Some ramblings on Bulgaria...and a bit on Turkey for good measure....
Approaching the border to Bulgaria, the line of trucks stretched for as far as I could see. By the time I started counting, we had gone by over 500 of them, parked at the side of the road, the drivers either sitting around chatting, having chai, smoking, sleeping, doing repairs, waiting for their turn to pass into Bulgaria, and the EU.
It was interesting to go through the border. This was the first time I had passed through a land border from Turkey. Mind you, I was going into a country with relatively good relations with Turkey, and it wasn’t difficult to pass, but, none the less, it was a new experience that I can add to the list of the other experiences that I have had thus far…which have been amazing. I didn’t really know what to expect from Bulgaria. I’m not even sure why I went. I had time, it was within a bus ride away, and I hadn’t been west of Istanbul by road yet, so, I figured why not. Friends raved about Bulgaria after spending time in Varna. It sounded good. Instead of heading to the sea though, I wanted to go inland. I chose Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria, and a place that, until I decided to go, I had never heard of…didn’t know it existed. Bulgaria, I thought, or hoped, would be much like the Ukraine, a place that I enjoyed quite a bit.
The bus ride was enjoyable, the scenery was lovely. After the overwhelming onslaught of Istanbul traffic, noise and, well, Istanbulness, it was nice to get into the country side. On the way to Edirne, the last town before crossing the border, the land is fairly flat, not overly populated, and has a good deal of agriculture. Arriving at the border was, well, the place was…pretty darn ugly, to say the least. The place was pretty much ripped apart, a giant construction site that seems to have come to a complete halt. Between the Turkish border and the Bulgarian border there is this sort of a no mans land, and, people just seem to wander around there. I don’t know who they are, where they come from or what they are doing…they just kind of seem to walk around. Plus stray dogs. Now, if a stray dog is in between the borders…is it a Turkish dog, or a Bulgarian dog? So, what I’m saying is, it’s just kind of an odd little place that I didn’t quite understand, but I’m getting used to that. There is a duty free shop in the center of all of this, and of course, the bus stops there, where everyone rushes in, fills bags full of cigarettes and alcohol and then gets back on the bus. For the remainder of the trip, the bus is filled with the sounds of bottles clinking together.
The ride to Plovdiv, again, was very nice. The landscape is lovely, with rolling hills, trees, space, mountains in the background and lots of donkeys. I like donkeys, with their fuzzy ears and such. The land, agriculture, simplicity…as in much of rural Turkey, this is a big part of rural Bulgaria by the looks of things.
Figuring out a Bulgarian identity was difficult. The food was what I would consider to be Greek or Turkish-kofte, kebab, doner-with more Euro style pastry mixed. I had these donuts that I used to get at a Polish deli in Edmonton. I went into a grocery store and all products were imported. I found almost NOTHING that was made in Bulgaria. Is this the effect of being in the EU…or do they just not make anything? There were mosques and churches. Old buildings were much like those found in older Soviet countries, although less grand, combined with more modern concrete block buildings, with absolutely no character. Most cars were german or French, with the odd Lada thrown in for good measure, just to remind you of the former connections to the old Soviet Union.
In the end, it seemed to me that Bulgaria is a mishmash of cultures in one. Influence from the Ottoman empire were there, influence from being so close to Greece was evident, old USSR and Communist rule evidence was all around, the modern inclusion into the EU was plain to see, and in many ways, it didn’t feel like I even left Turkey. So, what is Bulgaria?? What is Bulgarian? Well, I guess that is it’s identity…all of these influences combining in one place to make one, diverse country. They do seem to have their own historical figures, with street names, busts and plaques dedicated to the folks. Most I had never heard of…or, I just couldn’t read what the dedications were saying anyway. I do know that one of the big heroes, though I can’t recall his name, was a fellow who killed a Turk. There are statues to this man. I guess it is symbolic of Bulgaria’s exit from the Ottoman empire. It also shows that there might be a bit of tension between the two countries even today. When they still celebrate a man whose main claim to fame is that he shot one Turk…well, that’s gotta say something about something.
However, there was also disturbing elements. The first T-Shirt shop I saw, under a passage way near the bus and train stations, had a “White Power” shirt hanging in the window. I saw swastikas spray painted in many places, I went into a store selling hard rock and metal merchandise and saw white power shirts and buttons, and merchandise from bands like screwdriver. I also saw antifa graffiti in the streets. There are obviously some ethnic tensions alive in Bulgaria. Between who, and why, I’m not sure. But, it was quite public that something was going on. What was interesting was they I didn’t even really see anyone that I would consider to be…white. I mean, my kind of white, which is glowing, glaring, have to put sunglasses on when I have no shirt kinda white. So, who exactly was buying these shirts? I shouldn’t say I didn’t see any “whites”. There were fair skinned folks around. Were these folks the target market for these shirts and buttons and stuff? Who knows. In a country with such a diverse population, and what hardly seems to be a majority of “whites” it seemed so…odd?
Entry into the EU seems to have had some positive impact on the country. There were many EU backed construction projects happening, plenty of revitalization. Conditions were better than I expected, or than I had been led to believe. There seemed to be a degree of wealth, not overwhelming, but a middle class that seems to be pretty solid. But, again, this was the city. What I really wanted to see was the countryside. I even had a car rented and ready to go, BUT, I kind of wimped out, for lack of a better term. I had heard reports of brutal drivers, narrow roads, and near death experiences. What I actually saw on the roads didn’t make me feel anymore comfortable, with buses and big trucks overtaking whole strings of vehicles…on blind corners. I just wasn’t in the mood for this kind of adventure. Under other circumstances, maybe, but for whatever reason, on this trip, I seemed to be feeling a bit more fragile…as if driving would probably put me over the edge. So, I cancelled my car reservation and spent my time wandering around Plovdiv. It was probably for the best, but did I mean that I didn’t get a chance to see conditions in villages and smaller towns. Oh well, maybe in the future. Bulgaria is a place I would like to go to again. Well, anywhere is where I would like to go again. I love this traveling around stuff.
Well, I discovered what Bulgaria is known for. Apparently, it’s where Cyrillic script was invented, in 865 (or there abouts). Who knew? Now I do. As I right this, a month or so after going to Bulgaria, I have very positive memories of the place. I liked it. I would like to go back. It seems like a country that requires more exploring…unfortunately, much like any other place I have gone to. It’s a most fascinating world we have.
The other day, I found myself walking in a small village very close to the University called Beytepe. It exemplified perfectly the changes that are happening in Turkey right now. Old mud houses, some still lived in, others abandoned and eroding, surrounded by brand new apartment blocks, condos, an ultra modern university, a gendarme headquarters. The tight, winding streets through the village was busy, with BMW’s, Mercedes, SUV’s, and anything else on four wheels with a mega price tag. The cars whipped through, passing men and women who walked on the dirt side roads, in very conservative dress, with a noticeable lack of money. The two Turkey’s met in this village. The ultra westernized, profitable, capitalist, progressive, secular Euro-Turkey and the more traditional, eastern, rural, religiously conservative Turkey were combined in this tiny little village…a tiny microcosm of representing the current debate over social/political identity that Turkey faces. The two Turkey’s really ARE so different from one another…like water and oil. I’ve seen both sides of Turkey…but not quite in the same way…not meeting in one spot like that, and left me wondering if there can be a middle ground where these two seemingly opposite sides can meet. And if not, what that will mean for the future of Turkey.
It was interesting to go through the border. This was the first time I had passed through a land border from Turkey. Mind you, I was going into a country with relatively good relations with Turkey, and it wasn’t difficult to pass, but, none the less, it was a new experience that I can add to the list of the other experiences that I have had thus far…which have been amazing. I didn’t really know what to expect from Bulgaria. I’m not even sure why I went. I had time, it was within a bus ride away, and I hadn’t been west of Istanbul by road yet, so, I figured why not. Friends raved about Bulgaria after spending time in Varna. It sounded good. Instead of heading to the sea though, I wanted to go inland. I chose Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria, and a place that, until I decided to go, I had never heard of…didn’t know it existed. Bulgaria, I thought, or hoped, would be much like the Ukraine, a place that I enjoyed quite a bit.
The bus ride was enjoyable, the scenery was lovely. After the overwhelming onslaught of Istanbul traffic, noise and, well, Istanbulness, it was nice to get into the country side. On the way to Edirne, the last town before crossing the border, the land is fairly flat, not overly populated, and has a good deal of agriculture. Arriving at the border was, well, the place was…pretty darn ugly, to say the least. The place was pretty much ripped apart, a giant construction site that seems to have come to a complete halt. Between the Turkish border and the Bulgarian border there is this sort of a no mans land, and, people just seem to wander around there. I don’t know who they are, where they come from or what they are doing…they just kind of seem to walk around. Plus stray dogs. Now, if a stray dog is in between the borders…is it a Turkish dog, or a Bulgarian dog? So, what I’m saying is, it’s just kind of an odd little place that I didn’t quite understand, but I’m getting used to that. There is a duty free shop in the center of all of this, and of course, the bus stops there, where everyone rushes in, fills bags full of cigarettes and alcohol and then gets back on the bus. For the remainder of the trip, the bus is filled with the sounds of bottles clinking together.
The ride to Plovdiv, again, was very nice. The landscape is lovely, with rolling hills, trees, space, mountains in the background and lots of donkeys. I like donkeys, with their fuzzy ears and such. The land, agriculture, simplicity…as in much of rural Turkey, this is a big part of rural Bulgaria by the looks of things.
Figuring out a Bulgarian identity was difficult. The food was what I would consider to be Greek or Turkish-kofte, kebab, doner-with more Euro style pastry mixed. I had these donuts that I used to get at a Polish deli in Edmonton. I went into a grocery store and all products were imported. I found almost NOTHING that was made in Bulgaria. Is this the effect of being in the EU…or do they just not make anything? There were mosques and churches. Old buildings were much like those found in older Soviet countries, although less grand, combined with more modern concrete block buildings, with absolutely no character. Most cars were german or French, with the odd Lada thrown in for good measure, just to remind you of the former connections to the old Soviet Union.
In the end, it seemed to me that Bulgaria is a mishmash of cultures in one. Influence from the Ottoman empire were there, influence from being so close to Greece was evident, old USSR and Communist rule evidence was all around, the modern inclusion into the EU was plain to see, and in many ways, it didn’t feel like I even left Turkey. So, what is Bulgaria?? What is Bulgarian? Well, I guess that is it’s identity…all of these influences combining in one place to make one, diverse country. They do seem to have their own historical figures, with street names, busts and plaques dedicated to the folks. Most I had never heard of…or, I just couldn’t read what the dedications were saying anyway. I do know that one of the big heroes, though I can’t recall his name, was a fellow who killed a Turk. There are statues to this man. I guess it is symbolic of Bulgaria’s exit from the Ottoman empire. It also shows that there might be a bit of tension between the two countries even today. When they still celebrate a man whose main claim to fame is that he shot one Turk…well, that’s gotta say something about something.
However, there was also disturbing elements. The first T-Shirt shop I saw, under a passage way near the bus and train stations, had a “White Power” shirt hanging in the window. I saw swastikas spray painted in many places, I went into a store selling hard rock and metal merchandise and saw white power shirts and buttons, and merchandise from bands like screwdriver. I also saw antifa graffiti in the streets. There are obviously some ethnic tensions alive in Bulgaria. Between who, and why, I’m not sure. But, it was quite public that something was going on. What was interesting was they I didn’t even really see anyone that I would consider to be…white. I mean, my kind of white, which is glowing, glaring, have to put sunglasses on when I have no shirt kinda white. So, who exactly was buying these shirts? I shouldn’t say I didn’t see any “whites”. There were fair skinned folks around. Were these folks the target market for these shirts and buttons and stuff? Who knows. In a country with such a diverse population, and what hardly seems to be a majority of “whites” it seemed so…odd?
Entry into the EU seems to have had some positive impact on the country. There were many EU backed construction projects happening, plenty of revitalization. Conditions were better than I expected, or than I had been led to believe. There seemed to be a degree of wealth, not overwhelming, but a middle class that seems to be pretty solid. But, again, this was the city. What I really wanted to see was the countryside. I even had a car rented and ready to go, BUT, I kind of wimped out, for lack of a better term. I had heard reports of brutal drivers, narrow roads, and near death experiences. What I actually saw on the roads didn’t make me feel anymore comfortable, with buses and big trucks overtaking whole strings of vehicles…on blind corners. I just wasn’t in the mood for this kind of adventure. Under other circumstances, maybe, but for whatever reason, on this trip, I seemed to be feeling a bit more fragile…as if driving would probably put me over the edge. So, I cancelled my car reservation and spent my time wandering around Plovdiv. It was probably for the best, but did I mean that I didn’t get a chance to see conditions in villages and smaller towns. Oh well, maybe in the future. Bulgaria is a place I would like to go to again. Well, anywhere is where I would like to go again. I love this traveling around stuff.
Well, I discovered what Bulgaria is known for. Apparently, it’s where Cyrillic script was invented, in 865 (or there abouts). Who knew? Now I do. As I right this, a month or so after going to Bulgaria, I have very positive memories of the place. I liked it. I would like to go back. It seems like a country that requires more exploring…unfortunately, much like any other place I have gone to. It’s a most fascinating world we have.
The other day, I found myself walking in a small village very close to the University called Beytepe. It exemplified perfectly the changes that are happening in Turkey right now. Old mud houses, some still lived in, others abandoned and eroding, surrounded by brand new apartment blocks, condos, an ultra modern university, a gendarme headquarters. The tight, winding streets through the village was busy, with BMW’s, Mercedes, SUV’s, and anything else on four wheels with a mega price tag. The cars whipped through, passing men and women who walked on the dirt side roads, in very conservative dress, with a noticeable lack of money. The two Turkey’s met in this village. The ultra westernized, profitable, capitalist, progressive, secular Euro-Turkey and the more traditional, eastern, rural, religiously conservative Turkey were combined in this tiny little village…a tiny microcosm of representing the current debate over social/political identity that Turkey faces. The two Turkey’s really ARE so different from one another…like water and oil. I’ve seen both sides of Turkey…but not quite in the same way…not meeting in one spot like that, and left me wondering if there can be a middle ground where these two seemingly opposite sides can meet. And if not, what that will mean for the future of Turkey.