576274_eb268b95cc_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Homemade play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100579360/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6065/6100579360_f47b50f155_b.jpg\" alt=\"Homemade play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nPlaydough is magic and takes enough time from start to finish that I had a captive audience for nearly two hours. A. &amp; A. kept saying: Wow, we\'re making playdough. Real playdough from food. There was also some concern about whether they could eat it or not. I told them they could but it would be very salty.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Play&#39;n with play dough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play\'n with play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100580402/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6100580402_760502be5f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play\'n with play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nBig A. announced that he\'d eaten playdough before. Little A. was appalled and questioned: is it still in your stomach?! Big A: No. I pooped it out. Little A. was relieved by this.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Play&#39;n with play dough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play\'n with play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100036747/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6100036747_fbb374c303_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play\'n with play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Playdough heart\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play dough heart\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100037307/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6192/6100037307_920244dc16_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play dough heart\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nNow I must report that I didn\'t see either boy try any which in my mind is kind of too bad because that\'s half the point of making your own playdough. Oh well. Maybe they snuck it behind my back.\n\nAt some point in all of this, two hot wheels found their way into my freezer. They change color based on the temperature. Thus cold water makes them orange. It\'s pretty great but then they were promptly forgotten.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hot wheels + water\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Hot wheels + water\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100578766/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6100578766_7663491037_b.jpg\" alt=\"Hot wheels + water\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The science of color changing hot wheeels\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"The science of color changing hot wheeels\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100578322/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6194/6100578322_575a09f2b5_b.jpg\" alt=\"The science of color changing hot wheeels\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter some serious playdough playing, the boys wanted to watch some tv. Then they wanted something to eat. I had pretzel sticks on hand. They ate those. I had peaches. They ate those. I had cucumbers. They ate those. Then they asked for something sweet. I gave them each a little cookie. They ate those.\n\nThen their parents showed up. This was probably a good thing. I have a hunch that Big A. &amp; Little A. were in the process of eating me out of house and home.\n\nOf course as soon as mom and dad showed up, the boys didn\'t want to leave but had to show their parents the homemade playdough. I sent them home with the playdough because really what I am going to do with it?\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hot wheel ice cube\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Hot wheel ice cube\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100038465/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6193/6100038465_c666dc87f2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Hot wheel ice cube\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOnly thing is that they forgot their in-the-process-of-freezing hot wheels. I found those a couple of hours later.\n\nLittle kids are funny.','Fun and Games in Mladost ','','inherit','open','open','','5500-revision-4','','','2011-08-31 20:07:37','2011-08-31 18:07:37','',5500,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/31/5500-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5505,1,'2011-08-31 20:07:45','2011-08-31 18:07:45','Recently I had two of my favorite boys over while their parents and my colleagues at ACS ran errands. The boys are 3 and 6-ish and full of energy. A. &amp; A. are very funny and cute.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100030071/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6100030071_1d591027d4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThey showed up at my house with a backpack each of toys. Ever wonder with a little boy thinks he might need for the afternoon? Each boy had between 3 and 5 cars, a stuffed animal, books including the picture encyclopedia of space, pens, <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Libs\" target=\"_blank\">mad libs</a>, dinosaurs and a large copy of Buzz Lightyear the space ranger from the children\'s movie Toy Story.\r\n\r\nWe raced cars for a while on my tile floor. Now I have to say, I\'ve never loved an entire apartment of tile but man-o-man the cars really fly on the tiles. Then we flew the cars around and bounced on my bed for a while.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100575264/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6100575264_8320206674_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100031089/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/6100031089_9543536bc5_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThen we got things together to make homemade playdough. It\'s not much basically salt, flour, water and a little food color. This is the <a href=\"http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Playdough-Play-doh/\" target=\"_blank\">basic recipe I used</a>. It\'s quick to make on the stove and only requires a little bit of time to cool.\r\n\r\nYou kneed it, add color to it and then play with it.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100576274/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6100576274_eb268b95cc_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Homemade play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100579360/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6065/6100579360_f47b50f155_b.jpg\" alt=\"Homemade play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nPlaydough is magic and takes enough time from start to finish that I had a captive audience for nearly two hours. A. &amp; A. kept saying: Wow, we\'re making playdough. Real playdough from food. There was also some concern about whether they could eat it or not. I told them they could but it would be very salty.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Play&#39;n with play dough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play\'n with play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100580402/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6100580402_760502be5f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play\'n with play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBig A. announced that he\'d eaten playdough before. Little A. was appalled and questioned: is it still in your stomach?! Big A: No. I pooped it out. Little A. was relieved by this.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Play&#39;n with play dough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play\'n with play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100036747/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6100036747_fbb374c303_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play\'n with play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Playdough heart\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play dough heart\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100037307/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6192/6100037307_920244dc16_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play dough heart\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nNow I must report that I didn\'t see either boy try any which in my mind is kind of too bad because that\'s half the point of making your own playdough. Oh well. Maybe they snuck it behind my back.\r\n\r\nAt some point in all of this, two hot wheels found their way into my freezer. They change color based on the temperature. Thus cold water makes them orange. It\'s pretty great but then they were promptly forgotten.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hot wheels + water\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Hot wheels + water\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100578766/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6100578766_7663491037_b.jpg\" alt=\"Hot wheels + water\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The science of color changing hot wheeels\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"The science of color changing hot wheeels\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100578322/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6194/6100578322_575a09f2b5_b.jpg\" alt=\"The science of color changing hot wheeels\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter some serious playdough playing, the boys wanted to watch some tv. Then they wanted something to eat. I had pretzel sticks on hand. They ate those. I had peaches. They ate those. I had cucumbers. They ate those. Then they asked for something sweet. I gave them each a little cookie. They ate those.\r\n\r\nThen their parents showed up. This was probably a good thing. I have a hunch that Big A. &amp; Little A. were in the process of eating me out of house and home.\r\n\r\nOf course as soon as mom and dad showed up, the boys didn\'t want to leave but had to show their parents the homemade playdough. I sent them home with the playdough because really what I am going to do with it?\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hot wheel ice cube\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Hot wheel ice cube\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100038465/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6193/6100038465_c666dc87f2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Hot wheel ice cube\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOnly thing is that they forgot their in-the-process-of-freezing hot wheels. I found those a couple of hours later.\r\n\r\nLittle kids are funny.','Fun and Games in Mladost ','','inherit','open','open','','5500-revision-5','','','2011-08-31 20:07:45','2011-08-31 18:07:45','',5500,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/31/5500-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(5506,1,'2011-08-31 20:09:50','2011-08-31 18:09:50','Recently I had two of my favorite boys over while their parents and my colleagues at ACS ran errands. The boys are 3 and 6-ish and full of energy. A. &amp; A. are very funny and cute.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100030071/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6100030071_1d591027d4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThey showed up at my house with a backpack each of toys. Ever wonder with a little boy thinks he might need for the afternoon? Each boy had between 3 and 5 cars, a stuffed animal, books including the picture encyclopedia of space, pens, <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Libs\" target=\"_blank\">mad libs</a>, dinosaurs and a large copy of Buzz Lightyear the space ranger from the children\'s movie Toy Story.\n\nWe raced cars for a while on my tile floor. Now I have to say, I\'ve never loved an entire apartment of tile but man-o-man the cars really fly on the tiles. Then we flew the cars around and bounced on my bed for awhile.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100575264/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6100575264_8320206674_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100031089/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/6100031089_9543536bc5_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThen we got things together to make homemade playdough. It\'s not much basically salt, flour, water and a little food color. This is the <a href=\"http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Playdough-Play-doh/\" target=\"_blank\">basic recipe I used</a>. It\'s quick to make on the stove and only requires a little bit of time to cool.\n\nYou kneed it, add color to it and then play with it. Playing with it is clearly the best part.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100576274/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6100576274_eb268b95cc_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Homemade play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100579360/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6065/6100579360_f47b50f155_b.jpg\" alt=\"Homemade play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nPlaydough is magic and takes enough time from start to finish that I had a captive audience for nearly two hours. A. &amp; A. kept saying: Wow, we\'re making playdough. Real playdough from food. There was also some concern about whether they could eat it or not. I told them they could but it would be very salty.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Play&#39;n with play dough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play\'n with play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100580402/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6100580402_760502be5f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play\'n with play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nBig A. announced that he\'d eaten playdough before. Little A. was appalled and questioned: is it still in your stomach?! Big A: No. I pooped it out. Little A. was relieved by this.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Play&#39;n with play dough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play\'n with play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100036747/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6100036747_fbb374c303_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play\'n with play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Playdough heart\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play dough heart\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100037307/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6192/6100037307_920244dc16_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play dough heart\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nNow I must report that I didn\'t see either boy try any which in my mind is kind of too bad because that\'s half the point of making your own playdough. Oh well. Maybe they snuck it behind my back.\n\nAt some point in all of this, two hot wheels found their way into my freezer. They change color based on the temperature. Thus cold water makes them orange. It\'s pretty great but then they were promptly forgotten.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hot wheels + water\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Hot wheels + water\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100578766/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6100578766_7663491037_b.jpg\" alt=\"Hot wheels + water\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The science of color changing hot wheeels\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"The science of color changing hot wheeels\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100578322/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6194/6100578322_575a09f2b5_b.jpg\" alt=\"The science of color changing hot wheeels\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter some serious playdough playing, the boys wanted to watch some tv. Then they wanted something to eat. I had pretzel sticks on hand. They ate those. I had peaches. They ate those. I had cucumbers. They ate those. Then they asked for something sweet. I gave them each a little cookie. They ate those.\n\nThen their parents showed up. This was probably a good thing. I have a hunch that Big A. &amp; Little A. were in the process of eating me out of house and home.\n\nOf course as soon as mom and dad showed up, the boys didn\'t want to leave but had to show their parents the homemade playdough. I sent them home with the playdough because really what I am going to do with it?\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hot wheel ice cube\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Hot wheel ice cube\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100038465/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6193/6100038465_c666dc87f2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Hot wheel ice cube\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOnly thing is that they forgot their in-the-process-of-freezing hot wheels. I found those a couple of hours later.\n\nLittle kids are funny.','Fun and Games in Mladost ','','inherit','open','open','','5500-revision-6','','','2011-08-31 20:09:50','2011-08-31 18:09:50','',5500,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/31/5500-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(5507,1,'2011-08-31 20:11:10','2011-08-31 18:11:10','Recently I had two of my favorite boys over while their parents and my colleagues at ACS ran errands. The boys are 3 and 6-ish and full of energy. A. &amp; A. are very funny and cute.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100030071/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6077/6100030071_1d591027d4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cars parked on the back of my sofa\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThey showed up at my house with a backpack each of toys. Ever wonder with a little boy thinks he might need for the afternoon? Each boy had between 3 and 5 cars, a stuffed animal, books including the picture encyclopedia of space, pens, <a href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Libs\" target=\"_blank\">mad libs</a>, dinosaurs and a large copy of Buzz Lightyear the space ranger from the children\'s movie Toy Story.\n\nWe raced cars for a while on my tile floor. Now I have to say, I\'ve never loved an entire apartment of tile but man-o-man the cars really fly on the tiles. Then we flew the cars around and bounced on my bed for awhile.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100575264/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/6100575264_8320206674_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100031089/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6067/6100031089_9543536bc5_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThen we got things together to make homemade playdough. It\'s not much basically salt, flour, water and a little food color. This is the <a href=\"http://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Playdough-Play-doh/\" target=\"_blank\">basic recipe I used</a>. It\'s quick to make on the stove and only requires a little bit of time to cool.\n\nYou kneed it, add color to it and then play with it. Playing with it is clearly the best part.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Making playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Making play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100576274/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6066/6100576274_eb268b95cc_b.jpg\" alt=\"Making play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Homemade playdough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Homemade play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100579360/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6065/6100579360_f47b50f155_b.jpg\" alt=\"Homemade play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nPlaydough is magic and takes enough time from start to finish that I had a captive audience for nearly two hours. A. &amp; A. kept saying: Wow, we\'re making playdough. Real playdough from food. There was also some concern about whether they could eat it or not. I told them they could but it would be very salty.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Play&#39;n with play dough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play\'n with play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100580402/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6203/6100580402_760502be5f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play\'n with play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nBig A. announced that he\'d eaten playdough before. Little A. was appalled and questioned: is it still in your stomach?! Big A: No. I pooped it out. Little A. was relieved by this.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Play&#39;n with play dough\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play\'n with play dough\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100036747/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6100036747_fbb374c303_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play\'n with play dough\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Playdough heart\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Play dough heart\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100037307/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6192/6100037307_920244dc16_b.jpg\" alt=\"Play dough heart\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nNow I must report that I didn\'t see either boy try any which in my mind is kind of too bad because that\'s half the point of making your own playdough. Oh well. Maybe they snuck it behind my back.\n\nAt some point in all of this, two hot wheels found their way into my freezer. They change color based on the temperature. Thus cold water makes them orange. It\'s pretty great but then they were promptly forgotten.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hot wheels + water\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Hot wheels + water\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100578766/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6100578766_7663491037_b.jpg\" alt=\"Hot wheels + water\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The science of color changing hot wheeels\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"The science of color changing hot wheeels\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100578322/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6194/6100578322_575a09f2b5_b.jpg\" alt=\"The science of color changing hot wheeels\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter some serious playdough playing, the boys wanted to watch some tv. Then they wanted something to eat. I had pretzel sticks on hand. They ate those. I had peaches. They ate those. I had cucumbers. They ate those. Then they asked for something sweet. I gave them each a little cookie. They ate those.\n\nThen their parents showed up. This was probably a good thing. I have a hunch that Big A. &amp; Little A. were in the process of eating me out of house and home.\n\nOf course as soon as mom and dad showed up, the boys didn\'t want to leave but had to show their parents the homemade playdough. I sent them home with the playdough because really what I am going to do with it?\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hot wheel ice cube\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Hot wheel ice cube\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6100038465/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6193/6100038465_c666dc87f2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Hot wheel ice cube\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOnly thing is that they forgot their in-the-process-of-freezing hot wheels. I found those a couple of hours later.\n\nLittle kids are funny.','Fun and Games in Mladost ','','inherit','open','open','','5500-autosave','','','2011-08-31 20:11:10','2011-08-31 18:11:10','',5500,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/31/5500-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5509,1,'2011-08-31 21:17:11','2011-08-31 19:17:11','After my last post on <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/23/turkish-coffee/\" target=\"_blank\">drinking Turkish coffee in Zheravna</a>, I was urged to try Turkish coffee again. Given my longstanding commitment to coffee it really wasn\'t such a hard thing for me to decide to do.\n\nI took up loyal reader Andreytcho on his kind offer to take me to a cafe that he knows near to South Park that makes and serves Turkish coffee.\n\nWe walked right in the cafe and I never once looked at the name of said cafe. I am that <em>awesome.</em> It\'s not like I write about a blog about my life and the interesting places I go that you too might want to go to one day. <em>\n</em>\n\nBut, I do have a pretty good excuse. I was too busy looking at the large lizard in the window.\n\nAndreytcho ordered the coffee. Then we talked and talked.\n\nThe waitress started bringing glasses and cups to the table. A lot of them. Then came the coffee.\n\n<em>Delicious</em>.\n\nThe coffee was not pre-sweetened and I think that this made the difference. It was thick and rich tasting. The flavors were layered and intense. Depending on your taste you can add sweetness to the coffee with a spoon of taffy like sugar-mint floating in water. I realize that\'s a confusing sentence--look at the picture. You can either submerge the spoon the cup or you can take a bite of the sugar-spoon and then drink the coffee.\n\nThis is the one good thing the Turks left us with.','Another round of Turkish coffee, this time in Sofia','','inherit','open','open','','5508-revision','','','2011-08-31 21:17:11','2011-08-31 19:17:11','',5508,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/31/5508-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5510,1,'2011-08-31 21:35:15','2011-08-31 19:35:15','After my last post on <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/23/turkish-coffee/\" target=\"_blank\">drinking Turkish coffee in Zheravna</a>, I was urged to try Turkish coffee again. Given my longstanding commitment to coffee it really wasn\'t such a hard thing for me to decide to do.\n\nI took up loyal reader Andreytcho on his kind offer to take me to a cafe that he knows near to South Park that makes and serves Turkish coffee.\n\nWe walked right in the cafe and I never once looked at the name of said cafe. I am that <em>awesome.</em> It\'s not like I write about a blog about my life and the interesting places I go that you too might want to go to one day. <em>\n</em>\n\nBut, I do have a pretty good excuse. I was too busy looking at the large lizard in the window.\n\nAndreytcho ordered the coffee. Then we talked and talked.\n\nThe waitress started bringing glasses and cups to the table. A lot of them. Then came the coffee.\n\n<em>Delicious</em>.\n\nThe coffee was not pre-sweetened and I think that this made the difference. It was thick and rich tasting. The flavors were layered and intense. Depending on your taste you can add sweetness to the coffee with a spoon of taffy like sugar-mint floating in water. I realize that\'s a confusing sentence--look at the picture. You can either submerge the spoon the cup or you can take a bite of the sugar-spoon and then drink the coffee.\n\nI am sold. I may not go out of my way solely for Turkish coffee but I don\'t actually dislike it like I suspected earlier.\n\nThis is the one good thing the Turks left us with.','Another round of Turkish coffee, this time in Sofia','','inherit','open','open','','5508-revision-2','','','2011-08-31 21:35:15','2011-08-31 19:35:15','',5508,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/31/5508-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5511,1,'2011-08-31 21:40:31','2011-08-31 19:40:31','After my last post on <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/23/turkish-coffee/\" target=\"_blank\">drinking Turkish coffee in Zheravna</a>, I was urged to try Turkish coffee again. Given my longstanding commitment to coffee it really wasn\'t such a hard thing for me to decide to do.\n\nI took up loyal reader Andreytcho on his kind offer to take me to a cafe that he knows near to South Park that makes and serves Turkish coffee.\n\nWe walked right in the cafe and I never once looked at the name of said cafe. I am that <em>awesome.</em> It\'s not like I write about a blog about my life and the interesting places I go that you too might want to go to one day. <em>\n</em>\n\nBut, I do have a pretty good excuse. I was too busy looking at the large lizard in the window.\n\nAndreytcho ordered the coffee. Then we talked and talked.\n\nThe waitress started bringing glasses and cups to the table. A lot of them. Then came the coffee.\n\n<em>Delicious</em>.\n\nThe coffee was not pre-sweetened and I think that this made the difference. It was thick and rich tasting. The flavors were layered and intense. Depending on your taste you can add sweetness to the coffee with a spoon of taffy like sugar-mint floating in water. I realize that\'s a confusing sentence--look at the picture. You can either submerge the spoon the cup or you can take a bite of the sugar-spoon and then drink the coffee.\n\nI am sold. I may not go out of my way solely for Turkish coffee but I don\'t actually dislike it like I suspected earlier.\n\nThis is the one good thing the Turks left us with.','Another round of Turkish coffee, this time in Sofia','','inherit','open','open','','5508-revision-3','','','2011-08-31 21:40:31','2011-08-31 19:40:31','',5508,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/31/5508-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5512,1,'2011-09-01 07:40:32','2011-09-01 05:40:32','After my last post on <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/23/turkish-coffee/\" target=\"_blank\">drinking Turkish coffee in Zheravna</a>, I was urged to try Turkish coffee again. Given my longstanding commitment to coffee it really wasn\'t such a hard thing for me to decide to do.\n\nI took up loyal reader Andreytcho on his kind offer to take me to a cafe that he knows near to South Park that makes and serves excellent Turkish coffee.\n\nWe walked right in the cafe and I never once looked at the name of said cafe. I am that <em>awesome.</em> It\'s not like I write a blog about my life and the interesting places I go that you too might want to go to one day. <em>\n</em>\n\nBut, I do have a pretty good excuse. I was too busy looking at the large lizard in the window.\n\nAndreytcho ordered the coffee. Then we talked and talked.\n\nThe waitress started bringing glasses and cups to the table. A lot of them. Then came the coffee.\n\n<em>Delicious</em>.\n\nThe coffee was not pre-sweetened and I think that this made the difference. It was thick and rich tasting. The flavors were layered and intense. Depending on your taste you can add sweetness to the coffee with a spoon of taffy like sugar-mint floating in water. I realize that\'s a confusing sentence--look at the picture. You can either submerge the spoon the cup or you can take a bite of the sugar-spoon and then drink the coffee.\n\nI went with the latter given my professed dislike of Turkish coffee because it\'s too sweet for me.  I have to say, I am sold. This coffee was excellent. It was smooth but slightly thick with a hint of acidity that lingered on the tongue.  One of my earlier complaints about mouth feel went right out the window. This was just good strong coffee.\n\nSo here\'s the conclusion, I don\'t think I am tossing my coffee maker out in order to simplify my life and make room for a Turkish coffee pot but I am not going to shy away from Turkish coffee as I have in the past.  I may not go out of my way solely for Turkish coffee but I don\'t actually dislike it as I suspected earlier.\n\nThe experience got me thinking about this, I\'ve had a lot of bad cups of coffee in my life but I still continue to drink it and I learned a few lessons along the way. For example my dAd makes a better cup of coffee than the guy behind a counter at the gas station does. I like dark roasted coffee better than a light roast. Independent coffee houses are better than chains (sorry Starbucks and Onda). Iced Americanos (espresso, water and ice) are better than just about any other iced drink you can stack them up against (and no I don\'t want any added flavor).  You\'ve got to have both coffee beans and water in your coffee maker at 6am to actually make a pot of coffee.\n\nThe lesson learned this time is that just like every other bad cup of coffee/espresso I\'ve had in my life, there are bad cups of Turkish coffee as well and you\'ve just got to figure out who makes the best cup or how to make it yourself and then you\'re set. So I am glad that I gave Turkish coffee another go.\n\nAfter all, I was told recently that, and I quote, \" it\'s the one good thing the Turks left us with.\" The \"us\" in this case I\'m pretty sure includes both the people and the country of Bulgaria.','Another round of Turkish coffee, this time in Sofia','','inherit','open','open','','5508-revision-4','','','2011-09-01 07:40:32','2011-09-01 05:40:32','',5508,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/01/5508-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5513,1,'2011-09-01 07:42:11','2011-09-01 05:42:11','After my last post on <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/23/turkish-coffee/\" target=\"_blank\">drinking Turkish coffee in Zheravna</a>, I was urged to try Turkish coffee again. Given my longstanding commitment to coffee it really wasn\'t such a hard thing for me to decide to do.\n\nI took up loyal reader Andreytcho on his kind offer to take me to a cafe that he knows near to South Park that makes and serves excellent Turkish coffee.\n\nWe walked right in the cafe and I never once looked at the name of said cafe. I am that <em>awesome.</em> It\'s not like I write a blog about my life and the interesting places I go that you too might want to go to one day. <em>\n</em>\n\nBut, I do have a pretty good excuse. I was too busy looking at the large lizard in the window.\n\nAndreytcho ordered the coffee. Then we talked and talked.\n\nThe waitress started bringing glasses and cups to the table. A lot of them. Then came the coffee.\n\n<em>Delicious</em>.\n\nThe coffee was not pre-sweetened and I think that this made the difference. It was thick and rich tasting. The flavors were layered and intense. Depending on your taste you can add sweetness to the coffee with a spoon of taffy like sugar-mint floating in water. I realize that\'s a confusing sentence--look at the picture. You can either submerge the spoon the cup or you can take a bite of the sugar-spoon and then drink the coffee.\n\nI went with the latter given my professed dislike of Turkish coffee because it\'s too sweet for me.  I have to say, I am sold. This coffee was excellent. It was smooth but slightly thick with a hint of acidity that lingered on the tongue.  One of my earlier complaints about mouth feel went right out the window. This was just good strong coffee.\n\nSo here\'s the conclusion, I don\'t think I am tossing my coffee maker out in order to simplify my life and make room for a Turkish coffee pot but I am not going to shy away from Turkish coffee as I have in the past.  I may not go out of my way solely for Turkish coffee but I don\'t actually dislike it as I suspected earlier.\n\nThe experience got me thinking about this, I\'ve had a lot of bad cups of coffee in my life but I still continue to drink it and I learned a few lessons along the way. For example my dAd makes a better cup of coffee than the guy behind a counter at the gas station does. I like dark roasted coffee better than a light roast. Independent coffee houses are better than chains (sorry Starbucks and Onda). Iced Americanos (espresso, water and ice) are better than just about any other iced drink you can stack them up against (and no I don\'t want any added flavor).  You\'ve got to have both coffee beans and water in your coffee maker at 6am to actually make a pot of coffee.\n\nThe lesson learned this time is that just like every other bad cup of coffee/espresso I\'ve had in my life, there are bad cups of Turkish coffee as well and you\'ve just got to figure out who makes the best cup or how to make it yourself and then you\'re set. So I am glad that I gave Turkish coffee another go.\n\nAfter all, I was told recently that, and I quote, \" it\'s the one good thing the Turks left us with.\" The \"us\" in this case I\'m pretty sure includes both the people and the country of Bulgaria.','Another round of Turkish coffee, this time in Sofia','','inherit','open','open','','5508-revision-5','','','2011-09-01 07:42:11','2011-09-01 05:42:11','',5508,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/01/5508-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(5514,1,'2011-09-01 07:53:36','2011-09-01 05:53:36','After my last post on <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/23/turkish-coffee/\" target=\"_blank\">drinking Turkish coffee in Zheravna</a>, I was urged to try Turkish coffee again. Given my longstanding commitment to coffee it really wasn\'t such a hard thing for me to decide to do.\r\n\r\nI took up loyal reader Andreytcho on his kind offer to take me to a cafe that he knows near to South Park that makes and serves excellent Turkish coffee.\r\n\r\nWe walked right in the cafe and I never once looked at the name of said cafe. I am that <em>awesome.</em> It\'s not like I write a blog about my life and the interesting places I go that you too might want to go to one day. <em>\r\n</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hey there&#39;s a large lizard in the window\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Large lizard\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6102405428/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6102405428_9f1b956859_b.jpg\" alt=\"Large lizard\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBut, I do have a pretty good excuse. I was too busy looking at the large lizard in the window.\r\n\r\nAndreytcho ordered the coffee. Then we talked and talked.\r\n\r\nThe waitress started bringing glasses and cups to the table. A lot of them. Then came the coffee.\r\n\r\n<em>Delicious</em>.\r\n\r\nThe coffee was not pre-sweetened and I think that this made the difference. It was thick and rich tasting. The flavors were layered and intense. Depending on your taste you can add sweetness to the coffee with a spoon of taffy like sugar-mint floating in water. I realize that\'s a confusing sentence--look at the picture. You can either submerge the spoon the cup or you can take a bite of the sugar-spoon and then drink the coffee.\r\n\r\nI went with the latter given my professed dislike of Turkish coffee because it\'s too sweet for me.  I have to say, I am sold. This coffee was excellent. It was smooth but slightly thick with a hint of acidity that lingered on the tongue.  One of my earlier complaints about mouth feel went right out the window. This was just good strong coffee.\r\n\r\nSo here\'s the conclusion, I don\'t think I am tossing my coffee maker out in order to simplify my life and make room for a Turkish coffee pot but I am not going to shy away from Turkish coffee as I have in the past.  I may not go out of my way solely for Turkish coffee but I don\'t actually dislike it as I suspected earlier.\r\n\r\nThe experience got me thinking about this, I\'ve had a lot of bad cups of coffee in my life but I still continue to drink it and I learned a few lessons along the way. For example my dAd makes a better cup of coffee than the guy behind a counter at the gas station does. I like dark roasted coffee better than a light roast. Independent coffee houses are better than chains (sorry Starbucks and Onda). Iced Americanos (espresso, water and ice) are better than just about any other iced drink you can stack them up against (and no I don\'t want any added flavor).  You\'ve got to have both coffee beans and water in your coffee maker at 6am to actually make a pot of coffee.\r\n\r\nThe lesson learned this time is that just like every other bad cup of coffee/espresso I\'ve had in my life, there are bad cups of Turkish coffee as well and you\'ve just got to figure out who makes the best cup or how to make it yourself and then you\'re set. So I am glad that I gave Turkish coffee another go.\r\n\r\nAfter all, I was told recently that, and I quote, \" it\'s the one good thing the Turks left us with.\" The \"us\" in this case I\'m pretty sure includes both the people and the country of Bulgaria.','Another round of Turkish coffee, this time in Sofia','','inherit','open','open','','5508-revision-6','','','2011-09-01 07:53:36','2011-09-01 05:53:36','',5508,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/01/5508-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(5515,1,'2011-09-01 07:56:42','2011-09-01 05:56:42','After my last post on <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/23/turkish-coffee/\" target=\"_blank\">drinking Turkish coffee in Zheravna</a>, I was urged to try Turkish coffee again. Given my longstanding commitment to coffee it really wasn\'t such a hard thing for me to decide to do.\n\nI took up loyal reader Andreytcho on his kind offer to take me to a cafe that he knows near to South Park that makes and serves excellent Turkish coffee.\n\nWe walked right in the cafe and I never once looked at the name of said cafe. I am that <em>awesome.</em> It\'s not like I write a blog about my life and the interesting places I go that you too might want to go to one day. <em>\n</em>\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hey there&#39;s a large lizard in the window\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Large lizard\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6102405428/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6102405428_9f1b956859_b.jpg\" alt=\"Large lizard\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nBut, I do have a pretty good excuse. I was too busy looking at the large lizard in the window.\n\nAndreytcho ordered the coffee. Then we talked and talked.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cups and coffee\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cups and coffee\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6101856329/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6101856329_c2cb0bfbf1_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cups and coffee\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe waitress started bringing glasses and cups to the table. A lot of them. Then came the coffee.\n\n<em>Delicious</em>.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pouring Turkish Coffee\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Pouring Turkish Coffee\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6101856799/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6202/6101856799_3acde211ee_b.jpg\" alt=\"Pouring Turkish Coffee\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The mint infused sugar\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"The mint infused sugar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6101856187/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6071/6101856187_04377a5744_b.jpg\" alt=\"The mint infused sugar\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe coffee was not pre-sweetened and I think that this made the difference. It was thick and rich tasting. The flavors were layered and intense. Depending on your taste you can add sweetness to the coffee with a spoon of taffy like sugar-mint floating in water. I realize that\'s a confusing sentence--look at the picture. You can either submerge the spoon the cup or you can take a bite of the sugar-spoon and then drink the coffee.\n\nI went with the latter given my professed dislike of Turkish coffee because it\'s too sweet for me.  I have to say, I am sold. This coffee was excellent. It was smooth but slightly thick with a hint of acidity that lingered on the tongue.  One of my earlier complaints about mouth feel went right out the window. This was just good strong coffee.\n\nSo here\'s the conclusion, I don\'t think I am tossing my coffee maker out in order to simplify my life and make room for a Turkish coffee pot but I am not going to shy away from Turkish coffee as I have in the past.  I may not go out of my way solely for Turkish coffee but I don\'t actually dislike it as I suspected earlier.\n\nThe experience got me thinking about this, I\'ve had a lot of bad cups of coffee in my life but I still continue to drink it and I learned a few lessons along the way. For example my dAd makes a better cup of coffee than the guy behind a counter at the gas station does. I like dark roasted coffee better than a light roast. Independent coffee houses are better than chains (sorry Starbucks and Onda). Iced Americanos (espresso, water and ice) are better than just about any other iced drink you can stack them up against (and no I don\'t want any added flavor).  You\'ve got to have both coffee beans and water in your coffee maker at 6am to actually make a pot of coffee.\n\nThe lesson learned this time is that just like every other bad cup of coffee/espresso I\'ve had in my life, there are bad cups of Turkish coffee as well and you\'ve just got to figure out who makes the best cup or how to make it yourself and then you\'re set. So I am glad that I gave Turkish coffee another go.\n\nAfter all, I was told recently that, and I quote, \" it\'s the one good thing the Turks left us with.\" The \"us\" in this case I\'m pretty sure includes both the people and the country of Bulgaria.','Another round of Turkish coffee, this time in Sofia','','inherit','open','open','','5508-revision-7','','','2011-09-01 07:56:42','2011-09-01 05:56:42','',5508,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/01/5508-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(5516,1,'2011-09-01 07:56:45','2011-09-01 05:56:45','After my last post on <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/23/turkish-coffee/\" target=\"_blank\">drinking Turkish coffee in Zheravna</a>, I was urged to try Turkish coffee again. Given my longstanding commitment to coffee it really wasn\'t such a hard thing for me to decide to do.\r\n\r\nI took up loyal reader Andreytcho on his kind offer to take me to a cafe that he knows near to South Park that makes and serves excellent Turkish coffee.\r\n\r\nWe walked right in the cafe and I never once looked at the name of said cafe. I am that <em>awesome.</em> It\'s not like I write a blog about my life and the interesting places I go that you too might want to go to one day. <em>\r\n</em>\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hey there&#39;s a large lizard in the window\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Large lizard\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6102405428/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6102405428_9f1b956859_b.jpg\" alt=\"Large lizard\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBut, I do have a pretty good excuse. I was too busy looking at the large lizard in the window.\r\n\r\nAndreytcho ordered the coffee. Then we talked and talked.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cups and coffee\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cups and coffee\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6101856329/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6101856329_c2cb0bfbf1_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cups and coffee\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe waitress started bringing glasses and cups to the table. A lot of them. Then came the coffee.\r\n\r\n<em>Delicious</em>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pouring Turkish Coffee\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Pouring Turkish Coffee\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6101856799/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6202/6101856799_3acde211ee_b.jpg\" alt=\"Pouring Turkish Coffee\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The mint infused sugar\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"The mint infused sugar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6101856187/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6071/6101856187_04377a5744_b.jpg\" alt=\"The mint infused sugar\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe coffee was not pre-sweetened and I think that this made the difference. It was thick and rich tasting. The flavors were layered and intense. Depending on your taste you can add sweetness to the coffee with a spoon of taffy like sugar-mint floating in water. I realize that\'s a confusing sentence--look at the picture. You can either submerge the spoon the cup or you can take a bite of the sugar-spoon and then drink the coffee.\r\n\r\nI went with the latter given my professed dislike of Turkish coffee because it\'s too sweet for me.  I have to say, I am sold. This coffee was excellent. It was smooth but slightly thick with a hint of acidity that lingered on the tongue.  One of my earlier complaints about mouth feel went right out the window. This was just good strong coffee.\r\n\r\nSo here\'s the conclusion, I don\'t think I am tossing my coffee maker out in order to simplify my life and make room for a Turkish coffee pot but I am not going to shy away from Turkish coffee as I have in the past.  I may not go out of my way solely for Turkish coffee but I don\'t actually dislike it as I suspected earlier.\r\n\r\nThe experience got me thinking about this, I\'ve had a lot of bad cups of coffee in my life but I still continue to drink it and I learned a few lessons along the way. For example my dAd makes a better cup of coffee than the guy behind a counter at the gas station does. I like dark roasted coffee better than a light roast. Independent coffee houses are better than chains (sorry Starbucks and Onda). Iced Americanos (espresso, water and ice) are better than just about any other iced drink you can stack them up against (and no I don\'t want any added flavor).  You\'ve got to have both coffee beans and water in your coffee maker at 6am to actually make a pot of coffee.\r\n\r\nThe lesson learned this time is that just like every other bad cup of coffee/espresso I\'ve had in my life, there are bad cups of Turkish coffee as well and you\'ve just got to figure out who makes the best cup or how to make it yourself and then you\'re set. So I am glad that I gave Turkish coffee another go.\r\n\r\nAfter all, I was told recently that, and I quote, \" it\'s the one good thing the Turks left us with.\" The \"us\" in this case I\'m pretty sure includes both the people and the country of Bulgaria.','Another round of Turkish coffee, this time in Sofia','','inherit','open','open','','5508-revision-8','','','2011-09-01 07:56:45','2011-09-01 05:56:45','',5508,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/01/5508-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(5517,1,'2011-09-01 08:00:50','2011-09-01 06:00:50','After my last post on <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/08/23/turkish-coffee/\" target=\"_blank\">drinking Turkish coffee in Zheravna</a>, I was urged to try Turkish coffee again. Given my longstanding commitment to coffee it really wasn\'t such a hard thing for me to decide to do.\n\nI took up loyal reader Andreytcho on his kind offer to take me to a cafe that he knows near to South Park that makes and serves excellent Turkish coffee.\n\nWe walked right in the cafe and I never once looked at the name of said cafe. I am that <em>awesome.</em> It\'s not like I write a blog about my life and the interesting places I go that you too might want to go to one day. <em>\n</em>\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Hey there&#39;s a large lizard in the window\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Large lizard\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6102405428/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6102405428_9f1b956859_b.jpg\" alt=\"Large lizard\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nBut, I do have a pretty good excuse. I was too busy looking at the large lizard in the window.\n\nAndreytcho ordered the coffee. Then we talked and talked.<!--more--><!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cups and coffee\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cups and coffee\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6101856329/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6069/6101856329_c2cb0bfbf1_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cups and coffee\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe waitress started bringing glasses and cups to the table. A lot of them. Then came the coffee.\n\n<em>Delicious</em>.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Pouring Turkish Coffee\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Pouring Turkish Coffee\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6101856799/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6202/6101856799_3acde211ee_b.jpg\" alt=\"Pouring Turkish Coffee\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The mint infused sugar\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"The mint infused sugar\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6101856187/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6071/6101856187_04377a5744_b.jpg\" alt=\"The mint infused sugar\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe coffee was not pre-sweetened and I think that this made the difference. It was thick and rich tasting. The flavors were layered and intense. Depending on your taste you can add sweetness to the coffee with a spoon of taffy like sugar-mint floating in water. I realize that\'s a confusing sentence--look at the picture. You can either submerge the spoon the cup or you can take a bite of the sugar-spoon and then drink the coffee.\n\nI went with the latter given my professed dislike of Turkish coffee because it\'s too sweet for me.  I have to say, I am sold. This coffee was excellent. It was smooth but slightly thick with a hint of acidity that lingered on the tongue.  One of my earlier complaints about mouth feel went right out the window. This was just good strong coffee.\n\nSo here\'s the conclusion, I don\'t think I am tossing my coffee maker out in order to simplify my life and make room for a Turkish coffee pot but I am not going to shy away from Turkish coffee as I have in the past.  I may not go out of my way solely for Turkish coffee but I don\'t actually dislike it as I suspected earlier.\n\nThe experience got me thinking about this, I\'ve had a lot of bad cups of coffee in my life but I still continue to drink it and I learned a few lessons along the way. For example my dAd makes a better cup of coffee than the guy behind a counter at the gas station does. I like dark roasted coffee better than a light roast. Independent coffee houses are better than chains (sorry Starbucks and Onda). Iced Americanos (espresso, water and ice) are better than just about any other iced drink you can stack them up against (and no I don\'t want any added flavor).  You\'ve got to have both coffee beans and water in your coffee maker at 6am to actually make a pot of coffee.\n\nThe lesson learned this time is that just like every other bad cup of coffee/espresso I\'ve had in my life, there are bad cups of Turkish coffee as well and you\'ve just got to figure out who makes the best cup or how to make it yourself and then you\'re set. So I am glad that I gave Turkish coffee another go.\n\nAfter all, I was told recently that, and I quote, \" it\'s the one good thing the Turks left us with.\" The \"us\" in this case I\'m pretty sure includes both the people and the country of Bulgaria.\n\nOh and a big thanks to Andreytcho who convinced me to give Turkish coffee another shot!!','Another round of Turkish coffee, this time in Sofia','','inherit','open','open','','5508-revision-9','','','2011-09-01 08:00:50','2011-09-01 06:00:50','',5508,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/01/5508-revision-9/',0,'revision','',0),(5518,1,'2011-09-02 17:10:49','2011-09-02 15:10:49','Today was my first day back at work after a summer of lazying around, adventuring, teaching English, catching up with friends and generally enjoying myself. It was nice to see everyone again but you know there\'s something so much better about vacation.\r\n\r\nLuckily, after just one day of work we\'ve got a four day weekend to look forward to.\r\n\r\nSo I am heading to Sozopol with some teacher friends. I plan on doing plenty of relaxing, hopefully some swimming lots of reading and I plan on hitting up the Apollonia festival too.\r\n\r\nWhat does this mean for you? Well, I wont be blogging for a few days but upon my return I should have a slew of new pictures and stories to tell. Hope that you\'re enjoying your weekend whatever it is you\'re doing!!','First day of work and a four day weekend','','publish','open','open','','first-day-of-work-and-a-four-day-weekend','','','2011-09-02 17:10:49','2011-09-02 15:10:49','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5518',0,'post','',2),(5519,1,'2011-09-02 17:10:05','2011-09-02 15:10:05','Today was my first day back at work after a summer of lazying around, adventuring, teaching English, catching up with friends and generally enjoying myself. It was nice to see everyone again but you know there\'s something so much better about vacation.\n\nLuckily, after just one day of work we\'ve got a four day weekend to look forward to.\n\nSo I am heading to Sozopol with some teacher friends. I plan on doing plenty of relaxing, hopefully some swimming lots of reading and I plan on hitting up the Apollonia festival too.\n\nWhat does this mean for you? Well, I wont be blogging for a few days but upon my return I should have a slew of new pictures and','First day of work and a four day weekend','','inherit','open','open','','5518-revision','','','2011-09-02 17:10:05','2011-09-02 15:10:05','',5518,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/02/5518-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5521,1,'2011-09-07 20:35:14','2011-09-07 18:35:14','[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]\n\nAfter one 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... or maybe not.\n\n[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]\n\nThe weekend was great. Friends. Food. Weather. Beach. Music Festival.\n\n[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]\n\nOnly now I am supposed to get serious and prep seriously for school. 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.\n\nI guess that\'s okay.','A weekend in Sozopol ','','inherit','open','open','','5520-revision','','','2011-09-07 20:35:14','2011-09-07 18:35:14','',5520,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/07/5520-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5522,1,'2011-09-07 20:35:59','2011-09-07 18:35:59','[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]\r\n\r\nAfter one 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... or maybe not.\r\n\r\n[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]\r\n\r\nThe weekend was great. Friends. Food. Weather. Beach. Music Festival.\r\n\r\n[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]\r\n\r\nOnly now I am supposed to get serious and prep seriously for school. 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.\r\n\r\n[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]\r\n\r\nI guess that\'s okay.','A weekend in Sozopol ','','inherit','open','open','','5520-revision-2','','','2011-09-07 20:35:59','2011-09-07 18:35:59','',5520,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/07/5520-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5523,1,'2011-09-07 20:55:05','2011-09-07 18:55:05','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.\n\n[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]\n\nSo 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-->\n\nEven 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.\n\n[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]\n\nThe weekend was great: Friends. Food. Weather. Beach. Music Festival.\n\nSure 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.\n\n[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]\n\nI 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.\n\nI guess that\'s okay.\n\n[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]','A weekend in Sozopol ','','inherit','open','open','','5520-revision-3','','','2011-09-07 20:55:05','2011-09-07 18:55:05','',5520,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/07/5520-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5524,1,'2011-09-08 07:00:39','2011-09-08 05:00:39','While Sozopol has some wonderful beaches but for those of us who are sun-challenged or in other words burn easily, Sozopol also has a well maintained old town too. I spent the better part of one morning wandering, window shopping, dreaming about hanging expensive paintings in my apartment and drinking coffee.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Sozopol\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Sozopol\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124390074/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6086/6124390074_57db9af2ea_b.jpg\" alt=\"Sozopol\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI also snapped a few photos. Okay, maybe more than a few.\r\n\r\nGood thing this is encouraged on vacation and for the record, I wasn\'t the only person taking plenty of photos. It\'s a beautiful place.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Wooden House\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Wooden House\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123839107/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6184/6123839107_ba13b4cefd_b.jpg\" alt=\"Wooden House\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Artsy sot of a wooden house\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Artsy wood house shot\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123822755/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6123822755_d0872f7c75_b.jpg\" alt=\"Artsy wood house shot\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne of the things I think that\'s interesting about the old town are the old wooden houses. They look rough and a little ramshackle. I assume that this is due to the weather, the salt water and the sun. It feels, well, old.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flowers and a green fence\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Flowers and a green fence\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123843443/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6196/6123843443_7016048e98_b.jpg\" alt=\"Flowers and a green fence\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"A Decorative Windmill\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Windmill\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124378880/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6083/6124378880_d982eac679_b.jpg\" alt=\"Windmill\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEach corner reveals something new. A beautiful row of flowers growing behind a green fence. A red-pink building. A mini-windmill. Rocky cliffs. An old town wall. A striking cross.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"A branch of figs\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Figs\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124386734/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6086/6124386734_8486a897d0_b.jpg\" alt=\"Figs\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMind you the old town doesn\'t seem to have more than three or four main streets there\'s a lot to take in and to keep a girl busy. Especially a girl who turns red in the blink of an eye.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Close up of an old door\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Close up of old door\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124381372/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6189/6124381372_8c00578070_b.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of old door\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"A Sailboat (I think)\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Sailboat\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123832945/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6210/6123832945_120b497fca_b.jpg\" alt=\"Sailboat\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]','Guess what?! Sozopol is not all beach','','publish','open','open','','guess-what-sozopol-is-not-all-beach','','','2011-09-07 21:36:01','2011-09-07 19:36:01','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5524',0,'post','',0),(5577,1,'2011-09-16 05:38:18','2011-09-16 03:38:18','Most of the time by the time I get to Friday, I think <em>easy</em>. This day will take care of itself.\r\n\r\nToday this will not be the case. I am super pumped to meet three of my five sections for the year but I\'ve got a lot of introducing, teaching, explaining and modeling to do today.\r\n\r\nI\"ll be directing <em>everything</em>.\r\n\r\nSit here, turn of cell phones, do this, talk about that, answer this question, do this task, keep this, find that, come to school with these things. And so on. Am I complaining? No-way. It\'s better to do these things early on. It sets the tenor for the rest of the year.\r\n\r\nIs there light at the end of the tunnel? Yep.\r\n\r\nAnd it\'s this: thank-god we\'re not working tomorrow. <em>Yes indeedy</em>, tomorrow is a work day for everyone <em>else</em> in Bulgaria in order to make up for a previous four-day weekend.','Gasp, Friday ','','publish','open','open','','gasp-friday','','','2011-09-16 05:38:18','2011-09-16 03:38:18','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5577',0,'post','',0),(5526,1,'2011-09-07 21:30:53','2011-09-07 19:30:53','While Sozopol has some wonderful beaches but for those of us who are sun-challenged or in other words burn easily, Sozopol also has a well maintained old town too. I spent the better part of one morning wandering, window shopping, dreaming about hanging expensive paintings in my apartment and drinking coffee.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Sozopol\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Sozopol\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124390074/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6086/6124390074_57db9af2ea_b.jpg\" alt=\"Sozopol\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI also snapped a few photos. Okay, maybe more than a few.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Wooden House\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Wooden House\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123839107/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6184/6123839107_ba13b4cefd_b.jpg\" alt=\"Wooden House\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Artsy sot of a wooden house\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Artsy wood house shot\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123822755/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6123822755_d0872f7c75_b.jpg\" alt=\"Artsy wood house shot\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne of the things I think that\'s interesting about the old town are the old wooden houses. They look rough and a little ramshackle. I assume that this is due to the weather, the salt water and the sun. It feels, well, old.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flowers and a green fence\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Flowers and a green fence\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123843443/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6196/6123843443_7016048e98_b.jpg\" alt=\"Flowers and a green fence\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"A Decorative Windmill\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Windmill\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124378880/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6083/6124378880_d982eac679_b.jpg\" alt=\"Windmill\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nEach corner reveals something new. A beautiful row of flowers growing behind a green fence. A red-pink building. A mini-windmill. Rocky cliffs. An old town wall. A striking cross.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Old town\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123847241/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6072/6123847241_20b2a013ff_b.jpg\" alt=\"Old town\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" /></a> Mind you the old town doesn\'t seem to have more than three or four main streets there\'s a lot to take in and to keep a girl busy. Especially a girl who turns red in the blink of an eye.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Close up of an old door\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Close up of old door\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124381372/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6189/6124381372_8c00578070_b.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of old door\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"A Sailboat (I think)\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Sailboat\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123832945/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6210/6123832945_120b497fca_b.jpg\" alt=\"Sailboat\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]','Guess what?! Sozopol is not all beach','','inherit','open','open','','5524-revision','','','2011-09-07 21:30:53','2011-09-07 19:30:53','',5524,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/07/5524-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5527,1,'2011-09-07 21:32:22','2011-09-07 19:32:22','While Sozopol has some wonderful beaches but for those of us who are sun-challenged or in other words burn easily, Sozopol also has a well maintained old town too. I spent the better part of one morning wandering, window shopping, dreaming about hanging expensive paintings in my apartment and drinking coffee.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Sozopol\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Sozopol\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124390074/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6086/6124390074_57db9af2ea_b.jpg\" alt=\"Sozopol\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI also snapped a few photos. Okay, maybe more than a few.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Wooden House\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Wooden House\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123839107/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6184/6123839107_ba13b4cefd_b.jpg\" alt=\"Wooden House\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Artsy sot of a wooden house\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Artsy wood house shot\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123822755/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6123822755_d0872f7c75_b.jpg\" alt=\"Artsy wood house shot\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne of the things I think that\'s interesting about the old town are the old wooden houses. They look rough and a little ramshackle. I assume that this is due to the weather, the salt water and the sun. It feels, well, old.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flowers and a green fence\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Flowers and a green fence\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123843443/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6196/6123843443_7016048e98_b.jpg\" alt=\"Flowers and a green fence\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"A Decorative Windmill\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Windmill\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124378880/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6083/6124378880_d982eac679_b.jpg\" alt=\"Windmill\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEach corner reveals something new. A beautiful row of flowers growing behind a green fence. A red-pink building. A mini-windmill. Rocky cliffs. An old town wall. A striking cross.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"A branch of figs\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Figs\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124386734/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6086/6124386734_8486a897d0_b.jpg\" alt=\"Figs\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\nMind you the old town doesn\'t seem to have more than three or four main streets there\'s a lot to take in and to keep a girl busy. Especially a girl who turns red in the blink of an eye.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Close up of an old door\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Close up of old door\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124381372/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6189/6124381372_8c00578070_b.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of old door\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"A Sailboat (I think)\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Sailboat\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123832945/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6210/6123832945_120b497fca_b.jpg\" alt=\"Sailboat\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]','Guess what?! Sozopol is not all beach','','inherit','open','open','','5524-revision-2','','','2011-09-07 21:32:22','2011-09-07 19:32:22','',5524,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/07/5524-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5528,1,'2011-09-07 21:35:26','2011-09-07 19:35:26','While Sozopol has some wonderful beaches but for those of us who are sun-challenged or in other words burn easily, Sozopol also has a well maintained old town too. I spent the better part of one morning wandering, window shopping, dreaming about hanging expensive paintings in my apartment and drinking coffee.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Sozopol\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Sozopol\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124390074/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6086/6124390074_57db9af2ea_b.jpg\" alt=\"Sozopol\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI also snapped a few photos. Okay, maybe more than a few.\n\nGood thing this is encouraged on vacation and for the record, I wasn\'t the only person taking plenty of photos. It\'s a beautiful place.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Wooden House\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Wooden House\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123839107/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6184/6123839107_ba13b4cefd_b.jpg\" alt=\"Wooden House\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Artsy sot of a wooden house\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Artsy wood house shot\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123822755/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6123822755_d0872f7c75_b.jpg\" alt=\"Artsy wood house shot\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne of the things I think that\'s interesting about the old town are the old wooden houses. They look rough and a little ramshackle. I assume that this is due to the weather, the salt water and the sun. It feels, well, old.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flowers and a green fence\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Flowers and a green fence\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123843443/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6196/6123843443_7016048e98_b.jpg\" alt=\"Flowers and a green fence\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"A Decorative Windmill\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Windmill\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124378880/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6083/6124378880_d982eac679_b.jpg\" alt=\"Windmill\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nEach corner reveals something new. A beautiful row of flowers growing behind a green fence. A red-pink building. A mini-windmill. Rocky cliffs. An old town wall. A striking cross.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"A branch of figs\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Figs\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124386734/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6086/6124386734_8486a897d0_b.jpg\" alt=\"Figs\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMind you the old town doesn\'t seem to have more than three or four main streets there\'s a lot to take in and to keep a girl busy. Especially a girl who turns red in the blink of an eye.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Close up of an old door\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Close up of old door\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124381372/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6189/6124381372_8c00578070_b.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of old door\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"A Sailboat (I think)\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Sailboat\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123832945/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6210/6123832945_120b497fca_b.jpg\" alt=\"Sailboat\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]','Guess what?! Sozopol is not all beach','','inherit','open','open','','5524-revision-3','','','2011-09-07 21:35:26','2011-09-07 19:35:26','',5524,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/07/5524-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5529,1,'2011-09-07 21:35:38','2011-09-07 19:35:38','While Sozopol has some wonderful beaches but for those of us who are sun-challenged or in other words burn easily, Sozopol also has a well maintained old town too. I spent the better part of one morning wandering, window shopping, dreaming about hanging expensive paintings in my apartment and drinking coffee.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Sozopol\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Sozopol\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124390074/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6086/6124390074_57db9af2ea_b.jpg\" alt=\"Sozopol\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI also snapped a few photos. Okay, maybe more than a few.\r\n\r\nGood thing this is encouraged on vacation and for the record, I wasn\'t the only person taking plenty of photos. It\'s a beautiful place.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Wooden House\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Wooden House\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123839107/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6184/6123839107_ba13b4cefd_b.jpg\" alt=\"Wooden House\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Artsy sot of a wooden house\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Artsy wood house shot\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123822755/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6123822755_d0872f7c75_b.jpg\" alt=\"Artsy wood house shot\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne of the things I think that\'s interesting about the old town are the old wooden houses. They look rough and a little ramshackle. I assume that this is due to the weather, the salt water and the sun. It feels, well, old.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flowers and a green fence\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Flowers and a green fence\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123843443/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6196/6123843443_7016048e98_b.jpg\" alt=\"Flowers and a green fence\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"A Decorative Windmill\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Windmill\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124378880/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6083/6124378880_d982eac679_b.jpg\" alt=\"Windmill\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nEach corner reveals something new. A beautiful row of flowers growing behind a green fence. A red-pink building. A mini-windmill. Rocky cliffs. An old town wall. A striking cross.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"A branch of figs\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Figs\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124386734/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6086/6124386734_8486a897d0_b.jpg\" alt=\"Figs\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nMind you the old town doesn\'t seem to have more than three or four main streets there\'s a lot to take in and to keep a girl busy. Especially a girl who turns red in the blink of an eye.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Close up of an old door\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Close up of old door\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124381372/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6189/6124381372_8c00578070_b.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of old door\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"A Sailboat (I think)\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Sailboat\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123832945/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6210/6123832945_120b497fca_b.jpg\" alt=\"Sailboat\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]','Guess what?! Sozopol is not all beach','','inherit','open','open','','5524-revision-4','','','2011-09-07 21:35:38','2011-09-07 19:35:38','',5524,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/07/5524-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5530,1,'2011-09-07 21:37:06','2011-09-07 19:37:06','While Sozopol has some wonderful beaches but for those of us who are sun-challenged or in other words burn easily, Sozopol also has a well maintained old town too. I spent the better part of one morning wandering, window shopping, dreaming about hanging expensive paintings in my apartment and drinking coffee.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Sozopol\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Sozopol\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124390074/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6086/6124390074_57db9af2ea_b.jpg\" alt=\"Sozopol\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI also snapped a few photos. Okay, maybe more than a few.\n\nGood thing this is encouraged on vacation and for the record, I wasn\'t the only person taking plenty of photos. It\'s a beautiful place.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Wooden House\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Wooden House\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123839107/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6184/6123839107_ba13b4cefd_b.jpg\" alt=\"Wooden House\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Artsy sot of a wooden house\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Artsy wood house shot\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123822755/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6123822755_d0872f7c75_b.jpg\" alt=\"Artsy wood house shot\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne of the things I think that\'s interesting about the old town are the old wooden houses. They look rough and a little ramshackle. I assume that this is due to the weather, the salt water and the sun. It feels, well, old.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Flowers and a green fence\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Flowers and a green fence\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123843443/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6196/6123843443_7016048e98_b.jpg\" alt=\"Flowers and a green fence\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"A Decorative Windmill\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Windmill\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124378880/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6083/6124378880_d982eac679_b.jpg\" alt=\"Windmill\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nEach corner reveals something new. A beautiful row of flowers growing behind a green fence. A red-pink building. A mini-windmill. Rocky cliffs. An old town wall. A striking cross.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"A branch of figs\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Figs\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124386734/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6086/6124386734_8486a897d0_b.jpg\" alt=\"Figs\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nMind you the old town doesn\'t seem to have more than three or four main streets there\'s a lot to take in and to keep a girl busy. Especially a girl who turns red in the blink of an eye.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Close up of an old door\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Close up of old door\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124381372/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6189/6124381372_8c00578070_b.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of old door\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"A Sailboat (I think)\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Sailboat\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123832945/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6210/6123832945_120b497fca_b.jpg\" alt=\"Sailboat\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]','Guess what?! Sozopol is not all beach','','inherit','open','open','','5524-autosave','','','2011-09-07 21:37:06','2011-09-07 19:37:06','',5524,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/07/5524-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5531,1,'2011-09-08 12:00:49','2011-09-08 10:00:49','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"287\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival sign\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival signg\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124365638/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6183/6124365638_c0742dc3c3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival sign\" width=\"287\" height=\"430\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe thing about not blogging while on vacation is that you have a lot to write about when you get back. Me? I always have way more to say than I ever have time to write.\r\n\r\nThe good news is that I had a great time in Sozopol and I took a ton of photos. In fact yesterday night I uploaded more than <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">75 photos to Flickr</a>.\r\n\r\nThat\'s a lot of photos but I didn\'t go only to take photos.\r\n\r\nNope.\r\n\r\nOne of the reasons that we went to Sozopol this weekend rather than some other stretch of beach on the Black Sea was because of the Apollonia music festival. Most Bulgarian guidebooks make a point of discussing the festival as it is a highlight for Bulgarians and foreigners alike. Sometimes things like this make me skeptical.\r\n\r\nI am glad it didn\'t in this case. We were in Sozopol for three nights and we went to two different shows. In between the start of school, getting some of the new teachers lined up to come with us and the like, we didn\'t have time to buy tickets in advance or really to seriously check out the schedule. We went with the idea that if there was something that sounded good we\'d go if we could and if not we\'d still enjoy our time in Sozopol.\r\n\r\nWell two shows later, I am glad that we got ourselves to Sozopol for the festival.<em> Really glad in fact</em>.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival Swing Music\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124398616/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6124398616_c024c155c4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSure we could have done the two shows in a night thing to up our number but at this point in my life I am more interested in quality than quantity and the performances while not expensive weren\'t exactly cheap. They were <em>prisewert</em>--one of my favorite German words--worthy of their price.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival the Jazz Space\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123819565/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6207/6123819565_eed17f8a86_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe first night--Sunday for us--we saw a jazz piano and guitar duo. I\'d say it was experimental jazz and it took a little bit to get into. We didn\'t have great seats and the lighting wasn\'t great but the space was really cool. Partially covered partially uncovered with long bar and bar stools it felt suitably jazzy. The space also never felt overly smokey due to the set up.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival more of the Sentimental Swingers\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124400100/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6088/6124400100_8671d44f9f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe second night and the last night of the festival we saw a 1940s-esque big band group. They were incredibly fun. I danced on and off in my chair for the whole show while most Bulgarians sat in their chairs hardly taping their feet. They were a very serious crowd or don\'t like dancing in their chairs as much as I do. And if you ask me, that\'s a shame. The group is pretty clearly meant to be danced to.\r\n\r\nThe group is named <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/SentimentalSwingers\" target=\"_blank\">The Sentimental Swingers and the M. Yossifov Sextet</a>. They seem to regularly have shows in Sofia. I think that if you like swing/boogie woogie <em>or</em> if you like fun this is a group that\'s worth checking out.','Apollonia Festival in Sozopol','','publish','open','open','','apollonia-festival-in-sozopol','','','2011-09-08 06:59:34','2011-09-08 04:59:34','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5531',0,'post','',0),(5532,1,'2011-09-07 22:03:20','2011-09-07 20:03:20','The thing about not blogging while on vacation is that you have a lot to write about when you get back. Me? I always have way more to say than I ever have time to write.\n\nThe good news is that I had a great time in Sozopol and I took a ton of photos. In fact yesterday night I uploaded more than <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">75 photos to Flickr</a>. That\'s a lot of photos.\n\nOne of the reasons that we went to Sozopol this weekend rather than some other stretch of beach on the Black Sea was because of the Apollonia music festival. We were in Sozopol for three nights and we went to two different shows.\n\nThe first night--Sunday for us--we saw a jazz piano and guitar duo. I\'d say it was experimental jazz and it took a little bit to get into. We didn\'t have great seats and the lighting wasn\'t great but the space was really cool. Partially covered partially uncovered with long bar and bar stools it felt suitably jazzy. The space also never felt overly smokey due to the set up.\n\nThe second night and the last night of the festival we saw a 1940s-esque big band group. They were incredibly fun. I danced on and off in my chair for the whole show while most Bulgarians sat in their chairs hardly taping their feet. They were a very serious crowd or don\'t like dancing in their chairs as much as I do. And if you ask me, that\'s a shame. The group is pretty clearly meant to be danced to.\n\nThe group is named <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/SentimentalSwingers\" target=\"_blank\">The Sentimental Swingers and the M. Yossifov Sextet</a>. They seem to regularly have shows in Sofia. I think that if you like big band','Apollonia Festival in Sozopol','','inherit','open','open','','5531-revision','','','2011-09-07 22:03:20','2011-09-07 20:03:20','',5531,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/07/5531-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5533,1,'2011-09-07 22:05:08','2011-09-07 20:05:08','The thing about not blogging while on vacation is that you have a lot to write about when you get back. Me? I always have way more to say than I ever have time to write.\n\nThe good news is that I had a great time in Sozopol and I took a ton of photos. In fact yesterday night I uploaded more than <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">75 photos to Flickr</a>. That\'s a lot of photos.\n\nOne of the reasons that we went to Sozopol this weekend rather than some other stretch of beach on the Black Sea was because of the Apollonia music festival. We were in Sozopol for three nights and we went to two different shows.\n\nThe first night--Sunday for us--we saw a jazz piano and guitar duo. I\'d say it was experimental jazz and it took a little bit to get into. We didn\'t have great seats and the lighting wasn\'t great but the space was really cool. Partially covered partially uncovered with long bar and bar stools it felt suitably jazzy. The space also never felt overly smokey due to the set up.\n\nThe second night and the last night of the festival we saw a 1940s-esque big band group. They were incredibly fun. I danced on and off in my chair for the whole show while most Bulgarians sat in their chairs hardly taping their feet. They were a very serious crowd or don\'t like dancing in their chairs as much as I do. And if you ask me, that\'s a shame. The group is pretty clearly meant to be danced to.\n\nThe group is named <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/SentimentalSwingers\" target=\"_blank\">The Sentimental Swingers and the M. Yossifov Sextet</a>. They seem to regularly have shows in Sofia. I think that if you like big band music/boogie woogie or if you like fun this is a group that\'s worth checking out.','Apollonia Festival in Sozopol','','inherit','open','open','','5531-revision-2','','','2011-09-07 22:05:08','2011-09-07 20:05:08','',5531,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/07/5531-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5534,1,'2011-09-08 06:45:08','2011-09-08 04:45:08','The thing about not blogging while on vacation is that you have a lot to write about when you get back. Me? I always have way more to say than I ever have time to write.\n\nThe good news is that I had a great time in Sozopol and I took a ton of photos. In fact yesterday night I uploaded more than <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">75 photos to Flickr</a>. That\'s a lot of photos.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival Swing Music\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124398616/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6124398616_c024c155c4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne of the reasons that we went to Sozopol this weekend rather than some other stretch of beach on the Black Sea was because of the Apollonia music festival. We were in Sozopol for three nights and we went to two different show.\n\nNot bad if you ask me. Sure we could have done the two shows in a night thing to up our number but at this point in my life I am more interested in quality than quantity and the performances while not expensive weren\'t exactly cheap. They were <em>prisewert</em>--one of my favorite German words--worthy of their price. <!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival the Jazz Space\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123819565/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6207/6123819565_eed17f8a86_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe first night--Sunday for us--we saw a jazz piano and guitar duo. I\'d say it was experimental jazz and it took a little bit to get into. We didn\'t have great seats and the lighting wasn\'t great but the space was really cool. Partially covered partially uncovered with long bar and bar stools it felt suitably jazzy. The space also never felt overly smokey due to the set up.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival more of the Sentimental Swingers\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124400100/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6088/6124400100_8671d44f9f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe second night and the last night of the festival we saw a 1940s-esque big band group. They were incredibly fun. I danced on and off in my chair for the whole show while most Bulgarians sat in their chairs hardly taping their feet. They were a very serious crowd or don\'t like dancing in their chairs as much as I do. And if you ask me, that\'s a shame. The group is pretty clearly meant to be danced to.\n\nThe group is named <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/SentimentalSwingers\" target=\"_blank\">The Sentimental Swingers and the M. Yossifov Sextet</a>. They seem to regularly have shows in Sofia. I think that if you like big band music/boogie woogie <em>or</em> if you like fun this is a group that\'s worth checking out.','Apollonia Festival in Sozopol','','inherit','open','open','','5531-revision-3','','','2011-09-08 06:45:08','2011-09-08 04:45:08','',5531,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/08/5531-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5535,1,'2011-09-08 06:47:08','2011-09-08 04:47:08','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"287\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival sign\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival signg\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124365638/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6183/6124365638_c0742dc3c3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival sign\" width=\"287\" height=\"430\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe thing about not blogging while on vacation is that you have a lot to write about when you get back. Me? I always have way more to say than I ever have time to write.\n\nThe good news is that I had a great time in Sozopol and I took a ton of photos. In fact yesterday night I uploaded more than <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">75 photos to Flickr</a>. That\'s a lot of photos.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival Swing Music\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124398616/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6124398616_c024c155c4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne of the reasons that we went to Sozopol this weekend rather than some other stretch of beach on the Black Sea was because of the Apollonia music festival. We were in Sozopol for three nights and we went to two different show.\n\nNot bad if you ask me. Sure we could have done the two shows in a night thing to up our number but at this point in my life I am more interested in quality than quantity and the performances while not expensive weren\'t exactly cheap. They were <em>prisewert</em>--one of my favorite German words--worthy of their price. <!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival the Jazz Space\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123819565/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6207/6123819565_eed17f8a86_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe first night--Sunday for us--we saw a jazz piano and guitar duo. I\'d say it was experimental jazz and it took a little bit to get into. We didn\'t have great seats and the lighting wasn\'t great but the space was really cool. Partially covered partially uncovered with long bar and bar stools it felt suitably jazzy. The space also never felt overly smokey due to the set up.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival more of the Sentimental Swingers\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124400100/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6088/6124400100_8671d44f9f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe second night and the last night of the festival we saw a 1940s-esque big band group. They were incredibly fun. I danced on and off in my chair for the whole show while most Bulgarians sat in their chairs hardly taping their feet. They were a very serious crowd or don\'t like dancing in their chairs as much as I do. And if you ask me, that\'s a shame. The group is pretty clearly meant to be danced to.\n\nThe group is named <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/SentimentalSwingers\" target=\"_blank\">The Sentimental Swingers and the M. Yossifov Sextet</a>. They seem to regularly have shows in Sofia. I think that if you like swing/boogie woogie <em>or</em> if you like fun this is a group that\'s worth checking out.','Apollonia Festival in Sozopol','','inherit','open','open','','5531-revision-4','','','2011-09-08 06:47:08','2011-09-08 04:47:08','',5531,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/08/5531-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5536,1,'2011-09-08 06:47:11','2011-09-08 04:47:11','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"287\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival sign\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival signg\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124365638/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6183/6124365638_c0742dc3c3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival sign\" width=\"287\" height=\"430\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe thing about not blogging while on vacation is that you have a lot to write about when you get back. Me? I always have way more to say than I ever have time to write.\r\n\r\nThe good news is that I had a great time in Sozopol and I took a ton of photos. In fact yesterday night I uploaded more than <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">75 photos to Flickr</a>. That\'s a lot of photos.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival Swing Music\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124398616/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6124398616_c024c155c4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne of the reasons that we went to Sozopol this weekend rather than some other stretch of beach on the Black Sea was because of the Apollonia music festival. We were in Sozopol for three nights and we went to two different show.\r\n\r\nNot bad if you ask me. Sure we could have done the two shows in a night thing to up our number but at this point in my life I am more interested in quality than quantity and the performances while not expensive weren\'t exactly cheap. They were <em>prisewert</em>--one of my favorite German words--worthy of their price. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival the Jazz Space\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123819565/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6207/6123819565_eed17f8a86_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe first night--Sunday for us--we saw a jazz piano and guitar duo. I\'d say it was experimental jazz and it took a little bit to get into. We didn\'t have great seats and the lighting wasn\'t great but the space was really cool. Partially covered partially uncovered with long bar and bar stools it felt suitably jazzy. The space also never felt overly smokey due to the set up.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival more of the Sentimental Swingers\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124400100/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6088/6124400100_8671d44f9f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe second night and the last night of the festival we saw a 1940s-esque big band group. They were incredibly fun. I danced on and off in my chair for the whole show while most Bulgarians sat in their chairs hardly taping their feet. They were a very serious crowd or don\'t like dancing in their chairs as much as I do. And if you ask me, that\'s a shame. The group is pretty clearly meant to be danced to.\r\n\r\nThe group is named <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/SentimentalSwingers\" target=\"_blank\">The Sentimental Swingers and the M. Yossifov Sextet</a>. They seem to regularly have shows in Sofia. I think that if you like swing/boogie woogie <em>or</em> if you like fun this is a group that\'s worth checking out.','Apollonia Festival in Sozopol','','inherit','open','open','','5531-revision-5','','','2011-09-08 06:47:11','2011-09-08 04:47:11','',5531,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/08/5531-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(5537,1,'2011-09-08 06:57:46','2011-09-08 04:57:46','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"287\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival sign\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival signg\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124365638/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6183/6124365638_c0742dc3c3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival sign\" width=\"287\" height=\"430\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe thing about not blogging while on vacation is that you have a lot to write about when you get back. Me? I always have way more to say than I ever have time to write.\r\n\r\nThe good news is that I had a great time in Sozopol and I took a ton of photos. In fact yesterday night I uploaded more than <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">75 photos to Flickr</a>.\r\n\r\nThat\'s a lot of photos but I didn\'t go only to take photos.\r\n\r\nNope.\r\n\r\nOne of the reasons that we went to Sozopol this weekend rather than some other stretch of beach on the Black Sea was because of the Apollonia music festival. Most Bulgarian guidebooks make a point of discussing the festival as it is a highlight for Bulgarians and foreigners alike. Sometimes things like this make me skeptical.\r\n\r\nI am glad it didn\'t in this case. We were in Sozopol for three nights and we went to two different shows. In between the start of school, getting some of the new teachers lined up to come with us and the like, we didn\'t have time to buy tickets in advance or really to seriously check out the schedule. We went with the idea that if there was something that sounded good we\'d go if we could and if not we\'d still enjoy our time in Sozopol.\r\n\r\nWell two shows later, I am glad that we got ourselves to Sozopol for the festival.<em> Really glad in fact</em>.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival Swing Music\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124398616/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6124398616_c024c155c4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSure we could have done the two shows in a night thing to up our number but at this point in my life I am more interested in quality than quantity and the performances while not expensive weren\'t exactly cheap. They were <em>prisewert</em>--one of my favorite German words--worthy of their price. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival the Jazz Space\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123819565/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6207/6123819565_eed17f8a86_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe first night--Sunday for us--we saw a jazz piano and guitar duo. I\'d say it was experimental jazz and it took a little bit to get into. We didn\'t have great seats and the lighting wasn\'t great but the space was really cool. Partially covered partially uncovered with long bar and bar stools it felt suitably jazzy. The space also never felt overly smokey due to the set up.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival more of the Sentimental Swingers\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124400100/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6088/6124400100_8671d44f9f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe second night and the last night of the festival we saw a 1940s-esque big band group. They were incredibly fun. I danced on and off in my chair for the whole show while most Bulgarians sat in their chairs hardly taping their feet. They were a very serious crowd or don\'t like dancing in their chairs as much as I do. And if you ask me, that\'s a shame. The group is pretty clearly meant to be danced to.\r\n\r\nThe group is named <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/SentimentalSwingers\" target=\"_blank\">The Sentimental Swingers and the M. Yossifov Sextet</a>. They seem to regularly have shows in Sofia. I think that if you like swing/boogie woogie <em>or</em> if you like fun this is a group that\'s worth checking out.','Apollonia Festival in Sozopol','','inherit','open','open','','5531-revision-6','','','2011-09-08 06:57:46','2011-09-08 04:57:46','',5531,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/08/5531-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(5538,1,'2011-09-08 06:58:54','2011-09-08 04:58:54','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"287\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival sign\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival signg\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124365638/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6183/6124365638_c0742dc3c3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival sign\" width=\"287\" height=\"430\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe thing about not blogging while on vacation is that you have a lot to write about when you get back. Me? I always have way more to say than I ever have time to write.\n\nThe good news is that I had a great time in Sozopol and I took a ton of photos. In fact yesterday night I uploaded more than <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">75 photos to Flickr</a>.\n\nThat\'s a lot of photos but I didn\'t go only to take photos.\n\nNope.\n\nOne of the reasons that we went to Sozopol this weekend rather than some other stretch of beach on the Black Sea was because of the Apollonia music festival. Most Bulgarian guidebooks make a point of discussing the festival as it is a highlight for Bulgarians and foreigners alike. Sometimes things like this make me skeptical.\n\nI am glad it didn\'t in this case. We were in Sozopol for three nights and we went to two different shows. In between the start of school, getting some of the new teachers lined up to come with us and the like, we didn\'t have time to buy tickets in advance or really to seriously check out the schedule. We went with the idea that if there was something that sounded good we\'d go if we could and if not we\'d still enjoy our time in Sozopol.\n\nWell two shows later, I am glad that we got ourselves to Sozopol for the festival.<em> Really glad in fact</em>.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival Swing Music\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124398616/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6124398616_c024c155c4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSure we could have done the two shows in a night thing to up our number but at this point in my life I am more interested in quality than quantity and the performances while not expensive weren\'t exactly cheap. They were <em>prisewert</em>--one of my favorite German words--worthy of their price. <!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival the Jazz Space\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123819565/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6207/6123819565_eed17f8a86_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe first night--Sunday for us--we saw a jazz piano and guitar duo. I\'d say it was experimental jazz and it took a little bit to get into. We didn\'t have great seats and the lighting wasn\'t great but the space was really cool. Partially covered partially uncovered with long bar and bar stools it felt suitably jazzy. The space also never felt overly smokey due to the set up.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival more of the Sentimental Swingers\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124400100/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6088/6124400100_8671d44f9f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe second night and the last night of the festival we saw a 1940s-esque big band group. They were incredibly fun. I danced on and off in my chair for the whole show while most Bulgarians sat in their chairs hardly taping their feet. They were a very serious crowd or don\'t like dancing in their chairs as much as I do. And if you ask me, that\'s a shame. The group is pretty clearly meant to be danced to.\n\nThe group is named <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/SentimentalSwingers\" target=\"_blank\">The Sentimental Swingers and the M. Yossifov Sextet</a>. They seem to regularly have shows in Sofia. I think that if you like swing/boogie woogie <em>or</em> if you like fun this is a group that\'s worth checking out.','Apollonia Festival in Sozopol','','inherit','open','open','','5531-revision-7','','','2011-09-08 06:58:54','2011-09-08 04:58:54','',5531,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/08/5531-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(5539,1,'2011-09-08 06:59:20','2011-09-08 04:59:20','[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"287\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival sign\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival signg\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124365638/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6183/6124365638_c0742dc3c3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival sign\" width=\"287\" height=\"430\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe thing about not blogging while on vacation is that you have a lot to write about when you get back. Me? I always have way more to say than I ever have time to write.\r\n\r\nThe good news is that I had a great time in Sozopol and I took a ton of photos. In fact yesterday night I uploaded more than <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">75 photos to Flickr</a>.\r\n\r\nThat\'s a lot of photos but I didn\'t go only to take photos.\r\n\r\nNope.\r\n\r\nOne of the reasons that we went to Sozopol this weekend rather than some other stretch of beach on the Black Sea was because of the Apollonia music festival. Most Bulgarian guidebooks make a point of discussing the festival as it is a highlight for Bulgarians and foreigners alike. Sometimes things like this make me skeptical.\r\n\r\nI am glad it didn\'t in this case. We were in Sozopol for three nights and we went to two different shows. In between the start of school, getting some of the new teachers lined up to come with us and the like, we didn\'t have time to buy tickets in advance or really to seriously check out the schedule. We went with the idea that if there was something that sounded good we\'d go if we could and if not we\'d still enjoy our time in Sozopol.\r\n\r\nWell two shows later, I am glad that we got ourselves to Sozopol for the festival.<em> Really glad in fact</em>.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival Swing Music\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124398616/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6195/6124398616_c024c155c4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSure we could have done the two shows in a night thing to up our number but at this point in my life I am more interested in quality than quantity and the performances while not expensive weren\'t exactly cheap. They were <em>prisewert</em>--one of my favorite German words--worthy of their price.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival the Jazz Space\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6123819565/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6207/6123819565_eed17f8a86_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe first night--Sunday for us--we saw a jazz piano and guitar duo. I\'d say it was experimental jazz and it took a little bit to get into. We didn\'t have great seats and the lighting wasn\'t great but the space was really cool. Partially covered partially uncovered with long bar and bar stools it felt suitably jazzy. The space also never felt overly smokey due to the set up.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Apollonia Festival more of the Sentimental Swingers\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Apollonia Festival\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6124400100/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6088/6124400100_8671d44f9f_b.jpg\" alt=\"Apollonia Festival\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe second night and the last night of the festival we saw a 1940s-esque big band group. They were incredibly fun. I danced on and off in my chair for the whole show while most Bulgarians sat in their chairs hardly taping their feet. They were a very serious crowd or don\'t like dancing in their chairs as much as I do. And if you ask me, that\'s a shame. The group is pretty clearly meant to be danced to.\r\n\r\nThe group is named <a href=\"https://www.facebook.com/SentimentalSwingers\" target=\"_blank\">The Sentimental Swingers and the M. Yossifov Sextet</a>. They seem to regularly have shows in Sofia. I think that if you like swing/boogie woogie <em>or</em> if you like fun this is a group that\'s worth checking out.','Apollonia Festival in Sozopol','','inherit','open','open','','5531-revision-8','','','2011-09-08 06:59:20','2011-09-08 04:59:20','',5531,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/08/5531-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(5540,1,'2011-09-09 07:14:01','2011-09-09 05:14:01','Two of the new teachers at school asked me recently to put together scavenger hunt.\r\n\r\nIt started off as a joke. And then it wasn\'t.\r\n\r\nThe two of them had decided that they needed to get out in Sofia by themselves with a map, a camera and some leva for coffee (or beer), get themselves lost and then find themselves again in order to really figure out the city.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Mladost Blocks: I want to get the girls out of Mladost &amp; Downtown\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Mladost Blocks\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/5090062676/\"><img src=\"http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/5090062676_c2c16a18de_b.jpg\" alt=\"Mladost Blocks\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSounds like a great plan to me.\r\n\r\nI think that\'s really the only way that you get to know a city. That and getting out to explore new things as much as possible. I was lucky to live in the city center when I first moved to Sofia so the exploring was a little different for me but these girls live on campus right behind the school so they need to really work at getting off campus.\r\n\r\nSo I told the girls I\'d send them on a wild goose chase. This pretty quickly turned into me sending them on a scavenger hunt and by the end of our conversation last weekend, I\'d promised to make a \"sight-seeing scavenger hunt of Sofia\" for the two girls wherein they had a check list, a map, a guide book and a camera and had to take pictures at each sight on the list in order to prove that they\'d been there.  We\'d meet-up at some predetermined cafe in the city center a few hours after they\'d started and see how they\'d done.\r\n\r\nGreat plan, <em>huna</em>? What could go wrong? <!--more-->\r\n\r\nWell, here\'s what.\r\n\r\nI got really busy at school over the last few days and I haven\'t made the scavenger hunt list yet. In fact, I am currently writing a blog post about the sight-seeing scavenger hunt in Sofia which I\'ve actually yet to create. <em>Awesome</em>. That\'s how I roll.\r\n\r\nSo, here\'s the start of my list and to preface this I put together a few sentences on my current thinking about the game. I think that the way a scavenger hunt works it\'s better to have more places to stop off rather than fewer. I think it\'s important to have a mix of places seeing as these girls actually live in Sofia rather than just visiting. I think that major sites don\'t require a street address but that lesser sites/meeting places/restaurants do require a street address.\r\n\r\n<strong>A Sight-Seeing Scavenger Hunt in Sofia:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Alexander Nevski Cathedral</li>\r\n	<li>National Gallery for Foreign Art</li>\r\n	<li>National Assembly</li>\r\n	<li>Monument to Liberators</li>\r\n	<li>Ethnographic Museum/National Art Gallery</li>\r\n	<li>St. Nikolai Russian Church</li>\r\n	<li>Mineral Baths</li>\r\n	<li>Sveta Nedelya Cathedral</li>\r\n	<li>Banya Bashi Mosque</li>\r\n	<li>Sofia Synagogue</li>\r\n	<li>St. Sofia Statue</li>\r\n	<li>Monument to the Soviet Army</li>\r\n	<li>Ivan Vazov National Theater</li>\r\n	<li>NDK (The National Palace of Culture)</li>\r\n	<li>1300 years monument</li>\r\n	<li>Slaveikov Square (outdoor/open air book market)</li>\r\n	<li>Graf Ignatiev Fruit and Veggie Stalls</li>\r\n	<li>Popa Statue (at the corner of Levski and Graf Ignatiev)</li>\r\n	<li>Any Happy Bar and Grill</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/04/18/new-find-supastar/\" target=\"_blank\">SupaStar</a> on Shishman Street</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/12/05/sofias-taqueria/\" target=\"_blank\">The Taqueria</a> also on Shishman Street</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/12/14/zona-urbana/\" target=\"_blank\">Zona Urbana</a> on Angel Krunchev</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/12/14/memento-beans-grapes/\" target=\"_blank\">Memento</a> on Vitosha (the Memento on Rakovski has gotten too big)</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.spottedbylocals.com/sofia/lime/\" target=\"_blank\">Lime</a> on Graf Ignatiev (Gasp, a cafe I\'ve been to half a dozen times but have apparently never written about luckily Spotted By Locals has.)</li>\r\n	<li>Any downtown Pizza Ygo</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nSeeing as I put the above list together in something like 10 minutes, here\'s where you come in. What else should be on this list? What should my friends see? What places do they need to know about in order to get around the city? Anything fun that we should add to the list?\r\n\r\nLet me know what you think in the comments section, okay?! <em>Thanks.</em>','A Sight-Seeing Scavenger Hunt in Sofia','','publish','open','open','','a-sight-seeing-scavenger-hunt-in-sofia','','','2011-09-09 07:16:10','2011-09-09 05:16:10','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5540',0,'post','',9),(5541,1,'2011-09-09 07:11:01','2011-09-09 05:11:01','Two of the new teachers at school asked me recently to put together a Sight-Seeing Scavenger Hunt in Sofia.  It started off as a joke. The two of them had decided that they needed to get out in Sofia by themselves with a map, a camera and some leva for coffee (or beer), get themselves lost and then find themselves again in order to really figure out the city.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Mladost Blocks\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/5090062676/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/5090062676_c2c16a18de_b.jpg\" alt=\"Mladost Blocks\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> Sounds like a great plan to me. I think that\'s really the only way that you get to know a city. That and getting out to explore new things as much as possible. I was lucky to live in the city center when I first moved to Sofia so the exploring was a little different for me but these girls live on campus right behind the school so they need to really work at getting off campus.\n\nSo I told the girls I\'d send them on a wild goose chase. This pretty quickly turned into me sending them on a scavenger hunt and by the end of our conversation last weekend, I\'d promised to make a \"sight-seeing scavenger hunt of Sofia\" for the two girls wherein they had a check list, a map and a camera and had to take pictures at each sight on the list in order to prove that they\'d been there.  We\'d meet-up at some predetermined cafe in the city center a few hours after they\'d started and see how they\'d done.\n\nGreat plan, <em>huna</em>? What could go wrong? <!--more-->\n\nWell, here\'s what.\n\nI got really busy at school over the last few days and I haven\'t made the scavenger hunt list yet. In fact, I am currently writing a blog post about the sight-seeing scavenger hunt in Sofia which I\'ve actually yet to create. <em>Awesome</em>. That\'s how I roll.\n\nSo, here\'s the start of my list and to preface this I put together a few sentences on my current thinking about the game. I think that the way a scavenger hunt works it\'s better to have more places to stop off rather than fewer. I think it\'s important to have a mix of places seeing as these girls actually live in Sofia rather than just visiting. I think that major sites don\'t require a street address but that lesser sites/meeting places/restaurants do require a street address.\n\n<strong>A Sight-Seeing Scavenger Hunt in Sofia:</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Alexander Nevski Cathedral</li>\n	<li>National Gallery for Foreign Art</li>\n	<li>National Assembly</li>\n	<li>Monument to Liberators</li>\n	<li>Ethnographic Museum/National Art Gallery</li>\n	<li>St. Nikolai Russian Church</li>\n	<li>Mineral Baths</li>\n	<li>Sveta Nedelya Cathedral</li>\n	<li>Banya Bashi Mosque</li>\n	<li>Sofia Synagogue</li>\n	<li>St. Sofia Statue</li>\n	<li>Monument to the Soviet Army</li>\n	<li>Ivan Vazov National Theater</li>\n	<li>NDK (The National Palace of Culture)</li>\n	<li>1300 years monument</li>\n	<li>Slaveikov Square (outdoor/open air book market)</li>\n	<li>Graf Ignatiev Fruit and Veggie Stalls</li>\n	<li>Popa Statue (at the corner of Levski and Graf Ignatiev)</li>\n	<li>Any Happy Bar and Grill</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/04/18/new-find-supastar/\" target=\"_blank\">SupaStar</a> on Shishman Street</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/12/05/sofias-taqueria/\" target=\"_blank\">The Taqueria</a> also on Shishman Street</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/12/14/zona-urbana/\" target=\"_blank\">Zona Urbana</a> on Angel Krunchev</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/12/14/memento-beans-grapes/\" target=\"_blank\">Memento</a> on Vitosha (the Memento on Rakovski has gotten too big)</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.spottedbylocals.com/sofia/lime/\" target=\"_blank\">Lime</a> on Graf Ignatiev (Gasp, a cafe I\'ve been to half a dozen times but have apparently never written about luckily Spotted By Locals has.)</li>\n	<li>Any downtown Pizza Ygo</li>\n</ul>\nSeeing as I put the above list together in something like 10 minutes, here\'s where you come in. What else should be on this list? What should my friends see? What places do they need to know about in order to get around the city? Anything fun that we should add to the list?\n\nLet me know what you think in the comments section, okay?! <em>Thanks.</em>','A Sight-Seeing Scavenger Hunt in Sofia','','inherit','open','open','','5540-revision','','','2011-09-09 07:11:01','2011-09-09 05:11:01','',5540,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/09/5540-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5542,1,'2011-09-09 07:12:01','2011-09-09 05:12:01','Two of the new teachers at school asked me recently to put together a Sight-Seeing Scavenger Hunt in Sofia.  It started off as a joke. The two of them had decided that they needed to get out in Sofia by themselves with a map, a camera and some leva for coffee (or beer), get themselves lost and then find themselves again in order to really figure out the city.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Mladost Blocks: I want to get the girls out of Mladost &amp; Downtown\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Mladost Blocks\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/5090062676/\"><img src=\"http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/5090062676_c2c16a18de_b.jpg\" alt=\"Mladost Blocks\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSounds like a great plan to me. I think that\'s really the only way that you get to know a city. That and getting out to explore new things as much as possible. I was lucky to live in the city center when I first moved to Sofia so the exploring was a little different for me but these girls live on campus right behind the school so they need to really work at getting off campus.\n\nSo I told the girls I\'d send them on a wild goose chase. This pretty quickly turned into me sending them on a scavenger hunt and by the end of our conversation last weekend, I\'d promised to make a \"sight-seeing scavenger hunt of Sofia\" for the two girls wherein they had a check list, a map and a camera and had to take pictures at each sight on the list in order to prove that they\'d been there.  We\'d meet-up at some predetermined cafe in the city center a few hours after they\'d started and see how they\'d done.\n\nGreat plan, <em>huna</em>? What could go wrong? <!--more-->\n\nWell, here\'s what.\n\nI got really busy at school over the last few days and I haven\'t made the scavenger hunt list yet. In fact, I am currently writing a blog post about the sight-seeing scavenger hunt in Sofia which I\'ve actually yet to create. <em>Awesome</em>. That\'s how I roll.\n\nSo, here\'s the start of my list and to preface this I put together a few sentences on my current thinking about the game. I think that the way a scavenger hunt works it\'s better to have more places to stop off rather than fewer. I think it\'s important to have a mix of places seeing as these girls actually live in Sofia rather than just visiting. I think that major sites don\'t require a street address but that lesser sites/meeting places/restaurants do require a street address.\n\n<strong>A Sight-Seeing Scavenger Hunt in Sofia:</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Alexander Nevski Cathedral</li>\n	<li>National Gallery for Foreign Art</li>\n	<li>National Assembly</li>\n	<li>Monument to Liberators</li>\n	<li>Ethnographic Museum/National Art Gallery</li>\n	<li>St. Nikolai Russian Church</li>\n	<li>Mineral Baths</li>\n	<li>Sveta Nedelya Cathedral</li>\n	<li>Banya Bashi Mosque</li>\n	<li>Sofia Synagogue</li>\n	<li>St. Sofia Statue</li>\n	<li>Monument to the Soviet Army</li>\n	<li>Ivan Vazov National Theater</li>\n	<li>NDK (The National Palace of Culture)</li>\n	<li>1300 years monument</li>\n	<li>Slaveikov Square (outdoor/open air book market)</li>\n	<li>Graf Ignatiev Fruit and Veggie Stalls</li>\n	<li>Popa Statue (at the corner of Levski and Graf Ignatiev)</li>\n	<li>Any Happy Bar and Grill</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/04/18/new-find-supastar/\" target=\"_blank\">SupaStar</a> on Shishman Street</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/12/05/sofias-taqueria/\" target=\"_blank\">The Taqueria</a> also on Shishman Street</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/12/14/zona-urbana/\" target=\"_blank\">Zona Urbana</a> on Angel Krunchev</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/12/14/memento-beans-grapes/\" target=\"_blank\">Memento</a> on Vitosha (the Memento on Rakovski has gotten too big)</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.spottedbylocals.com/sofia/lime/\" target=\"_blank\">Lime</a> on Graf Ignatiev (Gasp, a cafe I\'ve been to half a dozen times but have apparently never written about luckily Spotted By Locals has.)</li>\n	<li>Any downtown Pizza Ygo</li>\n</ul>\nSeeing as I put the above list together in something like 10 minutes, here\'s where you come in. What else should be on this list? What should my friends see? What places do they need to know about in order to get around the city? Anything fun that we should add to the list?\n\nLet me know what you think in the comments section, okay?! <em>Thanks.</em>','A Sight-Seeing Scavenger Hunt in Sofia','','inherit','open','open','','5540-revision-2','','','2011-09-09 07:12:01','2011-09-09 05:12:01','',5540,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/09/5540-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5543,1,'2011-09-09 07:15:07','2011-09-09 05:15:07','Two of the new teachers at school asked me recently to put together a Sight-Seeing Scavenger Hunt in Sofia.\n\nIt started off as a joke.\n\nThe two of them had decided that they needed to get out in Sofia by themselves with a map, a camera and some leva for coffee (or beer), get themselves lost and then find themselves again in order to really figure out the city.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Mladost Blocks: I want to get the girls out of Mladost &amp; Downtown\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Mladost Blocks\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/5090062676/\"><img src=\"http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/5090062676_c2c16a18de_b.jpg\" alt=\"Mladost Blocks\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSounds like a great plan to me.\n\nI think that\'s really the only way that you get to know a city. That and getting out to explore new things as much as possible. I was lucky to live in the city center when I first moved to Sofia so the exploring was a little different for me but these girls live on campus right behind the school so they need to really work at getting off campus.\n\nSo I told the girls I\'d send them on a wild goose chase. This pretty quickly turned into me sending them on a scavenger hunt and by the end of our conversation last weekend, I\'d promised to make a \"sight-seeing scavenger hunt of Sofia\" for the two girls wherein they had a check list, a map, a guide book and a camera and had to take pictures at each sight on the list in order to prove that they\'d been there.  We\'d meet-up at some predetermined cafe in the city center a few hours after they\'d started and see how they\'d done.\n\nGreat plan, <em>huna</em>? What could go wrong? <!--more-->\n\nWell, here\'s what.\n\nI got really busy at school over the last few days and I haven\'t made the scavenger hunt list yet. In fact, I am currently writing a blog post about the sight-seeing scavenger hunt in Sofia which I\'ve actually yet to create. <em>Awesome</em>. That\'s how I roll.\n\nSo, here\'s the start of my list and to preface this I put together a few sentences on my current thinking about the game. I think that the way a scavenger hunt works it\'s better to have more places to stop off rather than fewer. I think it\'s important to have a mix of places seeing as these girls actually live in Sofia rather than just visiting. I think that major sites don\'t require a street address but that lesser sites/meeting places/restaurants do require a street address.\n\n<strong>A Sight-Seeing Scavenger Hunt in Sofia:</strong>\n<ul>\n	<li>Alexander Nevski Cathedral</li>\n	<li>National Gallery for Foreign Art</li>\n	<li>National Assembly</li>\n	<li>Monument to Liberators</li>\n	<li>Ethnographic Museum/National Art Gallery</li>\n	<li>St. Nikolai Russian Church</li>\n	<li>Mineral Baths</li>\n	<li>Sveta Nedelya Cathedral</li>\n	<li>Banya Bashi Mosque</li>\n	<li>Sofia Synagogue</li>\n	<li>St. Sofia Statue</li>\n	<li>Monument to the Soviet Army</li>\n	<li>Ivan Vazov National Theater</li>\n	<li>NDK (The National Palace of Culture)</li>\n	<li>1300 years monument</li>\n	<li>Slaveikov Square (outdoor/open air book market)</li>\n	<li>Graf Ignatiev Fruit and Veggie Stalls</li>\n	<li>Popa Statue (at the corner of Levski and Graf Ignatiev)</li>\n	<li>Any Happy Bar and Grill</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/04/18/new-find-supastar/\" target=\"_blank\">SupaStar</a> on Shishman Street</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/12/05/sofias-taqueria/\" target=\"_blank\">The Taqueria</a> also on Shishman Street</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/12/14/zona-urbana/\" target=\"_blank\">Zona Urbana</a> on Angel Krunchev</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/12/14/memento-beans-grapes/\" target=\"_blank\">Memento</a> on Vitosha (the Memento on Rakovski has gotten too big)</li>\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.spottedbylocals.com/sofia/lime/\" target=\"_blank\">Lime</a> on Graf Ignatiev (Gasp, a cafe I\'ve been to half a dozen times but have apparently never written about luckily Spotted By Locals has.)</li>\n	<li>Any downtown Pizza Ygo</li>\n</ul>\nSeeing as I put the above list together in something like 10 minutes, here\'s where you come in. What else should be on this list? What should my friends see? What places do they need to know about in order to get around the city? Anything fun that we should add to the list?\n\nLet me know what you think in the comments section, okay?! <em>Thanks.</em>','A Sight-Seeing Scavenger Hunt in Sofia','','inherit','open','open','','5540-autosave','','','2011-09-09 07:15:07','2011-09-09 05:15:07','',5540,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/09/5540-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5544,1,'2011-09-09 07:14:01','2011-09-09 05:14:01','Two of the new teachers at school asked me recently to put together a Sight-Seeing Scavenger Hunt in Sofia.\r\n\r\nIt started off as a joke.\r\n\r\nThe two of them had decided that they needed to get out in Sofia by themselves with a map, a camera and some leva for coffee (or beer), get themselves lost and then find themselves again in order to really figure out the city.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Mladost Blocks: I want to get the girls out of Mladost &amp; Downtown\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Mladost Blocks\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/5090062676/\"><img src=\"http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/5090062676_c2c16a18de_b.jpg\" alt=\"Mladost Blocks\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSounds like a great plan to me.\r\n\r\nI think that\'s really the only way that you get to know a city. That and getting out to explore new things as much as possible. I was lucky to live in the city center when I first moved to Sofia so the exploring was a little different for me but these girls live on campus right behind the school so they need to really work at getting off campus.\r\n\r\nSo I told the girls I\'d send them on a wild goose chase. This pretty quickly turned into me sending them on a scavenger hunt and by the end of our conversation last weekend, I\'d promised to make a \"sight-seeing scavenger hunt of Sofia\" for the two girls wherein they had a check list, a map, a guide book and a camera and had to take pictures at each sight on the list in order to prove that they\'d been there.  We\'d meet-up at some predetermined cafe in the city center a few hours after they\'d started and see how they\'d done.\r\n\r\nGreat plan, <em>huna</em>? What could go wrong? <!--more-->\r\n\r\nWell, here\'s what.\r\n\r\nI got really busy at school over the last few days and I haven\'t made the scavenger hunt list yet. In fact, I am currently writing a blog post about the sight-seeing scavenger hunt in Sofia which I\'ve actually yet to create. <em>Awesome</em>. That\'s how I roll.\r\n\r\nSo, here\'s the start of my list and to preface this I put together a few sentences on my current thinking about the game. I think that the way a scavenger hunt works it\'s better to have more places to stop off rather than fewer. I think it\'s important to have a mix of places seeing as these girls actually live in Sofia rather than just visiting. I think that major sites don\'t require a street address but that lesser sites/meeting places/restaurants do require a street address.\r\n\r\n<strong>A Sight-Seeing Scavenger Hunt in Sofia:</strong>\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>Alexander Nevski Cathedral</li>\r\n	<li>National Gallery for Foreign Art</li>\r\n	<li>National Assembly</li>\r\n	<li>Monument to Liberators</li>\r\n	<li>Ethnographic Museum/National Art Gallery</li>\r\n	<li>St. Nikolai Russian Church</li>\r\n	<li>Mineral Baths</li>\r\n	<li>Sveta Nedelya Cathedral</li>\r\n	<li>Banya Bashi Mosque</li>\r\n	<li>Sofia Synagogue</li>\r\n	<li>St. Sofia Statue</li>\r\n	<li>Monument to the Soviet Army</li>\r\n	<li>Ivan Vazov National Theater</li>\r\n	<li>NDK (The National Palace of Culture)</li>\r\n	<li>1300 years monument</li>\r\n	<li>Slaveikov Square (outdoor/open air book market)</li>\r\n	<li>Graf Ignatiev Fruit and Veggie Stalls</li>\r\n	<li>Popa Statue (at the corner of Levski and Graf Ignatiev)</li>\r\n	<li>Any Happy Bar and Grill</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/04/18/new-find-supastar/\" target=\"_blank\">SupaStar</a> on Shishman Street</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/12/05/sofias-taqueria/\" target=\"_blank\">The Taqueria</a> also on Shishman Street</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/12/14/zona-urbana/\" target=\"_blank\">Zona Urbana</a> on Angel Krunchev</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/12/14/memento-beans-grapes/\" target=\"_blank\">Memento</a> on Vitosha (the Memento on Rakovski has gotten too big)</li>\r\n	<li><a href=\"http://www.spottedbylocals.com/sofia/lime/\" target=\"_blank\">Lime</a> on Graf Ignatiev (Gasp, a cafe I\'ve been to half a dozen times but have apparently never written about luckily Spotted By Locals has.)</li>\r\n	<li>Any downtown Pizza Ygo</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nSeeing as I put the above list together in something like 10 minutes, here\'s where you come in. What else should be on this list? What should my friends see? What places do they need to know about in order to get around the city? Anything fun that we should add to the list?\r\n\r\nLet me know what you think in the comments section, okay?! <em>Thanks.</em>','A Sight-Seeing Scavenger Hunt in Sofia','','inherit','open','open','','5540-revision-3','','','2011-09-09 07:14:01','2011-09-09 05:14:01','',5540,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/09/5540-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5545,1,'2011-09-10 11:15:26','2011-09-10 09:15:26','I\'m guessing that most people don\'t have a favorite pharmacy (or two as the case may be) but I do. I\'ve got two favorite pharmacies in Sofia. Or maybe or maybe the word drugstore is more accurate.\r\n\r\nEither way, I\'ve got favorites.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6132552120/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6179/6132552120_b74942b5eb_b.jpg\" alt=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne pharmacy I can see from my apartment window. I like them because they have the time and temperature attached to their store front <em>and</em> because when I am sick, they give me what I need no matter how questionable my Bulgarian is. Oh and they are <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/06/20/buying-sunscreen-at-the-drugstore/\" target=\"_blank\">always really nice to me</a>. Even when we\'re not exactly on the same page.\r\n\r\nSo why do I need a second pharmacy?\r\n\r\nTampons.\r\n\r\n<!--more-->Let me make it clear that it\'s a question of selection not availability. The other pharmacy I like is downtown on Shishman Street. It is by far less convenient but they sell tampons with applicators.\r\n\r\nAnd they don\'t just sell any old tampon. They sell <em>Tampax</em>.\r\n\r\nYes, just to confirm, I\'m now writing a blog post about tampons.\r\n\r\nHere\'s why, it\'s a cultural thing.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6132552352/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6085/6132552352_5f687796f8_b.jpg\" alt=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAs girls in the States we grow up buying boxes of tampons with applicators as applicator-less tampons are the exception rather than the rule. The boxes of tampons we buy have at least a dozen tampons but more often than not the smallest box has 20 and the largest boxes probably have 48 or 50 tampons if not more.\r\n\r\nHowever tampons in Bulgaria are a different story. Here the applicator-less tampon is king and about half of the tampons on the shelf are scented.  On top of this, tampons come in boxes of 8 or 16.\r\n\r\nSo what\'s the big deal?\r\n\r\nA tampon, is a tampon, is a tampon. <em>Right?</em>\r\n\r\nWell, yes <em>and</em> no.  The American in me avoids at all costs scented tampons and she also wishes that she could buy more than 16 tampons in a box--it\'s not as if there are extras one month, they will go unused the next month. Then there\'s the issue of the applicator.\r\n\r\nThe applicator is clearly just a comfort thing. A tampon with an applicator works just as well as a tampon without. More than anything, it\'s more a question of what you grew up with and what you are used to. The applicator also gives a sense of cleanliness that\'s otherwise lacking.  In a country were you\'ve got to BYOTP (bring your own toilet paper) and most toilets are anything but clean, an applicator just makes you feel better about things.\r\n\r\nAs an expat, I can\'t count the number of tampon stories that I\'ve heard over the past three years from other women about the lengths they\'ll go to get tampons with applicators from stuffing boxes of them in luggage, to making guests bring them, to lining up friends and family to mail them from the States. I do wonder what kind of duty you have to pay on boxes of tampons but I\'ve never asked. While bordering on the absurd, these stories do make you wonder: how is that we have such a different cultural understanding of tampons in the States versus in Europe? I\'d guess that there are a number of different factors and that these include availability post WWII, ideas of health and cleanliness, environmental concerns, marketing and tradition.\r\n\r\nSo there you have it. If you\'re looking for tampons in Sofia with applicators, the pharmacy at the corner of Shishman and Ivan Vazov pictured above carries them and they are basically the same price as the applicator-less variety.','One of my favorite pharmacies ','','publish','open','open','','one-of-my-favorite-pharmacies','','','2011-09-11 18:51:21','2011-09-11 16:51:21','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5545',0,'post','',9),(5546,1,'2011-09-10 10:05:12','2011-09-10 08:05:12','I\'m guessing that most people don\'t have a favorite pharmacy (or two as the case may be) but I do. I\'ve got two favorite pharmacies in Sofia. Or maybe or maybe the word drugstore is more accurate. Either way, I\'ve got favorites.\n\nOne I can see from my apartment window. I like them because they have the time and temperature attached to their store front <em>and</em> because when I am sick, they give me what I need no matter how questionable my Bulgarian is. Oh and they are <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/06/20/buying-sunscreen-at-the-drugstore/\" target=\"_blank\">always really nice to me</a>. Even when we\'re not exactly on the same page.\n\nSo why do I need a second pharmacy?\n\nWell, it\'s a question of selection. The other pharmacy I like is downtown on Shishman Street. It is by far less convenient but they sell tampons with applicators. They sell <em>Tampax</em>.\n\nYes, I am now writing a blog post about tampons.\n\nHere\'s why, it\'s a cultural thing.\n\nAs girls in the States we grow up buying boxes of tampons with applicators as applicator-less tampons are the exception rather than the rule. The boxes of tampons we buy have at least a dozen tampons but more often than not the smallest box has 20 and the largest boxes probably have 48 or 50 tampons if not more.\n\nHowever tampons in Bulgaria are a different story. Here the applicator-less tampon is king and about half of the tampons on the shelf are scented.  On top of this, boxes of tampons come in boxes of 8 or 16.','One of my favorite pharmacies ','','inherit','open','open','','5545-revision','','','2011-09-10 10:05:12','2011-09-10 08:05:12','',5545,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/10/5545-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5547,1,'2011-09-10 10:49:35','2011-09-10 08:49:35','I\'m guessing that most people don\'t have a favorite pharmacy (or two as the case may be) but I do. I\'ve got two favorite pharmacies in Sofia. Or maybe or maybe the word drugstore is more accurate. Either way, I\'ve got favorites.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6132552120/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6179/6132552120_b74942b5eb_b.jpg\" alt=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> One I can see from my apartment window. I like them because they have the time and temperature attached to their store front <em>and</em> because when I am sick, they give me what I need no matter how questionable my Bulgarian is. Oh and they are <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/06/20/buying-sunscreen-at-the-drugstore/\" target=\"_blank\">always really nice to me</a>. Even when we\'re not exactly on the same page.\n\nSo why do I need a second pharmacy?\n\nTampons.<!--more-->Well, it\'s a question of selection. The other pharmacy I like is downtown on Shishman Street. It is by far less convenient but they sell tampons with applicators. They sell <em>Tampax</em>.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6132552352/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6085/6132552352_5f687796f8_b.jpg\" alt=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> Yes, I am now writing a blog post about tampons.\n\nHere\'s why, it\'s a cultural thing.\n\nAs girls in the States we grow up buying boxes of tampons with applicators as applicator-less tampons are the exception rather than the rule. The boxes of tampons we buy have at least a dozen tampons but more often than not the smallest box has 20 and the largest boxes probably have 48 or 50 tampons if not more.\n\nHowever tampons in Bulgaria are a different story. Here the applicator-less tampon is king and about half of the tampons on the shelf are scented.  On top of this, tampons come in boxes of 8 or 16.\n\nSo what\'s the big deal?\n\nA tampon, is a tampon, is a tampon. <em>Right?</em>\n\nWell, yes <em>and</em> no.  The American in me avoids at all costs scented tampons and she also wishes that she could buy more than 16 tampons in a box--it\'s not as if there are extras one month, they will go unused the next month. Then there\'s the issue of the applicator.\n\nThe applicator is clearly just a comfort thing. A tampon with an applicator works just as well as a tampon without. More than anything, it\'s more a question of what you grew up with and what you are used to. The applicator also gives a sense of cleanliness that\'s otherwise lacking.  In a country were you\'ve got to BYOTP (bring your own toilet paper) and most toilets are anything but clean, an applicator just makes you feel better about things.\n\nAs an expat, I can\'t count the number of tampon stories that I\'ve heard over the past three years from other expats about the lengths they\'ll go to get tampons with applicators from stuffing boxes of them in luggage, to making guests bring them, to lining up friends and family to mail them from the States (I do wonder what kind of duty you have to pay on boxes of tampons). While boarding the absurd, these stories do make you wonder: how is that we have such a different cultural understanding of tampons in the States versus in Europe.','One of my favorite pharmacies ','','inherit','open','open','','5545-revision-2','','','2011-09-10 10:49:35','2011-09-10 08:49:35','',5545,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/10/5545-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5548,1,'2011-09-10 10:50:35','2011-09-10 08:50:35','I\'m guessing that most people don\'t have a favorite pharmacy (or two as the case may be) but I do. I\'ve got two favorite pharmacies in Sofia. Or maybe or maybe the word drugstore is more accurate. Either way, I\'ve got favorites.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6132552120/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6179/6132552120_b74942b5eb_b.jpg\" alt=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne I can see from my apartment window. I like them because they have the time and temperature attached to their store front <em>and</em> because when I am sick, they give me what I need no matter how questionable my Bulgarian is. Oh and they are <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/06/20/buying-sunscreen-at-the-drugstore/\" target=\"_blank\">always really nice to me</a>. Even when we\'re not exactly on the same page.\n\nSo why do I need a second pharmacy?\n\nTampons.<!--more-->Well, it\'s a question of selection. The other pharmacy I like is downtown on Shishman Street. It is by far less convenient but they sell tampons with applicators. They sell <em>Tampax</em>.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6132552352/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6085/6132552352_5f687796f8_b.jpg\" alt=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nYes, I am now writing a blog post about tampons.\n\nHere\'s why, it\'s a cultural thing.\n\nAs girls in the States we grow up buying boxes of tampons with applicators as applicator-less tampons are the exception rather than the rule. The boxes of tampons we buy have at least a dozen tampons but more often than not the smallest box has 20 and the largest boxes probably have 48 or 50 tampons if not more.\n\nHowever tampons in Bulgaria are a different story. Here the applicator-less tampon is king and about half of the tampons on the shelf are scented.  On top of this, tampons come in boxes of 8 or 16.\n\nSo what\'s the big deal?\n\nA tampon, is a tampon, is a tampon. <em>Right?</em>\n\nWell, yes <em>and</em> no.  The American in me avoids at all costs scented tampons and she also wishes that she could buy more than 16 tampons in a box--it\'s not as if there are extras one month, they will go unused the next month. Then there\'s the issue of the applicator.\n\nThe applicator is clearly just a comfort thing. A tampon with an applicator works just as well as a tampon without. More than anything, it\'s more a question of what you grew up with and what you are used to. The applicator also gives a sense of cleanliness that\'s otherwise lacking.  In a country were you\'ve got to BYOTP (bring your own toilet paper) and most toilets are anything but clean, an applicator just makes you feel better about things.\n\nAs an expat, I can\'t count the number of tampon stories that I\'ve heard over the past three years from other expats about the lengths they\'ll go to get tampons with applicators from stuffing boxes of them in luggage, to making guests bring them, to lining up friends and family to mail them from the States (I do wonder what kind of duty you have to pay on boxes of tampons). While boarding the absurd, these stories do make you wonder: how is that we have such a different cultural understanding of tampons in the States versus in Europe.','One of my favorite pharmacies ','','inherit','open','open','','5545-revision-3','','','2011-09-10 10:50:35','2011-09-10 08:50:35','',5545,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/10/5545-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5549,1,'2011-09-10 11:14:02','2011-09-10 09:14:02','I\'m guessing that most people don\'t have a favorite pharmacy (or two as the case may be) but I do. I\'ve got two favorite pharmacies in Sofia. Or maybe or maybe the word drugstore is more accurate.\r\n\r\nEither way, I\'ve got favorites.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6132552120/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6179/6132552120_b74942b5eb_b.jpg\" alt=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne pharmacy I can see from my apartment window. I like them because they have the time and temperature attached to their store front <em>and</em> because when I am sick, they give me what I need no matter how questionable my Bulgarian is. Oh and they are <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/06/20/buying-sunscreen-at-the-drugstore/\" target=\"_blank\">always really nice to me</a>. Even when we\'re not exactly on the same page.\r\n\r\nSo why do I need a second pharmacy?\r\n\r\nTampons.\r\n\r\n<!--more-->Let me make it clear that it\'s a question of selection not availability. The other pharmacy I like is downtown on Shishman Street. It is by far less convenient but they sell tampons with applicators.\r\n\r\nAnd they don\'t just sell any old tampon. They sell <em>Tampax</em>. (Yes, just to confirm, I\'m now writing a blog post about tampons.)\r\n\r\nHere\'s why, it\'s a cultural thing.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6132552352/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6085/6132552352_5f687796f8_b.jpg\" alt=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAs girls in the States we grow up buying boxes of tampons with applicators as applicator-less tampons are the exception rather than the rule. The boxes of tampons we buy have at least a dozen tampons but more often than not the smallest box has 20 and the largest boxes probably have 48 or 50 tampons if not more.\r\n\r\nHowever tampons in Bulgaria are a different story. Here the applicator-less tampon is king and about half of the tampons on the shelf are scented.  On top of this, tampons come in boxes of 8 or 16.\r\n\r\nSo what\'s the big deal?\r\n\r\nA tampon, is a tampon, is a tampon. <em>Right?</em>\r\n\r\nWell, yes <em>and</em> no.  The American in me avoids at all costs scented tampons and she also wishes that she could buy more than 16 tampons in a box--it\'s not as if there are extras one month, they will go unused the next month. Then there\'s the issue of the applicator.\r\n\r\nThe applicator is clearly just a comfort thing. A tampon with an applicator works just as well as a tampon without. More than anything, it\'s more a question of what you grew up with and what you are used to. The applicator also gives a sense of cleanliness that\'s otherwise lacking.  In a country were you\'ve got to BYOTP (bring your own toilet paper) and most toilets are anything but clean, an applicator just makes you feel better about things.\r\n\r\nAs an expat, I can\'t count the number of tampon stories that I\'ve heard over the past three years from other women about the lengths they\'ll go to get tampons with applicators from stuffing boxes of them in luggage, to making guests bring them, to lining up friends and family to mail them from the States. I do wonder what kind of duty you have to pay on boxes of tampons but I\'ve never asked. While boarding the absurd, these stories do make you wonder: how is that we have such a different cultural understanding of tampons in the States versus in Europe? I\'d guess that there are a number of different factors and that these include availability post WWII, ideas of health and cleanliness, environmental concerns, marketing and tradition.\r\n\r\nSo there you have it. If you\'re looking for tampons in Sofia with applicators, the pharmacy at the corner of Shishman and Ivan Vazov pictured above carries them and they are basically the same price as the applicator-less variety.','One of my favorite pharmacies ','','inherit','open','open','','5545-revision-4','','','2011-09-10 11:14:02','2011-09-10 09:14:02','',5545,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/10/5545-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5550,1,'2011-09-10 11:15:07','2011-09-10 09:15:07','I\'m guessing that most people don\'t have a favorite pharmacy (or two as the case may be) but I do. I\'ve got two favorite pharmacies in Sofia. Or maybe or maybe the word drugstore is more accurate.\n\nEither way, I\'ve got favorites.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6132552120/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6179/6132552120_b74942b5eb_b.jpg\" alt=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne pharmacy I can see from my apartment window. I like them because they have the time and temperature attached to their store front <em>and</em> because when I am sick, they give me what I need no matter how questionable my Bulgarian is. Oh and they are <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/06/20/buying-sunscreen-at-the-drugstore/\" target=\"_blank\">always really nice to me</a>. Even when we\'re not exactly on the same page.\n\nSo why do I need a second pharmacy?\n\nTampons.\n\n<!--more-->Let me make it clear that it\'s a question of selection not availability. The other pharmacy I like is downtown on Shishman Street. It is by far less convenient but they sell tampons with applicators.\n\nAnd they don\'t just sell any old tampon. They sell <em>Tampax</em>.\n\nYes, just to confirm, I\'m now writing a blog post about tampons.\n\nHere\'s why, it\'s a cultural thing.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6132552352/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6085/6132552352_5f687796f8_b.jpg\" alt=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAs girls in the States we grow up buying boxes of tampons with applicators as applicator-less tampons are the exception rather than the rule. The boxes of tampons we buy have at least a dozen tampons but more often than not the smallest box has 20 and the largest boxes probably have 48 or 50 tampons if not more.\n\nHowever tampons in Bulgaria are a different story. Here the applicator-less tampon is king and about half of the tampons on the shelf are scented.  On top of this, tampons come in boxes of 8 or 16.\n\nSo what\'s the big deal?\n\nA tampon, is a tampon, is a tampon. <em>Right?</em>\n\nWell, yes <em>and</em> no.  The American in me avoids at all costs scented tampons and she also wishes that she could buy more than 16 tampons in a box--it\'s not as if there are extras one month, they will go unused the next month. Then there\'s the issue of the applicator.\n\nThe applicator is clearly just a comfort thing. A tampon with an applicator works just as well as a tampon without. More than anything, it\'s more a question of what you grew up with and what you are used to. The applicator also gives a sense of cleanliness that\'s otherwise lacking.  In a country were you\'ve got to BYOTP (bring your own toilet paper) and most toilets are anything but clean, an applicator just makes you feel better about things.\n\nAs an expat, I can\'t count the number of tampon stories that I\'ve heard over the past three years from other women about the lengths they\'ll go to get tampons with applicators from stuffing boxes of them in luggage, to making guests bring them, to lining up friends and family to mail them from the States. I do wonder what kind of duty you have to pay on boxes of tampons but I\'ve never asked. While boarding the absurd, these stories do make you wonder: how is that we have such a different cultural understanding of tampons in the States versus in Europe? I\'d guess that there are a number of different factors and that these include availability post WWII, ideas of health and cleanliness, environmental concerns, marketing and tradition.\n\nSo there you have it. If you\'re looking for tampons in Sofia with applicators, the pharmacy at the corner of Shishman and Ivan Vazov pictured above carries them and they are basically the same price as the applicator-less variety.','One of my favorite pharmacies ','','inherit','open','open','','5545-revision-5','','','2011-09-10 11:15:07','2011-09-10 09:15:07','',5545,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/10/5545-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(5551,1,'2011-09-11 11:18:18','2011-09-11 09:18:18','On January 1, 2007 Bulgaria joined the European Union. As luck would have it, 4 years, 8 months and 20-something days later, we will finally be full members of EU. This is the date when Sofia will fling open the doors to our first IKEA.\r\n\r\nYes, in just a few weeks we will all be admiring the floor displays and steering our over-sized shopping carts through the self contained maze of furniture, lighting and home goods in the resplendent blue and yellow block building on the outskirts of town.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Ring Road IKEA in Sofia\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ring Road Ikea\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6135769116/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6135769116_da4b519930_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ring Road Ikea\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBillboards around the city announced that September 20th is the big day as does a <a href=\"http://www.sofiaecho.com/2011/09/09/1152504_ikea-is-here\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia Echo article</a> and I\'ve already seen people lovingly flipping through IKEA catalogs in outdoor cafes.\r\n\r\nAll of this has gotten me thinking about this new addition to our fine city and frankly, I am of two minds. Here\'s why, generally speaking, I love lingonberry juice but I hate crowds. The fact that I loath crowds (and crazy people wielding shopping carts) but adore lingonberry juice makes it hard for me to jump on the IKEA bandwagon.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nAside from crowds, there are three problems in my mind with the new IKEA.\r\n\r\nFirst of all, the building is ugly as sin. Secondly, nobody is actually good at putting furniture together based on pictures.  And finally now that I\'ve lived for so long in Sofia how will I be able to eat my Swedish meatballs without a shopksa salad?!\r\n\r\nPlease note that I am not evening complaining about the fact they hung the entrance sign up sideways.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6135222261/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6135222261_11254bb099_b.jpg\" alt=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe good news?\r\n\r\nWell with advent of IKEA, it seems to me that we must also be getting Craig\'s List in Sofia. I mean how will twenty-somethings sell their cheaply made, poorly assembled, cookie-cutter furniture when they finally decide that it\'s finally time to move up to say a real dresser or a well built table?\r\n\r\nSecondly, It will be <em>a lot</em> easier for me to spot Mladost from Mt Vitosha given the size and shape of IKEA. <a href=\"http://nervousshark.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/ikea-otgore/\" target=\"_blank\">This excellent post and picture</a> proves as much! (Um really, if you thought you could skip over that link, you\'re nuts. Check it out. Now.)\r\n\r\nFinally, fingers crossed, I can buy a <a href=\"http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/10018194\" target=\"_blank\">two tiered drying rack</a> for my dishes.','Notes from Sofia: IKEA opening in September ','','publish','open','open','','notes-from-sofia-ikea-opening-in-september','','','2011-09-11 18:53:05','2011-09-11 16:53:05','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5551',0,'post','',5),(5552,1,'2011-09-10 21:44:35','2011-09-10 19:44:35','As luck would have it, we seem to have joined the rest of Europe now that Sofia is sporting an IKEA. We\'ve got our own blue and yellow block building and in a few weeks our IKEA will open its doors.\n\nBillboards around the city seem to suggest that September 20th will be the big day as does a <a href=\"http://www.sofiaecho.com/2011/09/09/1152504_ikea-is-here\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia Echo article</a>.\n\nI\'ve been thinking about this new addition to our fine city.  I am of two minds.\n\nHere\'s what I\'ve come up with. I\'ll start with the problems. First of all, the building is ugly as sin. Secondly, nobody is actually good at putting furniture together based on pictures.  And finally how will I be able to eat my Swedish meatballs without a shopksa salad?!\n\nThe good news? Well with advent of IKEA, it seems to me that we must also be getting Craig\'s List in Sofia. I mean how will twenty-somethings sell their cheaply made, poorly assembled, cookie-cutter furniture when they finally decide that it\'s finally time to move up to say a real dresser or a well built table? Secondly, It will also be a lot easier for me to spot Mladost from Mt Vitosha given the size and shape of IKEA. <a href=\"http://nervousshark.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/ikea-otgore/\" target=\"_blank\">This excellent post and picture</a> proves as much! Finally, I too will be able to buy the same art, furniture and bedspreads as everyone else in Sofia. I\'ve been wanting','IKEA in Sofia ','','inherit','open','open','','5551-revision','','','2011-09-10 21:44:35','2011-09-10 19:44:35','',5551,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/10/5551-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5553,1,'2011-09-10 21:44:55','2011-09-10 19:44:55','As luck would have it, we seem to have joined the rest of Europe now that Sofia is sporting an IKEA. We\'ve got our own blue and yellow block building and in a few weeks our IKEA will open its doors.\r\n\r\nBillboards around the city seem to suggest that September 20th will be the big day as does a <a href=\"http://www.sofiaecho.com/2011/09/09/1152504_ikea-is-here\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia Echo article</a>.\r\n\r\nI\'ve been thinking about this new addition to our fine city.  I am of two minds.\r\n\r\nHere\'s what I\'ve come up with. I\'ll start with the problems. First of all, the building is ugly as sin. Secondly, nobody is actually good at putting furniture together based on pictures.  And finally how will I be able to eat my Swedish meatballs without a shopksa salad?!\r\n\r\nThe good news? Well with advent of IKEA, it seems to me that we must also be getting Craig\'s List in Sofia. I mean how will twenty-somethings sell their cheaply made, poorly assembled, cookie-cutter furniture when they finally decide that it\'s finally time to move up to say a real dresser or a well built table? Secondly, It will also be a lot easier for me to spot Mladost from Mt Vitosha given the size and shape of IKEA. <a href=\"http://nervousshark.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/ikea-otgore/\" target=\"_blank\">This excellent post and picture</a> proves as much! Finally, I too will be able to buy the same art, furniture and bedspreads as everyone else in Sofia.','IKEA in Sofia ','','inherit','open','open','','5551-revision-2','','','2011-09-10 21:44:55','2011-09-10 19:44:55','',5551,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/10/5551-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5554,1,'2011-09-11 11:00:38','2011-09-11 09:00:38','As luck would have it, we seem to have joined the rest of Europe now that Sofia is sporting an IKEA. We\'ve got our own blue and yellow block building and in a few weeks our IKEA will open its doors.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Ring Road IKEA in Sofia\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ring Road Ikea\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6135769116/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6135769116_da4b519930_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ring Road Ikea\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nBillboards around the city seem to suggest that September 20th will be the big day as does a <a href=\"http://www.sofiaecho.com/2011/09/09/1152504_ikea-is-here\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia Echo article</a>.\n\nI\'ve been thinking about this new addition to our fine city.  I am of two minds and here\'s why. Generally speaking, I love lingonberry juice but I hate crowds.<!--more-->Aside from crowds, there are three problems in my mind with the new IKEA.\n\nFirst of all, the building is ugly as sin. Secondly, nobody is actually good at putting furniture together based on pictures.  And finally now that I\'ve lived for so long in Sofia how will I be able to eat my Swedish meatballs without a shopksa salad?!\n\nPlease note that I am not evening complaining about the fact they hung the entrance sign up sideways.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6135222261/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6135222261_11254bb099_b.jpg\" alt=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe good news?\n\nWell with advent of IKEA, it seems to me that we must also be getting Craig\'s List in Sofia. I mean how will twenty-somethings sell their cheaply made, poorly assembled, cookie-cutter furniture when they finally decide that it\'s finally time to move up to say a real dresser or a well built table? Secondly, It will be <em>a lot</em> easier for me to spot Mladost from Mt Vitosha given the size and shape of IKEA. <a href=\"http://nervousshark.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/ikea-otgore/\" target=\"_blank\">This excellent post and picture</a> proves as much! (Um really, if you thought you could skip over that link, you\'re nuts. Check it out. Now.) Finally, fingers crossed, I can buy a <a href=\"http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/10018194\" target=\"_blank\">two tiered drying rack</a> for my dishes.','Notes from Sofia: IKEA opening in September ','','inherit','open','open','','5551-revision-3','','','2011-09-11 11:00:38','2011-09-11 09:00:38','',5551,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/11/5551-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5555,1,'2011-09-11 11:15:48','2011-09-11 09:15:48','On January 1, 2007 Bulgaria joined the European Union. As luck would have it, 4 years, 8 months and 20-something days later, we will finally be full members of EU. This is the date when Sofia will fling open the doors to our first IKEA.\n\nYes, in just a few weeks we will all be admiring the floor displays and steering our over-sized shopping carts through the self contained maze of furniture, lighting and home goods in the resplendent blue and yellow block building on the outskirts of town.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Ring Road IKEA in Sofia\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ring Road Ikea\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6135769116/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6135769116_da4b519930_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ring Road Ikea\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nBillboards around the city announced that September 20th is the big day as does a <a href=\"http://www.sofiaecho.com/2011/09/09/1152504_ikea-is-here\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia Echo article</a> and I\'ve already seen people lovingly flipping through IKEA catalogs in outdoor cafes.\n\nAll of this has gotten me thinking about this new addition to our fine city and frankly, I am of two minds. Here\'s why, generally speaking, I love lingonberry juice but I hate crowds. The fact that I loath crowds (and crazy people welding shopping carts) but adore lingonberry juice makes it hard for me to jump on the IKEA bandwagon.<!--more-->Aside from crowds, there are three problems in my mind with the new IKEA.\n\nFirst of all, the building is ugly as sin. Secondly, nobody is actually good at putting furniture together based on pictures.  And finally now that I\'ve lived for so long in Sofia how will I be able to eat my Swedish meatballs without a shopksa salad?!\n\nPlease note that I am not evening complaining about the fact they hung the entrance sign up sideways.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6135222261/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6135222261_11254bb099_b.jpg\" alt=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe good news?\n\nWell with advent of IKEA, it seems to me that we must also be getting Craig\'s List in Sofia. I mean how will twenty-somethings sell their cheaply made, poorly assembled, cookie-cutter furniture when they finally decide that it\'s finally time to move up to say a real dresser or a well built table? Secondly, It will be <em>a lot</em> easier for me to spot Mladost from Mt Vitosha given the size and shape of IKEA. <a href=\"http://nervousshark.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/ikea-otgore/\" target=\"_blank\">This excellent post and picture</a> proves as much! (Um really, if you thought you could skip over that link, you\'re nuts. Check it out. Now.) Finally, fingers crossed, I can buy a <a href=\"http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/10018194\" target=\"_blank\">two tiered drying rack</a> for my dishes.','Notes from Sofia: IKEA opening in September ','','inherit','open','open','','5551-revision-4','','','2011-09-11 11:15:48','2011-09-11 09:15:48','',5551,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/11/5551-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5556,1,'2011-09-11 11:17:46','2011-09-11 09:17:46','On January 1, 2007 Bulgaria joined the European Union. As luck would have it, 4 years, 8 months and 20-something days later, we will finally be full members of EU. This is the date when Sofia will fling open the doors to our first IKEA.\n\nYes, in just a few weeks we will all be admiring the floor displays and steering our over-sized shopping carts through the self contained maze of furniture, lighting and home goods in the resplendent blue and yellow block building on the outskirts of town.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Ring Road IKEA in Sofia\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ring Road Ikea\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6135769116/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6135769116_da4b519930_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ring Road Ikea\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nBillboards around the city announced that September 20th is the big day as does a <a href=\"http://www.sofiaecho.com/2011/09/09/1152504_ikea-is-here\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia Echo article</a> and I\'ve already seen people lovingly flipping through IKEA catalogs in outdoor cafes.\n\nAll of this has gotten me thinking about this new addition to our fine city and frankly, I am of two minds. Here\'s why, generally speaking, I love lingonberry juice but I hate crowds. The fact that I loath crowds (and crazy people welding shopping carts) but adore lingonberry juice makes it hard for me to jump on the IKEA bandwagon.<!--more-->\n\nAside from crowds, there are three problems in my mind with the new IKEA.\n\nFirst of all, the building is ugly as sin. Secondly, nobody is actually good at putting furniture together based on pictures.  And finally now that I\'ve lived for so long in Sofia how will I be able to eat my Swedish meatballs without a shopksa salad?!\n\nPlease note that I am not evening complaining about the fact they hung the entrance sign up sideways.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6135222261/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6135222261_11254bb099_b.jpg\" alt=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe good news?\n\nWell with advent of IKEA, it seems to me that we must also be getting Craig\'s List in Sofia. I mean how will twenty-somethings sell their cheaply made, poorly assembled, cookie-cutter furniture when they finally decide that it\'s finally time to move up to say a real dresser or a well built table?\n\nSecondly, It will be <em>a lot</em> easier for me to spot Mladost from Mt Vitosha given the size and shape of IKEA. <a href=\"http://nervousshark.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/ikea-otgore/\" target=\"_blank\">This excellent post and picture</a> proves as much! (Um really, if you thought you could skip over that link, you\'re nuts. Check it out. Now.)\n\nFinally, fingers crossed, I can buy a <a href=\"http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/10018194\" target=\"_blank\">two tiered drying rack</a> for my dishes.','Notes from Sofia: IKEA opening in September ','','inherit','open','open','','5551-revision-5','','','2011-09-11 11:17:46','2011-09-11 09:17:46','',5551,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/11/5551-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(5557,1,'2011-09-11 18:48:16','2011-09-11 16:48:16','On January 1, 2007 Bulgaria joined the European Union. As luck would have it, 4 years, 8 months and 20-something days later, we will finally be full members of EU. This is the date when Sofia will fling open the doors to our first IKEA.\n\nYes, in just a few weeks we will all be admiring the floor displays and steering our over-sized shopping carts through the self contained maze of furniture, lighting and home goods in the resplendent blue and yellow block building on the outskirts of town.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Ring Road IKEA in Sofia\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ring Road Ikea\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6135769116/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6135769116_da4b519930_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ring Road Ikea\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nBillboards around the city announced that September 20th is the big day as does a <a href=\"http://www.sofiaecho.com/2011/09/09/1152504_ikea-is-here\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia Echo article</a> and I\'ve already seen people lovingly flipping through IKEA catalogs in outdoor cafes.\n\nAll of this has gotten me thinking about this new addition to our fine city and frankly, I am of two minds. Here\'s why, generally speaking, I love lingonberry juice but I hate crowds. The fact that I loath crowds (and crazy people welding shopping carts) but adore lingonberry juice makes it hard for me to jump on the IKEA bandwagon.<!--more-->\n\nAside from crowds, there are three problems in my mind with the new IKEA.\n\nFirst of all, the building is ugly as sin. Secondly, nobody is actually good at putting furniture together based on pictures.  And finally now that I\'ve lived for so long in Sofia how will I be able to eat my Swedish meatballs without a shopksa salad?!\n\nPlease note that I am not evening complaining about the fact they hung the entrance sign up sideways.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6135222261/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6135222261_11254bb099_b.jpg\" alt=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe good news?\n\nWell with advent of IKEA, it seems to me that we must also be getting Craig\'s List in Sofia. I mean how will twenty-somethings sell their cheaply made, poorly assembled, cookie-cutter furniture when they finally decide that it\'s finally time to move up to say a real dresser or a well built table?\n\nSecondly, It will be <em>a lot</em> easier for me to spot Mladost from Mt Vitosha given the size and shape of IKEA. <a href=\"http://nervousshark.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/ikea-otgore/\" target=\"_blank\">This excellent post and picture</a> proves as much! (Um really, if you thought you could skip over that link, you\'re nuts. Check it out. Now.)\n\nFinally, fingers crossed, I can buy a <a href=\"http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/10018194\" target=\"_blank\">two tiered drying rack</a> for my dishes.','Notes from Sofia: IKEA opening in September ','','inherit','open','open','','5551-autosave','','','2011-09-11 18:48:16','2011-09-11 16:48:16','',5551,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/11/5551-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5558,1,'2011-09-11 18:51:15','2011-09-11 16:51:15','I\'m guessing that most people don\'t have a favorite pharmacy (or two as the case may be) but I do. I\'ve got two favorite pharmacies in Sofia. Or maybe or maybe the word drugstore is more accurate.\n\nEither way, I\'ve got favorites.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6132552120/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6179/6132552120_b74942b5eb_b.jpg\" alt=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nOne pharmacy I can see from my apartment window. I like them because they have the time and temperature attached to their store front <em>and</em> because when I am sick, they give me what I need no matter how questionable my Bulgarian is. Oh and they are <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/06/20/buying-sunscreen-at-the-drugstore/\" target=\"_blank\">always really nice to me</a>. Even when we\'re not exactly on the same page.\n\nSo why do I need a second pharmacy?\n\nTampons.\n\n<!--more-->Let me make it clear that it\'s a question of selection not availability. The other pharmacy I like is downtown on Shishman Street. It is by far less convenient but they sell tampons with applicators.\n\nAnd they don\'t just sell any old tampon. They sell <em>Tampax</em>.\n\nYes, just to confirm, I\'m now writing a blog post about tampons.\n\nHere\'s why, it\'s a cultural thing.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6132552352/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6085/6132552352_5f687796f8_b.jpg\" alt=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAs girls in the States we grow up buying boxes of tampons with applicators as applicator-less tampons are the exception rather than the rule. The boxes of tampons we buy have at least a dozen tampons but more often than not the smallest box has 20 and the largest boxes probably have 48 or 50 tampons if not more.\n\nHowever tampons in Bulgaria are a different story. Here the applicator-less tampon is king and about half of the tampons on the shelf are scented.  On top of this, tampons come in boxes of 8 or 16.\n\nSo what\'s the big deal?\n\nA tampon, is a tampon, is a tampon. <em>Right?</em>\n\nWell, yes <em>and</em> no.  The American in me avoids at all costs scented tampons and she also wishes that she could buy more than 16 tampons in a box--it\'s not as if there are extras one month, they will go unused the next month. Then there\'s the issue of the applicator.\n\nThe applicator is clearly just a comfort thing. A tampon with an applicator works just as well as a tampon without. More than anything, it\'s more a question of what you grew up with and what you are used to. The applicator also gives a sense of cleanliness that\'s otherwise lacking.  In a country were you\'ve got to BYOTP (bring your own toilet paper) and most toilets are anything but clean, an applicator just makes you feel better about things.\n\nAs an expat, I can\'t count the number of tampon stories that I\'ve heard over the past three years from other women about the lengths they\'ll go to get tampons with applicators from stuffing boxes of them in luggage, to making guests bring them, to lining up friends and family to mail them from the States. I do wonder what kind of duty you have to pay on boxes of tampons but I\'ve never asked. While bordering on the absurd, these stories do make you wonder: how is that we have such a different cultural understanding of tampons in the States versus in Europe? I\'d guess that there are a number of different factors and that these include availability post WWII, ideas of health and cleanliness, environmental concerns, marketing and tradition.\n\nSo there you have it. If you\'re looking for tampons in Sofia with applicators, the pharmacy at the corner of Shishman and Ivan Vazov pictured above carries them and they are basically the same price as the applicator-less variety.','One of my favorite pharmacies ','','inherit','open','open','','5545-autosave','','','2011-09-11 18:51:15','2011-09-11 16:51:15','',5545,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/11/5545-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5559,1,'2011-09-10 11:15:26','2011-09-10 09:15:26','I\'m guessing that most people don\'t have a favorite pharmacy (or two as the case may be) but I do. I\'ve got two favorite pharmacies in Sofia. Or maybe or maybe the word drugstore is more accurate.\r\n\r\nEither way, I\'ve got favorites.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6132552120/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6179/6132552120_b74942b5eb_b.jpg\" alt=\"Bulgarian Pharmacy on Shishman\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nOne pharmacy I can see from my apartment window. I like them because they have the time and temperature attached to their store front <em>and</em> because when I am sick, they give me what I need no matter how questionable my Bulgarian is. Oh and they are <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/06/20/buying-sunscreen-at-the-drugstore/\" target=\"_blank\">always really nice to me</a>. Even when we\'re not exactly on the same page.\r\n\r\nSo why do I need a second pharmacy?\r\n\r\nTampons.\r\n\r\n<!--more-->Let me make it clear that it\'s a question of selection not availability. The other pharmacy I like is downtown on Shishman Street. It is by far less convenient but they sell tampons with applicators.\r\n\r\nAnd they don\'t just sell any old tampon. They sell <em>Tampax</em>.\r\n\r\nYes, just to confirm, I\'m now writing a blog post about tampons.\r\n\r\nHere\'s why, it\'s a cultural thing.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6132552352/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6085/6132552352_5f687796f8_b.jpg\" alt=\"Tampax in Bulgaria\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAs girls in the States we grow up buying boxes of tampons with applicators as applicator-less tampons are the exception rather than the rule. The boxes of tampons we buy have at least a dozen tampons but more often than not the smallest box has 20 and the largest boxes probably have 48 or 50 tampons if not more.\r\n\r\nHowever tampons in Bulgaria are a different story. Here the applicator-less tampon is king and about half of the tampons on the shelf are scented.  On top of this, tampons come in boxes of 8 or 16.\r\n\r\nSo what\'s the big deal?\r\n\r\nA tampon, is a tampon, is a tampon. <em>Right?</em>\r\n\r\nWell, yes <em>and</em> no.  The American in me avoids at all costs scented tampons and she also wishes that she could buy more than 16 tampons in a box--it\'s not as if there are extras one month, they will go unused the next month. Then there\'s the issue of the applicator.\r\n\r\nThe applicator is clearly just a comfort thing. A tampon with an applicator works just as well as a tampon without. More than anything, it\'s more a question of what you grew up with and what you are used to. The applicator also gives a sense of cleanliness that\'s otherwise lacking.  In a country were you\'ve got to BYOTP (bring your own toilet paper) and most toilets are anything but clean, an applicator just makes you feel better about things.\r\n\r\nAs an expat, I can\'t count the number of tampon stories that I\'ve heard over the past three years from other women about the lengths they\'ll go to get tampons with applicators from stuffing boxes of them in luggage, to making guests bring them, to lining up friends and family to mail them from the States. I do wonder what kind of duty you have to pay on boxes of tampons but I\'ve never asked. While boarding the absurd, these stories do make you wonder: how is that we have such a different cultural understanding of tampons in the States versus in Europe? I\'d guess that there are a number of different factors and that these include availability post WWII, ideas of health and cleanliness, environmental concerns, marketing and tradition.\r\n\r\nSo there you have it. If you\'re looking for tampons in Sofia with applicators, the pharmacy at the corner of Shishman and Ivan Vazov pictured above carries them and they are basically the same price as the applicator-less variety.','One of my favorite pharmacies ','','inherit','open','open','','5545-revision-6','','','2011-09-10 11:15:26','2011-09-10 09:15:26','',5545,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/10/5545-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(5560,1,'2011-09-11 11:18:18','2011-09-11 09:18:18','On January 1, 2007 Bulgaria joined the European Union. As luck would have it, 4 years, 8 months and 20-something days later, we will finally be full members of EU. This is the date when Sofia will fling open the doors to our first IKEA.\r\n\r\nYes, in just a few weeks we will all be admiring the floor displays and steering our over-sized shopping carts through the self contained maze of furniture, lighting and home goods in the resplendent blue and yellow block building on the outskirts of town.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"The Ring Road IKEA in Sofia\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ring Road Ikea\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6135769116/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6159/6135769116_da4b519930_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ring Road Ikea\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBillboards around the city announced that September 20th is the big day as does a <a href=\"http://www.sofiaecho.com/2011/09/09/1152504_ikea-is-here\" target=\"_blank\">Sofia Echo article</a> and I\'ve already seen people lovingly flipping through IKEA catalogs in outdoor cafes.\r\n\r\nAll of this has gotten me thinking about this new addition to our fine city and frankly, I am of two minds. Here\'s why, generally speaking, I love lingonberry juice but I hate crowds. The fact that I loath crowds (and crazy people welding shopping carts) but adore lingonberry juice makes it hard for me to jump on the IKEA bandwagon.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nAside from crowds, there are three problems in my mind with the new IKEA.\r\n\r\nFirst of all, the building is ugly as sin. Secondly, nobody is actually good at putting furniture together based on pictures.  And finally now that I\'ve lived for so long in Sofia how will I be able to eat my Swedish meatballs without a shopksa salad?!\r\n\r\nPlease note that I am not evening complaining about the fact they hung the entrance sign up sideways.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6135222261/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6163/6135222261_11254bb099_b.jpg\" alt=\"Entrance of the new IKEA Sofia\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe good news?\r\n\r\nWell with advent of IKEA, it seems to me that we must also be getting Craig\'s List in Sofia. I mean how will twenty-somethings sell their cheaply made, poorly assembled, cookie-cutter furniture when they finally decide that it\'s finally time to move up to say a real dresser or a well built table?\r\n\r\nSecondly, It will be <em>a lot</em> easier for me to spot Mladost from Mt Vitosha given the size and shape of IKEA. <a href=\"http://nervousshark.wordpress.com/2011/08/30/ikea-otgore/\" target=\"_blank\">This excellent post and picture</a> proves as much! (Um really, if you thought you could skip over that link, you\'re nuts. Check it out. Now.)\r\n\r\nFinally, fingers crossed, I can buy a <a href=\"http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/10018194\" target=\"_blank\">two tiered drying rack</a> for my dishes.','Notes from Sofia: IKEA opening in September ','','inherit','open','open','','5551-revision-6','','','2011-09-11 11:18:18','2011-09-11 09:18:18','',5551,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/11/5551-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(5561,1,'2011-09-12 06:58:19','2011-09-12 04:58:19','Turns out that the pre-school staring Bulgarian lesson was a good and humbling experience. I went to see my favorite Bulgarian tutor (well and only) I. yesterday.  I\'d already met-up with I. for drinks the week before so I knew the lesson would be all business.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Lesson: the Dictation\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Bulgarian Lesson\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6138849483/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6138849483_207ef68c28_b.jpg\" alt=\"Bulgarian Lesson\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nSaturday I got out my text books and my notes. I looked over the last two weeks worth of grammar and homework from June to try to brush up. You know to make sure that I knew what we were studying and to ensure that we were on the same page.\r\n\r\nI was greeted with a page on \"Past Continous Tense\" and found myself unable to remember any rules for how the past tense is formed and when I should be using this tense versus \"Past Simple Tense\" while far from simple I like because it has the word simple in the name. <em>Awesome</em>. I brushed as best I could. Then I begged I. to review this in our next lesson.\r\n\r\nSo in our lesson, I talked about my summer--where I went, what I did and all of the different foods I ate. That wasn\'t too hard or painful.\r\n\r\nThe painful part? <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first Bulgarian Lesson of the year\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Bulgarian Lesson\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6139399046/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6078/6139399046_32433c8d70_b.jpg\" alt=\"Bulgarian Lesson\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThe dictation that followed the what-did-you-do-this-summer conversation.\r\n\r\nI. had selected a short story from a contemporary Bulgarian author for the dictation. The trick with a dictation is listening, writing and spelling all at the same time. The problem I have is that I often am more concerned with what is actually going on in the excerpt that I forget to pay attention to spelling and what not. Then sometimes I get hung up on the fact that I don\'t know very many of the words and then I can\'t always hear the letter combinations.\r\n\r\nAnyhow, it\'s anxiety producing and my head and hand were moving very, very slowly on Sunday. Luckily I don\'t have a grade resting on it. That might have made me cry. Also I was pretty glad that we only did the first paragraph of the story.\r\n\r\nSo the whole thing was a good reminder of the fact that my Bulgarian students haven\'t really been speaking English over the summer and they will be rusty too.\r\n\r\nAfter this experience, I went home talked to a couple of friends on skype and then before bed I re-wrote my dictation. That\'s the neat on in black.','Having a Bulgarian Lesson Before School Starts ','','publish','open','open','','having-a-bulgarian-lesson-before-school-starts','','','2011-09-12 06:58:19','2011-09-12 04:58:19','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5561',0,'post','',2),(5562,1,'2011-09-12 06:57:24','2011-09-12 04:57:24','Turns out that the pre-school staring Bulgarian lesson was a good and humbling experience. I went to see my favorite Bulgarian tutor (well and only) I. yesterday.  I\'d already met-up with I. for drinks the week before so I knew the lesson would be all business.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Bulgarian Lesson: the Dictation\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Bulgarian Lesson\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6138849483/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6062/6138849483_207ef68c28_b.jpg\" alt=\"Bulgarian Lesson\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nSaturday I got out my text books and my notes. I looked over the last two weeks worth of grammar and homework from June to try to brush up. You know to make sure that I knew what we were studying and to ensure that we were on the same page.\n\nI was greeted with a page on \"Past Continous Tense\" and found myself unable to remember any rules for how the past tense is formed and when I should be using this tense versus \"Past Simple Tense\" while far from simple I like because it has the word simple in the name. <em>Awesome</em>. I brushed as best I could. Then I begged I. to review this in our next lesson.\n\nSo in our lesson, I talked about my summer--where I went, what I did and all of the different foods I ate. That wasn\'t too hard or painful.\n\nThe painful part? <!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first Bulgarian Lesson of the year\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Bulgarian Lesson\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6139399046/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6078/6139399046_32433c8d70_b.jpg\" alt=\"Bulgarian Lesson\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThe dictation that followed the what-did-you-do-this-summer conversation.\n\nI. had selected a short story from a contemporary Bulgarian author for the dictation. The trick with a dictation is listening, writing and spelling all at the same time. The problem I have is that I often am more concerned with what is actually going on in the excerpt that I forget to pay attention to spelling and what not. Then sometimes I get hung up on the fact that I don\'t know very many of the words and then I can\'t always hear the letter combinations.\n\nAnyhow, it\'s anxiety producing and my head and hand were moving very, very slowly on Sunday. Luckily I don\'t have a grade resting on it. That might have made me cry. Also I was pretty glad that we only did the first paragraph of the story.\n\nSo the whole thing was a good reminder of the fact that my Bulgarian students haven\'t really been speaking English over the summer and they will be rusty too.\n\nAfter this experience, I went home talked to a couple of friends on skype and then b','Having a Bulgarian Lesson Before School Starts ','','inherit','open','open','','5561-revision','','','2011-09-12 06:57:24','2011-09-12 04:57:24','',5561,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/12/5561-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5563,1,'2011-09-13 07:20:57','2011-09-13 05:20:57','School starts this week. I can\'t help thinking about time. I\'ve been back at work since early in September and I\'m getting antsy to actually start teaching. I am looking forward to going to school and being greeted with smiles and hellos. I am excited to see who my students and to get to know them.\r\n\r\nIt\'s time.\r\n\r\nI know it\'s time because I am tired of planning. I am tired of filling out paper work for the Ministry of Education. I am tired of our Onda coffee shop being closed and I\'d like to start my mornings off with a cappuccino.\r\n\r\nMostly though, school feels pretty empty without students around.\r\n\r\nAnd that\'s no fun.','School Starts on Thursday ','','publish','open','open','','school-starts-on-thursday','','','2011-09-12 20:21:15','2011-09-12 18:21:15','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5563',0,'post','',0),(5564,1,'2011-09-12 20:19:42','2011-09-12 18:19:42','School starts this week. I can\'t help thinking about time. I\'ve been back at work since early in September and I\'m getting antsy to actually start teaching. I am looking forward to going to school and being greeted with smiles and hellos. I am excited to see who my students and to get to know them.\n\nIt\'s time.\n\nI know it\'s time because I am tired of planning. I am tired of filling out paper work for the Ministry of Education. I am tired of our Onda coffee shop being closed and I\'d like to start my mornings off with a cappuccino.\n\nMostly though, school feels pretty empty without students around.','School Starts on Thursday ','','inherit','open','open','','5563-revision','','','2011-09-12 20:19:42','2011-09-12 18:19:42','',5563,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/12/5563-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5565,1,'2011-09-12 20:20:25','2011-09-12 18:20:25','School starts this week. I can\'t help thinking about time. I\'ve been back at work since early in September and I\'m getting antsy to actually start teaching. I am looking forward to going to school and being greeted with smiles and hellos. I am excited to see who my students and to get to know them.\r\n\r\nIt\'s time.\r\n\r\nI know it\'s time because I am tired of planning. I am tired of filling out paper work for the Ministry of Education. I am tired of our Onda coffee shop being closed and I\'d like to start my mornings off with a cappuccino.\r\n\r\nMostly though, school feels pretty empty without students around.\r\n\r\nAnd that\'s no fun.','School Starts on Thursday ','','inherit','open','open','','5563-revision-2','','','2011-09-12 20:20:25','2011-09-12 18:20:25','',5563,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/12/5563-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5566,1,'2011-09-12 20:20:39','2011-09-12 18:20:39','School starts this week. I can\'t help thinking about time. I\'ve been back at work since early in September and I\'m getting antsy to actually start teaching. I am looking forward to going to school and being greeted with smiles and hellos. I am excited to see who my students and to get to know them.\r\n\r\nIt\'s time.\r\n\r\nI know it\'s time because I am tired of planning. I am tired of filling out paper work for the Ministry of Education. I am tired of our Onda coffee shop being closed and I\'d like to start my mornings off with a cappuccino.\r\n\r\nMostly though, school feels pretty empty without students around.\r\n\r\nAnd that\'s no fun.','School Starts on Thursday ','','inherit','open','open','','5563-revision-3','','','2011-09-12 20:20:39','2011-09-12 18:20:39','',5563,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/12/5563-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5567,1,'2011-09-12 20:22:20','2011-09-12 18:22:20','School starts this week. I can\'t help thinking about time. I\'ve been back at work since early in September and I\'m getting antsy to actually start teaching. I am looking forward to going to school and being greeted with smiles and hellos. I am excited to see who my students and to get to know them.\n\nIt\'s time.\n\nI know it\'s time because I am tired of planning. I am tired of filling out paper work for the Ministry of Education. I am tired of our Onda coffee shop being closed and I\'d like to start my mornings off with a cappuccino.\n\nMostly though, school feels pretty empty without students around.\n\nAnd that\'s no fun.','School Starts on Thursday ','','inherit','open','open','','5563-autosave','','','2011-09-12 20:22:20','2011-09-12 18:22:20','',5563,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/12/5563-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5568,1,'2011-09-14 06:06:34','2011-09-14 04:06:34','And so my post today won\'t be anything spectacular. I mean these things happen when a girl wakes up thinking about school and jumps out of bed at 6:15 am with her alarm-clock.\r\n\r\nToday, I\'ve got to get the piles of papers currently inhabiting most flat surfaces in my office taken care of. Ideally this means sorted and filed. In reality this may mean stacked together and tucked under my desk. I am still holding out for the first option.\r\n\r\nThe problem is that today all of the teachers at school are getting CPR certified. Whot-whot. Then I\'ll be able to save people ER/Grey\'s Anatomy/House-style. Or at least that\'s what I\'ve been telling myself given the fact that this training will last <em>all day</em> on the day before school when I\'ve got a million and one things to get done.\r\n\r\nI\'ve also been trying to convince myself that being CPR certified will make me better looking. Really, who doesn\'t love a girl who knows CPR and Foucault?\r\n\r\nOh and I think that I get a certificate for being certified. <em>A certificate!!</em> <!--more-->\r\n\r\nMaybe when <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/11/notes-from-sofia-ikea-opening-in-september/\" target=\"_blank\">IKEA opens</a> I\'ll buy a cheep frame (but one that may be <a href=\"http://iordanmateev.blogspot.com/2011/09/ii.html?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FAVKcU+%28%D0%98%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0+%D0%BD%D0%B0+%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BA%D0%BE%29\" target=\"_blank\">20% higher than other IKEAs around Europe</a>--yes, the blog is in Bulgarian but you can still see an pretty detailed list of price differences) to frame my certificate. Maybe not.\r\n\r\nMaybe my name will be spelled CHAROLIN EIMIGH on said certificate. Yep. That\'s how my name shows up on the CPR certification list. That makes me either Шаролин or Чаролин in Bulgarian where the \"Ш\" makes a soft \"sh\" sound in English or where the \"Ч\" makes a hard \"ch\" sound. It was a agreed that I should probably stick with the first because it\'s prettier and sounds more French. <em>O-la-la</em>.\r\n\r\nI guess it will be a long night at work. Good thing, Mladost is beautiful by night--it\'s harder to see the garbage suck in the bushes on the way to and from campus at night.\r\n\r\nThen tomorrow, September 15th, school starts (and I\'ll be buying myself my own flowers to celebrate because I deserve them and because no student has ever brought me flowers for the first day of school. Teenagers). Really thought, I couldn\'t be happier about the start of school because currently campus is lonely, empty and feels pretty lifeless without students around.','I\'m in the day before school mode ','','publish','open','open','','im-in-the-day-before-school-mode','','','2011-09-14 06:06:34','2011-09-14 04:06:34','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5568',0,'post','',0),(5569,1,'2011-09-14 06:06:04','2011-09-14 04:06:04','And so my post today won\'t be anything spectacular. I mean these things happen when a girl wakes up thinking about school and jumps out of bed at 6:15 am with her alarm-clock.\n\nToday, I\'ve got to get the piles of papers currently inhabiting most flat surfaces in my office taken care of. Ideally this means sorted and filed. In reality this may mean stacked together and tucked under my desk. I am still holding out for the first option.\n\nThe problem is that today all of the teachers at school are getting CPR certified. Whot-whot. Then I\'ll be able to save people ER/Grey\'s Anatomy/House-style. Or at least that\'s what I\'ve been telling myself given the fact that this training will last <em>all day</em> on the day before school when I\'ve got a million and one things to get done.\n\nI\'ve also been trying to convince myself that being CPR certified will make me better looking. Really, who doesn\'t love a girl who knows CPR and Foucault?\n\nOh and I think that I get a certificate for being certified. <em>A certificate!!</em> Maybe when <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/11/notes-from-sofia-ikea-opening-in-september/\" target=\"_blank\">IKEA opens</a> I\'ll buy a cheep frame (but one that may be <a href=\"http://iordanmateev.blogspot.com/2011/09/ii.html?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FAVKcU+%28%D0%98%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0+%D0%BD%D0%B0+%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BA%D0%BE%29\" target=\"_blank\">20% higher than other IKEAs around Europe</a>--yes, the blog is in Bulgarian but you can still see an pretty detailed list of price differences) to frame my certificate. Maybe not.\n\nMaybe my name will be spelled CHAROLIN EIMIGH on said certificate. Yep. That\'s how my name shows up on the CPR certification list. That makes me either Шаролин or Чаролин in Bulgarian where the \"Ш\" makes a soft \"sh\" sound in English or where the \"Ч\" makes a hard \"ch\" sound. It was a agreed that I should probably stick with the first because it\'s prettier and sounds more French. <em>O-la-la</em>.\n\nI guess it will be a long night at work. Good thing, Mladost is beautiful by night--it\'s harder to see the garbage suck in the bushes on the way to and from campus at night.\n\nThen tomorrow, September 15th, school starts (and I\'ll be buying myself my own flowers to celebrate because I deserve them and because no student has ever brought me flowers for the first day of school. Teenagers). Really thought, I couldn\'t be happier about the start of school because currently campus is lonely, empty and feels pretty lifeless without students around.','I\'m in the day before school mode ','','inherit','open','open','','5568-revision','','','2011-09-14 06:06:04','2011-09-14 04:06:04','',5568,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/14/5568-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5570,1,'2011-09-14 20:31:43','2011-09-14 18:31:43','And so my post today won\'t be anything spectacular. I mean these things happen when a girl wakes up thinking about school and jumps out of bed at 6:15 am with her alarm-clock.\n\nToday, I\'ve got to get the piles of papers currently inhabiting most flat surfaces in my office taken care of. Ideally this means sorted and filed. In reality this may mean stacked together and tucked under my desk. I am still holding out for the first option.\n\nThe problem is that today all of the teachers at school are getting CPR certified. Whot-whot. Then I\'ll be able to save people ER/Grey\'s Anatomy/House-style. Or at least that\'s what I\'ve been telling myself given the fact that this training will last <em>all day</em> on the day before school when I\'ve got a million and one things to get done.\n\nI\'ve also been trying to convince myself that being CPR certified will make me better looking. Really, who doesn\'t love a girl who knows CPR and Foucault?\n\nOh and I think that I get a certificate for being certified. <em>A certificate!!</em> <!--more-->\n\nMaybe when <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/11/notes-from-sofia-ikea-opening-in-september/\" target=\"_blank\">IKEA opens</a> I\'ll buy a cheep frame (but one that may be <a href=\"http://iordanmateev.blogspot.com/2011/09/ii.html?utm_source=feedburner&amp;utm_medium=feed&amp;utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FAVKcU+%28%D0%98%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%BE%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0+%D0%BD%D0%B0+%D0%B2%D1%81%D0%B8%D1%87%D0%BA%D0%BE%29\" target=\"_blank\">20% higher than other IKEAs around Europe</a>--yes, the blog is in Bulgarian but you can still see an pretty detailed list of price differences) to frame my certificate. Maybe not.\n\nMaybe my name will be spelled CHAROLIN EIMIGH on said certificate. Yep. That\'s how my name shows up on the CPR certification list. That makes me either Шаролин or Чаролин in Bulgarian where the \"Ш\" makes a soft \"sh\" sound in English or where the \"Ч\" makes a hard \"ch\" sound. It was a agreed that I should probably stick with the first because it\'s prettier and sounds more French. <em>O-la-la</em>.\n\nI guess it will be a long night at work. Good thing, Mladost is beautiful by night--it\'s harder to see the garbage suck in the bushes on the way to and from campus at night.\n\nThen tomorrow, September 15th, school starts (and I\'ll be buying myself my own flowers to celebrate because I deserve them and because no student has ever brought me flowers for the first day of school. Teenagers). Really thought, I couldn\'t be happier about the start of school because currently campus is lonely, empty and feels pretty lifeless without students around.','I\'m in the day before school mode ','','inherit','open','open','','5568-autosave','','','2011-09-14 20:31:43','2011-09-14 18:31:43','',5568,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/14/5568-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5571,1,'2011-09-15 05:48:33','2011-09-15 03:48:33','What!? What!?\r\n\r\nToday\'s the first day of school.\r\n\r\nHow did it get to be September 15th already?\r\n\r\nHow is this the start of my fourth school year in Bulgaria and my third at ACS?!\r\n\r\nAnd how is this all such a wonderful thing?<!--more-->\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2008/09/15/first-day-of-school/\" target=\"_blank\">My first day of school at The First English Language School</a> it was drizzling and after the ceremony we all went to drink (alcohol at 10:30 am), eat, dance and lots of people smoked out the windows of the staff room (even though this is verboten). For the record, it\'s really weird to read posts from my first year in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nMy first year at The American College of Sofia I was overwhelmed by traditions, games and the positivity of students.  And for the life of me I couldn\'t ever see/find/spot the eight or so kids assigned to me because something like 20% of the school was wearing yellow tee-shirts for their house or blue, green, orange or red accordingly. I just had to wait for the students to find me. (And apparently I didn\'t write a blog post about the first day of school in my second year--what was I thinking?! Apparently, I had a million other things on my mind.)\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/09/15/first-day-of-school-2/\" target=\"_blank\">My second year at ACS</a>, I felt like I had more of a grasp on things. I could answer the questions that students asked be rather than re-directing them to other teachers, I was able to help organize things and I somehow managed to enjoy myself!\r\n\r\nMy third year at ACS starts today. Wish me luck.\r\n\r\nOh and a very special good luck to all of the new teachers in Bulgaria today. Especially the new Fulbright teachers, Peace Corps volunteers and Teach for Bulgaria teachers!!','Today\'s the First Day of School','','publish','open','open','','todays-the-first-day-of-school','','','2011-09-15 05:48:33','2011-09-15 03:48:33','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5571',0,'post','',0),(5572,1,'2011-09-14 20:51:18','2011-09-14 18:51:18','Wow. How did it get to be September 15th already? How is this the start of my fourth school year in Bulgaria and my third at ACS?!','Today\'s the First Day of School','','inherit','open','open','','5571-revision','','','2011-09-14 20:51:18','2011-09-14 18:51:18','',5571,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/14/5571-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5573,1,'2011-09-15 05:47:32','2011-09-15 03:47:32','What!? What!?\n\nToday\'s the first day of school.\n\nHow did it get to be September 15th already?\n\nHow is this the start of my fourth school year in Bulgaria and my third at ACS?!\n\nHow is this all such a wonderful thing?\n\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2008/09/15/first-day-of-school/\" target=\"_blank\">My first day of school at The First English Language School</a> it was drizzling and after the ceremony we all went to drink (alcohol at 10:30 am), eat, dance and lots of people smoked out the windows of the staff room (even though this is verboten). For the record, it\'s really weird to read posts from my first year in Bulgaria.\n\nMy first year at The American College of Sofia I was overwhelmed by traditions, games and the positivity of students.  And for the life of me I couldn\'t ever see/find/spot the eight or so kids assigned to me because something like 20% of the school was wearing yellow tee-shirts for their house or blue, green, orange or red accordingly. I just had to wait for the students to find me. (And apparently I didn\'t write a blog post about the first day of school in my second year--what was I thinking?! Apparently, I had a million other things on my mind.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/09/15/first-day-of-school-2/\" target=\"_blank\">My second year at ACS</a>, I felt like I had more of a grasp on things. I could answer the questions that students asked be rather than re-directing them to other teachers, I was able to help organize things and I somehow managed to enjoy myself!\n\nMy third year at ACS starts today. Wish me luck.\n\nOh and a very special good luck to all of the new teachers in Bulgaria today. Especially the new Fulbright teachers, Peace Corps volunteers and Teach for Bulgaria teachers!!','Today\'s the First Day of School','','inherit','open','open','','5571-revision-2','','','2011-09-15 05:47:32','2011-09-15 03:47:32','',5571,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/15/5571-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5574,1,'2011-09-15 05:47:43','2011-09-15 03:47:43','What!? What!?\r\n\r\nToday\'s the first day of school.\r\n\r\nHow did it get to be September 15th already?\r\n\r\nHow is this the start of my fourth school year in Bulgaria and my third at ACS?!\r\n\r\nHow is this all such a wonderful thing?\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2008/09/15/first-day-of-school/\" target=\"_blank\">My first day of school at The First English Language School</a> it was drizzling and after the ceremony we all went to drink (alcohol at 10:30 am), eat, dance and lots of people smoked out the windows of the staff room (even though this is verboten). For the record, it\'s really weird to read posts from my first year in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nMy first year at The American College of Sofia I was overwhelmed by traditions, games and the positivity of students.  And for the life of me I couldn\'t ever see/find/spot the eight or so kids assigned to me because something like 20% of the school was wearing yellow tee-shirts for their house or blue, green, orange or red accordingly. I just had to wait for the students to find me. (And apparently I didn\'t write a blog post about the first day of school in my second year--what was I thinking?! Apparently, I had a million other things on my mind.)\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/09/15/first-day-of-school-2/\" target=\"_blank\">My second year at ACS</a>, I felt like I had more of a grasp on things. I could answer the questions that students asked be rather than re-directing them to other teachers, I was able to help organize things and I somehow managed to enjoy myself!\r\n\r\nMy third year at ACS starts today. Wish me luck.\r\n\r\nOh and a very special good luck to all of the new teachers in Bulgaria today. Especially the new Fulbright teachers, Peace Corps volunteers and Teach for Bulgaria teachers!!','Today\'s the First Day of School','','inherit','open','open','','5571-revision-3','','','2011-09-15 05:47:43','2011-09-15 03:47:43','',5571,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/15/5571-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5575,1,'2011-09-15 05:47:44','2011-09-15 03:47:44','What!? What!?\r\n\r\nToday\'s the first day of school.\r\n\r\nHow did it get to be September 15th already?\r\n\r\nHow is this the start of my fourth school year in Bulgaria and my third at ACS?!\r\n\r\nHow is this all such a wonderful thing?\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2008/09/15/first-day-of-school/\" target=\"_blank\">My first day of school at The First English Language School</a> it was drizzling and after the ceremony we all went to drink (alcohol at 10:30 am), eat, dance and lots of people smoked out the windows of the staff room (even though this is verboten). For the record, it\'s really weird to read posts from my first year in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nMy first year at The American College of Sofia I was overwhelmed by traditions, games and the positivity of students.  And for the life of me I couldn\'t ever see/find/spot the eight or so kids assigned to me because something like 20% of the school was wearing yellow tee-shirts for their house or blue, green, orange or red accordingly. I just had to wait for the students to find me. (And apparently I didn\'t write a blog post about the first day of school in my second year--what was I thinking?! Apparently, I had a million other things on my mind.)\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/09/15/first-day-of-school-2/\" target=\"_blank\">My second year at ACS</a>, I felt like I had more of a grasp on things. I could answer the questions that students asked be rather than re-directing them to other teachers, I was able to help organize things and I somehow managed to enjoy myself!\r\n\r\nMy third year at ACS starts today. Wish me luck.\r\n\r\nOh and a very special good luck to all of the new teachers in Bulgaria today. Especially the new Fulbright teachers, Peace Corps volunteers and Teach for Bulgaria teachers!!','Today\'s the First Day of School','','inherit','open','open','','5571-revision-4','','','2011-09-15 05:47:44','2011-09-15 03:47:44','',5571,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/15/5571-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5576,1,'2011-09-15 18:55:38','2011-09-15 16:55:38','What!? What!?\n\nToday\'s the first day of school.\n\nHow did it get to be September 15th already?\n\nHow is this the start of my fourth school year in Bulgaria and my third at ACS?!\n\nAnd how is this all such a wonderful thing?<!--more-->\n\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2008/09/15/first-day-of-school/\" target=\"_blank\">My first day of school at The First English Language School</a> it was drizzling and after the ceremony we all went to drink (alcohol at 10:30 am), eat, dance and lots of people smoked out the windows of the staff room (even though this is verboten). For the record, it\'s really weird to read posts from my first year in Bulgaria.\n\nMy first year at The American College of Sofia I was overwhelmed by traditions, games and the positivity of students.  And for the life of me I couldn\'t ever see/find/spot the eight or so kids assigned to me because something like 20% of the school was wearing yellow tee-shirts for their house or blue, green, orange or red accordingly. I just had to wait for the students to find me. (And apparently I didn\'t write a blog post about the first day of school in my second year--what was I thinking?! Apparently, I had a million other things on my mind.)\n\n<a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/09/15/first-day-of-school-2/\" target=\"_blank\">My second year at ACS</a>, I felt like I had more of a grasp on things. I could answer the questions that students asked be rather than re-directing them to other teachers, I was able to help organize things and I somehow managed to enjoy myself!\n\nMy third year at ACS starts today. Wish me luck.\n\nOh and a very special good luck to all of the new teachers in Bulgaria today. Especially the new Fulbright teachers, Peace Corps volunteers and Teach for Bulgaria teachers!!','Today\'s the First Day of School','','inherit','open','open','','5571-autosave','','','2011-09-15 18:55:38','2011-09-15 16:55:38','',5571,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/15/5571-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5578,1,'2011-09-16 05:37:20','2011-09-16 03:37:20','Most of the time by the time I get to Friday, I think <em>easy</em>. This day will take care of itself.\n\nToday this will not be the case. I am super pumped to meet three of my five sections for the year but I\'ve got a lot of introducing, teaching, explaining and modeling to do today.\n\nI\"ll be directing <em>everything</em>.\n\nSit here, turn of cell phones, do this, talk about that, answer this question, do this task, keep this, find that, come to school with these things. And so on. Am I complaining? No-way. It\'s better to do these things early on. It sets the tenor for the rest of the year.\n\nIs there light at the end of the tunnel? Yep.\n\nThank-god we\'re not working tomorrow. <em>Yes indeedy</em>, tomorrow is a work day for everyone else in Bulgaria in order to make up for a previous four-day weekend.\n\nI am going to need the whole weekend to recover and plan for next week.','Gasp, Friday ','','inherit','open','open','','5577-revision','','','2011-09-16 05:37:20','2011-09-16 03:37:20','',5577,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/16/5577-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5579,1,'2011-09-16 05:38:20','2011-09-16 03:38:20','Most of the time by the time I get to Friday, I think <em>easy</em>. This day will take care of itself.\n\nToday this will not be the case. I am super pumped to meet three of my five sections for the year but I\'ve got a lot of introducing, teaching, explaining and modeling to do today.\n\nI\"ll be directing <em>everything</em>.\n\nSit here, turn of cell phones, do this, talk about that, answer this question, do this task, keep this, find that, come to school with these things. And so on. Am I complaining? No-way. It\'s better to do these things early on. It sets the tenor for the rest of the year.\n\nIs there light at the end of the tunnel? Yep.\n\nAnd it\'s this: thank-god we\'re not working tomorrow. <em>Yes indeedy</em>, tomorrow is a work day for everyone <em>else</em> in Bulgaria in order to make up for a previous four-day weekend.','Gasp, Friday ','','inherit','open','open','','5577-autosave','','','2011-09-16 05:38:20','2011-09-16 03:38:20','',5577,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/16/5577-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5581,1,'2011-09-18 19:25:49','2011-09-18 17:25:49','Hey, Thursday, September 15th was my first day of school for the year.\r\n\r\nHere\'s my picture in front of the school at, oh, 7:20am.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first day of school!\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My first day of school!\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6158654451/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6196/6158654451_aca15c1947_b.jpg\" alt=\"My first day of school!\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYes, I got to wear a yellow tee-shirt and jeans for the first day of school.\r\n\r\nThat\'s because the house that I belong to is Golden Lions, thus the golden-yellow tee-shirt. Our house has about 70 students and 8 or 9 teachers and on the first day of school we all wear our yellow ACS tee-shirts. My advisory group has nine students--three juniors, two sophomores and four freshmen. It\'s a pretty good group of students.\r\n\r\nSo at our school we start the year by introducing all of the new teachers, then we greet the new 8th grade students, play some games in our houses, get to know our advisory groups  and finally we give students their schedules and they find out which sections they are in.  It\'s a pretty fun day and a good way to ease into school.\r\n\r\nSure it\'s not the first day of school I grew up with in America but it\'s also a pretty far cry for the traditional first day of school in Bulgaria. It\'s an interesting combination of the two.\r\n\r\nThe first day of school American style. You know where you, as a student, actually meet your teachers and sit in a desk? Well that\'s September 16th.  The second day of school here in Bulgaria. The day where you get to actually hold class and meet your students.\r\n\r\nAnd the 16th? Well, that was pretty great too. I met three of my five classes. I am looking forward to meeting everyone else and really getting the year started.','Another First Day of School','','publish','open','open','','another-first-day-of-school','','','2011-09-18 19:25:49','2011-09-18 17:25:49','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5581',0,'post','',0),(5582,1,'2011-09-18 19:21:50','2011-09-18 17:21:50','Hey, Thursday, September 15th was my first day of school for the year.\n\nHere\'s my picture in front of the school at, oh, 7:20am.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first day of school!\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My first day of school!\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6158654451/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6196/6158654451_aca15c1947_b.jpg\" alt=\"My first day of school!\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nYes, I got to wear a yellow tee-shirt and jeans for the first day of school.\n\nThat\'s because the house that I belong to is Golden Lions, thus the golden-yellow tee-shirt. Our house has about 70 students and 8 or 9 teachers and on the first day of school we all wear our yellow ACS tee-shirts. My advisory group has nine students--three juniors, two sophomores and four freshmen. It\'s a pretty good group of students.\n\nSo at our school we start the year by introducing all of the new teachers, then we greet the new 8th grade students, play some games in our houses, get to know our advisory groups  and finally we give students their schedules and they find out which sections they are in.  It\'s a pretty fun day and a good way to ease into school.\n\nSure it\'s not the first day of school I grew up with in America but it\'s also a pretty far cry for the traditional first day of school in Bulgaria. It\'s an interesting combination of the two.\n\nThe first day of school American style. You know where you, as a student, actually meet your teachers and sit in a desk? Well that\'s September 16th.  The second day of school here in Bulgaria. The day where you get to actually hold class and meet your students.\n\nAnd the 16th? Well, it was pretty great too. My students','Another First Day of School','','inherit','open','open','','5581-revision','','','2011-09-18 19:21:50','2011-09-18 17:21:50','',5581,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/18/5581-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5583,1,'2011-09-18 19:23:27','2011-09-18 17:23:27','Hey, Thursday, September 15th was my first day of school for the year.\r\n\r\nHere\'s my picture in front of the school at, oh, 7:20am.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first day of school!\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My first day of school!\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6158654451/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6196/6158654451_aca15c1947_b.jpg\" alt=\"My first day of school!\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYes, I got to wear a yellow tee-shirt and jeans for the first day of school.\r\n\r\nThat\'s because the house that I belong to is Golden Lions, thus the golden-yellow tee-shirt. Our house has about 70 students and 8 or 9 teachers and on the first day of school we all wear our yellow ACS tee-shirts. My advisory group has nine students--three juniors, two sophomores and four freshmen. It\'s a pretty good group of students.\r\n\r\nSo at our school we start the year by introducing all of the new teachers, then we greet the new 8th grade students, play some games in our houses, get to know our advisory groups  and finally we give students their schedules and they find out which sections they are in.  It\'s a pretty fun day and a good way to ease into school.\r\n\r\nSure it\'s not the first day of school I grew up with in America but it\'s also a pretty far cry for the traditional first day of school in Bulgaria. It\'s an interesting combination of the two.\r\n\r\nThe first day of school American style. You know where you, as a student, actually meet your teachers and sit in a desk? Well that\'s September 16th.  The second day of school here in Bulgaria. The day where you get to actually hold class and meet your students.\r\n\r\nAnd the 16th? Well, it was pretty great too.','Another First Day of School','','inherit','open','open','','5581-revision-2','','','2011-09-18 19:23:27','2011-09-18 17:23:27','',5581,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/18/5581-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5584,1,'2011-09-18 19:23:41','2011-09-18 17:23:41','Hey, Thursday, September 15th was my first day of school for the year.\r\n\r\nHere\'s my picture in front of the school at, oh, 7:20am.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first day of school!\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My first day of school!\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6158654451/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6196/6158654451_aca15c1947_b.jpg\" alt=\"My first day of school!\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nYes, I got to wear a yellow tee-shirt and jeans for the first day of school.\r\n\r\nThat\'s because the house that I belong to is Golden Lions, thus the golden-yellow tee-shirt. Our house has about 70 students and 8 or 9 teachers and on the first day of school we all wear our yellow ACS tee-shirts. My advisory group has nine students--three juniors, two sophomores and four freshmen. It\'s a pretty good group of students.\r\n\r\nSo at our school we start the year by introducing all of the new teachers, then we greet the new 8th grade students, play some games in our houses, get to know our advisory groups  and finally we give students their schedules and they find out which sections they are in.  It\'s a pretty fun day and a good way to ease into school.\r\n\r\nSure it\'s not the first day of school I grew up with in America but it\'s also a pretty far cry for the traditional first day of school in Bulgaria. It\'s an interesting combination of the two.\r\n\r\nThe first day of school American style. You know where you, as a student, actually meet your teachers and sit in a desk? Well that\'s September 16th.  The second day of school here in Bulgaria. The day where you get to actually hold class and meet your students.\r\n\r\nAnd the 16th? Well, it was pretty great too.','Another First Day of School','','inherit','open','open','','5581-revision-3','','','2011-09-18 19:23:41','2011-09-18 17:23:41','',5581,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/18/5581-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5585,1,'2011-09-18 19:27:04','2011-09-18 17:27:04','Hey, Thursday, September 15th was my first day of school for the year.\n\nHere\'s my picture in front of the school at, oh, 7:20am.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My first day of school!\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My first day of school!\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6158654451/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6196/6158654451_aca15c1947_b.jpg\" alt=\"My first day of school!\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nYes, I got to wear a yellow tee-shirt and jeans for the first day of school.\n\nThat\'s because the house that I belong to is Golden Lions, thus the golden-yellow tee-shirt. Our house has about 70 students and 8 or 9 teachers and on the first day of school we all wear our yellow ACS tee-shirts. My advisory group has nine students--three juniors, two sophomores and four freshmen. It\'s a pretty good group of students.\n\nSo at our school we start the year by introducing all of the new teachers, then we greet the new 8th grade students, play some games in our houses, get to know our advisory groups  and finally we give students their schedules and they find out which sections they are in.  It\'s a pretty fun day and a good way to ease into school.\n\nSure it\'s not the first day of school I grew up with in America but it\'s also a pretty far cry for the traditional first day of school in Bulgaria. It\'s an interesting combination of the two.\n\nThe first day of school American style. You know where you, as a student, actually meet your teachers and sit in a desk? Well that\'s September 16th.  The second day of school here in Bulgaria. The day where you get to actually hold class and meet your students.\n\nAnd the 16th? Well, that was pretty great too. I met three of my five classes. I am looking forward to meeting everyone else and really getting the year started.','Another First Day of School','','inherit','open','open','','5581-autosave','','','2011-09-18 19:27:04','2011-09-18 17:27:04','',5581,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/18/5581-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5586,1,'2011-09-19 05:48:33','2011-09-19 03:48:33','I\'ve long done my laundry in cold water. I am not sure when exactly this habit started but I am not sure that I can remember a time when I haven\'t washed my things in cold water. Sure it means that you\'ve got to pre-treat a stain, a spot or something otherwise very dirty but such is life.\r\n\r\nSo this headline in the NYT caught my eye this weekend: <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/17/business/cold-water-detergents-get-a-chilly-reception.html\" target=\"_blank\">Cold-Water Detergent Gets the Cold Shoulder</a>. What?! Why is that?\r\n<blockquote>Newly formulated laundry detergents can wash most clothes perfectly well in cold water, manufacturers say, but customers are stubbornly refusing to turn down the temperature. Although some of these detergents have been available for several years, customers cling to mom’s age-old advice that hot water washes best — squandering energy and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.\r\n\r\nEven in Germany, where consumers tend to be more environmentally attuned than in the United States, manufacturers have discovered that cold-water washing is such a hard sell that they have relegated claims about it — and the attendant green benefits — to the fine print, choosing to emphasize other attributes.</blockquote>\r\nWell it turns out that people <em>like</em> to wash their clothes in hot water. People think that hot water is better despite the increased energy required to wash clothes in hot water.\r\n\r\nHuna. Not me. <!--more-->\r\n\r\nHowever all of this did illuminate why my front loading washing machine here in Sofia has options in degrees Celsius ranging from snowflake to 90 degrees Celsius.\r\n\r\nJust stop and think about that for a minute. 90 degrees Celsius is 194 degrees Fahrenheit.\r\n\r\nAs for the snowflake? Well, I\'m pretty sure that my washing machine is just using cold water to wash the clothes and not actually little snowflakes. Even though a snowflake cycle would be pretty cool.\r\n\r\nSo, who taught you how to do laundry? Are you using hot water to wash your clothes? Why or why not?','Doing Laundry in Cold Water ','','publish','open','open','','doing-laundry-in-cold-water','','','2011-09-19 05:48:33','2011-09-19 03:48:33','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5586',0,'post','',4),(5587,1,'2011-09-19 05:47:41','2011-09-19 03:47:41','I\'ve long done my laundry in cold water. I am not sure when exactly this habit started but I am not sure that I can remember a time when I haven\'t washed my things in cold water. Sure it means that you\'ve got to pre-treat a stain, a spot or something otherwise very dirty but such is life.\n\nSo this headline in the NYT caught my eye this weekend: <a href=\"http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/17/business/cold-water-detergents-get-a-chilly-reception.html\" target=\"_blank\">Cold-Water Detergent Gets the Cold Shoulder</a>. What?! Why is that?\n<blockquote>Newly formulated laundry detergents can wash most clothes perfectly well in cold water, manufacturers say, but customers are stubbornly refusing to turn down the temperature. Although some of these detergents have been available for several years, customers cling to mom’s age-old advice that hot water washes best — squandering energy and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.\n\nEven in Germany, where consumers tend to be more environmentally attuned than in the United States, manufacturers have discovered that cold-water washing is such a hard sell that they have relegated claims about it — and the attendant green benefits — to the fine print, choosing to emphasize other attributes.</blockquote>\nWell it turns out that people <em>like</em> to wash their clothes in hot water. People think that hot water is better despite the increased energy required to wash clothes in hot water.\n\nHuna. Not me. However all of this did illuminate why my front loading washing machine here in Sofia has options in degrees Celsius ranging from snowflake to 90 degrees Celsius.\n\nJust stop and think about that for a minute. 90 degrees Celsius is 194 degrees Fahrenheit. As for the snowflake? Well, I\'m pretty sure that my washing machine is just using cold water to wash the clothes and not actually little snowflakes. Even though a snowflake cycle would be pretty cool.\n\nSo, who taught you how to do laundry? Are you using hot water to wash your clothes? Why or why not?','Doing Laundry in Cold Water ','','inherit','open','open','','5586-revision','','','2011-09-19 05:47:41','2011-09-19 03:47:41','',5586,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/19/5586-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5588,1,'2011-09-20 05:50:30','2011-09-20 03:50:30','On Sunday night, I made some hard boiled eggs. On Monday morning, I thought: hard boiled eggs and a piece of toast (or two). What could be better?\r\n\r\nSo I made the toast, ate my breakfast, drank my coffee, did my hair, put on clothes and grabbed my school bag-o-books (and lesson plans).\r\n\r\nI walked across Mladost 1A, past the Billa, to the bus stop. I took the bus to school four stops. I got off at ACS and at exactly this moment, I couldn\'t remember if I\'d actually turned off my oven after making toast. I stood there for a moment. <em>No memory</em>.\r\n\r\nNone what so ever.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nHow can I not remember if I actually turned <em>both</em> knobs on my oven to the off position?! Well I can\'t.\r\n\r\nSo I cross the street. I wait for the 111 or the 76 and I take the bus back to Billa. I get off, I walk home, I take the stairs two at a time, open my door and<em> of course</em> learn that, in fact, I turned off the oven. <em></em>\r\n\r\n<em>Good girl</em>, I tell myself.\r\n\r\nThen it\'s back to school for me. I cut back through Mladost to the bus stop (which is now uber-crowded). I ride the bus to school. <em>Again</em>. The only difference is the first time I wasn\'t being elbowed in the kidney. I try not to think about it. It\'s better that way.\r\n\r\n50 minutes and three buses later, I arrive in my classroom with an Onda coffee in hand and it\'s not even 8 am.\r\n\r\nI promise myself: you will make a post-it note reminder to double check all appliances before you leave the house.\r\n\r\nAnd I have.\r\n\r\nGetting back in the swing of things is hard.','Getting Back in the Swing of Things ','','publish','open','open','','getting-back-in-the-swing-of-things','','','2011-09-20 05:50:31','2011-09-20 03:50:31','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5588',0,'post','',0),(5589,1,'2011-09-20 05:50:08','2011-09-20 03:50:08','On Sunday night, I made some hard boiled eggs. On Monday morning, I thought: hard boiled eggs and a piece of toast (or two). What could be better?\n\nSo I made the toast, ate my breakfast, drank my coffee, did my hair, put on clothes and grabbed my school bag-o-books (and lesson plans).\n\nI walked across Mladost 1A, past the Billa, to the bus stop. I took the bus to school four stops. I got off at ACS and at exactly this moment, I couldn\'t remember if I\'d actually turned off my oven after making toast. I stood there for a moment. <em>No memory</em>.\n\nNone what so ever.<!--more-->\n\nHow can I not remember if I actually turned <em>both</em> knobs on my oven to the off position?! Well I can\'t.\n\nSo I cross the street. I wait for the 111 or the 76 and I take the bus back to Billa. I get off, I walk home, I take the stairs two at a time, open my door and<em> of course</em> learn that, in fact, I turned off the oven. <em></em>\n\n<em>Good girl</em>, I tell myself.\n\nThen it\'s back to school for me. I cut back through Mladost to the bus stop (which is now uber-crowded). I ride the bus to school. <em>Again</em>. The only difference is the first time I wasn\'t being elbowed in the kidney. I try not to think about it. It\'s better that way.\n\n50 minutes and three buses later, I arrive in my classroom with an Onda coffee in hand and it\'s not even 8 am.\n\nI promise myself: you will make a post-it note reminder to double check all appliances before you leave the house. And I have.\n\nGetting back in the swing of things is hard.','Getting Back in the Swing of Things ','','inherit','open','open','','5588-revision','','','2011-09-20 05:50:08','2011-09-20 03:50:08','',5588,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/20/5588-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5590,1,'2011-09-20 05:51:36','2011-09-20 03:51:36','On Sunday night, I made some hard boiled eggs. On Monday morning, I thought: hard boiled eggs and a piece of toast (or two). What could be better?\n\nSo I made the toast, ate my breakfast, drank my coffee, did my hair, put on clothes and grabbed my school bag-o-books (and lesson plans).\n\nI walked across Mladost 1A, past the Billa, to the bus stop. I took the bus to school four stops. I got off at ACS and at exactly this moment, I couldn\'t remember if I\'d actually turned off my oven after making toast. I stood there for a moment. <em>No memory</em>.\n\nNone what so ever.<!--more-->\n\nHow can I not remember if I actually turned <em>both</em> knobs on my oven to the off position?! Well I can\'t.\n\nSo I cross the street. I wait for the 111 or the 76 and I take the bus back to Billa. I get off, I walk home, I take the stairs two at a time, open my door and<em> of course</em> learn that, in fact, I turned off the oven. <em></em>\n\n<em>Good girl</em>, I tell myself.\n\nThen it\'s back to school for me. I cut back through Mladost to the bus stop (which is now uber-crowded). I ride the bus to school. <em>Again</em>. The only difference is the first time I wasn\'t being elbowed in the kidney. I try not to think about it. It\'s better that way.\n\n50 minutes and three buses later, I arrive in my classroom with an Onda coffee in hand and it\'s not even 8 am.\n\nI promise myself: you will make a post-it note reminder to double check all appliances before you leave the house.\n\nAnd I have.\n\nGetting back in the swing of things is hard.','Getting Back in the Swing of Things ','','inherit','open','open','','5588-autosave','','','2011-09-20 05:51:36','2011-09-20 03:51:36','',5588,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/20/5588-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5591,1,'2011-09-20 18:24:17','2011-09-20 16:24:17','This morning I wrote about yesterday\'s <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/20/getting-back-in-the-swing-of-things/\" target=\"_blank\">snafu with my oven, my memory and few extra bus rides</a>. The story had a happy enough ending. My oven was in fact off, I made it to work a little late but no worse for the wear but luckily I still had time for a coffee before class. So this morning I jotted out the blog post.\r\n\r\nI figured that was that.\r\n\r\nI double checked my appliances. Oven off. Coffee pot off. Hair dyer off. Straight Iron off. Lights off. Then I headed out all confident that I was going to have a great day.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"553\" caption=\"Two notes to self\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Two notes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6166622174/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6158/6166622174_aa0aae80e2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Two notes\" width=\"553\" height=\"415\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI cut through Mladost, in front of the Billa, past a bank and a furniture store to the corner of Malinov.  That\'s when I realized: Ah-ga, no passport.\r\n\r\nI don\'t have my passport and I need it.\r\n\r\nHome-again-home-again-jigity-jig.\r\n\r\nPassport in hand I headed back through Mladost and to school. All the way I promised myself this: drink more coffee and mornings will get easier. Or maybe at the very least they will become more routine.\r\n\r\nAfter school I headed downtown to the visit the passport office on Maria Louisa. Really the start of a new school year wouldn\'t be complete without a trip to the passport office. The lines? Pretty long. Luckily the registrar at our school doesn\'t believe in standing in them.\r\n\r\nThat gave me plenty of time to write a new reminder for my door (and to write this post).\r\n\r\nThe newest reminder is important because tomorrow after school I am flying to Stuttgart for a four day weekend. Yep. That\'s <em><strong>two</strong> four day weekends</em> in the month of September for anyone who is counting.','Update: My oven and my passport','','publish','open','open','','update-my-oven-and-my-passport','','','2011-09-20 18:24:17','2011-09-20 16:24:17','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5591',0,'post','',4),(5592,1,'2011-09-20 18:03:25','2011-09-20 16:03:25','This morning I wrote about yesterday\'s <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/20/getting-back-in-the-swing-of-things/\" target=\"_blank\">snafu with my oven, my memory and few extra bus rides</a>. The story had a happy enough ending. My oven was in fact off, I made it to work a little late but no worse for the wear but luckily I still had time for a coffee before class. So this morning I jotted out the blog post.\n\nI figured that was that.\n\nI double checked my appliances. Oven off. Coffee pot off. Hair dyer off. Straight Iron off. Lights off. Then I headed out all confident that I was going to have a great day.\n\nI cut through Mladost, in front of the Billa, past a bank and a furniture store to the corner of Malinov.  That\'s when I realized: Ah-ga, no passport.\n\nHome-again-home-again-jigity-jig.\n\nSo passport in hand I headed back through Mladost and to school. All the way I promised myself this: drink more coffee and mornings will get easier. Or maybe at the very least they will become more routine.','Update: My oven and my passport','','inherit','open','open','','5591-revision','','','2011-09-20 18:03:25','2011-09-20 16:03:25','',5591,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/20/5591-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5593,1,'2011-09-20 18:06:19','2011-09-20 16:06:19','This morning I wrote about yesterday\'s <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/20/getting-back-in-the-swing-of-things/\" target=\"_blank\">snafu with my oven, my memory and few extra bus rides</a>. The story had a happy enough ending. My oven was in fact off, I made it to work a little late but no worse for the wear but luckily I still had time for a coffee before class. So this morning I jotted out the blog post.\r\n\r\nI figured that was that.\r\n\r\nI double checked my appliances. Oven off. Coffee pot off. Hair dyer off. Straight Iron off. Lights off. Then I headed out all confident that I was going to have a great day.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Two notes to self\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Two notes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6166622174/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6158/6166622174_aa0aae80e2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Two notes\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nI cut through Mladost, in front of the Billa, past a bank and a furniture store to the corner of Malinov.  That\'s when I realized: Ah-ga, no passport.\r\n\r\nHome-again-home-again-jigity-jig.\r\n\r\nSo passport in hand I headed back through Mladost and to school. All the way I promised myself this: drink more coffee and mornings will get easier. Or maybe at the very least they will become more routine.','Update: My oven and my passport','','inherit','open','open','','5591-revision-2','','','2011-09-20 18:06:19','2011-09-20 16:06:19','',5591,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/20/5591-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5594,1,'2011-09-20 18:17:25','2011-09-20 16:17:25','This morning I wrote about yesterday\'s <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/20/getting-back-in-the-swing-of-things/\" target=\"_blank\">snafu with my oven, my memory and few extra bus rides</a>. The story had a happy enough ending. My oven was in fact off, I made it to work a little late but no worse for the wear but luckily I still had time for a coffee before class. So this morning I jotted out the blog post.\n\nI figured that was that.\n\nI double checked my appliances. Oven off. Coffee pot off. Hair dyer off. Straight Iron off. Lights off. Then I headed out all confident that I was going to have a great day.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"553\" caption=\"Two notes to self\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Two notes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6166622174/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6158/6166622174_aa0aae80e2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Two notes\" width=\"553\" height=\"415\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI cut through Mladost, in front of the Billa, past a bank and a furniture store to the corner of Malinov.  That\'s when I realized: Ah-ga, no passport.\n\nI don\'t have my passport and I need it.\n\nHome-again-home-again-jigity-jig.\n\nPassport in hand I headed back through Mladost and to school. All the way I promised myself this: drink more coffee and mornings will get easier. Or maybe at the very least they will become more routine.\n\nAfter school I headed downtown to the visit the passport office on Maria Louisa. Really the start of a new school year wouldn\'t be complete without a trip to the passport office. The lines? Pretty long. Luckily the registrar at our school doesn\'t believe in standing in them.\n\nThat gave me pleny of','Update: My oven and my passport','','inherit','open','open','','5591-revision-3','','','2011-09-20 18:17:25','2011-09-20 16:17:25','',5591,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/20/5591-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5595,1,'2011-09-20 18:18:25','2011-09-20 16:18:25','This morning I wrote about yesterday\'s <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/20/getting-back-in-the-swing-of-things/\" target=\"_blank\">snafu with my oven, my memory and few extra bus rides</a>. The story had a happy enough ending. My oven was in fact off, I made it to work a little late but no worse for the wear but luckily I still had time for a coffee before class. So this morning I jotted out the blog post.\n\nI figured that was that.\n\nI double checked my appliances. Oven off. Coffee pot off. Hair dyer off. Straight Iron off. Lights off. Then I headed out all confident that I was going to have a great day.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"553\" caption=\"Two notes to self\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Two notes\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6166622174/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6158/6166622174_aa0aae80e2_b.jpg\" alt=\"Two notes\" width=\"553\" height=\"415\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nI cut through Mladost, in front of the Billa, past a bank and a furniture store to the corner of Malinov.  That\'s when I realized: Ah-ga, no passport.\n\nI don\'t have my passport and I need it.\n\nHome-again-home-again-jigity-jig.\n\nPassport in hand I headed back through Mladost and to school. All the way I promised myself this: drink more coffee and mornings will get easier. Or maybe at the very least they will become more routine.\n\nAfter school I headed downtown to the visit the passport office on Maria Louisa. Really the start of a new school year wouldn\'t be complete without a trip to the passport office. The lines? Pretty long. Luckily the registrar at our school doesn\'t believe in standing in them.\n\nThat gave me plenty of time to write a new reminder for my door (and to write this post).','Update: My oven and my passport','','inherit','open','open','','5591-revision-4','','','2011-09-20 18:18:25','2011-09-20 16:18:25','',5591,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/20/5591-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5596,1,'2011-09-21 06:24:33','2011-09-21 04:24:33','Spotted: A new sweet shop is opening in Mladost 1A. The space used to house a pizza place. It closed about a year ago.\r\n\r\nNow this. A sweet shop. A homemade sweet shop. That\'s a сладкарница for anyone wondering.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Desserts in Bulgaria\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Desserts in Bulgaria\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6166085013/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6170/6166085013_a2d3bdc571_b.jpg\" alt=\"Desserts in Bulgaria\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nInterestingly the window says, they are selling desserts from the 1970\' and 80\'s made with homemade recipes. Or that\'s what I think it says. But really, what does that mean?\r\n\r\nWhat are <em>communist</em> desserts? You know versus the <em>democratic</em> desserts sold today all over Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nSadly, I think that I\'ll have to wait a while to figure out because while I took a picture of the sign on the window I didn\'t snap any photos of the shop inside because it is still very much under construction.\r\n\r\nThe worst part? Waiting is hard for me.\r\n\r\nThoughts? What could these desserts from the 1970\'s and 1980\'s be?!','Mladsot 1A an new sweet shop','','publish','open','open','','mladsot-1a-an-new-sweet-shop','','','2011-09-20 21:36:50','2011-09-20 19:36:50','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5596',0,'post','',7),(5597,1,'2011-09-20 21:35:59','2011-09-20 19:35:59','Spotted: A new sweet shop is opening in Mladost 1A. The space used to house a pizza place. It closed about a year ago.\n\nNow this. A sweet shop. A homemade sweet shop. That\'s a сладкарница for anyone wondering.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Desserts in Bulgaria\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Desserts in Bulgaria\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6166085013/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6170/6166085013_a2d3bdc571_b.jpg\" alt=\"Desserts in Bulgaria\" width=\"614\" height=\"461\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nInterestingly the window says, they are selling desserts from the 1970\' and 80\'s made with homemade recipes. Or that\'s what I think it says. But really, what does that mean?\n\nWhat are <em>communist</em> desserts? You know versus the <em>democratic</em> desserts sold today all over Bulgaria.\n\nSadly, I think that I\'ll have to wait a while to figure out because while I took a picture of the sign on the window I didn\'t snap any photos of the shop inside because it is still very much under construction.\n\nThe worst part? Waiting is hard for me.\n\nThoughts? What could t','Mladsot 1A an new sweet shop','','inherit','open','open','','5596-revision','','','2011-09-20 21:35:59','2011-09-20 19:35:59','',5596,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/20/5596-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5598,1,'2011-09-22 07:43:51','2011-09-22 05:43:51','I\'ll be in Stuttgart for the next four days!\r\n\r\nHip-hip-houray for another four-day weekend and the Canstatter Volkfest.\r\n\r\nThat means that I\'ll be drinking beer, eating sausage and pretzels and having a grand time.\r\n\r\n<em>You</em>? Well, I hope that you\'re doing something wonderful and having a grand time too!!\r\n\r\nI\'ll be back on Sunday with a full report.','I\'m in Stuttgart ','','publish','open','open','','im-in-stuttgart','','','2011-09-21 05:40:13','2011-09-21 03:40:13','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5598',0,'post','',0),(5599,1,'2011-09-20 21:43:09','2011-09-20 19:43:09','I\'ll be in Stuttgart for the next four days!\n\nHip-hip-houray for another four-day weekend and the Canstatter Volkfest.\n\nThat means that I\'ll be drinking beer, eating sausage and pretzels and having a grand time.\n\n<em>You</em>? Well, I hope that you\'re doing something wonderful and having a grand time too!!\n\nI\'ll be back on Sunday.','I\'m in Stuttgart ','','inherit','open','open','','5598-revision','','','2011-09-20 21:43:09','2011-09-20 19:43:09','',5598,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/20/5598-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5600,1,'2011-09-20 21:43:50','2011-09-20 19:43:50','I\'ll be in Stuttgart for the next four days!\r\n\r\nHip-hip-houray for another four-day weekend and the Canstatter Volkfest.\r\n\r\nThat means that I\'ll be drinking beer, eating sausage and pretzels and having a grand time.\r\n\r\n<em>You</em>? Well, I hope that you\'re doing something wonderful and having a grand time too!!\r\n\r\nI\'ll be back on Sunday with a full report.','I\'m in Stuttgart ','','inherit','open','open','','5598-revision-2','','','2011-09-20 21:43:50','2011-09-20 19:43:50','',5598,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/20/5598-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5601,1,'2011-09-21 04:57:33','2011-09-21 02:57:33','I\'ll be in Stuttgart for the next four days!\n\nHip-hip-houray for another four-day weekend and the Canstatter Volkfest.\n\nThat means that I\'ll be drinking beer, eating sausage and pretzels and having a grand time.\n\n<em>You</em>? Well, I hope that you\'re doing something wonderful and having a grand time too!!\n\nI\'ll be back on Sunday with a full report.','I\'m in Stuttgart ','','inherit','open','open','','5598-autosave','','','2011-09-21 04:57:33','2011-09-21 02:57:33','',5598,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/21/5598-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5602,1,'2011-09-20 21:44:06','2011-09-20 19:44:06','I\'ll be in Stuttgart for the next four days!\r\n\r\nHip-hip-houray for another four-day weekend and the Canstatter Volkfest.\r\n\r\nThat means that I\'ll be drinking beer, eating sausage and pretzels and having a grand time.\r\n\r\n<em>You</em>? Well, I hope that you\'re doing something wonderful and having a grand time too!!\r\n\r\nI\'ll be back on Sunday with a full report.','I\'m in Stuttgart ','','inherit','open','open','','5598-revision-3','','','2011-09-20 21:44:06','2011-09-20 19:44:06','',5598,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/20/5598-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5630,1,'2011-09-29 21:44:44','2011-09-29 19:44:44','Wow. I am meeting the newest Fulbrighters tomorrow.\r\n\r\nI find myself excited by the prospect and kind of freaked out by it. This will mark the start of my fourth year in Bulgaria.\r\n\r\nThis is the third group of Fulbrighters since I arrived in Bulgaria and I find that kind of hard to believe. And awesome at the same time.\r\n\r\nWow.','New Fulbrighters ','','publish','open','open','','new-fulbrighters','','','2011-09-29 21:44:44','2011-09-29 19:44:44','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5630',0,'post','',0),(5647,1,'2011-10-04 06:08:00','2011-10-04 04:08:00','Apparently this is my week to talk about education in Bulgaria. I started with <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/02/teaching-in-bulgarian-schools-2/\" target=\"_blank\">my experience on the Fulbright teaching in a public school</a> and then I moved on to <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/03/teaching-at-acs/\" target=\"_blank\">discussing teaching at ACS a private school here in Sofia</a>.\r\n\r\nToday, it\'s a new program <a href=\"http://zaednovchas.bg/\" target=\"_blank\">Teach for Bulgaria</a>.\r\n\r\nLast spring teachers-in-training came to ACS to observe our classes as a part of the Teach for Bulgaria program. My understanding is that this program is similar to <a href=\"http://www.teachforamerica.org/\" target=\"_blank\">Teach for America in the States</a>. Basically, talented and passionate young people are recruited to teach for two years in high need schools.\r\n\r\nIt\'s a hugely ambitious program and I have a lot of respect for the Bulgarians who are currently teaching as a part of this program.<!--more-->\r\n\r\nI think it\'s pretty safe to say that most public schools in Bulgaria are kind of a mess--between administrative challenges, staffing shortages, poor textbooks and a general lack of interest on the part of many students. Given this laundry list of problems it\'s hard to even imagine where to start but Teach for Bulgaria is giving it a go.\r\n\r\nThe Teach for Bulgaria website paints the picture in even starker terms:\r\n<ul>\r\n	<li>The average teacher in Bulgaria is 50 years old (Ministry of Education). Over 38% of teachers are 50 and older. Only 3.4 percent are under 30 and 0.5 percent are 25 or younger (NSI).</li>\r\n	<li>Students from linguistic minorities and low-income families consistently score lower than their peers from more affluent families on state subject exams.  (World Bank).</li>\r\n	<li>Less than half of the 15-year-olds in Bulgaria manage to meet the critical threshold in reading and math skills defined by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (World Bank).</li>\r\n</ul>\r\nI have to say that reading these statistics makes me really sad but that I am glad that there are young professionals who are willing to tackle this <em>giant</em> problem.\r\n\r\nHere\'s to Teach for Bulgaria!!','Teach for Bulgaria Program','','publish','open','open','','teach-for-bulgaria-program','','','2011-10-03 21:11:20','2011-10-03 19:11:20','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5647',0,'post','',0),(5606,1,'2011-09-25 21:48:48','2011-09-25 19:48:48','I went to Stuttgart this weekend.\r\n\r\nAs I expected, I had a great time.\r\n\r\nThe city is easy to navigate. People were friendly. The beer was cold.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cannstatter Volksfest signs along Königstraße\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182388366/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6166/6182388366_eb9d5b17a4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cannstatter Volksfest signs along Königstraße\" width=\"589\" height=\"394\" /></a>\r\n\r\nEarly fall found us in Stuttgart but even that was great.\r\n\r\nThe rest of the story will follow. Until then, maybe you want to check out my <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">flickr feed</a>.','I heart Stuttgart ','','publish','open','open','','i-heart-stuttgart','','','2011-09-25 21:48:48','2011-09-25 19:48:48','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5606',0,'post','',0),(5607,1,'2011-09-25 21:45:50','2011-09-25 19:45:50','<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cannstatter Volksfest signs along Königstraße\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182388366/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6166/6182388366_eb9d5b17a4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cannstatter Volksfest signs along Königstraße\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> I went to Stuttgart this weekend.\n\nAs I expected, I had a great time.\n\nThe city is easy to navigate. People were friendly. The beer was cold.\n\nThe rest of the story will follow. Until then, maybe you want to check out my <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">flickr feed</a>.','I heart Stuttgart ','','inherit','open','open','','5606-revision','','','2011-09-25 21:45:50','2011-09-25 19:45:50','',5606,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/25/5606-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5608,1,'2011-09-25 21:46:17','2011-09-25 19:46:17','<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cannstatter Volksfest signs along Königstraße\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182388366/\"><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6166/6182388366_eb9d5b17a4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cannstatter Volksfest signs along Königstraße\" width=\"491\" height=\"328\" /></a> I went to Stuttgart this weekend.\r\n\r\nAs I expected, I had a great time.\r\n\r\nThe city is easy to navigate. People were friendly. The beer was cold.\r\n\r\nThe rest of the story will follow. Until then, maybe you want to check out my <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">flickr feed</a>.','I heart Stuttgart ','','inherit','open','open','','5606-revision-2','','','2011-09-25 21:46:17','2011-09-25 19:46:17','',5606,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/25/5606-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5609,1,'2011-09-25 21:46:18','2011-09-25 19:46:18','<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cannstatter Volksfest signs along Königstraße\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182388366/\"><img class=\"alignleft\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6166/6182388366_eb9d5b17a4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cannstatter Volksfest signs along Königstraße\" width=\"491\" height=\"328\" /></a> I went to Stuttgart this weekend.\r\n\r\nAs I expected, I had a great time.\r\n\r\nThe city is easy to navigate. People were friendly. The beer was cold.\r\n\r\nThe rest of the story will follow. Until then, maybe you want to check out my <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">flickr feed</a>.','I heart Stuttgart ','','inherit','open','open','','5606-revision-3','','','2011-09-25 21:46:18','2011-09-25 19:46:18','',5606,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/25/5606-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5610,1,'2011-09-25 21:47:15','2011-09-25 19:47:15','As I expected, I had a great time.\r\n\r\nThe city is easy to navigate. People were friendly. The beer was cold.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cannstatter Volksfest signs along Königstraße\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182388366/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6166/6182388366_eb9d5b17a4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cannstatter Volksfest signs along Königstraße\" width=\"589\" height=\"394\" /></a> I went to Stuttgart this weekend.\r\n\r\nThe rest of the story will follow. Until then, maybe you want to check out my <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">flickr feed</a>.','I heart Stuttgart ','','inherit','open','open','','5606-revision-4','','','2011-09-25 21:47:15','2011-09-25 19:47:15','',5606,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/25/5606-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5611,1,'2011-09-26 05:11:14','2011-09-26 03:11:14','I went to Stuttgart this weekend.\n\nAs I expected, I had a great time.\n\nThe city is easy to navigate. People were friendly. The beer was cold.\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cannstatter Volksfest signs along Königstraße\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182388366/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6166/6182388366_eb9d5b17a4_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cannstatter Volksfest signs along Königstraße\" width=\"589\" height=\"394\" /></a>\n\nEarly fall found us in Stuttgart but even that was great.\n\nThe rest of the story will follow. Until then, maybe you want to check out my <a href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/\" target=\"_blank\">flickr feed</a>.','I heart Stuttgart ','','inherit','open','open','','5606-autosave','','','2011-09-26 05:11:14','2011-09-26 03:11:14','',5606,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/25/5606-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5612,1,'2011-09-26 18:20:53','0000-00-00 00:00:00','Interestingly, I feel more disoriented returning from Germany to Bulgaria than from the States to Bulgaria.  I\'m not 100% sure why that is. I have a hunch that it\'s a language thing.\n\nI went to Stuttgart for the long weekend. Now plenty of people speak English there but I was immersed in German the first second language I learned. Basically, I understood everything that was going on around me and I was able to order food (and beer) in German, I was able to navigate the S-bahn in German (with a good metro map) and I was able to sustain a conversation or two in German. Mind you it wasn\'t great German but at least I was trying.\n\nEveryone of course looked at me the entire weekend and thought that I was German. The assumption was that if you\'re tall and blond with blue eyes to boot, you\'ve got to be German. The problem of course is that I am not and more often than not Bulgarian phrases came to my mind more quickly than the German ones I was looking for. This lead to an interesting lag in communication.\n\nOne in which in my own head I was saying to myself in English:<em> Hey, you used to know these things. You still do.  Why can\'t you remember these words? Come on now.</em> Admittedly this is probably not very helpful for actually remembering the word or phrase you\'re currently stumbling around for.\n\nOh well.\n\nThe moral of the story? Try. It feels good to try. It\'s wonderful to know that even if your sentence wasn\'t perfect, you made yourself known.\n\nBut there is a sense of disorientation that exists to find yourself between two languages in a country where it looks like you fit in. I felt mixed up but I didn\'t exactly realize this until I got back to Sofia.\n\nIn Sofia, things were different. Everything felt confusing. Everything felt messy.','Return and Disorientation ','','draft','open','open','','','','','2011-09-26 18:20:53','2011-09-26 16:20:53','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5612',0,'post','',0),(5613,1,'2011-09-26 05:51:19','2011-09-26 03:51:19','Interestingly, I feel more disoriented returning from Germany to Bulgaria than from the States to Bulgaria.  I\'m not 100% sure why that is. I have a hunch that it\'s a language thing.\n\nI went to Stuttgart for the long weekend. Now plenty of people speak English there but I was immersed in German the first second language I learned. Basically, I understood everything that was going on around me and I was able to order food (and beer) in German, I was able to navigate the S-bahn in German (with a good metro map) and I was able to sustain a conversation or two in German. Mind you it wasn\'t great German but at least I was trying.\n\nEveryone of course looked at me the entire weekend and thought that I was German. The assumption was that if you\'re tall and blond with blue eyes to boot, you\'ve got to be German. The problem of course is that I am not and more often than not Bulgarian phrases came to my mind more quickly than the German ones I was looking for. This lead to an interesting lag in communication.\n\nOne in which in my own head I was saying to myself in English:<em> Hey, you used to know these things. You still do.  Why can\'t you remember these words? Come on now.</em> Admittedly this is probably not very helpful for actually remembering the word or phrase you\'re currently stumbling around for.\n\nOh well.\n\nThe moral of the story? Try. It feels good to try. It\'s wonderful to know that even if your sentence wasn\'t perfect, you made yourself known.\n\nBut there is a sense of disorientation that exists to find yourself between two languages in a country where it looks like you fit in. I felt mixed up but I didn\'t exactly realize this until I got back to Sofia.\n\nIn Sofia, things were different.','Return and Disorientation ','','inherit','open','open','','5612-revision','','','2011-09-26 05:51:19','2011-09-26 03:51:19','',5612,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/26/5612-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5614,1,'2011-09-26 22:16:13','2011-09-26 20:16:13','My weekend in Stuttgart was a blast.\r\n\r\nMy friends P. and H. and I grabbed a flight after school on Wednesday to Stuttgart. We flew Sofia to Zurich and then Zurich to Stuttgart. This second flight was kind of silly. Here\'s why: the flight is 25 minutes long. The train from the Stuttgart airport to the main train station on the other hand is 27 minutes long.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Ferris Wheel at the Cannstatter Volksfest\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6184119388/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6154/6184119388_de52bb606d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow, it was pretty painless to get to Stuttgart. We hopped on the S-Bahn, got off at our stop, dragged our rolling suitcases around for a bit and then checked into our hotel. Then we went to bed.\r\n\r\nBecause, we\'re teachers. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182450302/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6171/6182450302_ee0c5f25b9_b.jpg\" alt=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThursday we had a big breakfast, walked around the city center, snapped some pictures and took a serious nap.  Not bad if you ask me. Then we did some shopping and ate dinner at a (German)-Mexican restaurant where all of the waiters and waitresses were dressed in laderhosen and drendls. That was kind of weird.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Shops selling cool as well as lederhosen und dirndls\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"More lederhosen und dirndles\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182417986/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6152/6182417986_5d71fd759a_b.jpg\" alt=\"More lederhosen und dirndles\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFriday we went to the Mercedes-Benz museum and then to the Cannstatter Volksfest.\r\n\r\nThe Volksfest was a sight to be seen. People. Rides. Beer halls. Food stands.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cannstatter Volksfest at Night\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cannstatter Volksfest at Night\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6184111878/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6166/6184111878_21e9cac983_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cannstatter Volksfest at Night\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWow. Wow. I tried to describe it to my parents over the weekend on skype and I am afraid I didn\'t do a very good job. The part that I struggled to communicate is how big the festival is. I think that most of the beer halls probably seat 5,000 people and that there are, oh, 7 or 8 of these beer halls. Aside from the covered beer halls there are outdoor stands as well.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Three Beers and me\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Three Beers\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6185987427/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6179/6185987427_09a5c8a5f3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Three Beers\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWe ended up in a beer hall on Friday night the first night of the festival. It was intense. Lots of Germans were dressed up in national costume, other groups were wearing matching hats and/or t-shirts and everyone was liberally drinking beer.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Drinking Beer with Friends\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Drinking Beer with Friends\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6186535608/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6156/6186535608_6337cd48cf_b.jpg\" alt=\"Drinking Beer with Friends\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn the main section of the beer hall there were long stretches of tables and benches and in the middle of the room a large stage with a cover band which played lots of hits from the \'80s, \'90s and 2000\'s as well as a good dose of German pop songs. There wasn\'t room for people to dance in the aisles so everyone climbed up on the benches they\'d been sitting on to dance up there. I am tall but felt short in there.\r\n\r\nWe gave ourselves a pretty reasonable drink limit/time limit--either 4 .5 liter beers or 6 hours which ever came first. The thing is that\'s actually a lot of beer to drink and a long time so about 4.5 hours in and 1.5 liters of beer we called it a night.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6184119844/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6152/6184119844_a43a452e61_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBetween the loud music, the drinking and the crowd, it was a relief to be outside after a few hours in the beer hall. Night had settled over the festival but night doesn\'t mean that anything is dying down, so we decided to take a ride on the ferris wheel before heading back to our hotel.\r\n\r\nThis it turned out was a great idea. The view from the ferris wheel at night was wonderful. The Cannstatter Volksfest went on and on and we went home and climbed into bed.','Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart ','','publish','open','open','','cannstatter-volksfest-in-stuttgart','','','2011-09-26 22:16:13','2011-09-26 20:16:13','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5614',0,'post','',0),(5615,1,'2011-09-26 19:42:32','2011-09-26 17:42:32','My weekend in Stuttgart was a blast.\n\nMy friends P. and H. and I grabbed a flight after school on Wednesday to Stuttgart. We flew Sofia to Zurich and then Zurich to Stuttgart. This second flight was kind of silly. Here\'s why: the flight is 25 minutes long. The train from the Stuttgart airport to the main train station on the other hand is 27 minutes long.\n\nAnyhow, it was pretty painless to get to Stuttgart. We hopped on the S-Bahn, got off at our stop, dragged our rolling suitcases around for a bit and then checked into our hotel. Then we went to bed.\n\nThursday we had a big breakfast, walked around the city center, snapped some pictures and took a serious nap.  Not bad if you ask me. Then we did some shopping and ate dinner at a (German)-Mexican restaurant where all of the waiters and waitresses were dressed in laderhosen and drendls. That was kind of weird.\n\nFriday we went to the Mercedes-Benz museum and then to the Cannstatter Volksfest.\n\nThe Volksfest was a sight to be seen. There were plenty of people','Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart ','','inherit','open','open','','5614-revision','','','2011-09-26 19:42:32','2011-09-26 17:42:32','',5614,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/26/5614-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5616,1,'2011-09-26 20:06:34','2011-09-26 18:06:34','My weekend in Stuttgart was a blast.\n\nMy friends P. and H. and I grabbed a flight after school on Wednesday to Stuttgart. We flew Sofia to Zurich and then Zurich to Stuttgart. This second flight was kind of silly. Here\'s why: the flight is 25 minutes long. The train from the Stuttgart airport to the main train station on the other hand is 27 minutes long.\n\nAnyhow, it was pretty painless to get to Stuttgart. We hopped on the S-Bahn, got off at our stop, dragged our rolling suitcases around for a bit and then checked into our hotel. Then we went to bed.\n\nThursday we had a big breakfast, walked around the city center, snapped some pictures and took a serious nap.  Not bad if you ask me. Then we did some shopping and ate dinner at a (German)-Mexican restaurant where all of the waiters and waitresses were dressed in laderhosen and drendls. That was kind of weird.\n\nFriday we went to the Mercedes-Benz museum and then to the Cannstatter Volksfest.\n\nThe Volksfest was a sight to be seen. People. Rides. Beer halls. Food stands.\n\nWow. Wow. I tried to describe it to my parents over the weekend on skype and I am afraid I didn\'t do a very good job. The part that I struggled to communicate is how big the festival is. I think that most of the beer halls probably seat 5,000 people and that there are, oh, 7 or 8 of these beer halls. Aside from the covered beer halls there are outdoor stands as well.\n\nWe ended up in a beer hall on Friday night the first night of the festival. It was intense. Lots of Germans were dressed up in national costume, other groups were wearing matching hats and/or t-shirts and everyone was liberally drinking beer. In the main section of the beer hall there were long stretches of tables and benches and in the middle of the room a large stage with a cover band which played lots of hits from the \'80s, \'90s and 2000\'s as well as a good dose of German pop songs. There wasn\'t room for people to dance in the aisles so everyone climbed up on the benches they\'d been sitting on to dance up there. I am tall but felt short in there.\n\nOutside, one can also feel small but the three of us decided to take a ride on the ferris wheel.\n\nThe view from the ferris wheel was','Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart ','','inherit','open','open','','5614-revision-2','','','2011-09-26 20:06:34','2011-09-26 18:06:34','',5614,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/26/5614-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5617,1,'2011-09-26 20:20:22','2011-09-26 18:20:22','My weekend in Stuttgart was a blast.\n\nMy friends P. and H. and I grabbed a flight after school on Wednesday to Stuttgart. We flew Sofia to Zurich and then Zurich to Stuttgart. This second flight was kind of silly. Here\'s why: the flight is 25 minutes long. The train from the Stuttgart airport to the main train station on the other hand is 27 minutes long.\n\nAnyhow, it was pretty painless to get to Stuttgart. We hopped on the S-Bahn, got off at our stop, dragged our rolling suitcases around for a bit and then checked into our hotel. Then we went to bed.\n\nThursday we had a big breakfast, walked around the city center, snapped some pictures and took a serious nap.  Not bad if you ask me. Then we did some shopping and ate dinner at a (German)-Mexican restaurant where all of the waiters and waitresses were dressed in laderhosen and drendls. That was kind of weird.\n\nFriday we went to the Mercedes-Benz museum and then to the Cannstatter Volksfest.\n\nThe Volksfest was a sight to be seen. People. Rides. Beer halls. Food stands.\n\nWow. Wow. I tried to describe it to my parents over the weekend on skype and I am afraid I didn\'t do a very good job. The part that I struggled to communicate is how big the festival is. I think that most of the beer halls probably seat 5,000 people and that there are, oh, 7 or 8 of these beer halls. Aside from the covered beer halls there are outdoor stands as well.\n\nWe ended up in a beer hall on Friday night the first night of the festival. It was intense. Lots of Germans were dressed up in national costume, other groups were wearing matching hats and/or t-shirts and everyone was liberally drinking beer.\n\nIn the main section of the beer hall there were long stretches of tables and benches and in the middle of the room a large stage with a cover band which played lots of hits from the \'80s, \'90s and 2000\'s as well as a good dose of German pop songs. There wasn\'t room for people to dance in the aisles so everyone climbed up on the benches they\'d been sitting on to dance up there. I am tall but felt short in there.\n\nWe gave ourselves a pretty reasonable drink limit/time limit--either 4 .5 liter beers or 6 hours which ever came first. The thing is that\'s actually a lot of beer to drink and a long time so about 4.5 hours in and 1.5 liters of beer we called it a night.\n\nBetween the loud music, the drinking and the crowd, it was a relief to be outside after a few hours in the beer hall. Night had settled over the festival but night doesn\'t mean that anything is dying down, so we decided to take a ride on the ferris wheel before heading back to our hotel.\n\nThis it turned out was a great idea. The view from the ferris wheel at night was wonderful. The Cannstatter Volksfest went on and on.','Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart ','','inherit','open','open','','5614-revision-3','','','2011-09-26 20:20:22','2011-09-26 18:20:22','',5614,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/26/5614-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5618,1,'2011-09-26 20:27:03','2011-09-26 18:27:03','My weekend in Stuttgart was a blast.\n\nMy friends P. and H. and I grabbed a flight after school on Wednesday to Stuttgart. We flew Sofia to Zurich and then Zurich to Stuttgart. This second flight was kind of silly. Here\'s why: the flight is 25 minutes long. The train from the Stuttgart airport to the main train station on the other hand is 27 minutes long.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Ferris Wheel at the Cannstatter Volksfest\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6184119388/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6154/6184119388_de52bb606d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAnyhow, it was pretty painless to get to Stuttgart. We hopped on the S-Bahn, got off at our stop, dragged our rolling suitcases around for a bit and then checked into our hotel. Then we went to bed.\n\nBecause, we\'re teachers. <!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182450302/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6171/6182450302_ee0c5f25b9_b.jpg\" alt=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThursday we had a big breakfast, walked around the city center, snapped some pictures and took a serious nap.  Not bad if you ask me. Then we did some shopping and ate dinner at a (German)-Mexican restaurant where all of the waiters and waitresses were dressed in laderhosen and drendls. That was kind of weird.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Shops selling cool as well as lederhosen und dirndls\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"More lederhosen und dirndles\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182417986/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6152/6182417986_5d71fd759a_b.jpg\" alt=\"More lederhosen und dirndles\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nFriday we went to the Mercedes-Benz museum and then to the Cannstatter Volksfest.\n\nThe Volksfest was a sight to be seen. People. Rides. Beer halls. Food stands.\n\nWow. Wow. I tried to describe it to my parents over the weekend on skype and I am afraid I didn\'t do a very good job. The part that I struggled to communicate is how big the festival is. I think that most of the beer halls probably seat 5,000 people and that there are, oh, 7 or 8 of these beer halls. Aside from the covered beer halls there are outdoor stands as well.\n\nWe ended up in a beer hall on Friday night the first night of the festival. It was intense. Lots of Germans were dressed up in national costume, other groups were wearing matching hats and/or t-shirts and everyone was liberally drinking beer.\n\nIn the main section of the beer hall there were long stretches of tables and benches and in the middle of the room a large stage with a cover band which played lots of hits from the \'80s, \'90s and 2000\'s as well as a good dose of German pop songs. There wasn\'t room for people to dance in the aisles so everyone climbed up on the benches they\'d been sitting on to dance up there. I am tall but felt short in there.\n\nWe gave ourselves a pretty reasonable drink limit/time limit--either 4 .5 liter beers or 6 hours which ever came first. The thing is that\'s actually a lot of beer to drink and a long time so about 4.5 hours in and 1.5 liters of beer we called it a night.\n\nBetween the loud music, the drinking and the crowd, it was a relief to be outside after a few hours in the beer hall. Night had settled over the festival but night doesn\'t mean that anything is dying down, so we decided to take a ride on the ferris wheel before heading back to our hotel.\n\nThis it turned out was a great idea. The view from the ferris wheel at night was wonderful. The Cannstatter Volksfest went on and on and we went home and climbed into bed.','Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart ','','inherit','open','open','','5614-revision-4','','','2011-09-26 20:27:03','2011-09-26 18:27:03','',5614,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/26/5614-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5619,1,'2011-09-26 20:36:12','2011-09-26 18:36:12','My weekend in Stuttgart was a blast.\r\n\r\nMy friends P. and H. and I grabbed a flight after school on Wednesday to Stuttgart. We flew Sofia to Zurich and then Zurich to Stuttgart. This second flight was kind of silly. Here\'s why: the flight is 25 minutes long. The train from the Stuttgart airport to the main train station on the other hand is 27 minutes long.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Ferris Wheel at the Cannstatter Volksfest\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6184119388/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6154/6184119388_de52bb606d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow, it was pretty painless to get to Stuttgart. We hopped on the S-Bahn, got off at our stop, dragged our rolling suitcases around for a bit and then checked into our hotel. Then we went to bed.\r\n\r\nBecause, we\'re teachers. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182450302/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6171/6182450302_ee0c5f25b9_b.jpg\" alt=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThursday we had a big breakfast, walked around the city center, snapped some pictures and took a serious nap.  Not bad if you ask me. Then we did some shopping and ate dinner at a (German)-Mexican restaurant where all of the waiters and waitresses were dressed in laderhosen and drendls. That was kind of weird.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Shops selling cool as well as lederhosen und dirndls\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"More lederhosen und dirndles\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182417986/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6152/6182417986_5d71fd759a_b.jpg\" alt=\"More lederhosen und dirndles\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFriday we went to the Mercedes-Benz museum and then to the Cannstatter Volksfest.\r\n\r\nThe Volksfest was a sight to be seen. People. Rides. Beer halls. Food stands.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cannstatter Volksfest at Night\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cannstatter Volksfest at Night\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6184111878/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6166/6184111878_21e9cac983_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cannstatter Volksfest at Night\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWow. Wow. I tried to describe it to my parents over the weekend on skype and I am afraid I didn\'t do a very good job. The part that I struggled to communicate is how big the festival is. I think that most of the beer halls probably seat 5,000 people and that there are, oh, 7 or 8 of these beer halls. Aside from the covered beer halls there are outdoor stands as well.\r\n\r\nWe ended up in a beer hall on Friday night the first night of the festival. It was intense. Lots of Germans were dressed up in national costume, other groups were wearing matching hats and/or t-shirts and everyone was liberally drinking beer.\r\n\r\nIn the main section of the beer hall there were long stretches of tables and benches and in the middle of the room a large stage with a cover band which played lots of hits from the \'80s, \'90s and 2000\'s as well as a good dose of German pop songs. There wasn\'t room for people to dance in the aisles so everyone climbed up on the benches they\'d been sitting on to dance up there. I am tall but felt short in there.\r\n\r\nWe gave ourselves a pretty reasonable drink limit/time limit--either 4 .5 liter beers or 6 hours which ever came first. The thing is that\'s actually a lot of beer to drink and a long time so about 4.5 hours in and 1.5 liters of beer we called it a night.\r\n\r\nBetween the loud music, the drinking and the crowd, it was a relief to be outside after a few hours in the beer hall. Night had settled over the festival but night doesn\'t mean that anything is dying down, so we decided to take a ride on the ferris wheel before heading back to our hotel.\r\n\r\nThis it turned out was a great idea. The view from the ferris wheel at night was wonderful. The Cannstatter Volksfest went on and on and we went home and climbed into bed.','Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart ','','inherit','open','open','','5614-revision-5','','','2011-09-26 20:36:12','2011-09-26 18:36:12','',5614,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/26/5614-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(5620,1,'2011-09-26 22:15:25','2011-09-26 20:15:25','My weekend in Stuttgart was a blast.\n\nMy friends P. and H. and I grabbed a flight after school on Wednesday to Stuttgart. We flew Sofia to Zurich and then Zurich to Stuttgart. This second flight was kind of silly. Here\'s why: the flight is 25 minutes long. The train from the Stuttgart airport to the main train station on the other hand is 27 minutes long.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Ferris Wheel at the Cannstatter Volksfest\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6184119388/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6154/6184119388_de52bb606d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAnyhow, it was pretty painless to get to Stuttgart. We hopped on the S-Bahn, got off at our stop, dragged our rolling suitcases around for a bit and then checked into our hotel. Then we went to bed.\n\nBecause, we\'re teachers. <!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182450302/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6171/6182450302_ee0c5f25b9_b.jpg\" alt=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nThursday we had a big breakfast, walked around the city center, snapped some pictures and took a serious nap.  Not bad if you ask me. Then we did some shopping and ate dinner at a (German)-Mexican restaurant where all of the waiters and waitresses were dressed in laderhosen and drendls. That was kind of weird.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Shops selling cool as well as lederhosen und dirndls\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"More lederhosen und dirndles\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182417986/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6152/6182417986_5d71fd759a_b.jpg\" alt=\"More lederhosen und dirndles\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nFriday we went to the Mercedes-Benz museum and then to the Cannstatter Volksfest.\n\nThe Volksfest was a sight to be seen. People. Rides. Beer halls. Food stands.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cannstatter Volksfest at Night\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cannstatter Volksfest at Night\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6184111878/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6166/6184111878_21e9cac983_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cannstatter Volksfest at Night\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nWow. Wow. I tried to describe it to my parents over the weekend on skype and I am afraid I didn\'t do a very good job. The part that I struggled to communicate is how big the festival is. I think that most of the beer halls probably seat 5,000 people and that there are, oh, 7 or 8 of these beer halls. Aside from the covered beer halls there are outdoor stands as well.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Three Beers and me\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Three Beers\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6185987427/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6179/6185987427_09a5c8a5f3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Three Beers\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nWe ended up in a beer hall on Friday night the first night of the festival. It was intense. Lots of Germans were dressed up in national costume, other groups were wearing matching hats and/or t-shirts and everyone was liberally drinking beer.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Drinking Beer with Friends\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Drinking Beer with Friends\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6186535608/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6156/6186535608_6337cd48cf_b.jpg\" alt=\"Drinking Beer with Friends\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nIn the main section of the beer hall there were long stretches of tables and benches and in the middle of the room a large stage with a cover band which played lots of hits from the \'80s, \'90s and 2000\'s as well as a good dose of German pop songs. There wasn\'t room for people to dance in the aisles so everyone climbed up on the benches they\'d been sitting on to dance up there. I am tall but felt short in there.\n\nWe gave ourselves a pretty reasonable drink limit/time limit--either 4 .5 liter beers or 6 hours which ever came first. The thing is that\'s actually a lot of beer to drink and a long time so about 4.5 hours in and 1.5 liters of beer we called it a night.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6184119844/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6152/6184119844_a43a452e61_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nBetween the loud music, the drinking and the crowd, it was a relief to be outside after a few hours in the beer hall. Night had settled over the festival but night doesn\'t mean that anything is dying down, so we decided to take a ride on the ferris wheel before heading back to our hotel.\n\nThis it turned out was a great idea. The view from the ferris wheel at night was wonderful. The Cannstatter Volksfest went on and on and we went home and climbed into bed.','Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart ','','inherit','open','open','','5614-revision-6','','','2011-09-26 22:15:25','2011-09-26 20:15:25','',5614,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/26/5614-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),(5621,1,'2011-09-26 22:15:45','2011-09-26 20:15:45','My weekend in Stuttgart was a blast.\r\n\r\nMy friends P. and H. and I grabbed a flight after school on Wednesday to Stuttgart. We flew Sofia to Zurich and then Zurich to Stuttgart. This second flight was kind of silly. Here\'s why: the flight is 25 minutes long. The train from the Stuttgart airport to the main train station on the other hand is 27 minutes long.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Ferris Wheel at the Cannstatter Volksfest\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6184119388/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6154/6184119388_de52bb606d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow, it was pretty painless to get to Stuttgart. We hopped on the S-Bahn, got off at our stop, dragged our rolling suitcases around for a bit and then checked into our hotel. Then we went to bed.\r\n\r\nBecause, we\'re teachers. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182450302/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6171/6182450302_ee0c5f25b9_b.jpg\" alt=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThursday we had a big breakfast, walked around the city center, snapped some pictures and took a serious nap.  Not bad if you ask me. Then we did some shopping and ate dinner at a (German)-Mexican restaurant where all of the waiters and waitresses were dressed in laderhosen and drendls. That was kind of weird.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Shops selling cool as well as lederhosen und dirndls\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"More lederhosen und dirndles\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182417986/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6152/6182417986_5d71fd759a_b.jpg\" alt=\"More lederhosen und dirndles\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFriday we went to the Mercedes-Benz museum and then to the Cannstatter Volksfest.\r\n\r\nThe Volksfest was a sight to be seen. People. Rides. Beer halls. Food stands.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cannstatter Volksfest at Night\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cannstatter Volksfest at Night\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6184111878/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6166/6184111878_21e9cac983_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cannstatter Volksfest at Night\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWow. Wow. I tried to describe it to my parents over the weekend on skype and I am afraid I didn\'t do a very good job. The part that I struggled to communicate is how big the festival is. I think that most of the beer halls probably seat 5,000 people and that there are, oh, 7 or 8 of these beer halls. Aside from the covered beer halls there are outdoor stands as well.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Three Beers and me\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Three Beers\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6185987427/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6179/6185987427_09a5c8a5f3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Three Beers\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWe ended up in a beer hall on Friday night the first night of the festival. It was intense. Lots of Germans were dressed up in national costume, other groups were wearing matching hats and/or t-shirts and everyone was liberally drinking beer.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Drinking Beer with Friends\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Drinking Beer with Friends\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6186535608/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6156/6186535608_6337cd48cf_b.jpg\" alt=\"Drinking Beer with Friends\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn the main section of the beer hall there were long stretches of tables and benches and in the middle of the room a large stage with a cover band which played lots of hits from the \'80s, \'90s and 2000\'s as well as a good dose of German pop songs. There wasn\'t room for people to dance in the aisles so everyone climbed up on the benches they\'d been sitting on to dance up there. I am tall but felt short in there.\r\n\r\nWe gave ourselves a pretty reasonable drink limit/time limit--either 4 .5 liter beers or 6 hours which ever came first. The thing is that\'s actually a lot of beer to drink and a long time so about 4.5 hours in and 1.5 liters of beer we called it a night.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6184119844/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6152/6184119844_a43a452e61_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBetween the loud music, the drinking and the crowd, it was a relief to be outside after a few hours in the beer hall. Night had settled over the festival but night doesn\'t mean that anything is dying down, so we decided to take a ride on the ferris wheel before heading back to our hotel.\r\n\r\nThis it turned out was a great idea. The view from the ferris wheel at night was wonderful. The Cannstatter Volksfest went on and on and we went home and climbed into bed.','Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart ','','inherit','open','open','','5614-revision-7','','','2011-09-26 22:15:45','2011-09-26 20:15:45','',5614,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/26/5614-revision-7/',0,'revision','',0),(5622,1,'2011-09-26 22:15:46','2011-09-26 20:15:46','My weekend in Stuttgart was a blast.\r\n\r\nMy friends P. and H. and I grabbed a flight after school on Wednesday to Stuttgart. We flew Sofia to Zurich and then Zurich to Stuttgart. This second flight was kind of silly. Here\'s why: the flight is 25 minutes long. The train from the Stuttgart airport to the main train station on the other hand is 27 minutes long.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Ferris Wheel at the Cannstatter Volksfest\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6184119388/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6154/6184119388_de52bb606d_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAnyhow, it was pretty painless to get to Stuttgart. We hopped on the S-Bahn, got off at our stop, dragged our rolling suitcases around for a bit and then checked into our hotel. Then we went to bed.\r\n\r\nBecause, we\'re teachers. <!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182450302/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6171/6182450302_ee0c5f25b9_b.jpg\" alt=\"Schillerplatz and the back of Stiftskirche\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nThursday we had a big breakfast, walked around the city center, snapped some pictures and took a serious nap.  Not bad if you ask me. Then we did some shopping and ate dinner at a (German)-Mexican restaurant where all of the waiters and waitresses were dressed in laderhosen and drendls. That was kind of weird.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Shops selling cool as well as lederhosen und dirndls\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"More lederhosen und dirndles\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6182417986/\"><img class=\" \" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6152/6182417986_5d71fd759a_b.jpg\" alt=\"More lederhosen und dirndles\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nFriday we went to the Mercedes-Benz museum and then to the Cannstatter Volksfest.\r\n\r\nThe Volksfest was a sight to be seen. People. Rides. Beer halls. Food stands.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Cannstatter Volksfest at Night\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Cannstatter Volksfest at Night\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6184111878/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6166/6184111878_21e9cac983_b.jpg\" alt=\"Cannstatter Volksfest at Night\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWow. Wow. I tried to describe it to my parents over the weekend on skype and I am afraid I didn\'t do a very good job. The part that I struggled to communicate is how big the festival is. I think that most of the beer halls probably seat 5,000 people and that there are, oh, 7 or 8 of these beer halls. Aside from the covered beer halls there are outdoor stands as well.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Three Beers and me\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Three Beers\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6185987427/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6179/6185987427_09a5c8a5f3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Three Beers\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWe ended up in a beer hall on Friday night the first night of the festival. It was intense. Lots of Germans were dressed up in national costume, other groups were wearing matching hats and/or t-shirts and everyone was liberally drinking beer.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Drinking Beer with Friends\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Drinking Beer with Friends\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6186535608/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6156/6186535608_6337cd48cf_b.jpg\" alt=\"Drinking Beer with Friends\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nIn the main section of the beer hall there were long stretches of tables and benches and in the middle of the room a large stage with a cover band which played lots of hits from the \'80s, \'90s and 2000\'s as well as a good dose of German pop songs. There wasn\'t room for people to dance in the aisles so everyone climbed up on the benches they\'d been sitting on to dance up there. I am tall but felt short in there.\r\n\r\nWe gave ourselves a pretty reasonable drink limit/time limit--either 4 .5 liter beers or 6 hours which ever came first. The thing is that\'s actually a lot of beer to drink and a long time so about 4.5 hours in and 1.5 liters of beer we called it a night.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6184119844/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6152/6184119844_a43a452e61_b.jpg\" alt=\"Ferris Wheel at Night\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nBetween the loud music, the drinking and the crowd, it was a relief to be outside after a few hours in the beer hall. Night had settled over the festival but night doesn\'t mean that anything is dying down, so we decided to take a ride on the ferris wheel before heading back to our hotel.\r\n\r\nThis it turned out was a great idea. The view from the ferris wheel at night was wonderful. The Cannstatter Volksfest went on and on and we went home and climbed into bed.','Cannstatter Volksfest in Stuttgart ','','inherit','open','open','','5614-revision-8','','','2011-09-26 22:15:46','2011-09-26 20:15:46','',5614,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/26/5614-revision-8/',0,'revision','',0),(5623,1,'2011-09-27 22:01:14','2011-09-27 20:01:14','I didn\'t know that I was going on a dude\'s weekend until we were a day in to our trip.\r\n\r\nMostly because I\'ve never considered something like this before. Mostly I go on holiday to see new things, eat new food, check out some museums/galleries and to go shopping.\r\n\r\nBut on our way to a, gasp, car museum, I was struck by the fact that I was I was venturing solidly into dude-territory.\r\n\r\nWe were on our way to the Mercedes-Benz Museum without being prodded by a single guy friend. <a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Mercedes-Benz Museum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6189923732/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6175/6189923732_49cef58446_b.jpg\" alt=\"Mercedes-Benz Museum\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe went, of our own volition, to spend the morning at a museum of cars (and yes, I am normally an art museum girl. What can I say?! I like scarves and silver bracelets). Then we went to the Cannstatter Volksfest for the afternoon.\r\n\r\nAnd that\'s how the three of us, all girls, found ourselves enjoying a dude\'s weekend.<!--more-->\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My pretzel\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My pretzel\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6185918301/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6185918301_9c54d81839_b.jpg\" alt=\"My pretzel\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Beer, Beer, Beer\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Beer, Beer, Beer\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6186504108/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6168/6186504108_0d4e411cb3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Beer, Beer, Beer\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWe ogled cars.\r\n\r\nWe drank beer.\r\n\r\nWe ate pretzels and sausage.\r\n\r\nAnd all in all, enjoyed ourselves.\r\n\r\n(Oh, but we also went shopping. That might not fit very well into the dude\'s weekend. I am not sure what the exact dude\'s weekend rules are. But let the record show that I did it with a smile on my face while dreaming of a beer. )\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Enjoying a beer\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Enjoying a beer\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6185940403/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6167/6185940403_497f42451a_b.jpg\" alt=\"Enjoying a beer\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAt each stop of our adventure, we found plenty of groups of men, boys, guys hanging out and having a great time and us. Something like this might intimidate other girls but not us. We just burped with reckless abandon because you\'re allowed to do that on a dude\'s weekend (or at least that\'s what we imagined guys do on holiday together).','Dude\'s Weekend (in Stuttgart) ','','publish','open','open','','dudes-weekend-in-stuttgart','','','2011-09-27 22:01:14','2011-09-27 20:01:14','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5623',0,'post','',5),(5624,1,'2011-09-27 21:17:49','2011-09-27 19:17:49','I didn\'t know that I was going on a dude\'s weekend until we were a day in to our trip.  It stuck me on our way to the Mercedes-Benz Museum.\n\nThe three of us, all girls, were enjoying a dude\'s weekend.\n\nWe went to ogle cars,  drink beer, eat pretzels and sausage and to enjoy ourselves.\n\nAt each stop of our adventure, we found plenty of groups of men, boys, guys hanging out and having a great time and us. Something like this might intimidate other girls but not us.','Dude\'s Weekend (in Stuttgart) ','','inherit','open','open','','5623-revision','','','2011-09-27 21:17:49','2011-09-27 19:17:49','',5623,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/27/5623-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5625,1,'2011-09-27 21:47:35','2011-09-27 19:47:35','I didn\'t know that I was going on a dude\'s weekend until we were a day in to our trip.  It stuck me on our way to the Mercedes-Benz Museum.<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Mercedes-Benz Museum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6189923732/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6175/6189923732_49cef58446_b.jpg\" alt=\"Mercedes-Benz Museum\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a>\n\nThe three of us, all girls, were enjoying a dude\'s weekend.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My pretzel\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My pretzel\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6185918301/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6185918301_9c54d81839_b.jpg\" alt=\"My pretzel\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Beer, Beer, Beer\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6186504108/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6168/6186504108_0d4e411cb3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Beer, Beer, Beer\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" /></a> We went to ogle cars,  drink beer, eat pretzels and sausage and to enjoy ourselves.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Enjoying a beer\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Enjoying a beer\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6185940403/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6167/6185940403_497f42451a_b.jpg\" alt=\"Enjoying a beer\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAt each stop of our adventure, we found plenty of groups of men, boys, guys hanging out and having a great time and us. Something like this might intimidate other girls but not us. We just burped with reckless abandon because you\'re allowed to do that on a dude\'s weekend (or at least that\'s what we imagined guys do on holiday together).','Dude\'s Weekend (in Stuttgart) ','','inherit','open','open','','5623-revision-2','','','2011-09-27 21:47:35','2011-09-27 19:47:35','',5623,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/27/5623-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5626,1,'2011-09-27 21:48:35','2011-09-27 19:48:35','I didn\'t know that I was going on a dude\'s weekend until we were a day in to our trip.  It stuck me on our way to the Mercedes-Benz Museum.<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Mercedes-Benz Museum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6189923732/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6175/6189923732_49cef58446_b.jpg\" alt=\"Mercedes-Benz Museum\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>\n\nThe three of us, all girls, were enjoying a dude\'s weekend.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My pretzel\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My pretzel\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6185918301/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6185918301_9c54d81839_b.jpg\" alt=\"My pretzel\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Beer, Beer, Beer\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Beer, Beer, Beer\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6186504108/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6168/6186504108_0d4e411cb3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Beer, Beer, Beer\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nWe went to ogle cars,  drink beer, eat pretzels and sausage and to enjoy ourselves.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Enjoying a beer\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Enjoying a beer\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6185940403/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6167/6185940403_497f42451a_b.jpg\" alt=\"Enjoying a beer\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAt each stop of our adventure, we found plenty of groups of men, boys, guys hanging out and having a great time and us. Something like this might intimidate other girls but not us. We just burped with reckless abandon because you\'re allowed to do that on a dude\'s weekend (or at least that\'s what we imagined guys do on holiday together).','Dude\'s Weekend (in Stuttgart) ','','inherit','open','open','','5623-revision-3','','','2011-09-27 21:48:35','2011-09-27 19:48:35','',5623,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/27/5623-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5627,1,'2011-09-27 21:57:16','2011-09-27 19:57:16','I didn\'t know that I was going on a dude\'s weekend until we were a day in to our trip.\r\n\r\nMostly because I\'ve never considered something like this before. Mostly I go on holiday to see new things, eat new food, check out some museums/galleries and to go shopping.\r\n\r\nBut on our way to a, gasp, car museum, I was struck by the fact that I was I was venturing solidly into dude-territory. We were on our way to the Mercedes-Benz Museum without being prodded by a single guy friend. <a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Mercedes-Benz Museum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6189923732/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6175/6189923732_49cef58446_b.jpg\" alt=\"Mercedes-Benz Museum\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe were going, of our own volition, to spend the morning at a museum of cars (and yes, I am normally an art museum girl. What can I say?! I like scarves and silver bracelets).\r\n\r\nSo the three of us, all girls, found ourselves enjoying a dude\'s weekend.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My pretzel\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My pretzel\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6185918301/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6185918301_9c54d81839_b.jpg\" alt=\"My pretzel\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Beer, Beer, Beer\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Beer, Beer, Beer\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6186504108/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6168/6186504108_0d4e411cb3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Beer, Beer, Beer\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nWe ogled cars.  Drank beer. Ate pretzels and sausage. And all in all, enjoyed ourselves.\r\n\r\n(Oh, but we also went shopping. That might not fit very well into the dude\'s weekend. I am not sure what the exact dude\'s weekend rules are. But let the record show that I did it with a smile on my face while dreaming of a beer. )\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Enjoying a beer\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Enjoying a beer\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6185940403/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6167/6185940403_497f42451a_b.jpg\" alt=\"Enjoying a beer\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAt each stop of our adventure, we found plenty of groups of men, boys, guys hanging out and having a great time and us. Something like this might intimidate other girls but not us. We just burped with reckless abandon because you\'re allowed to do that on a dude\'s weekend (or at least that\'s what we imagined guys do on holiday together).','Dude\'s Weekend (in Stuttgart) ','','inherit','open','open','','5623-revision-4','','','2011-09-27 21:57:16','2011-09-27 19:57:16','',5623,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/27/5623-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5628,1,'2011-09-27 22:00:22','2011-09-27 20:00:22','I didn\'t know that I was going on a dude\'s weekend until we were a day in to our trip.\n\nMostly because I\'ve never considered something like this before. Mostly I go on holiday to see new things, eat new food, check out some museums/galleries and to go shopping.\n\nBut on our way to a, gasp, car museum, I was struck by the fact that I was I was venturing solidly into dude-territory.\n\nWe were on our way to the Mercedes-Benz Museum without being prodded by a single guy friend. <a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Mercedes-Benz Museum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6189923732/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6175/6189923732_49cef58446_b.jpg\" alt=\"Mercedes-Benz Museum\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>\n\nWe went, of our own volition, to spend the morning at a museum of cars (and yes, I am normally an art museum girl. What can I say?! I like scarves and silver bracelets). Then we went to the Cannstatter Volksfest for the afternoon.\n\nAnd that\'s how the three of us, all girls, found ourselves enjoying a dude\'s weekend.\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My pretzel\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My pretzel\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6185918301/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6185918301_9c54d81839_b.jpg\" alt=\"My pretzel\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Beer, Beer, Beer\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Beer, Beer, Beer\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6186504108/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6168/6186504108_0d4e411cb3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Beer, Beer, Beer\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nWe ogled cars.\n\nWe drank beer. Ate pretzels and sausage. And all in all, enjoyed ourselves.\n\n(Oh, but we also went shopping. That might not fit very well into the dude\'s weekend. I am not sure what the exact dude\'s weekend rules are. But let the record show that I did it with a smile on my face while dreaming of a beer. )\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Enjoying a beer\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Enjoying a beer\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6185940403/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6167/6185940403_497f42451a_b.jpg\" alt=\"Enjoying a beer\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAt each stop of our adventure, we found plenty of groups of men, boys, guys hanging out and having a great time and us. Something like this might intimidate other girls but not us. We just burped with reckless abandon because you\'re allowed to do that on a dude\'s weekend (or at least that\'s what we imagined guys do on holiday together).','Dude\'s Weekend (in Stuttgart) ','','inherit','open','open','','5623-revision-5','','','2011-09-27 22:00:22','2011-09-27 20:00:22','',5623,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/27/5623-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(5629,1,'2011-09-28 05:04:51','2011-09-28 03:04:51','I didn\'t know that I was going on a dude\'s weekend until we were a day in to our trip.\n\nMostly because I\'ve never considered something like this before. Mostly I go on holiday to see new things, eat new food, check out some museums/galleries and to go shopping.\n\nBut on our way to a, gasp, car museum, I was struck by the fact that I was I was venturing solidly into dude-territory.\n\nWe were on our way to the Mercedes-Benz Museum without being prodded by a single guy friend. <a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Mercedes-Benz Museum\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6189923732/\"><img class=\"alignnone\" src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6175/6189923732_49cef58446_b.jpg\" alt=\"Mercedes-Benz Museum\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>\n\nWe went, of our own volition, to spend the morning at a museum of cars (and yes, I am normally an art museum girl. What can I say?! I like scarves and silver bracelets). Then we went to the Cannstatter Volksfest for the afternoon.\n\nAnd that\'s how the three of us, all girls, found ourselves enjoying a dude\'s weekend.<!--more-->\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"My pretzel\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"My pretzel\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6185918301/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6162/6185918301_9c54d81839_b.jpg\" alt=\"My pretzel\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Beer, Beer, Beer\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Beer, Beer, Beer\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6186504108/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6168/6186504108_0d4e411cb3_b.jpg\" alt=\"Beer, Beer, Beer\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nWe ogled cars.\n\nWe drank beer.\n\nWe ate pretzels and sausage.\n\nAnd all in all, enjoyed ourselves.\n\n(Oh, but we also went shopping. That might not fit very well into the dude\'s weekend. I am not sure what the exact dude\'s weekend rules are. But let the record show that I did it with a smile on my face while dreaming of a beer. )\n\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"614\" caption=\"Enjoying a beer\"]<a class=\"tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large\" title=\"Enjoying a beer\" href=\"http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6185940403/\"><img src=\"http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6167/6185940403_497f42451a_b.jpg\" alt=\"Enjoying a beer\" width=\"614\" height=\"410\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAt each stop of our adventure, we found plenty of groups of men, boys, guys hanging out and having a great time and us. Something like this might intimidate other girls but not us. We just burped with reckless abandon because you\'re allowed to do that on a dude\'s weekend (or at least that\'s what we imagined guys do on holiday together).','Dude\'s Weekend (in Stuttgart) ','','inherit','open','open','','5623-autosave','','','2011-09-28 05:04:51','2011-09-28 03:04:51','',5623,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/28/5623-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5631,1,'2011-09-29 21:44:27','2011-09-29 19:44:27','Wow. I am meeting the newest Fulbrighters tomorrow.\n\nI find myself excited by the prospect and kind of freaked out by it. This will mark the start of my fourth year in Bulgaria.\n\nThis is the third group of Fulbrighters since I arrived in Bulgaria and I find that kind of hard to believe. And awesome at the same time.','New Fulbrighters ','','inherit','open','open','','5630-revision','','','2011-09-29 21:44:27','2011-09-29 19:44:27','',5630,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/09/29/5630-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5634,1,'2011-10-01 08:16:12','2011-10-01 06:16:12','Last night I met 20 new Fulbright ETAs in Bulgaria. They are teaching all over the country from Sofia to Russe to Varna to Vidin and Kurdzhali among other places. This is pretty incredible considering the fact that four years ago when I showed up in Bulgaria as an ETA, I was one of<em> two</em> ETAs. I was in Sofia and the other ETA was in Plovdiv.\n\nHere\'s the thing, I don\'t think it\'s easy to move to a new country, learn a new language, make new friends, start a new job and try to figure out which way is up anywhere in the world. Bulgaria is no exception. But of all of the jobs you could have and all of the places you could work, I think that teaching in a Bulgarian school is especially difficult.\n\nIt\'s difficult for a lot of different reasons: differences in educational school systems, underpaid teachers (the starting salary is something like 450 leva), underfunded schools, huge class sizes (think 30+ students), poor textbooks and often a pervasive sense of apathy.\n\nOn top of this being a quote \"Native Speaker\" is difficult because the school wants as many students as possible to have access to you and your language. It often means that you see 8-12 different groups of students each week. That\'s probably 250+ students and given the fact you see these students once a week (or worse) every other week, you quickly realize I am not going to know these kids names until Christmas break. And the names of the kids that you do know, you know for self-preservation and classroom management reasons. I don\'t know another way to put it, these students are naughty and you have use their names to get their attention.\n\nThis alone would be enough to frustrate anyone but then there\'s the always-changing schedule, the awesomely bureaucratic paperwork, chalk boards (or white boards sans whiteboard markers) and there\'s the fact that you don\'t get your own classroom. You go to the students.\n\nSo what\'s a Fulbrighter teaching in a Bulgarian school to do?\n\nWell, I think it boils down adjusting one\'s expectations and setting personal makers/levels of success.','Teaching In Bulgarian Schools ','','inherit','open','open','','5633-revision','','','2011-10-01 08:16:12','2011-10-01 06:16:12','',5633,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/01/5633-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5635,1,'2011-10-01 08:18:10','2011-10-01 06:18:10','Last night I met 20 new Fulbright ETAs in Bulgaria. They are teaching all over the country from Sofia to Russe to Varna to Vidin and Kurdzhali among other places. This is pretty incredible considering the fact that four years ago when I showed up in Bulgaria as an ETA, I was one of<em> two</em> ETAs. I was in Sofia and the other ETA was in Plovdiv.\n\nHere\'s the thing, I don\'t think it\'s easy to move to a new country, learn a new language, make new friends, start a new job and try to figure out which way is up anywhere in the world. Bulgaria is no exception. But of all of the jobs you could have and all of the places you could work, I think that teaching in a Bulgarian school is especially difficult.\n\nIt\'s difficult for a lot of different reasons: differences in educational school systems, underpaid teachers (the starting salary is something like 450 leva), underfunded schools, huge class sizes (think 30+ students), poor textbooks and often a pervasive sense of apathy.\n\nOn top of this being a quote \"Native Speaker\" is difficult because the school wants as many students as possible to have access to you and your language. It often means that you see 8-12 different groups of students each week. That\'s probably 250+ students and given the fact you see these students once a week (or worse) every other week, you quickly realize I am not going to know these kids names until Christmas break. And the names of the kids that you do know, you know for self-preservation and classroom management reasons. I don\'t know another way to put it, these students are naughty and you have use their names to get their attention.\n\nThis alone would be enough to frustrate anyone but then there\'s the always-changing schedule, the awesomely bureaucratic paperwork, chalk boards (or white boards sans whiteboard markers) and there\'s the fact that you don\'t get your own classroom. You go to the students.\n\nSo what\'s a Fulbrighter teaching in a Bulgarian school to do?\n\nWell, I think it boils down to this: adjusting one\'s expectations, establishing personal makers/levels of success, looking for the joyful moments and letting the rest go.','Teaching In Bulgarian Schools ','','inherit','open','open','','5633-revision-2','','','2011-10-01 08:18:10','2011-10-01 06:18:10','',5633,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/01/5633-revision-2/',0,'revision','',0),(5636,1,'2011-10-01 08:26:53','2011-10-01 06:26:53','Last night I met 20 new Fulbright ETAs in Bulgaria. They are teaching all over the country from Sofia to Russe to Varna to Vidin and Kurdzhali among other places. This is pretty incredible considering the fact that four years ago when I showed up in Bulgaria as an ETA, I was one of<em> two</em> ETAs. I was in Sofia and the other ETA was in Plovdiv.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, I don\'t think it\'s easy to move to a new country, learn a new language, make new friends, start a new job and try to figure out which way is up anywhere in the world. Bulgaria is no exception. But of all of the jobs you could have and all of the places you could work, I think that teaching in a Bulgarian school is especially difficult.\r\n\r\nIt\'s difficult for a lot of different reasons: differences in educational school systems, underpaid teachers (the starting salary is something like 450 leva), underfunded schools, huge class sizes (think 30+ students), poor textbooks and often a pervasive sense of apathy.\r\n\r\nOn top of this being a quote \"Native Speaker\" is difficult because the school wants as many students as possible to have access to you and your language. It often means that you see 8-12 different groups of students each week. That\'s probably 250+ students and given the fact you see these students once a week (or worse) every other week, you quickly realize I am not going to know these kids names until Christmas break. And the names of the kids that you do know, you know for self-preservation and classroom management reasons. I don\'t know another way to put it, these students are naughty and you have use their names to get their attention.\r\n\r\nThis alone would be enough to frustrate anyone but then there\'s the always-changing schedule, the awesomely bureaucratic paperwork, chalk boards (or white boards sans whiteboard markers) and there\'s the fact that you don\'t get your own classroom. You go to the students.\r\n\r\nSo what\'s a Fulbrighter teaching in a Bulgarian school to do?\r\n\r\nWell, I think it boils down to this: adjusting one\'s expectations, establishing personal makers/levels of success, looking for the joyful moments and letting the rest go.','Teaching In Bulgarian Schools ','','inherit','open','open','','5633-revision-3','','','2011-10-01 08:26:53','2011-10-01 06:26:53','',5633,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/01/5633-revision-3/',0,'revision','',0),(5637,1,'2011-10-02 18:49:55','2011-10-02 16:49:55','Last night I met 20 new Fulbright ETAs in Bulgaria. They are teaching all over the country from Sofia to Russe to Varna to Vidin and Kurdzhali among other places. This is pretty incredible considering the fact that four years ago when I showed up in Bulgaria as an ETA, I was one of<em> two</em> ETAs. I was in Sofia and the other ETA was in Plovdiv.\n\nHere\'s the thing, I don\'t think it\'s easy to move to a new country, learn a new language, make new friends, start a new job and try to figure out which way is up anywhere in the world. Bulgaria is no exception. But of all of the jobs you could have and all of the places you could work, I think that teaching in a Bulgarian school is especially difficult.\n\nIt\'s difficult for a lot of different reasons: differences in educational school systems, underpaid teachers (the starting salary is something like 450 leva), underfunded schools, huge class sizes (think 30+ students), poor textbooks and often a pervasive sense of apathy.\n\nOn top of this being a quote \"Native Speaker\" is difficult because the school wants as many students as possible to have access to you and your language. It often means that you see 8-12 different groups of students each week. That\'s probably 250+ students and given the fact you see these students once a week (or worse) every other week, you quickly realize I am not going to know these kids names until Christmas break. And the names of the kids that you do know, you know for self-preservation and classroom management reasons. I don\'t know another way to put it, these students are naughty and you have use their names to get their attention.\n\nThis alone would be enough to frustrate anyone but then there\'s the always-changing schedule, the awesomely bureaucratic paperwork, chalk boards (or white boards sans whiteboard markers) and there\'s the fact that you don\'t get your own classroom. You go to the students.\n\nSo what\'s a Fulbrighter teaching in a Bulgarian school to do?\n\nWell, I think it boils down to this: adjusting one\'s expectations, establishing personal makers/levels of success, looking for the joyful moments and letting the rest go.','Teaching In Bulgarian Schools ','','inherit','open','open','','5633-autosave','','','2011-10-02 18:49:55','2011-10-02 16:49:55','',5633,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/02/5633-autosave/',0,'revision','',0),(5638,1,'2011-10-02 18:48:13','2011-10-02 16:48:13','Last night I met 20 new Fulbright ETAs in Bulgaria. They are teaching all over the country from Sofia to Russe to Varna to Vidin and Kurdzhali among other places. This is pretty incredible considering the fact that four years ago when I showed up in Bulgaria as an ETA, I was one of<em> two</em> ETAs. I was in Sofia and the other ETA was in Plovdiv.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, I don\'t think it\'s easy to move to a new country, learn a new language, make new friends, start a new job and try to figure out which way is up anywhere in the world. Bulgaria is no exception. But of all of the jobs you could have and all of the places you could work, I think that teaching in a Bulgarian school is especially difficult.\r\n\r\nIt\'s difficult for a lot of different reasons: differences in educational school systems, underpaid teachers (the starting salary is something like 450 leva), underfunded schools, huge class sizes (think 30+ students), poor textbooks and often a pervasive sense of apathy.\r\n\r\nOn top of this being a quote \"Native Speaker\" is difficult because the school wants as many students as possible to have access to you and your language. It often means that you see 8-12 different groups of students each week. That\'s probably 250+ students and given the fact you see these students once a week (or worse) every other week, you quickly realize I am not going to know these kids names until Christmas break. And the names of the kids that you do know, you know for self-preservation and classroom management reasons. I don\'t know another way to put it, these students are naughty and you have use their names to get their attention.\r\n\r\nThis alone would be enough to frustrate anyone but then there\'s the always-changing schedule, the awesomely bureaucratic paperwork, chalk boards (or white boards sans whiteboard markers) and there\'s the fact that you don\'t get your own classroom. You go to the students.\r\n\r\nSo what\'s a Fulbrighter teaching in a Bulgarian school to do?\r\n\r\nWell, I think it boils down to this: adjusting one\'s expectations, establishing personal makers/levels of success, looking for the joyful moments and letting the rest go.','Teaching In Bulgarian Schools ','','inherit','open','open','','5633-revision-4','','','2011-10-02 18:48:13','2011-10-02 16:48:13','',5633,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/02/5633-revision-4/',0,'revision','',0),(5639,1,'2011-10-02 18:50:55','2011-10-02 16:50:55','On Friday night I met 20 new Fulbright ETAs in Bulgaria. They are teaching all over the country from Sofia to Russe to Varna to Vidin and Kurdzhali among other places. This is pretty incredible considering the fact that four years ago when I showed up in Bulgaria as an ETA, I was one of<em> two</em> ETAs. I was in Sofia and the other ETA was in Plovdiv.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, I don\'t think it\'s easy to move to a new country, learn a new language, make new friends, start a new job and try to figure out which way is up anywhere in the world. Bulgaria is no exception. But of all of the jobs you could have and all of the places you could work, I think that teaching in a Bulgarian school is especially difficult.\r\n\r\nIt\'s difficult for a lot of different reasons: differences in educational school systems, underpaid teachers (the starting salary is something like 450 leva), underfunded schools, huge class sizes (think 30+ students), poor textbooks and often a pervasive sense of apathy.\r\n\r\nOn top of this being a foreign teacher and quote \"Native Speaker\" is difficult because more often than not the school wants as many students as possible to have access to you and your language. It often means that you see 8-12 different groups of students each week. That\'s probably 200+ students and given the fact you see these students once a week (or worse) every other week, you quickly realize: I am not going to know these kids names until Christmas break.\r\n\r\nThis alone would be enough to frustrate anyone but then there\'s the always-changing schedule, the awesomely bureaucratic paperwork, chalk boards (or white boards sans whiteboard markers) and the fact that you don\'t get your own classroom. You go to the students.\r\n\r\nSo what\'s a Fulbrighter teaching in a Bulgarian school to do?<img title=\"More...\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif\" alt=\"\" /><!--more-->\r\n\r\nWell, you\'ve got to take a deep breath and jump in.\r\n\r\nThe job is going to be amazing and at other times amazingly frustrating.  The middle road doesn\'t really exist in Bulgaria so get ready for both the highs and the lows.\r\n\r\nTeaching in Bulgaria is going to stretch you, push you, exhaust you and wow you.\r\n\r\nSo, I think it boils down to this: if you\'re a Fulbrighter teaching in Bulgaria you\'ve got to adjust your expectations, look for the joyful moments at work and let the rest of it go. I realize these things are probably easier said that done. But here\'s the thing, you can really only control yourself. So you\'ve got to make your corner of the world the best it can be.\r\n\r\nLook for the students are excited to learn and plan activities with them. Find the teachers who are trying to make a difference at school and in the lives of students even though the system is set-up in such a way as to discourage this and talk to them. Learn as much Bulgarian as you can and use it as often as you can (Bulgarians love it). Create a project for yourself outside of school.\r\n\r\n<em>Mine?</em> Well, you\'re reading it.\r\n\r\nMy first year I\'d go to school and students would be texting under the desk (or in one bold case making a telephone call during a dictation), they\'d never complete their homework (or blatantly copy and paste from wikipedia), they\'d throw paper and ignore my instructions. Most times, if felt more like I was a babysitter than their teacher.\r\n\r\nThis enough to get anyone down but there\'s more.\r\n\r\nI had too many students and saw them too infrequently to actually know all of their names. I knew the names of the best students and the worst students and I hated that. I also hated that administration regularly questioned my need for photocopies and chalk. I was teaching a conversation class without a textbook and needed worksheets/handouts for class but when I asked for 150 copies administration would ask me: how about 50? (Um, how could you like me to decide which students wont get photocopies?)\r\n\r\nThe low point for me?\r\n\r\nI bought seven copies of the game Scrabble from the States in order to teach my students the game and to have them practice their vocabulary and problem solving skills. The second time my students played they spent more time throwing the tiles around the room than playing the game. I spent the 15 minutes after class with tears in my eyes picking up Scrabble pieces off the floor determined not to actually cry at school.\r\n\r\nI left school that day miserable (and I cried outside the school gate).\r\n\r\nSofia looked uglier than I could ever remember it and every step I took on my home that day reminded me of the day\'s earlier events because the damn Scrabble tiles were rattling in my bag. Luckily for me though, I had something more in my life than just school.\r\n\r\nBy the time I\'d gotten home my anger, frustration and tears had morphed into a blog post. A blog post that has since turned out to be one of my most popular posts of all time, <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/31/things-i-dont-understand/\" target=\"_blank\">Things I don\'t Understand</a>, and the post which introduced me to a much wider Bulgarian readership.\r\n\r\nSo here\'s my advice, when you go to school each day do something each that you\'re excited about and at the end of the day, make sure that you have something else to look forward to as well because if the only thing you have in your life is school/work, I can just about guarantee heartbreak for you here in Bulgaria. My own experience teaching in a public school in Sofia was neither satisfying nor especially gratifying but the whole experience taught me a lot about myself and frankly given same opportunity I\'d do it again in a heartbeat.','Teaching In Bulgarian Schools ','','inherit','open','open','','5633-revision-5','','','2011-10-02 18:50:55','2011-10-02 16:50:55','',5633,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/02/5633-revision-5/',0,'revision','',0),(5640,1,'2011-10-02 18:55:04','2011-10-02 16:55:04','On Friday night I met 20 new Fulbright ETAs in Bulgaria. They are teaching all over the country from Sofia to Russe to Varna to Vidin and Kurdzhali among other places. This is pretty incredible considering the fact that four years ago when I showed up in Bulgaria as an ETA, I was one of<em> two</em> ETAs. I was in Sofia and the other ETA was in Plovdiv.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, I don\'t think it\'s easy to move to a new country, learn a new language, make new friends, start a new job and try to figure out which way is up anywhere in the world. Bulgaria is no exception. But of all of the jobs you could have and all of the places you could work, I think that teaching in a Bulgarian school is especially difficult.\r\n\r\nIt\'s difficult for a lot of different reasons: differences in educational school systems, underpaid teachers (the starting salary is something like 450 leva), underfunded schools, huge class sizes (think 30+ students), poor textbooks and often a pervasive sense of apathy.\r\n\r\nOn top of this being a foreign teacher and quote \"Native Speaker\" is difficult because more often than not the school wants as many students as possible to have access to you and your language. It often means that you see 8-12 different groups of students each week. That\'s probably 200+ students and given the fact you see these students once a week (or worse) every other week, you quickly realize: I am not going to know these kids names until Christmas break.\r\n\r\nThis alone would be enough to frustrate anyone but then there\'s the always-changing schedule, the awesomely bureaucratic paperwork, chalk boards (or white boards sans whiteboard markers) and the fact that you don\'t get your own classroom. You go to the students.\r\n\r\nSo what\'s a Fulbrighter teaching in a Bulgarian school to do?<img title=\"More...\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif\" alt=\"\" /><img title=\"More...\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif\" alt=\"\" /><!--more-->\r\n\r\nWell, you\'ve got to take a deep breath and jump in.\r\n\r\nThe job is going to be amazing and at other times amazingly frustrating.  The middle road doesn\'t really exist in Bulgaria so get ready for both the highs and the lows.\r\n\r\nTeaching in Bulgaria is going to stretch you, push you, exhaust you and wow you.\r\n\r\nSo, I think it boils down to this: if you\'re a Fulbrighter teaching in Bulgaria you\'ve got to adjust your expectations, look for the joyful moments at work and let the rest of it go. I realize these things are probably easier said that done. But here\'s the thing, you can really only control yourself. So you\'ve got to make your corner of the world the best it can be.\r\n\r\nLook for the students are excited to learn and plan activities with them. Find the teachers who are trying to make a difference at school and in the lives of students even though the system is set-up in such a way as to discourage this and talk to them. Learn as much Bulgarian as you can and use it as often as you can (Bulgarians love it). Create a project for yourself outside of school.\r\n\r\n<em>Mine?</em> Well, you\'re reading it.\r\n\r\nMy first year I\'d go to school and students would be texting under the desk (or in one bold case making a telephone call during a dictation), they\'d never complete their homework (or blatantly copy and paste from wikipedia), they\'d throw paper and ignore my instructions. Most times, if felt more like I was a babysitter than their teacher.\r\n\r\nThis enough to get anyone down but there\'s more.\r\n\r\nI had too many students and saw them too infrequently to actually know all of their names. I knew the names of the best students and the worst students and I hated that. I also hated that administration regularly questioned my need for photocopies and chalk. I was teaching a conversation class without a textbook and needed worksheets/handouts for class but when I asked for 150 copies administration would ask me: how about 50? (Um, how could you like me to decide which students wont get photocopies?)\r\n\r\nThe low point for me?\r\n\r\nI bought seven copies of the game Scrabble from the States in order to teach my students the game and to have them practice their vocabulary and problem solving skills. The second time my students played they spent more time throwing the tiles around the room than playing the game. I spent the 15 minutes after class with tears in my eyes picking up Scrabble pieces off the floor determined not to actually cry at school.\r\n\r\nI left school that day miserable (and I cried outside the school gate).\r\n\r\nSofia looked uglier than I could ever remember it and every step I took on my home that day reminded me of the day\'s earlier events because the damn Scrabble tiles were rattling in my bag. Luckily for me though, I had something more in my life than just school.\r\n\r\nBy the time I\'d gotten home my anger, frustration and tears had morphed into a blog post. A blog post that has since turned out to be one of my most popular posts of all time, <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/31/things-i-dont-understand/\" target=\"_blank\">Things I don\'t Understand</a>, and the post which introduced me to a much wider Bulgarian readership.\r\n\r\nSo here\'s my advice, when you go to school each day do something each that you\'re excited about and at the end of the day, make sure that you have something else to look forward to as well because if the only thing you have in your life is school/work, I can just about guarantee heartbreak for you here in Bulgaria. My own experience teaching in a public school in Sofia was neither satisfying nor especially gratifying but the whole experience taught me a lot about myself and frankly given same opportunity I\'d do it again in a heartbeat.','Teaching in Bulgarian Schools','','publish','open','open','','teaching-in-bulgarian-schools-2','','','2011-10-02 18:55:04','2011-10-02 16:55:04','',0,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/?p=5640',0,'post','',1),(5641,1,'2011-10-02 18:54:22','2011-10-02 16:54:22','On Friday night I met 20 new Fulbright ETAs in Bulgaria. They are teaching all over the country from Sofia to Russe to Varna to Vidin and Kurdzhali among other places. This is pretty incredible considering the fact that four years ago when I showed up in Bulgaria as an ETA, I was one of<em> two</em> ETAs. I was in Sofia and the other ETA was in Plovdiv.\n\nHere\'s the thing, I don\'t think it\'s easy to move to a new country, learn a new language, make new friends, start a new job and try to figure out which way is up anywhere in the world. Bulgaria is no exception. But of all of the jobs you could have and all of the places you could work, I think that teaching in a Bulgarian school is especially difficult.\n\nIt\'s difficult for a lot of different reasons: differences in educational school systems, underpaid teachers (the starting salary is something like 450 leva), underfunded schools, huge class sizes (think 30+ students), poor textbooks and often a pervasive sense of apathy.\n\nOn top of this being a foreign teacher and quote \"Native Speaker\" is difficult because more often than not the school wants as many students as possible to have access to you and your language. It often means that you see 8-12 different groups of students each week. That\'s probably 200+ students and given the fact you see these students once a week (or worse) every other week, you quickly realize: I am not going to know these kids names until Christmas break.\n\nThis alone would be enough to frustrate anyone but then there\'s the always-changing schedule, the awesomely bureaucratic paperwork, chalk boards (or white boards sans whiteboard markers) and the fact that you don\'t get your own classroom. You go to the students.\n\nSo what\'s a Fulbrighter teaching in a Bulgarian school to do?<img title=\"More...\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif\" alt=\"\" /><img title=\"More...\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif\" alt=\"\" />\n\nWell, you\'ve got to take a deep breath and jump in.\n\nThe job is going to be amazing and at other times amazingly frustrating.  The middle road doesn\'t really exist in Bulgaria so get ready for both the highs and the lows.\n\nTeaching in Bulgaria is going to stretch you, push you, exhaust you and wow you.\n\nSo, I think it boils down to this: if you\'re a Fulbrighter teaching in Bulgaria you\'ve got to adjust your expectations, look for the joyful moments at work and let the rest of it go. I realize these things are probably easier said that done. But here\'s the thing, you can really only control yourself. So you\'ve got to make your corner of the world the best it can be.\n\nLook for the students are excited to learn and plan activities with them. Find the teachers who are trying to make a difference at school and in the lives of students even though the system is set-up in such a way as to discourage this and talk to them. Learn as much Bulgarian as you can and use it as often as you can (Bulgarians love it). Create a project for yourself outside of school.\n\n<em>Mine?</em> Well, you\'re reading it.\n\nMy first year I\'d go to school and students would be texting under the desk (or in one bold case making a telephone call during a dictation), they\'d never complete their homework (or blatantly copy and paste from wikipedia), they\'d throw paper and ignore my instructions. Most times, if felt more like I was a babysitter than their teacher.\n\nThis enough to get anyone down but there\'s more.\n\nI had too many students and saw them too infrequently to actually know all of their names. I knew the names of the best students and the worst students and I hated that. I also hated that administration regularly questioned my need for photocopies and chalk. I was teaching a conversation class without a textbook and needed worksheets/handouts for class but when I asked for 150 copies administration would ask me: how about 50? (Um, how could you like me to decide which students wont get photocopies?)\n\nThe low point for me?\n\nI bought seven copies of the game Scrabble from the States in order to teach my students the game and to have them practice their vocabulary and problem solving skills. The second time my students played they spent more time throwing the tiles around the room than playing the game. I spent the 15 minutes after class with tears in my eyes picking up Scrabble pieces off the floor determined not to actually cry at school.\n\nI left school that day miserable (and I cried outside the school gate).\n\nSofia looked uglier than I could ever remember it and every step I took on my home that day reminded me of the day\'s earlier events because the damn Scrabble tiles were rattling in my bag. Luckily for me though, I had something more in my life than just school.\n\nBy the time I\'d gotten home my anger, frustration and tears had morphed into a blog post. A blog post that has since turned out to be one of my most popular posts of all time, <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/31/things-i-dont-understand/\" target=\"_blank\">Things I don\'t Understand</a>, and the post which introduced me to a much wider Bulgarian readership.\n\nSo here\'s my advice, when you go to school each day do something each that you\'re excited about and at the end of the day, make sure that you have something else to look forward to as well because if the only thing you have in your life is school/work, I can just about guarantee heartbreak for you here in Bulgaria. My own experience teaching in a public school in Sofia was neither satisfying nor especially gratifying but the whole experience taught me a lot about myself and frankly given same opportunity I\'d do it again in a heartbeat.','Teaching in Bulgarian Schools','','inherit','open','open','','5640-revision','','','2011-10-02 18:54:22','2011-10-02 16:54:22','',5640,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/02/5640-revision/',0,'revision','',0),(5642,1,'2011-10-02 18:51:35','2011-10-02 16:51:35','On Friday night I met 20 new Fulbright ETAs in Bulgaria. They are teaching all over the country from Sofia to Russe to Varna to Vidin and Kurdzhali among other places. This is pretty incredible considering the fact that four years ago when I showed up in Bulgaria as an ETA, I was one of<em> two</em> ETAs. I was in Sofia and the other ETA was in Plovdiv.\r\n\r\nHere\'s the thing, I don\'t think it\'s easy to move to a new country, learn a new language, make new friends, start a new job and try to figure out which way is up anywhere in the world. Bulgaria is no exception. But of all of the jobs you could have and all of the places you could work, I think that teaching in a Bulgarian school is especially difficult.\r\n\r\nIt\'s difficult for a lot of different reasons: differences in educational school systems, underpaid teachers (the starting salary is something like 450 leva), underfunded schools, huge class sizes (think 30+ students), poor textbooks and often a pervasive sense of apathy.\r\n\r\nOn top of this being a foreign teacher and quote \"Native Speaker\" is difficult because more often than not the school wants as many students as possible to have access to you and your language. It often means that you see 8-12 different groups of students each week. That\'s probably 200+ students and given the fact you see these students once a week (or worse) every other week, you quickly realize: I am not going to know these kids names until Christmas break.\r\n\r\nThis alone would be enough to frustrate anyone but then there\'s the always-changing schedule, the awesomely bureaucratic paperwork, chalk boards (or white boards sans whiteboard markers) and the fact that you don\'t get your own classroom. You go to the students.\r\n\r\nSo what\'s a Fulbrighter teaching in a Bulgarian school to do?<img title=\"More...\" src=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif\" alt=\"\" /><!--more-->\r\n\r\nWell, you\'ve got to take a deep breath and jump in.\r\n\r\nThe job is going to be amazing and at other times amazingly frustrating.  The middle road doesn\'t really exist in Bulgaria so get ready for both the highs and the lows.\r\n\r\nTeaching in Bulgaria is going to stretch you, push you, exhaust you and wow you.\r\n\r\nSo, I think it boils down to this: if you\'re a Fulbrighter teaching in Bulgaria you\'ve got to adjust your expectations, look for the joyful moments at work and let the rest of it go. I realize these things are probably easier said that done. But here\'s the thing, you can really only control yourself. So you\'ve got to make your corner of the world the best it can be.\r\n\r\nLook for the students are excited to learn and plan activities with them. Find the teachers who are trying to make a difference at school and in the lives of students even though the system is set-up in such a way as to discourage this and talk to them. Learn as much Bulgarian as you can and use it as often as you can (Bulgarians love it). Create a project for yourself outside of school.\r\n\r\n<em>Mine?</em> Well, you\'re reading it.\r\n\r\nMy first year I\'d go to school and students would be texting under the desk (or in one bold case making a telephone call during a dictation), they\'d never complete their homework (or blatantly copy and paste from wikipedia), they\'d throw paper and ignore my instructions. Most times, if felt more like I was a babysitter than their teacher.\r\n\r\nThis enough to get anyone down but there\'s more.\r\n\r\nI had too many students and saw them too infrequently to actually know all of their names. I knew the names of the best students and the worst students and I hated that. I also hated that administration regularly questioned my need for photocopies and chalk. I was teaching a conversation class without a textbook and needed worksheets/handouts for class but when I asked for 150 copies administration would ask me: how about 50? (Um, how could you like me to decide which students wont get photocopies?)\r\n\r\nThe low point for me?\r\n\r\nI bought seven copies of the game Scrabble from the States in order to teach my students the game and to have them practice their vocabulary and problem solving skills. The second time my students played they spent more time throwing the tiles around the room than playing the game. I spent the 15 minutes after class with tears in my eyes picking up Scrabble pieces off the floor determined not to actually cry at school.\r\n\r\nI left school that day miserable (and I cried outside the school gate).\r\n\r\nSofia looked uglier than I could ever remember it and every step I took on my home that day reminded me of the day\'s earlier events because the damn Scrabble tiles were rattling in my bag. Luckily for me though, I had something more in my life than just school.\r\n\r\nBy the time I\'d gotten home my anger, frustration and tears had morphed into a blog post. A blog post that has since turned out to be one of my most popular posts of all time, <a href=\"http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2009/03/31/things-i-dont-understand/\" target=\"_blank\">Things I don\'t Understand</a>, and the post which introduced me to a much wider Bulgarian readership.\r\n\r\nSo here\'s my advice, when you go to school each day do something each that you\'re excited about and at the end of the day, make sure that you have something else to look forward to as well because if the only thing you have in your life is school/work, I can just about guarantee heartbreak for you here in Bulgaria. My own experience teaching in a public school in Sofia was neither satisfying nor especially gratifying but the whole experience taught me a lot about myself and frankly given same opportunity I\'d do it again in a heartbeat.','Teaching In Bulgarian Schools ','','inherit','open','open','','5633-revision-6','','','2011-10-02 18:51:35','2011-10-02 16:51:35','',5633,'http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2011/10/02/5633-revision-6/',0,'revision','',0),