Cultural Differences #2

In one or more earlier posts, Anne and Mark might have mentioned something about a significant cultural difference involving the manner in which people drive and park here (i.e. "on the sidewalk" for both) compared to the way people drive and park in the U.S. (on the sidewalk less often).  Since then Anne and Mark have noticed a few other differences that may be worth pointing out.  First, home appliances.

One of the things we noticed right away was that the clothes washer was not placed in a laundry room, but in the kitchen.

This is a photo of the kitchen in our apartment.  You may notice an oven, range, coffee maker, a couple of sinks and a toaster.... and a washing machine.  We're not totally sure about why it's in the kitchen, but we think it has something to do with the way the plumbing was put in when the buildings were designed.  One thing that is not in the photo above in a dishwasher.  The photo below gives you a good idea of what a Bulgarian dishwasher looks like.

This is the old, communist dishwasher model - not much to look at and it rarely gets the job done.

Speaking of plumbing, you can't help but notice the difference in the bathrooms here.

So it's not a big bathroom, but that's the whole thing.  You got your toilet on the left, your sink on the right, the shower head directly in front of you and ... the drain in the middle of the floor.  Yes, behold the horror that is showing without an actual... shower.  There is no shower curtain and no tub.  To take a shower, you put the little cover on the TP (seriously) and then stand in the middle of that little room and lather up.  It's a little weird at first, but you get used to it (so they tell us - Mark is still having trouble getting down low enough to get under that shower head).

Oh, so the washing machine has already been discussed.  But what do we do when the clothes are washed, but still wet?  Believe it or not, we have two options for drying them.

You may disagree, but I think it looks like an early prototype of R2-D2.

The top photo shows what the Bulgarians call a "drying rack" (what a crazy language, huh?).  This is the preferred instrument for drying clothes in the spring and summer.  However, when winter begins, you really can't use it outside.  Not because it gets too cold and the clothes would freeze (it's November 29 and I think we got over 60 degrees today), but because regardless of temperature, the Bulgarians start their furnaces in November.  And we're not talking gas or electric furnaces, we're talking old school furnaces.  Some burn wood, but some burn coal - and not that crazy "clean coal" either.  We're talking old fashioned dirty coal.  You can't leave the clothes outside because the stink and the soot would coat them.  The solution (if you can call it that) for most people, is to put the drying rack in the bathroom when it is not otherwise occupied (then the water from the clothes can drain into the drain conveniently located in the middle of the floor).  The second photo is a clothes dryer.  We are told that most people here do not have one.  In the photo above, you may notice a drawer extending from the dryer.  That is the water collection.  This machine does not drain (not close enough to the bathroom, maybe?).  Instead, it collects the water from the clothes and somehow places it into the reservoir near the top of the machine.  Maybe one of you scientists can explain how the water gets to the top of the machine.  In any event, before using, Anne and Mark must empty the drawer of water.

The other huge difference in home appliances is in the way heating and A/C are provided.  Totally wall units, baby.  Every room has one.  They look like this:

When you turn on this bad boy, it opens and spews air at you.  We are not sure how powerful it is, but we have our doubts.  The one in the bedroom is placed there for purposes either purely decorative or related to the placebo effect.

Anne and Mark have picked up on some other cultural differences outside of the area of home furnishings, as well.  This is a photo of the air freshening system of a bus traveling from Blago to Sofia.

As you can see, the roof of the bus has five or six of those little air freshener trees that you can buy and hang from your rearview mirror.  Quick question - do you know how many of those little trees it takes to freshen the air of a bus traveling from Blago to Sofia?  I don't know either, but I would have a fair amount of confidence in starting my guessing with at least 7 or 8.

And, just because we can, here is another picture of a parking attempt in Blagoevgrad.  We have entitled this one "Livin on the Edge."  (the title applies to the attempt itself, not to the photos per se, which are too awesome to have names)

Happy Thanksgiving!

To all of our American friends, Happy Turkey Day!  Funny story - do you know what they call Thanksgiving in Bulgaria?  Thursday.

Yes, it is true, Anne and Mark will be going to work today.  But fear not, as they will be meeting up with other ex-pats and having a fairly traditional Thanksgiving dinner around 6:30 local time.  Which means, of course, that Anne and Mark must think of some things for which they are thankful.  The obvious ones - family, health, etc. - of course, but more specifically, Anne and Mark are thankful for...

Views in Blago.

We spend a lot of time posting about places we visit, but there are some cool things to see right here in town.  One of the photos above in of the statue in the town square.  That guy in the statue is... well, to be totally honest, we have no idea.  The second photo is ... some type of homage to the Bulgarian Blair Witch Project?   But we like the fog in the trees and the mountains.

We are also thankful for...

Grocery stores that pre-package beers with sandwiches.  You might not believe it, but this truly saves precious seconds.  Not having to walk all the way to the next aisle to grab a beer is an efficiency found here that can hardly be overstated.  Also, there is no drinking age here, so kids on their lunch break from school can run into the store and grab a "lunch to go" and still make it back to class on time (this might explain some of the "class participation" in Mark's afternoon classes).

We are also thankful for local products (poorly) marketed in English.  Just because it makes sense and sells well as that word in your language, does not mean it's going to work in English.  Case in point is this product found in a local pharmacy:

I don't care how sick I may be, I am not taking "Urinal Drink"

We are thankful for all of the work the local merchants put into mannequins.  Anne and Mark have not purchased a great deal of clothing since they have arrived in Blago.  Every time they start to look for a shirt or jeans, they suddenly feel a strong urge to leave (actually to run out of the store screaming).  At first, it was a mystery, but now...

we think we have the issue pinpointed.  If Mark buys one of these coats, is his hair going to change into this?  How do they do that by the way?  Is it all just connected on top and then combed straight down?  And what's wrong with just using a wig?  Is the shag carpeting hair that much cheaper?

Why so serious?

Also - Ahh!  What the...?

So, maybe we're not actually thankful for the mannequins.

But we are thankful for little reminders of home.  Sometimes it's hot corn flavored Doritos.  Sometimes it's nasty McDonald's double cheeseburgers.  Sometimes it's a sweet, sweet mullet:

Business in the front, party in the back.

In any case, it's nice to be reminded of home, and that's what we're thankful for today.

Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

Plovdiv

Plovdiv is one of the oldest, continually occupied cities in the world that you can still visit today.  (see http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/15/10-ancient-world-cities-y_n_783630.html#s181422)  The original ruins found there date back at least 6,000 years.  Anne and Mark decided it was at least worth a visit.

It is a little bit humbling to realize that when Philip of Macedonia named this town after himself (Philip was the father of Alexander the Great and as one of many names of this city prior to "Plovdiv," this town was called Philippopolis), this was already an ancient town for the Thracians.  After Philip came the rest of the Greeks, the Romans, some Huns, Slavs, Turks, Bulgarians, Nazis, Communists and, most recently, Anne and Mark.

Hi, everybody.  I'm Philip.

Since we were in a city named after a ruler so vain he named cities after himself wherever he went (see earlier visit to "Philipi" in Greece), we were not surprised to also s a statue of Philip in the center of the city.  It is visible in the photo above, along with some of the old and newer buildings in the city center.

The city is quite literally built on the ruins of older versions of itself.  This is fairly evident in the above photo.  In the left foreground is the beginning of the excavation of a Roman stadium.  The rest of it remains buried under the city, but visitors can look past the merchants and artist stands to see down into the seats of an ancient stadium on their way to do their shopping.

The most famous and eye-catching site in Plovdiv is the ruins of the ancient Roman theatre.

As is the case with many larger ruins from the ancient world, this one was discovered by accident and then reconstructed.  Other than some deep foot-shaped wear evident in an inspection conducted by Anne, the first twenty rows or so of the audience seating have remained mostly intact over the centuries.  The stage and the stage building have been reconstructed by archaeologists.  We were told that they still use this site for performances, but it was not in use while Anne and Mark were there, so they did not see one.

Anne P. - C.S.I.

After seeing the big name sites, Anne and Mark did a walking tour around Plovdiv's "Old Town" and took in some art.  As avid readers of this blog would expect, both Anne and Mark are now experts on art and culture (see Opera review - Venice), and are more than willing to share their insights and impressions of various artworks with the rest of the world.

As previously mentioned, Anne and Mark have yet to master the Bulgarian language, but roughly translated, the title of this one is "Help, I'm stuck inside this rock!"  Actually, this kind of looks familiar.  Where have we seen this before?

Han Solo frozen in carbonite

Like the ruins, many of the sculptures in Plovdiv are life size (or larger) and visitors can get as close as they like to enjoy the experience.

I was framed.

After an afternoon of art and culture, Anne and Mark went with a colleague to lunch (note: the colleague in question is a native Bulgarian who studied at the University of Iowa, which makes him uniquely able to translate from Bulgarian to Iowan and back - a handy skill to have in this particular place on this particular day, but probably useless everywhere else in the world, at all times).  The place we went was actually a wedding reception hall, but they were happy to have any visitors at all in the off-season.  The lunch there was delicious and we took advantage of the site to snap a few photos.

Anne's chin singed by candle; Mark celebrates international track suit day.

At the end of the trip, we ventured to the oldest ruins in town which were built on a hill that could see over the surrounding valley.  Although the ruins have not withstood the test of time, the view has certainly held up.

Plovdiv at dusk.

Kazakh Kitchen Invasion

On Saturday afternoon, the AUBG students hailing from Kazakhstan came over to Anne and Mark's house to prepare foods from their native country.  This was part of "Taste Fest," a festival at the University wherein the students from each country prepared foods from their native land and shared them with the rest of the group.  For those of you who are interested, yes, AUBG has an American student contingent, and Anne and Mark have learned that they did, in fact, participate in this festival.  What foods did they choose to represent the United States?  Mark suggested tacos, spaghetti and kung-pao chicken, but for some reason these were all rejected, as were deep-fried Twinkies and hot dogs.  The Americans, we are told, went with meatloaf and apple pie.  Not bad.  The management of this blog is open for suggestions as to what the Americans should serve next year to represent the culinary delights of the U.S.A.  Any ideas?  Anyway, back to Kazakhstan.

Flag of Kazahkstan

Kazakhstan is a (real) country located in central Asia.  For those of you who may have seen Kazakhstan represented in pop culture, especially movies, we are told that these are gross misrepresentations.  Please disregard them.  First of all, a bit of background.  Kazakhstan is a former Soviet republic that became an independent nation in 1991.  It is the ninth largest country in the world by land mass, but 62nd in population, meaning it is sparsely populated (kind of the 'Wyoming of central Asia').  Historically, the people native to Kazakhstan have included nomadic herdsmen.  The cuisine of Kazakhstan, therefore, must necessarily be portable.  As you can see below, all of the foods the students prepared could be classified as 'finger foods.'

The first dish the students made was called baursaki.

Essentially, these were small pieces of dough, fried, and covered in powdered suger.  These were quickly recognized by Mark as part of his "doughnuts around the world" project.  These were delicious.

Second, the students prepared manti.  These are a form of dumplings containing beef, onions and other vegetables.

As you can see from the photo above, Anne and Mark got half-way through their dumplings before they remembered to take a photo to share on the blog.  The smell of the manti announced their impending arrival long before Anne and Mark stole them from the students, er, um, I mean before the students shared them with Anne and Mark.

The students involved in this effort needed to make enough of their native foods to share with the school community.  There are 1100 students here, plus faculty, staff, etc.  So the effort involved was significant.

"Gypsy Summer"

Realizing that there is snow on the ground in Minnesota today, Anne and Mark decided this would be a good time to point out that Bulgaria is in the middle of a "Gypsy Summer."  This term refers to a late blast of warm air, after autumn has begun, not unlike the term "Indian Summer" in the U.S.  Why both terms must be racist is unclear.  In any event, it has been shorts and t-shirt weather for the last couple of days and today looks to be just as nice.  Not that we do not miss shoveling snow, that can be fun, too.  Anyway, because of the warm weather and pretty colors, Anne and Mark went for a walk in nature the other day, just on the outskirts of Blago.  Here's what that looks like.

In the foreground is a dry reservoir.

Possibly a bus stop in the rural area?

Anne and Mark hope that this gives those of you who are "nature people" a good look at what our surroundings are.  However, Mark, whose aversions to the natural are well known, would like to ask - if nature is so great, why do we make it stay outside?  Kind of makes you think, huh?

Today is a big day for Anne and Mark.  The students of AUBG are holding an international festival, which culminates today with a tasting of the foods of each country.  Around 35 countries are represented at the school, with the Bulgarians being the largest single group at around 38% of the student body.  The students prepare dishes from their home countries and then each national delegation shares with the school community.  Since the students live in dorms, they typically ask the faculty (who live in apartments or houses) to borrow their kitchens for food preparation.  Anne and Mark agreed to participate in this program and have promised their kitchen to the students from Kazakhstan (why does that country sound familiar?), who should be here to prepare their dishes at any moment. . . 

Clearing the Air and Creating Confusion

As mentioned in the comments, a building in Pompeii collapsed in the last couple of days.  The clear implication of the commenter is that Anne and Mark had something to do with the collapse.  Upon further review, it is possible that this is the case.

Feels sturdy enough...

Clearly visible in the photo above is a shadowy figure who may or may not be Mark (of "Anne and Mark" fame).  This shadowy figure is leaning against a structure in Pompeii.  Days later, a Pompeii structure collapses.  This has international incident written all over it.

But we have not gotten served with papers from the Italians as of yet.  It appears from news sources (http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/11/08/pompeii.house.gladiators.collapse/) that the building that collapsed  was called "House of the Gladiators."  Upon review of Anne and Mark's backward tour of Pompeii, this weblog can confirm that Anne and Mark did not see this building.  "Backward tour" is not a joke by the way - Anne and Mark entered the wrong side of the city and did the entire walking tour in reverse order, eventually leaving through the entrance - just can't do it the easy way, can we?  Anyway, Anne and Mark could not have caused the collapse, so they appear to be in the clear on that one.

Less clear? More Italian signs.

Which way to drive into the sea?  Over here?  Ok, thanks.

This sign we saw in Amalfi may be the best sign we saw the entire trip.  It would be pretty clear what it means if it has one of those circles with the line through it over the top.  Then it would be saying, "Do not drive your car into this Sea."  However, this sign does NOT have that circle with the line through it.  Natural interpretation, then: "Drive your car into the sea - this way."

After that, they got a bit more obvious, but no more clear.  For example:

That pretty much sums it up.

Yeah, I guess it did.  But... what?  Also, this one:

They're not kidding.  It took them 15 minutes to bring the wine.

Anne and Mark took this to mean that the tip was not included in the total.  Fair enough.  The interesting part is that the entire receipt is in Italian, but the "Please give us a tip" is in English.  They saw us coming a mile away...

While in Venice, we stopped at a grocery store to pick up some water before one of our trips.  All of the pasta was selling well, as you might expect.  Except for this one, as you might also expect.

Heh, heh.  Stink-o.

The Vatican Museum

The only day when Anne and Mark had weather issues on the entire trip was the day they had penciled in to go to the Vatican Museum.  Perfect timing.  Quick tip - if you go to the Vatican Museum, buy your tickets ahead of time on-line.  If you show up without tickets, you have to wait in line.  The day we were there - during the slow season under a downpour - the line was estimated to be at least a three hour wait.

But Anne and Mark are savvy travelers and had obtained their entry passes on-line (thanks for the tip, Jo and Kyle), so they walked right on by all of the angry pilgrims waiting in line.  Anne and Mark initially felt slightly guilty about cutting to the front.  However, after having spent a couple of days in Italy, Anne and Mark had learned that cutting in line was ok there, so they quickly got over it.

Once you get past security and the Vatican post office (remember, Vatican City is a sovereign nation, so it has its own), you can start touring the exhibits.  Mark and Anne's first reaction in the first exhibit was - we're in the right place aren't we?

Where my dogs at?

Hey Anne, don't look up now, but there's a huge statue coming after you!

Egyptian mummies in the Vatican museum?  Did not see that coming.

Mark and Anne were both of the understanding that the Catholic Church was the big deal in Vatican City.  Imagine their surprise when the first few exhibits they saw were clearly from ancient Egypt.  Maybe Anne and Mark can visit the pyramids to get a look at "The Last Supper."  This is why it's a bad idea to profile.  I assume I know what's going to be in the Vatican museum, but soon found out that there was much more.  Kind of makes me want to check out the Spam museum (in Austin, Minnesota) to see what they have going on in there.  I assume I knew, but ....

Anyway, after the Egyptians, we toured the exhibits of art from ancient Greece.  (?)

Mark's new fantasy football mascot.

Anne and Mark must have missed this Bible story all together.

Interesting story about the fig leaf there.  Apparently, most of the statues in the Vatican used to be nudes.  Then one of the popes (Paul IV) decided that so many nude statues was a bad idea, so they went around and... "fixed" them to make them 'safe for work,' and added the fig leaf so that we would never know the difference.  So now, there are all of these beautiful statues, with strategically placed fig leaves the sculptors did not put there.

After we got through the Egyptian and Greek art, we finally got up to the art produced during the Christian era.  Once Anne and Mark got to this stage they were quickly overwhelmed by the sheer volume.  After the third room covered (literally, floor to ceiling) with works by Raphael, it is difficult to see, let along truly appreciate, each one.  

Literally, a room covered with Raphaels.

What should we do with these priceless art works?  Um, I think there's room on the ceiling in the tapestry hallway.

Tapestry (photo by Trolard Pillinski)

Additionally, the rooms with the most famous pieces of art are crowded and poorly lit, so it was difficult to get good photos.  At the end of the museum tour, Anne and Mark went into the Sistine Chapel.  No photos are allowed there (Mark may have tried to take one anyway, but if he did was was probably unsuccessful), but most of us are familiar with the famous works there painted by Michelangelo, Raphael, Bernini, Botticelli - pretty much anyone who is anyone is the world of frescos.  

From there, Anne and Mark progressed to St. Peter's Basilica.  When you enter St. Peter's, it is difficult to remain unimpressed.  The large structure directly ahead of you is a sculpture by Bernini which stands over the alter, which is built over the place where St. Peter's bones rest.

Not impressed yet?  To the left of that is the actual place where St. Peter was crucified (obviously, there was no Basilica there at the time, but the place is marked).  To the right is the body of Pope John XXIII, who passed away in 1963 after calling the second Vatican Council, but before he was able to preside over it).  The "Good Pope John" was named "Blessed" by Pope John Paul II and may be on the path to being named a saint by the church. After his beatification, the Pope's body was raised from it's tomb beneath St. Peter's (many popes are buried there - the land beneath Vatican City was previously used as a burial ground for the people who were killed in the games and in public executions during the reign of Nero, so many early Christians are buried there - popes find this an appropriate place to choose for their final resting place) and placed in the Basilica for the veneration by the faithful, where it is today.

Still not impressed?  Also found in St. Peter's Basilica: a massive dome, a statue of St. Peter whose toe has nearly been worn down to nothing by the rubbing or kissing of it by pilgrims, the Holy Door which is opened only once every 25 or 50 years, countless monuments and a sculpture by Michelangelo.  A bit overwhelming.

Pieta by Michelangelo - tough to get a good photo because it is behind bulletproof glass.

Finally, Anne and Mark went out into St. Peter's Square (where the rain had finally let up).