Last Summer Days at Cape Kaliakra

Cape Kaliakra, Kaliakra, Bulgaria

Despite that September is almost gone, summer has been very generous this year. It's still sunny and warm, especially at the seaside. Wednesday was a bank holiday and we took the opportunity to make a trip to cape Kaliakra, located 70 kilometres north of Varna, the biggest Bulgaria port at Black Sea. 

Back in time Kaliakra as a major port on the Black Sea, Kavarna saw the rise and decline of the empires which one dominated our land. Remains from the fortification walls and the Roman baths are well preserved and relics from Byzantine and Turkish times can be seen in one of the caves which hosts the museum of cape Kaliakra. We spent there most of the afternoon, exploring the small caves in the rock and trying to find hidden paths leading to the base of the cliffs. 

Once: How often do you meet the right person?

Once - Falling Slowly

Half movie, half musical, a low budget movie which was very successful in 2007. However, not being a huge fan of movies, I came across it just yesterday. The main roles are played by the musicians Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová who also composed and performed all of the songs and they are simply amazing! Not being familiar with the musicians before watching the movie, I initially thought it's a movie about Damien Rice as the songs and their lyrics very much remind of his style. Also the age mismatch between the main characters brings memories of Damien's Volcano. Well,I did a quick research and there is at least no official information that the movie is in anyway related to Damien Rice. The story line is very simple, there are no special effects, the main characters are professional musicians and most of the songs featured in the movie are performed in full length. 

A girl and a guy meet on the streets of Dublin. He is a 30 something street musician who fixes vacuum cleaners during the day to earn money. She is a young Czech immigrant in her early twenties who sells flowers in the streets and cleans houses to make a living. The Girl plays piano but due to circumstances she only plays pianos for sale in a piano shop. The girl  is attracted by one of the songs the guy has composed himself. She starts a conversation about the song and their passion for music draws them together. The meeting is followed by a week during which they will get to know each other better. The Girl will learn that the song which the Guy has composed is dedicated to his ex girlfriend who now lives in London. They were together for long time but she cheated on him and they broke up. However, he still misses her. The Guy will find out that the Girl is married and has a two year-old daughter. At the time though, she is separated with the little girl's father. When the Guy asks her whether she still loves her husband she replies to him in Czech "No, I love you" but she refuses to translate the meaning for him and he never learns her reply. Eventually, he decides to move to London but before that he decides to record a few songs. Since he likes her singing and piano playing, he suggests to her to make the recording together. After a very tense weekend they make the recording which is so good that It's very liked by the studio manager who was initially very sceptical of their performance. Upon hearing the songs, the Guy's father decides to give him money to go to London to pursue a career as a musician...Before departing for London, the Guy tries to find the Girl. He couldn't find her and in the end, he goes to the piano shop and orders a piano for her. He is at the airport waiting for boarding when the piano is brought to her house. Her husband is there too and they seem to have reunited. She is looking through the window probably recalling the past week.

It's one of those movies that trigger your romantic streak, very touching and very realistic. 
You keep on asking yourself what would have happened if they have met in different settings.

South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami

"There are some things in this world that can be changed and some that can't and time passing is one that can't be redone. Come this far and you can't go back. Don't you think so?"

A melancholic, subtle, simple and elusive story, South of the Border is a good and quick read. It's a bleak look at the loneliness, isolation, betrayal, redemption, desire for the exotic and unknown.

Hajime grows up in post-war Japan in an average Japanese family, having no brothers and sisters, he is very attached to Shimamoto, his only childhood friend. They spend many hours together listening to her father's records, strolling together or simply having long conversations. Attachment grows into gentle love and despite that they held hands only once, the feeling stays with him long after. Hajime's family moves out from the neighbourhood and the two of them grew apart. They will not meet each other for many years, each takes their path. He will be looking for Shimamoto in the women he will meet and the lingering memory of her and their conversations will not leave him easily. At 36, Hajime is a prosperous businessman, the owner of a chain of jazz bars in Tokyo, he leads a happy existence with his wife and two daughters but he is not entirely satisfied. Then in one rainy night Shimamoto suddenly reappears in his life and he is forced to choose between a past not yet lived and the present which he has built. 

What I most liked about the book is how Murakami portrays his characters. They all are very realistic as though based on actual human beings; as though Hajime, the main character is the author himself. The plot is very simple in many aspects, the story of an ordinary person with an extraordinary inner world. The reader can feel Hajime's psychological struggles and doubts. Constantly haunted by memories and *what if* questions, he can't fully enjoy the gifts of the present. Despite that he is very reactive sometimes, he is very pro-active in self-analysis, his assessment of the the disappointments he experiences as well as the disappointments he inflicts on others is very accurate. Very introspective but in a simple and engaging way, definitely worth reading. 

Mountain adventures 2010: The epic Koncheto Ridge

a view of Koncheto from the north slope of Vihren

The destination is Pirin, a mountain in south-western Bulgaria, named after Perun, the god of thunder and lightening, the most respected god in Slavic mythology. A very rocky mountain with beautiful blue lakes and high peaks and of course, *Koncheto*.

Koncheto or The Little Horse as it is translated in English is a very steep mountain ridge, which connects two peaks, one of its slopes is vertical and the other one is a lit less steep, making an angle of approximately 40 degrees. The ridge is about 150 metres long and in its most narrow parts it is about 50 sm wide. Luckily, there is a steel rope stretched at the most steep places to help hikers move forward and also there is a path a few metres down the edge for inexperienced hikers.

The first time I heard about Koncheto was when I was 12 during a mountain trip in another beautiful Bulgarian mountain, the Rodopi mountain. Since that time I wanted to walk on the edge of the ridge and look down in the abyss. Now, 15 years later, I had this opportunity.

I woke up earlier than the others... All the pictures I had seen and all the stories I had heard about the ridge were flashing before my eyes... I could see the white rocks, the steep slopes on either side, and then I would think of the many who didn't make it and gave up on the way... Was I one of those people frozen by their fear of heights unable to ride the little horse? I decided that I was not going to challenge myself, I would go as far as I could.

7.30 time for breakfast: fried bread with eggs and a cup of tea... then last check-up to see whether I had everything necessary in my backpack, water, jacket, lunch, everything was there. The guide and the group were waiting in front of the mountain hut in which we had spent the previous night. Everyone seemed restless. Last directions and we were ready to go. Climbing up behind each other we set off for the most adventurous part of our mountain trip. Despite that it was 8, it was very hot, the slope was too steep and everyone was dropping with sweat. The higher we went, the more nervous I would feel. The path was very narrow and the slope very steep, looking down at the hut, I was feeling dizzy and it was still the beginning... Panic and fear were overtaking me, my breathing was getting heavier and heavier, I could feel my breakfast wanted to come out, the others were like 10 minutes ahead of me. Luckily, there was that buddy who came back for me and talked me out of going back. Soon we caught up with the group... since that point I was very careful to keep up with the group. We walked for another 3 hours before we finally reached the place where the path to Koncheto started. I can't recall how much time we walked or how much time we spent there but I won't forget the feeling... it was simply incredible... there was a fog enveloping the less steeper slope and there was still snow, down there in the base of the vertical slope, the peak of Vihren (2912m) was in the distance as well as many other peaks almost as high as it. A stunning view. Hikers clinging to the rope and enjoying the pure beauty of the mountain. Some taking pictures, others talking enthusiastically.

Sitting there on the edge, I could feel the adrenaline rush but no fear nor panic but pure bliss.

The experience was worth the efforts. The satisfaction of achieving the unattainable. A feeling of insignificance in front of the power of nature. A memory I will never forget.

A Trip to Moscow

The Kremlin

I had the pleasure to visit Moscow last week. Called by some "a country in the country", the city of Moscow is definitely impressive. Moscow cannot be compared to any other European city at least not to those I have been to. Being the only member of my immediate and extended family, not having visited the city, I grew up with the stories of its beauty and I have to stay what I saw surpassed all my expectations.

Not pretending to share an expert opinion, I'd say one can see pre-Soviet (all historical buildings preserved or restored after Soviet times), Soviet (Stalin's skyscrapers as well as the neighbourhoods of panel apartment blocks so typical for that time) and attempts at post-Soviet architecture (modern buildings built after the 90s) and this all contributes to the typical atmosphere of Moscow. We shall not forget the citizens of Moscow, the Muscovite, proud and calm in their own way, friendly and open to foreigners, having a strong immune against alcohol... I have to say the Russian stereotype built by shallow American movies is plain wrong... Of course, I cannot generalize, but I met quite a few intelligent and very interesting people with whom you can talk about travel, globalization, politics, etc... who gave me some very useful tips to get everything from my one week stay in Moscow. Contrary to my expectations based mainly on different experiences with Russians I met in the US and EU, the Russian Russians are very hospitable and they go to great lengths to make you feel at home. Despite that I had the opportunity to have dinner with different Russian families, there were many similarities in the way I was treated as a guest. First, the tables were always full with all delicacies available in the house, as expected there was always a bottle of vodka soon to be emptied presented on the table, however, my Russian hosts will  drink a lot but never go overboard. Each sip of vodka is preceded by a toast, unlike in the west, toasts in Russia are actually a few long sentences and they go before each sip which can be a bit boring at times.It's amazing what quantities of vodka the Russians can handle and still appear  relatively sober. I saw many bottles getting empty in no time but I didn't see any drunken Russians. As for Russian cuisine, it's good, at least what I tasted and I have to say the fish dishes are especially tasty. Being a chocolate lover, I especially liked the typical Russian chocolates which brought memories from my childhood when similar chocolates could be found in shops in Bulgaria. Another thing worth mentioning is that gentlemen like Russian men I have seen nowhere else in the world. I still remember that very old man who couldn't say a word in English, who escorted me to Leninska Metrostation despite that it was not on his way. Also the many strangers I met opening doors and making space for you in the public transport something, I am not used to  and since I wasn't used to, I didn't know how to appreciate. To sum up, to get a feeling for the Russian mentality, you really have to at least understand Russian and not to suffer from anti-Soviet prejudice. English is still not a popular language in this part of the world. 

Now, let's go back to my sight-seeing tour: The churches of Moscow or shall I say Moscow, the heart of the Orthodox Church and culture to tease my neighbours from Greece... They say Moscow was a city once dominated by churches... but this still rings true. There are 9 churches behind the walls of the Kremlin. They can tell the story of its different occupants, among which Ivan the Terrible and Lenin. However, the most impressive churches are outside the Kremlin. A few blocks from it, on the banks of the Moscow river, lies "Christ the Saviour", is the highest Eastern Orthodox cathedral in the world. The cathedral was started during the time of Alexander I and was finished by his brother Nicola II and the design of the St. Sofia Cathedral in Istanbul was used as a model. During Stalin's times the Cathedral was demolished and a swimming pool was built on its place. They say that Stalin wanted to make a monument in honour of Lenin but the land was too weak to support such a statue that he had to give up this idea and instead a swimming pool was built. The cathedral was rebuilt in the 90s and it resembles the old cathedral in every way. Another interesting cathedral is St. Basil's Cathedral on the red square, well-known for its colours and unusual shape of the domes, this is the church with colourful domes which is presented on most postcards from Russia. It has no analogue in Eastern Orthodox architecture.

St. Basil's Cathedral

A must-do in Moscow is a walk in the old part of the city: the Arbat Street is a shopping street, which is full of small boutiques, book stores, restaurants, overpriced cafes, and it was once a home for Russian bohemians. The bohemian spirit is still alive: the many street painters, musicians, street artists, foreigners and guests of the city create a unique Arbat-like atmosphere. The houses architecture represents the Russian interpretation of the Art Nuveau which was popular in Europe at the turn of 20th century. The houses of many notable Russians among which Pushkin are in the Arbat area. One of the so-called Stalin skyscrapers, a high cathedral-like building which houses the Ministry of Defence is located on Arabatskaya Square. A walk down the Old Arbat and a drink in one of the bars in the area is the perfect finish of an exhausting day of sight-seeing. The new Arbat is a an extension of the old Arbat, it's a big avenue, part of Stalin's master plan for Moscow. Cinemas, hotels, office buildings as well as high grey apartment buildings can be seen its sides, a very *varied* architecture and very contrasting to the aristocratic Old Arbat.

There are also many other interesting spots: the red square, the theatres, the expensive designer outlets with special collections for Moscow, the parks, the suburbs, the area outside the city outskirts called "Podmoskovie"... Moscow by night is a completely different city, a fairytale from the past....

Москва, я уже скучаю по тебе.

Soul Kitchen: Leben ist, was passiert, waehrend du dabei bist, andere Plaene zu machen...

"Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans" is the tag line of the latest movie by Fatih Akin based on a novel written by Yasmin Ramadan. A movie which makes you laught without being funny, Soul kitchen tells the story of Zinos, a Greek-German man who runs a shabby restaurant in a poor neighbourhood of Hamburg. He does the cooking himself: fries, fatty burgers, spinach with frikadele, the music is loud and weird but despite that middle-class customers are happy to have their lunch there. Somehow, Zinos manages to run both the place and his life until Nadine, Zinos girlfriend, a slim and long legged German, goes to China to work as a correspondent. At this point Zinos decides to find someone else to manage the restaurant so that he can join her in Shanhai. A series of mishaps prevent Zinos from flying half of the world to be with Nadine. First, a tax collector comes to the restaurant reminding Zinos that he has to pay his taxes. Second, health inspectors check the restaurant and give Zinos 30 days to renovate the kitchen. Neumann, an old buddy of Zinos from high school, who now happens to be a real istate agent interested in the land on which the restaurant is built, does his best to create more obstacles for Zinos in order to persuade him to sell the place. However, Zinos will not let trouble stop him, he manages to find a new chef for the restaurant whose funky cooking refreshes the image of the place and s new customers and generating better profits. As a result, the kitchen is renovated and taxes are paid back. Zinos older brother, released on parole from jail takes his place as a restaurant manager. Finally, Zinos is on the airport trying to reach his gate to catch his flight to Shanhai when he bumps into Nadine. She is coming to Hamburg for her granny's funeral followed by her new boyfriend, a short and fragile Chinese guy. While Zinos is trying to understand why Nadine had left him, his brother loses the restaurant in poker game. Will Zinos succeed in keeping his soul kitchen? Will he reunite with his girlfriend? Watch it and you will see what I mean.

Rammstein: einen Traum erfuellt

There is just no band like Rammstein. Like many fans after a Rammstein concert, I can only say I expected a lot but their performance surpassed all my expectations. More than 10 yars waiting... well, it was worth the wait.

Incredible show: pyros, fireworks, stage performance, crowd-diving, Till's very powerful on stage presence, Flake crowd-surfing while drinking beer... simply AWESOME!

In short, boring Manowar's performance is over, a black curtain covers the stage, the next 40 minutes Rammstein are preparing the stage, the curtain is lifted, the crowd is shouting, the German flag pops up, then it's quickly removed and Rammstein start off with Rammlied.

We got all you can expect during a Rammstein's gig: pyros, fireworks and again pyros. As they say "Other bands play, Rammstein burn". However, the effects didn't distract us from the band members' incredibly good acting out, just the opposite, they added to the overall effect. Here I cannot go without mentioning the compelling German lyrics. I love the fact that they sing in German. In the metal world where most bands sing in English, Rammstein do stand out singing out exclusively in German. I don'ti know what statistics say but Rammstein must be Deutschland's number one export band... and also their lyrics despite the controfersial content are actually very understandable and thus, very appropriate for beginners in the language.

The et list was focused on their last album, but there were still a couple of songs from old albums... they didn't perform "Mutter" and "Amerika" but the fans didn't seem to care much.

When they performed P****, a white plastic cannon shooting foam at the first rows of the audience was brought on stage. The fans were going mad and Till spoke a little Bulgarian... he just sang the most obsence words in Bulgarian and the crowd simply went wild. I guess now they don't sound as obsene and as offensive to many people. Being less than 10 metres away from Till, I could myself feel the heat from all the pyros and I loved the foam, it's seems everyone around responded the same way, people were just stretching out hands to get more from the foam.

In the end, during Ich will we heard Til spoke little Bulgarian but with a remarkably good pronunciation. "Ich will eure Hände sehen--rytsete gore" , "Obicham vi" ...

The Setlist for 23rd of June, Sofia, Bulgaria:

1. Rammlied

02. B********

03. Waidmanns Heil

04. Keine Lust

05. Feuer frei!

06. Wiener Blut

07. Frьhling in Paris

08. Ich tu dir weh

09. Du riechst so gut

10. Benzin

11. Links 2 3 4

12. Du hast

13. Pussy

Encore

14. Sonne

15. Haifisch

16. Ich will