This post was inspired by an article I read yesterday on CBS News regarding the Danube River reaching record low levels. This is the second longest river in Europe after the Volga and it passes through 10 countries before reaching the Black Sea. Already countries such as Hungary and Romania are taking steps to safeguard … Continue reading A Mammoth Find Near Ruse
Category: Bulgaria Life
Varna International Jazz Festival – A Poem
I promised in an earlier post that I would share the poem I wrote about last year's jazz festival. Well, it is now no longer a work in progress, it is a finished piece. Herewith... We gathered in the courtyardof the old museum,aficionados of the genre, in appearance if not in knowledge.The moon slowly dipped … Continue reading Varna International Jazz Festival – A Poem
Where Have all the Sheep Gone?
Regular followers of my blogs will know that I have a penchant for appropriating and mutilating song titles. Here we have a reference to Pete Seeger's 1955 song Where Have all the Flowers Gone?, covered by many artists since then, such as Joan Baez, The Kingston Trio, and Peter Paul and Mary. The song has … Continue reading Where Have all the Sheep Gone?
From Varna to Whitby Bay
The title may not convey the same glamour and decadence as Patsy Galant's hit song From New York to L.A., but it serves its purpose. I opted for this title rather than A Tale of Two Cities, primarily because Whitby does not have city status. A stickler for details. If you have not deduced the … Continue reading From Varna to Whitby Bay
July Morning
This is the view from Avren this morning, showing the sun rising over a field of sunflowers which will soon explode into a vista of yellow hopefulness. Today is a special day that is peculiarly celebrated in Bulgaria. Thousands of young people gather on the evening of 30th June along the many beautiful beaches of … Continue reading July Morning
Cherries are on Sale Again
I was going to try to be clever and reference a line from David Bowie's Is There Life on Mars?, where he mentions lemons being on sale again. I checked the lyrics and after all these years I was shocked to find that the line is actually "Lennon's on sale again". How blissfully we drift … Continue reading Cherries are on Sale Again
The Illegal City
It is not often that I turn my attention to political matters in these blogs - I think the last time was when I wrote about Bulgaria adopting the euro (The Last Roar of the Lion). In that post I mentioned the elephant in the room - well, more like the octopus in the room, … Continue reading The Illegal City
Another Return to Avren
I have just returned after nearly a month away. I was struck by the explosion of green that has occurred across the landscape. The first indication came as the taxi from the airport climbed and wended its way along the serpentine road through the forest on the climb to the village - a view of … Continue reading Another Return to Avren
St Trifon Zarezan
February 14th is a special day here in Bulgaria. We celebrate St Trifon Zarezan (also known as Trifon the Pruner), the patron saint of winegrowers. He was a martyr from the mid-third century. The day was originally celebrated on 1st February but is now on 14th February. The date changed when most religions adopted the … Continue reading St Trifon Zarezan
Head in the Clouds
The start of 2026 in Avren has been rather gloomy on a number of fronts, including the weather front. Early in the month we had coverings of snow that looked beautiful under blue skies as the shifting sunlight highlighted the different textures throughout the day, moving from the glittering crystals on our stack of old … Continue reading Head in the Clouds
Psychologist on the Move 