the bulge...both self and country

bulgaria!

so, about a week in bulgaria. let's begin with the arrival. a brief word on the logistics of travel from moldova: fucking impossible.

anything, save bucharest, iasi, or odessa, is far, far far away. like a 12 hour bus ride/train ride to bucharest, the travel hub (go romania). at first i refused to fly on general principle, but i may have to reconsider after a 23 hour train from odessa to the moldovan border, then a 2 hour maxi taxi ride home.

so, the trip began with inchoate directions to the 'hiker's hostel' at veliko tarnovo. veliko tarnovo is pretty sweet. like a medieval backpacker hamlet with a laid back student feel. wish we had another day there, if only to appreciate the nightlife fully (them crazy greeks... that's another story).

VT is kind of like the 'this is so nice it's not bulgaria bulgaria' ... it's the crown jewel of the backpacker's circuit. then we were off the wild bill's adopted village for a few days, with a day excursion to plovdiv. plovdiv is sweet. the roman amphitheatre that is still in use blew me away. i went into a temporary paralysis when walking down the shopping arcade, and was momentarily drawn into the (genuine) Diesel store. but, being with wild bill, i quickly came to my senses and realized i didnt' need shit. but, had i been with a girl, i would have totally gone girlie and bought some shit, if only to spread the word about bulgaria to my moldovan friends.

the village was the best part, for the food, the world cup, and the comparison. though i dummed slavi & sofia's place 'villa' life because it's such a pimp pad.

in general, i have to suggestions for bulgaria as a country: don't litter, and centralize timetables and relevant transportation information. that would make travel infinitely smoother and hasten the transition from peripheral eastern balkan/Romanian lackey to true tourist powerhouse. to any and all bulgarians, take the aforementioned with a grain of salt. please, keep in mind that i'm living in moldova!

anyhow, the bulge didn't shrink the bulge of the waist variety too much. we'll have to wait and see how that one is doing...

ankle update: fine and dandy, might be up for some football soon...