To The Moon And Back

Culture – is an extensive concept. If you think it can be learned in National Museum of Art, or at the ancient ruins of great castles, or from an authoritative professor of social sciences, so… you’re, probably, wrong.
Culture lives on the streets.
In Bulgaria I heard it in unique & colorful language. Maybe fussy and noisy, but full of freedom and intense gypsy motives. It reminds me old joke: I talk like others curse. Short talk about upcoming dinner takes unless 40 minutes and looks like a real scandal.
Culture. I tasted it in cozy restaurants and home kitchens. Baked fish, fresh summer salads, tomato soup with croutons, melon ice cream… simple but delicious food. I’ve never seen so large portions before! Bulgarian people LOVE to eat.
Culture. I saw it in tiny souvenir shop on the shelf with beautiful hand-made ceramic dishes. Its decor repeated the best illustrations of Missoni design.
Culture. I observed it at narrow rural streets of Stefanovo and broad avenues of Golden Sands. From small carved like a jewelry box houses to monumental building of modern 5* Admiral-hotel.
Culture. I watched it on incredible Bulgarian music TV. The tearful love ballads or the fiery dance hits performed in a major. No matter what this song about, video must be sexy, with frank dancing, self-touching singer and computer special effects from forgotten 90th (most of them were taken from Power Point animation).
Bulgarian female singers from fifteen to fifty remind me Pamela Anderson in her good times. Bulgarian male singers… who cares about them?! Billboards dazzle by the “quarter–dressed” stars, their scarlet lips and ambiguous names like Anelia, Malina or Alitsia. That’s why Bulgarian ten years boys look at adult women and young girls like real macho men. They have their own “training aids”
Bulgarian Culture. It’s a topic for the longest conversations & disputes and it can’t be limited by 500 words. But I’ll try to describe the essence of it. Neither music nor architecture can uncover the all secrets of human soul. The real treasures aren’t material. The real treasure of any unknown culture is in its keepers.
Bulgarian people are the real treasure! I hardly can find such open-hearted, shiny and hospitable nation. Where ever you go, Bulgarians meet you friendly, with big wide sincere smile. And it’s not only for clients. You can hear “Hi. How are you? Where do you go? Wish you a beautiful day!” from anyone passing by. He could be a barkeeper or an old lady in the park, a driver of the cab or a wandering artist on the square at Varna.
Bulgarians are well groomed. Their natural hairiness counts as a BIG problem, concerned to both male and female. So almost everyone from a teenager to a pensioner knows all about a depilation. Consequently you, with your “smooth as satin” legs, feel some awkwardness seeing your not-epilating arms. And your man standing next to you looks like a real polar bear.
To be continued…