Bulgaria's National Revival

Plovdiv, Bulgaria, is one of my favorite European cities. Allegedly founded by Phillip II (Alexander the Great's father), it exhibits various Thracian, Roman and Byzantine influences. For the first time American tourist, expecting perhaps a Soviet or Warsaw Pact influence, it is readily apparent Plovdiv -- and Bulgaria as a whole -- has managed to remain relatively intact and preserved its unique culture throughout the ebb and flow of Europe's power struggles.

Uniquely, Plovdiv is a showcase for Bulgaria's National Revival, also referred to as the Bulgarian Renaissance, a period of socioeconomic development and national integration while the Bulgarians persevered under Ottoman rule. During this period, Bulgarian literature fueled Bulgaria's struggle for independence, an autonomous Christian church and an armed uprising in April 1876. The revival also found expression in a unique architectural style which can still be observed in Plovdiv and several other Bulgarian towns -- Koprivshtitsa, Veliko Tarnovo.

The national revival is generally accepted to have started with a historical book, written by a Bulgarian monk in 1762, and it culminated with the Liberation of Bulgaria as a result of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78. The Paris Peace Treaty, concluded at the end of the Crimean War (1853-56), had obliged the Ottoman Empire to grant Christians equal rights with Muslims. Over time, as insurrections mounted, the continuing oppression of Christians in the Ottoman Empire captured European public attention. So there is a remnant of Russian influence -- it was the Russians who reacted with military force at a key moment in this country's history, enabling Bulgarian freedom from Ottoman domination. In this case, thanks for your assistance, Tsar Nicholas II.

As often is the case, the rise of Bulgarian nationalism erased most of the visible traces of Ottoman occupation. A solitary mosque survived demolition in Sofia, though a mosque and a Turkish bathhouse still accent old town Plovdiv. Soviet domination never was an occupation -- Bulgaria was simply part of an allied buffer against capitalist Europe and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Although the Soviets extracted wealth over time from its alliance partners, Bulgaria, and cities such as Plovdiv, never lost their true cultural identities -- or democratic tradition.

Sir Pálffy, I Presume

An anonymous knight, most likely connected to the Pálffy family (former Pálffy mansion nearby, at which a very young Mozart performed, now the Austrian embassy) immortalized outside an old church wall in Bratislava's Staré Město (old town) -- headless.

Well, you're still looking, um -- spiffy.

Midnight in Bratislava

Arriving, Bratislava

The Sign

Signs are obviously everywhere. In Europe, there is a critical category of sign -- those which identify the nearest toilet, or the loo. (The origination of the term "loo" is quite an entire different and interesting discussion. Really.) And the public latrines are often not equiped to our standards; and often one must pay to use or buy sheets of toilet paper. If such paper is even available.

We do tend to take for granted the availability of rest room facilities in this country. Outside the US, a constant awareness of the nearest available water closet, and its state of cleanliness, can be crucial. Given the sudden change in diet and exposure to new strains of bacteria, which often accompanies foreign travel, such knowledge can save the intrepid traveler from quite the predicament.

Trust me, I know.

Bulgarian Sling Shot

I could not have predicted what I witnessed on my first visit to the Black Sea. This is a former Warsaw Pact country? To the side preconceived notions. Thanks propaganda.

Slanchev Bryag (Sunny Beach) is a resort area just south of Varna, north of Bourgas, on the Black Sea. Bulgaria. It is a natural harbor area where Roman Legionaries retired after their 20-year term of service during the first century AD. History there reaches back in time. Pushes forward. Thracian, Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman, Bulgarian Renaissance impressions everywhere. Communist influence fleeting, gone. No trace. Anomaly.

Sunny Beach is now a resort with over a hundred hotels. Western Europeans flock there due to the excellent climate and holiday environment. It is also very inexpensive.

So I'll start here. A giant sling shot. Also known as a reverse bungee. I watched countless tourists pay to get strapped in and catapulted into the sky. Unsuspecting. The removal of shoes, jewelry, the emptying of pockets should have been preparatory clues. Launch and blood curdling screams. Were they not paying attention? I was. The horror. The amusement.

Paratus

One anecdote which exemplifies ancient Roman wisdom is the advice that "victory likes careful preparation" -- paratus, to be exact. Paratus for travel shares this wisdom, if only as "an enjoyable holiday likes careful preparation".

I recently crossed paths with a Austrian-German couple about to embark on a 5-week bicycle tour of the Danube River -- from a location near its source, all the way to the Black Sea. I was amazed by how carefully they had planned and prepared for their trip, with the anticipation of encountering weather's impact on their progress, as well as finding reasonable accommodations for any given day. One couple, two bikes, and airline tickets to return from Bucharest. Every day an adventure, with a new set of opportunities to explore and problems to solve.

 

As I am preparing for another European excursion, I'm newly inspired to take a different cultural approach to travel. We Americans tend to travel differently, unafraid to cast about an excess of funds for assured amenities and convenience. And we tend to drag along robust baggage trains with a variety of accoutrement -- we take "home" along with us.

 

This time, inspired by today's economic climate and my European friends, it's me and my backpack.

Rome's Pantheon

For me, it was not easy to realize the Pantheon is the oldest standing domed structure in Rome. It is in remarkably good shape for its age -- the original structure is over 2000 years old -- and it remains the largest un-reinforced concrete dome in the world. The credit goes to Roman architects and engineers and their expert use of concrete coffering.

The Pantheon's coffers, employed to lighten the weight of the dome, were poured in molds prior to being set in place; the oculus further reduces the structure's weight and admits the building's only light. The oculus also cools and ventilates the Pantheon. As one stands inside and admires the dome, it is natural to ponder the effects of bad weather. The Pantheon’s builders anticipated this phenomenon -- a drainage system below the floor handles any intruding rainfall.

Built in 31 BC during the reign of Augustus, it originally was a temple dedicated to all the gods of Ancient Rome (hence the name pantheon). It was restored in the second century AD after being completely destroyed by fire in 80 AD. The building's consecration as a Roman Catholic church in the 7th century certainly saved it from the abandonment, destruction and decay which befell the majority of ancient Rome's buildings during the Middle Ages.

Fortunately, the marble interior and the great bronze doors have survived. Sadly, as is common with ancient structures, most of the external marble was removed over the centuries. The bronze ceiling of the portico disappeared. The sunken coffers may have contained some form of bronze ornamentation. There are even capitals from the Pantheon in the British Museum. Carried away, now held hostage.

It is interesting how our mental images of the past are influenced by modern observation of an ancient structure’s skeletal remains. Some of these sites have elements which survive apart, scattered in various museums and private collections throughout the world. Can we not return surviving antiquities to their places of origin, restore at least a part of their long lost splendor? How does one undo events in the past which we would not allow today? History cannot be undone one way or another, even if rewritten. Still, the present does offer the opportunity to address such situations.

Most discussions ultimately are about time, solutions never seriously broached. Certainly this is one real Pandora's Box -- realized at a nearby café, as hordes of pigeons settle and shift, traffic noise and children's voices echo about, and the march of Prada and Gucci keeps perfect time in the shadow of Imperial Rome. A street performer stops to invade, playing a guitar missing at least one string. Pay and rescue the moment -- please move along and rejoin the parade.

Time for another espresso -- posso avere un espresso, per favore.

Gondolas

Hear gondola, think Venice.

Venice is world famous for its gondolas. Today however, they are mostly used by tourists. Or for ceremonies -- funerals, weddings. Local Venetians prefer to travel by modern ferries along Venice's major canals and between the city's islands. Faster, more convenient.

Venice rests on an archipelago consisting of over 110 islands with 150 canals. All in a shallow lagoon. The islands on which the city is built are connected by hundreds of bridges. In Venice’s centrum, canals serve as roads. One’s choice is to walk via bridge or transit by gondola. Venice is Europe's largest car free urban area. Nice.

Brace yourself for the bad news. Venice has no sewage treatment facilities. Untreated waste is immediately dumped into Venice’s canals. I witnessed first hand. Literally, flush. Floaties, from individual buildings. Romantic. But the tide comes and goes. More flushing, whisking stuff away into coastal waters and points beyond.

I'm walking, thanks. Still worth a visit though. Caution.

Romas

If you travel to Central or Eastern Europe, you're bound to encounter the Romani. Though they are involved in a number of trades, family or clan teams work the streets in tourist areas -- begging, performing, selling.

Romas, or Gypsies, are a nomadic people originally from the Punjab region of India. They entered Europe early on in the Middle Ages, migrating through Persia, Asia Minor, and the Balkans. They were labeled "Gypsies" because Europeans mistakenly thought they were Egyptian. For centuries they've been treated as pariahs, weathering hardship, persecution, and genocide (Holocaust). And they generally appear to live in squalor.

One learns quickly not to reward Roma beggars -- a token given attracts a horde. A nuisance unwilling to leave empty handed. On the other hand, Roma merchandisers are at least amusing. They'll haggle a bit then move on for more peddling -- whether one buys or not. On this particular afternoon in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, our group was approached by two Romas, offering Rado watches for $5. Fakes, of course. Indulge us a bit, please -- $1? Okay, $2.

Mine ran for five minutes and then fell apart the next day.

Expected. Entertained.