Kruševo

Perched on top of mountain, there's like trees trees trees and then all of a sudden pow: a town.

Amazing hotel high above valley.

201705 - Balkans - View Above Kruševo - 50 of 101 - Krushevo, May 27, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Kruševo Town from Above - 51 of 101 - Krushevo, May 27, 2017

Aromanian population

Oppressed group in Albanian part of Ottoman Empire, speak a language derived from Romanian. Arromanian were successful merchants, intellectuals. Pasha hated them and destroyed their culture and infrastructure. A bunch of them pulled up stakes and established a completely new town (Kruševo) on top of a mountain where nobody could mess with them.

Makedonium)

One of the most important monuments for Macedonians. Whole set of memorial sculptures. 1974, during Communist area.

Memorializes the Ilinden Uprising of 1903 and Macedonian freedom in general

• Broken Chains -- Broken chains after five centuries of foreign rule. Five chain links for five centuries
• Cannon sundial -- Projections have names of intellectuals and heroes
• Decision place -- where soldiers gathered on 13 August 1903 to decide for the Ilinden uprising, which led to short-lived Kruševo Republic
• Ilinden -- shaped like a big Socialist Realist Mace -- symbol of Macedonian struggle for freedom. Door has an "M" motif. 12 Windows for 12,000 soldiers.
  • first window the 19th century partisans
  • Second window the 1903 uprising
  • third window WWII
  • Fourth window for freedom
  • Traditional Clothes -- similar to Turkish dress all across Ottoman Balkans. Non-Muslims a little bit looser.
  • Uniform of soldiers Beret white
  • Nikola Karek -- leader of uprising
  • Manifesto -- uprising was joint Muslim and Christian against Sultan. Flag showed two shaking hands. Motto of fighters was Freedom or death. Yellow and Green windows are Freedom, dark blue windows are Death.
  • Uprising did not receive support of Russia or else wise Europe
  • Guide was Arromanian.

201705 - Balkans - Makedonium Cannon Sundial - 26 of 66 - Bitola - Krushevo, May 27, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Makedonium Ilinden - 52 of 101 - Bitola - Krushevo, May 27, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Ilinden Group Photo - 42 of 95 - Bitola - Krushevo, May 27, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Makedonium Ilinden Interior - 39 of 95 - Bitola - Krushevo, May 27, 2017

Toše Proeski memorial

Memorial and museum of Toshe Proeski The "Elvis of the Balkans". Died in a car accident. Wrote pop versions of old traditional songs in a modern way. Glass modernist house

Trip to витола Bitola

(sp Bitola but pronounced "Vitola")

Valley central to country, the breadbasket of Macedonia. Continues into Greece. Prilep, Vitola cities

Bitola

One of the most important cities in Empire during Ottoman rule. Still 16 consulates in Bitola (U.K., France, Russia, etc). Population is 100,000, 80k in urban part, second largest city in Macedonia . Less than 20km to Greece

• Mosque beginning of 16th c
• Mezistan: enclosed market going back to Ottoman times
• Dragor river, small river passing through Bitola
• Yenijami Mosque, four centuries old. Dome and spire. Currently an Art Gallery
• Clock Tower: In every big merchant city in Ottoman there was a central clock tower. Cross was added at beginning of 1900s. Chimes on the fifteen minutes.
• Angel statue dedicated to 2001 conflict veterans.
• Like Prilep, feels cosmopolitan even though not high population ()
• Shirok Sokka "Wide Street", a long pedestrian shopping street/commons
• Statue of Philip II, Alexander's dad, founder of Heraklia
• Coffee Shop, where I had coffee for the second time in my life. (Sorry, I wasn't bowled over)
• Statue of Milton Manaki, him and brother were first filmmakers in Balkans. made first documentary of Balkans. Annual film festival in Bitola
• Greeks come to Bitola to gamble
• Tito street, statue
• Last year the "Colorful Revolution" voted the corrupt party out of power. Building splashed with paint water balloons in all colors.
• houses along the Sokka are up to 200 years old, its an historically protected zone
• Statue of WWII partisans fought Nazis, 20s yo. Killed by Nazis.
• Ataturk studied in building with beautiful Arabic inscription

201705 - Balkans - Yeni Mosque - 30 of 40 - Bitola, May 27, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Street Market - 48 of 95 - Bitola, May 27, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Neon Woman Graffiti - 45 of 46 - Bitola, May 27, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Neon Woman Graffiti (full view) - 40 of 46 - Bitola, May 27, 2017

Heracles Lycenstis (Heraklea)

• Lykenstis local tribe
• 4-6th c CE, buildings built on top of Roman on top of Greek buildings
• In 58x earthquake destroyed all the ancient cities in this part of Balkans
• 10% of the city, spread out all over the area
• Therma Caldarium, frigidarium, therma. Marble floor over the brick flooring, heat circulated underneath.
• Sewer system. This is the commercial center of the city. Sewer ran down center of street under stones, so cart wheels could pass on either side.
• Statue of Nemesis Headless, because that's what invaders do when they raid a city. Hands pointed up or down, cut off
• Courtroom and Jail pillars were not found standing, erected
• Small Basilica -- Narthex, altar
• Large Basilica Narthex has the garden of eden mosaic.
  • Lion and Bull su,bolivi got mortal world
  • Eden: Fountain of life, peaceful animals
  • Underwood: deer being devoured
  • 20 colors, one of the most beautiful mosaics of this period
• Under building of Basilica
• Theater -- Amazing acoustics, 3500 seating capacity (there was an extended structure that doubled capacity)
  • Drama, tragedy comedy; Galdiator fights
  • Tunnels for entrance and exit
  • Net rigged when wild animal fights
  • Names of the family were inscribed on the good seats

201705 - Balkans - Heraclea Lyncestis - 47 of 89 - Bitola, May 27, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Heraclea Lyncestis Ancient Roman Mosaics - 59 of 89 - Bitola, May 27, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Heraclea Lyncestis Ampitheater - 65 of 89 - Bitola, May 27, 2017

Jewish Cemetary

Most Jews lived in city centers as they were merchants and professionals

Weather

We've been really blessed, after the first day all rain we've experienced has been when we were driving anyway.

Aside: Youth Rights, and Drugs and Drink in the Balkans

After 16, children are emancipated (true across Europe), but still minors legally -- a "minor adult." Parents can't be discussed with Teacher unless student is present. Women after 16 don't have to consult parent before abortion or birth control or anything else medical. Age of 15 you can start working and have sole control of your money.

Drugs are easy to get, and though the drinking age is 18 there's no real penalty for getting caught with drink when under 18. There's no binge drinking like there is with US youths, and since drugs are available people better know there's a choice. Students on the program said they never messed around with drink etc when on exchange -- opportunity was too important, to the point that they'd stay home from parties.

No parental curfews for kids: in small town there's nowhere to go and "the neighborhood ladies know everything anyway"

Dihovo

Amazing lunch at a slow food villa, only natural local ingredients

Beekeeping tour

We suited up in hooded long sleeve suits Welcome to our Charnik, (beekeeping hives) Few different types of hives.

• Use a wood fired smoke can, with a a piece of burning wood and a bellows on one side
• Smoking of the bees so that they know something will happen and sedate them
• lowest part is the pollen store, and where the bees enter
• Second part is the brood
• Top part is where they gather honey
• raised one of the midsection blades. These are the male drone worker bees: the larger ones. 30,000 bees total.
• Closed honeycomb cells have baby bees. Egg, larva, cocoon, bee. We watched a baby bee coming out! It's in the center of the ring of open cells, top is cracked, Other bees were
• For first 10-15 defenders of hive, take over pollen and nectar from harvester
• Total life 45 days. Rest of time are harvesters. In winter can live for up to 6 months. Queen lives for 3-4 years
• Bigger cells are where the male drones are born. Queen cell is twice the size of other cells. Drones only born in summer, only job is to mate with the Queen. Mate with up to ten drones. Drones also keep the hive at 32-34C constant temperature.
• Others have fermented pollen. It cannot go bad, it lasts forever. It tastes buttery
• butt wiggles tell other bees coordinates of food. Good for a 2km radius.
• We can get pollen, besswax, honey and royal jelly
• Queen daily lays 2000-3000 eggs, only fed on royal jelly. Egg weight a multiple of her weight. One queen per hive (box of frames)
• Propolis, used to close the cells, good antibiotic properties

• Two types of honey: dark forest honey from oak and pine trees, light one is from field flowers

• "bee in the bonnet"? -- they say "flies in the head"

• Colony Collapse? Last year lost 50% of bees
• Zombie flies are a problem here, came from America, no way to control yet

201705 - Balkans - Honey Farm - 55 of 95 - Bitola, May 27, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Beehives - 61 of 101 - Bitola, May 27, 2017

Ohrid

Two schools of Cyrillic literacy, Pesla or Ohrid On Ohrid lake, across the lake is Podgradatz, Albania -- "under the town" Popular tourist destination with Western European countries Important town for development of Orthodox Church

Ohrid old city

UNESCO Cultural and Historical Site, protected Statue of a Cross catcher: on day Jesus baptized, throw a cross in body of water, folks vie to get it out, one who does gets good fortune (and maybe prizes).

Drive to Rila Monastery

Ivan Rilski (John of Riva) lived in mountains as a hermit 9th century (born ca 876) Time of great upheaval: Bulghurs settled in 7th c conquering the Slavs/Thracians/Greeks Bulghurs intermarried, became part of aristocracy. Adopted Eastern Orthodox religion (before the split in 1054, but the churches were already separating). Philioqua -- political and religious difference

John of Rila was known as just man, to honor him they built a monastery. During the revival of 13-14th c, monastery built up into present form. Survived through the Ottoman rule Just as the west monarchies were all interrelated, Slavic nobles were from a small number of noble families: e.g. Khrelich

Rila is most important monastery in Greek Orthodox. (Aside: if Greek Orthodox and acknowledge Pope, called Greek Catholic or Uniates (former is preferred). Separation nominally religious but in practice political)

Monks still live there, do the chanting and all. Chanting is more Byzantine.

(Aside on Serbian Churches: many becoming much more conservative, in religious and political sense -- isolationist and nationalist)

201705 - Balkans - Rila Monastery Entrance - 19 of 66 - Rila Monastery - Rilski manastir, May 26, 2017

Rila Monastery

Eight monks currently at Monastery Beautiful arched columns, clouds in mountains visible above outer walls St John of Rila Lived in a cave nearby as a hermit Two shepherds visited him and were cured, he was a miracle worker In tenth century 56 monks built a Monastery near the cave, later moved to current location as it was more defensible Turkish bandits raided and stole the things that pilgrims left as devotionals. Burned by In 1834 burned by bandits, rebuilt over next two decades Tower built in 1330 Top of it is a chapel

201705 - Balkans - Rila Monastery Church - 44 of 101 - Rila Monastery - Rilski manastir, May 26, 2017

Interior of church is New Testament scenes, story of the Bible in pictures. Saints

201705 - Balkans - Frescoes on Monastery Church - 20 of 66 - Rila Monastery - Rilski manastir, May 26, 2017

Icons along back of church: Jesus, John of Rila, St George (patron of army) to left of altar is Holy mother, John the Baptist, Outside is the narthex, Old Testament scenes Forty days after death, trial by devils with guardian angel At last panel person is saved, devil runs away, person goes to paradise

201705 - Balkans - Saints - 45 of 101 - Rila Monastery - Rilski manastir, May 26, 2017

Four years before repose, John of a Rila wrote a book for his students. During Ottoman rule, originals and many Artifacts hidden in mountains, not later found Part of tombstone of John Bishops throne painted, inlaid with ivory The surrounding lands were given to Monastery as feudal holdings

There are 130 functioning Monasteries in Bulgaria

During Turkish rule Monastery was protected by many Sultans, beautiful documents woven into fabric confirming rights of Monastery Ornate gifts from Russia in the 18th c, when monks did a fundraising tour to Russia Woven shroud -- an amazing 3-d rug showing Christ in repose donated by Alexis Monastery in Arzamas, Russia.

201705 - Balkans - Embroidered Shroud - 24 of 66 - Rila Monastery - Rilski manastir, May 26, 2017

Monastery printing house opened in 1865. Beautiful engraved brass plates for printing. Resulting documents have a wonderful depth to the ink

Hieromonk Neofit Rilski in 19th c wrote many grammars, textbooks,

There were 40 armed guards for Monastery in 19th c. Monastery safe with five locks, five monks had separate keys to control who can open, weighs 500kg

Amazing wood carved cross with details so small they were shaped by pins, took 17 years to build

201705 - Balkans - Hand-Carved Cross - 47 of 101 - Rila Monastery - Rilski manastir, May 26, 2017

36 scenes, made of box woodTop is the last supper, scenes of Constantine and Helen,

Adoption of Christianity as a state religion across Slav countries in the 9th c Still shreds of paganism in 9th c Southern Slavs were oppressed into Christianity by Byzantine emperors Since no literacy until Christianity, little knowledge of the Slavic pagan religion

Trip to Macedonia

Passed Blagoevgrad, location of American University in Bulgaria All classes in English, funded by George Soros

201705 - Balkans - Roadside Statue - 12 of 32 - Rila Monastery - Rilski manastir, May 26, 2017

Discussion of Changing culture in Slavic countries

On the bus, talked about Slavic culture.

Militaristic macho culture Was rare when Slaviša growing up to see a man pushing a stroller. Getting better -- "more metrosexual" so still through external image but softer

"Rolling Stones" -- parents' parents were farmers, ongoing drain of countryside to city. Cultural opportunities so much more than before His little cousin is stacked with activities, like an American kid

Small towns terrible places for young -- no jobs few cultural opportunities

Teachers in Serbia are terribly paid and not respected

Aside: Baba Vanga

Born in rural Macedonia, before WWI, blind for most of her life Was hit by lightning lost her sight. Later she claimed she was taken and brought back, started claiming clairvoyance. Saw into distant future Sent to Belgrade school for the blind. Returned to Macedonia, married a Bulgarian, moved to SE Bulgaria Died 1995

Following for predicting future and providing advice. Predictions extend to 3000 and more Communist party was generally against any type of religion, folklore, mysticism, anything non materialistic But Bulgarian party started using her as a resource Popularized her for own cause. Suspected that she collaborated with secret police -- ministers would consult with her and she'd report back

Has a museum in the town she lived in, her former modest house, surrounded by steam springs

Border with Macedonia

Left EU, passport check, 1km later entered Macedonia, passport check.

Rainy dreary day after mostly sunny beautiful weather, nice that we're wasting it traveling. Misty gloomy border crossing makes it feel mysterious.

201705 - Balkans - Crossing into Macedonia - 34 of 95 - Rila Monastery - Rilski manastir, May 26, 2017

Winery Pikesh

Хура! Finally got here at 4:00

Huge vaults with aging wines, oldest go back to 1962

20 million liters of wine (capacity 35 million) Giant barrels, wines for sale aged 6 mos or 1 year.

201705 - Balkans - Winery - 49 of 101 - Rila Monastery - Rilski manastir, May 26, 2017

Trip to Kruševo

Lokum (Turkish Delight) is a big deal in Macedonia Kruševo is the Lokum capital of the world

Prilep

Passed through Prilep -- rugged agricultural country 60,000 people: tobacco production, high quality milk white marble One of the most patriotic cities in Macedonia, a lot of partisans who liberated country from Nazis came from here. Has a basketball and football team.

Very compact city: although only 60k population, it felt very urban. Many apartment buildings

Aside: Orient Express. Originally Venice to Istanbul, and same name used for many eastern destinations an origins in Vienna and Budapest. All went through Macedonia.

Passed a flock of sheep being herded along (taking up,a lane of) the highway

Македониja "Mak-ye-don-eeya"

Small country 25730 kmsq Macedonia Central European time. currency is Denar. 1 euro is fixed to 60/61. 53-55 to 1 dollar. Can drink tap water in cities; hotel will tell you if not so. (True throughout the Balkans)

Landlocked country bordered on Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Kosovo, Albania (Five countries haven't recognized Kosovo, not in UN)

Ethnic and Religious makeup

Two million people 2/3 ethnic Macedonian, most rest are Albanian A few percent Serbs, Turks, 70% Orthodox Christians, 28 percent Muslim (Nearly all Sunni, 80% Albanian). Two percent total for Catholics, Protestants, etc Fewer than five hundred Jews. Most killed in Holocaust Last census was 2002 Muslims mostly to the north of Macedonia, most of them ethnic Albanian, plus Bosniacs, Turks. Almost all ethnic Macedonians Christian Independent since 1991. Didn't participate in breakup wars of Yugoslavia: National army stripped Macedonia of weapons ("looted the country"), and there were almost no Serbs, so avoided the conflict About 60,000 Roma population; one 20,000 municipality in Skopje. Only municipality in Europe with Roma leader or majority.

Most mosques are new which means they're funded by Arabic countries. Muslims are not geographically concentrated, whole country is intermixed.

To a significant extent Balkan countries are failing to develop a coherent national identity that includes minorities.

Veles and Perun were pagan Slavic gods. Visna is word for Spring, goddess of Spring, fields

Skopje

Biggest city, political and cultural capital. 700k citizens in Skopje metro, during work week up to 1 million (out of 2 million total Macedonian population). Skopje at end of trip.

Terrain and Economy

Country is mostly mountainous Fertile land, main industry is agricultural. Anything that can be grown in mild continental or (in south) Mediterranean is grown here. Peppers, Pears, grapes, cherries, vegetables. Warm summers up to 40C, generally mild winters but this winter was terrible (-20C), snowed for Easter.

Eat with the seasons: in winter you eat pickled vegetables, cabbages, etc Ivar, a paste of red peppers and eggplant Most common exported good are wine and tobacco Landscape in south is like a 60s Western movie field Prices of cigarettes are rising, laws that discourage smoking, smoking is on the decline but currently widespread. Can smoke indoors in an apartment building but not in any public venue

Some mining: Iron, Zinc, Nickel. Mines are currently reopening.

Parliament and president, 4 year election cycle, President on 5 year cycle directly elected, two terms max. Most of power in hands of Prime Minister. President largely ceremonial, but is commander in chief. Usually the plurality party makes the government; currently though the party that's a few seats short of the leading party has the leading coalition

Education

Mandatory education to 18, four years high school, free and compulsory. (Most of the Balkans it's not mandatory: the Roma minority in particular drops out) No home schooling, but there are private secondary schools, very expensive.

University is not free but affordable. Five Public universities cost 400 euros per year plus say 200 for books etc. Top students get 50% scholarships. Ten private universities, 1000-3000 euros tuition. Public universities more valued: higher tuition pays for a cakewalk

Each grade ("generation") is divided into classes of ~20 students; all students in a class take the same courses and stay together for all years of school. (The teachers come to the room the students stay put). In Macedonia, you have a choice of Albanian, Macedonian or Turkish. This of course means that the different ethnicities are socially separated and that it's possible to graduate never learning Macedonian.

Economy

It is terrible. High unemployment low economic station Officially 25% unemployed most of them young people but there's a grey economy Average monthly salary is 350 euros for all people

A lot of economic migrants especially young people. Population stagnation for 25 years More than a million Macedonians live abroad, in Germany, US, Canada, Australia. Earn money and send back remittances, or look to make their bundle and then come back.

Ethnic Conflict

150-200k Albanian refugees came into the country In 2001 radicals among the refugees started military conflict Ethnically, linguistically, religiously separate Macedonian army against the Kosovo liberation army, paramilitary group with Kosovoan ethnically Albanian leaders. Trying to make single ethnically Albanian state. US supported the rebels. US generally supports Albanians. If that changed, there would be huge trouble: revenge against Albania and Kosovo. (Albania, though Muslim, is very secular)

A few words in Macedonian

• Hello Zdravo
• Good day Dobar den
• Thank you: blagodaram or fala
• Cheers: Na zdravje or zhiveli
• Goodbye: Ciao
• Please te molam
• Where is the the toilet? Kade e toaletot
• How much does it cost? kolku chini
• Hm. Expensive. Skapo
• Can it be cheaper Mozhe poeftino
• Yes Da
• No Ne
• A/C Klima

Bargaining is OK

About the name

Officially the "Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia" Macedonia is divided into three parts: Greece, Serbia, Bulgarian Rep of Macedonia was just the Serbian part. Greece insisted that the country couldn't be called Macedonia No real desire among Greek or Bulgarian Macedonians to be part of Macedonia. In Greece in the fifties it was illegal to speak Slavic languages even in home

Background: History of Macedonia

Links:

• Overall History of the Macedonian Region#History)
• Prehistory of Southeastern Europe
• History of the Ancient Macedonian Kingdom)
• History of the Republic of Macedonia

In 1000s-1BC Balkans populated by Illyrians, Macedonians, Thracians. But so many people's have migrated and warred back and forth that everything is ethnically all mixed up.

First kings of Macedonia 800 BC. Peak of power in 4th c BC under Philip II and then Alexander the Great

Philip II reformed the army, instituted Phalanx, murdered at his daughters' wedding; succeeded by Alexander.

From 336-326 Alexander conquered Egypt, Middle East all the way to India. Died at 33yo, kingdom was divided among his generals: Asia, Balkans, Egypt. Ptolemy in Egypt founded dynasty that lasted through Cleopatra; others continuation much more short-lived to say the least.

Balkan Macedonia persisted to 2d c BC, when the Roman republic comes in and conquers in three wars.

In 395CE at the split Macedonia remained part of Byzantine empire. In period of great migrations in 5-6th c, Slavs settled in Balkans In 9-10th c, was ruled by the Bulgarian empire under Samuel, who we know from Bulgarian history was a great opposer of Byzantine empire.

In 13-14th c, part of the medieval Serbian empire, After death of Dushan in 14th c, kingdom divided into four parts. Vukašin and then Marko ruled region from city of Prilep Marcum signed a deal with Ottomans to become a client kingdom. Despite that Many Herculean legends about Marko. Sagas and epic poems about him and his horse Sharat

14th c beginning of Ottoman expansion in Europe. Founded in 1299 by Osman Gandi. At the beginning Ottomans were hired mercenaries by Byzantine empire; they took over empire. In 14th c two great battles with the united Christian forces. River Maritza and Kosovo battles, Ottomans won both, took over most of Balkans. Marco ruled until 1385 but as an Ottoman vassal.

1395-1912 under Ottoman rule. Uprisings but none successful. In 1903 was last great uprising -- Ilinden uprising began of feast of St Elias Center was town of Krushevo, for ten days was the republic of Krushevo, first republic in Balkans. No foreign support and it crumbled.

In 1912, coalition of European Russian and Balkan countries supported war for independence from Ottoman. Macedonia split into three pieces, 50% to Serbia, 40% to Greece, 10% to Bulgaria. These were artificial divisions, Macedonians were distinct minorities in each country. Forced assimilation in Greece, where there was no connection (Slavs vs Greeks)

In WWI conscripted into the national armies. Serbia and Bulgaria were on opposite sides so cousin fought cousin.

After WWI, Kingdom of Serbs Croats and Slovenes; later the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. King ran away before start of fighting in WWII, Macedonia broke away

After WWII became one of six parts of Yugoslavia 1991 September 8 referendum became independent

From 1946-49 Greek civil war. Greek Macedonians sided with the losing side, suffered greatly. Many emigrated. When Rep of Macedonia became a thing, Greece felt threatened that the Greek Macedonia might want to leave. Greece vetoed their entry into NATO, hindered EU membership

Bus trip to Varna (Варна)

Varna a major industrial city. 400k people in metro area (relatively large for Bulgaria) On a formerly freshwater lake; in 1970 they built channel from lake to sea to support shipping

Archaeology Museum

Shkorpiu brothers, Archaeologists that dug Varna and elsewhere. Czechs, stayed in Bulgaria after liberation.. Established archaeology society.

Currently believed that the Black Sea was once fresh water, km below sea level Earthquake split the Bosporus and Mediterranean rushed in Possible explanation for great flood myths

The centerpiece archaological find for this culture is the Varna Necropolis, discovered in the early 1970s; gold bracelets scepters and other artifacts created between 4,600 and 4200 BC: the oldest gold artifacts yet discovered anywhere in the world

* Advanced stone tools, Ceramic pots and relics
* Varna cemetery found 1976 dated to 5000s BC three graves including oldest known wrought gold
* Grave of 35yo king with golden scepter, large gold armbands, buttons from a cloak. Also copper and stone axes
* Amount of gold in this one grave as much as total gold found anywhere from this same period
* Shells from Mediterranean -- there was trade
* We have found necropolis but not the corresponding city 
* Copper came from the SW Black Sea coat and from east Thrace. Varna was metallurgical center for the East Balkan Peninsula 
* Most pots found in graves were smaller shoddier symbolic replicas of pots used in household. Rich graves had full sized pots with thin walls and high aesthetic standard

201705 - Balkans - Stone Age king with Earliest Wrought-Gold Artifacts - 39 of 101 - Varna - Varna, May 25, 2017

###

• Middle Stone Age 10,000-7000 BC
  • Stone tools
• Stone-Copper age 5000s-4000s BCE Varna culture , first civilization with a sophisticated social hierarchy in Europe.
• Bronze Age 3200-1200 BC
  • Thracian identity forms.
  • floods came at end of Copper age; lack of continuity of people into Bronze Age
  • Big carved tombstones with shape of a person in relief
  • Large funerary urns, one with Swastika. Then a tumulus (menhir) erected; high status person could reach 5-10m. Deified deceased predecessorsl
• Early Iron Age 1200-500
  • Varna (then called Odessos) was major population center for western Black Sea coast
  • Trade with Greece and across Black Sea
• Classical 580-323
• Hellenistic 323-15
  • Wine trade as far as Rhodes, Georgia, Crimea.
• Roman 15-200 CE
  • fountains, heating system (thermae) for baths, aqueduct
  • Elaborate relief marble tombstones
  • Grave of a doctor priest: scalpels, tweezers, hooks
  • Gravestone with the Horse-Man ("Heros") figure that later developed into St George imagery
  • Rings with impossibly small marble figures carved imto
• Late Roman 200-330
  • In later Roman times, Varna becomes part of lower Moecia; from Nessebar down to Byzantium and west to Sofia (Serdica) is Thracia
  • Dice, silver bronze and glass items
  • Became an important Christian center
  • First Christian community established 1st c AD by St Andrew the Apostle.
  • In 311 Constantine and Licinius issued edict of tolerance for Christians, basilicas appeared in following years
• Late Antiquity 330-650
  • not destroyed in downfall of empire but suffered as economy crumbled
  • Remained the only large sea port in lower Moesia
  • The "evacuation" from Dacia in 3d century when Roman Empire abandoned in face of Goth
  • Slavs came from Carpathians and from near Berlin first looting of Illyrians in 611 century
  • Settled, mixed with Illyrians, Arromanian (latin-speaking) people
  • Resulting peoples will retain Bulghurs name but Slavic language and identity.
• First Bulgarian Empire 681-1018 CE
• Byzantine rule 1018-1187
• Second Kingdom 1187-1396
• Ottoman Rule 1396-1878 Bulgaria's "Dark Age"
• 1878-1943 Third Bulgarian Kingdom
• 1945 Communism
• After fall of communism Bulgaria has lost a million people due to emigration and low birth rate

201705 - Balkans - Archaeology Museum - 15 of 66 - Varna - Varna, May 25, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Archaeology Museum Stele - 16 of 66 - Varna - Varna, May 25, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Archaeology Museum - 17 of 66 - Varna - Varna, May 25, 2017

Lunch at restaurant built into frigate

Super touristy but quite fun restaurant

201705 - Balkans - Frigate Restaurant on Black Sea Shore - Varna, May 25, 2017

On Being Gay in Bulgaria

Discussed LGBT attitudes in Bulgaria with program alumna, who came out while on American exchange -- Iranian Muslim dad was OK, Methodist mom still coming to terms. No physical bullying from peers but many negative attitudes. Iowa high school was more liberal than Bulgaria. Prom is a huge deal in Balkans, a very uncomfortable situation if you’re queer.

Walking tour of Varna

Channel where Black Sea meets Lake Varna

"July Morning" -- U2 song, on June 30th people gather on the beach and watch the sun rise on July 1st. Bono wrote the song looking out at the sun rise over Black Sea

Weather is sunny and high-60s F with nice breeze

201705 - Balkans - Varna Panorama - Black Sea - 11 of 32 - Varna - Varna, May 25, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Sudha, Yelena, Don, Marina, Sarel - 27 of 95 - Varna - Varna, May 25, 2017

Sea Garden

20km long nature walk along the coast -- shops and cafes and museums Love Bridge : walk backwards across the bridge and chuck a coin to make a wish Observatory looks out over sea garden

201705 - Balkans - Varna Panorama - Black Sea - 11 of 32 - Varna - Varna, May 25, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Sudha, Yelena, Don, Marina, Sarel - 27 of 95 - Varna - Varna, May 25, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Tour Group - 28 of 95 - Varna - Varna, May 25, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Black Sea Shore - 40 of 101 - Varna - Varna, May 25, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Large Graffiti Wall - 41 of 101 - Varna - Varna, May 25, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Dragons at Natatorium - 18 of 66 - Varna - Varna, May 25, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Vegetable Market - 43 of 101 - Varna - Varna, May 25, 2017

Varna Cathedral

First cathedral with gold domes. Greek style with Russian Domes. Russian domes are in shape of a candle, devotional offering. Built of limestone Gift from Emperor Alexander of Russia to wife Catherine 1896 opening Dedicated to St Mary and to the Russian Army Frescoes including a rondel showing the Chi-Rho (with alpha omega kicker). Frescoes date to 1950s

Varna cathedral had chairs: Cyprus, Greece, Bulgarian, some Serbian churches have pews, traditional Serbian Orthodox Church have no pews. Serbian dioceses are very independent, decentralized

201705 - Balkans - Dormition of the Theotokos Cathedral - 42 of 101 - Varna - Varna, May 25, 2017

Wine Tasting

• sweet muscat
• Apricot Rakia (brandy)

201705 - Balkans - Audrey, Slaviša, Maria, Sommelier, Sarel - Wine Tasting - 30 of 95 - Varna - Varna, May 25, 2017

Nature walk in Morning

Beautiful resort at top of mountain

Long Drive to Burgas

… Mandatory ice cream break: EU mandates that drivers stop for certain amount of time per four hours of driving, monitored by a device. We had ice cream, driver had a cigarette.

Burgas

Black Sea!

Dandled feet into sea.

Nesebar

380km of coast along the Black Sea Sunny Beach across the way

Settled since Thracian times Old Mesembria, from Thracian Menavria from Mena (a ruler) and vria (city) Relics from Thracian, Greek, Roman times Great site for underwater archaeology

Old Windmills -- three remain

UNESCO cultural site

Old town Nesebar

Wooden houses St Mary Church Posted outside were photos for memorials of people who died.

Church of Christ Pantocrator

201705 - Balkans - Church of Christ Pantocrator - 21 of 40 - Ancient City of Nessebar - Burgas, May 24, 2017

Church of St John Aliturgetos

Hagia Sophia Nesebar Church

More Nessebar

201705 - Balkans - Me, Mom, Sailor Statue - 22 of 95 - Ancient City of Nessebar - Burgas, May 24, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Windmill - 18 of 40 - Ancient City of Nessebar - Burgas, May 24, 2017

201705 - Balkans - City Walls - 33 of 89 - Ancient City of Nessebar - Burgas, May 24, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Nessebar Shore Panorama - 34 of 101 - Ancient City of Nessebar - Burgas, May 24, 2017

Trip down to Kurgili

Wine region. Bulgaria loves its red wines, associates with love. Lots of wild poppies and other wildflowers. Look pretty but don't smell too good Good skiing at Pomporova near Plovdiv Farmland all along the road once out of city, anything industrial is in city. Horses, sheep.

Kurgili was source of silver in Roman times

Zenograd (?) home of a fortress and monastery from 12th c, second Bulgarian kingdom, when Bulgaria touched three seas (Black Sea, Mediterranean, Aegean

(Later in trip) Climbing the eastern Rozov mountains Kurgali: Kurj-al-Ali курджали

Kurgali is on river that is dammed in steps from mountain down.

Islam in Bulgaria

Ali (Mohammed's cousin) started Shia, leaders should be family; Sunni say should be through most talented

Shia has many branches. Iran, Yemen, have each own branch

E.g. Alevi, in 12thc, a Sufi Shia, starts reform to make it closer to folk practice. Becomes popular in Turkey, Bulgaria, Albania, some in Macedonia. Cool with images.

Most Muslims in Bulgaria are Sunni.

Digression on Wahhabism: In 18c, in Saudi Arabia, Abdul Rahaman started return to origins reforms: Wahhabi. Think of a return to Calvinism. In the 60s and 70s tons of very poor very conservative people get loads of money. Start schools, scholarships, mosques. (PS if Saudi Arabia economy goes south enough to destabilize their government, Mideast will go to shit)

Achmadi: Reformer in local interpretations of Islam, syncretic with Hinduism etc. Very philosophical, more open. Discriminated against everywhere.

Mosques: if it's new and ornate and decorated, it's founder by Saudis. If modernist, it's East Asian.

Aliani people, a couple of villages Muslims, Don't intermarry, so very distinctive.

Tatul

Tatul, a Thracian religious site: shrine to Orpheus Tatul (Татул) named for an herb that has a poisonous derivative In South of Bulgaria towards Greece Prehistorically Volcanic mountains, these were first Bulgarian lands to surface from primordial seas

First settled in Thracian times, Wall built in 4-3rd c BCE (Bronze Age) large stones fitted, no cement

Most important shrine to Orpheus, considered by Thracians to be his grave. Unknown if he is historical. If so, royal origin, wandered around playing to animals etc. Preached; men only. Drinking, orgies. Women, excluded and jealous, got him drunk, decapitated, cut into seven pieces, thrown into river. His severed head was resting on harp, singing. The gods, angered, made the women recover the body pieces. Cult of Orpheus developed. Thracian aristocracy was literate, using Greek alphabet (though a Thracian alphabet is now some archaeological evidence). Many similarities with Orphic and Old Testament. E.g. Orpheus inspired on top of mountain with a golden script to share revelations.

Many Thracian tombs throughout Bulgaria Herodotus said Thrace was second most populous people after Indic

Symbolic grave of Orpheus faces sun (South). Thracian graves oriented north-south. We have many Greek documents describing this place, the rivers etc.

Thracians were strong enemies of Christianity. Constantine was from Balkans, lots of its earliest history is here. So lots of syncretism: e.g. Horseman becomes St George. Orpheus becomes God, spirit becomes evangelism. St. Paul travels all the way to Thessaloniki, which is just south of here.

201705 - Balkans - Shrine to Orpheus - 27 of 101 - Momchilgrad - Kardzhali, May 23, 2017

Desert at Alumna's Villa

Traditional dresses and farm implements on wall Drank homemade "rakia" ракия grape liqueur, wrapped grape leaves, yoghurt Amazing rose bushes; bloom twice during the year were in full bloom when we were there.

Rakia

Rakia brandy is a home brew liquor served as an aperitif throughout the Balkans. As our guide out it, "everyone has a still. You can tell your economic status based on that still: if it's all Copper you're rich; if the distilling pipe is Copper you're doing OK; otherwise you're poor"

We had at various points Rakia made from grape, apricots, walnuts (which was AMAZING).

Prom Photos

High school prom is a Big Deal in the Balkans, even more than in the US. All the time saw students out in their finery taking photos.

201705 - Balkans - Prom is a Big Deal in the Balkans - 28 of 101 - Momchilgrad - Kardzhali, May 23, 2017

Giant Graffiti Murals

Apartment complex with massive full building murals By 140 ideas (?) graffiti collective

201705 - Balkans - Full Building Figures Graffiti - 23 of 46 - Sofia - zhk Hadzhi Dimitar - ulitsa Ostrovo, May 22, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Full Building Figures Graffiti - 26 of 46 - Sofia - zhk Hadzhi Dimitar - ulitsa Ostrovo, May 22, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Full Building Figures Graffiti - 30 of 46 - Sofia - zhk Hadzhi Dimitar - ulitsa Ostrovo, May 22, 2017

Bus to Plovdiv

• Possibly the first ancient city in Europe (but the tour guide cautions, “the Balkans' love to exaggerate”)
• Bulgaria's "second city", another cultural center.
• Climate suitable for many crops, mild winter and hot in summer (max 40C)

Much less infrastructure and income outside of Sofia. Corruption a problem. Big education reform under way. Two years of preschool compulsory and free.

Joined EU in 2007 (Schenken this year). Low cost travel -- 25 euro flights to Berlin. Lots of idea exchange. One reason Sofia is becoming so dynamic over last five-ten years.

Differences from Serbia? Yugoslav economy was Communist but not Soviet, much more open.

During Communist time, Bulgaria had excellent education system. Especially for languages. When transition happened, big brain drain, esp to Germany. Fear that Bulgaria will become a country of old people. It's the young and well educated that leave.

Difficult to open new businesses, tons of regulations.

Orpheus

Orpheus a major god of Thrace.

Thracians believe the entrance to Hades is a cave in the Rostov mountains. Orpheus goes to underworld to retrieve Eurydice. Can both leave but must not turn back, which of course he does. She's petrified he leaves alone. There's a spring in mountains which is his tears for her.

Plovdiv

Ancient city of Trimontium (three mountains) First known as Kendros in Thracians, then Philipopolis when conquered by Philip (Alexander's dad), then a Slavic name that became Plovdiv

Maritsa river Vitosha range

Roman road

Bulgaria is third after Greece and Italy in number of archaeological sites. The Roman road was uncovered under the center of the modern town.

201705 - Balkans - Ancient Roman Ruins right next to street and houses - 24 of 89 - Plovdiv - Hadji Hasan Mahala - Plovdiv, May 22, 2017

Orpheus Relief

Memorial of Orpheus

Old Plovdiv City Wall

Groups of Houses build behind walls Major wall is late Roman early Byzantine 4-6th century

Face of famous Bulgarian painter Sanko Lavrenov

Church of St Constantine and Helen

Beautiful icon wall behind pulpit, frescoes 18th-19th century

Painter Zlatyu Boyadzhiev

Had a stroke, could then only paint with left hand -- leveled up

1870s pharmacy

Operational until 1940s Awesome array of old bottles Wood fired Distiller for making pure water Second floor Surgery equipment contributed by Plovdiv pharmacists -- so all original (not all from this pharmacy)

Pill maker Gelatin capsule maker Charcoal filter Pharmacy garden

201705 - Balkans - Highlights - 20 of 101 - Apothecary Museum in Plovdiv - Hadji Hasan Mahala - Plovdiv, May 22, 2017

Lunch at a former monastery

Whirling dervish monks -- Dance into devotional delirium (Monks No longer present) Monastery built into old city wall

Ancient Theater

Built in first c AD Destroyed by invaders in fall of empire 1972 earthquake hill slide revealed ruins of theater

201705 - Balkans - Ancient Roman Theater - 13 of 89 - Plovdiv - Hadji Hasan Mahala - Plovdiv, May 22, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Ancient Roman Theater - 14 of 89 - Plovdiv - Hadji Hasan Mahala - Plovdiv, May 22, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Ancient Roman Theater - 8 of 89 - Plovdiv - Hadji Hasan Mahala - Plovdiv, May 22, 2017

Ancient Stadium

2d century (Hadrian) Long, hosted fights and chariot races. Remains are one gate and partial ring of seats

Mosque

Built in 1300s when Ottomans were conquering Bulgaria. Historical indications built on former church but no archaeological presence

More ruins

Don't yet know what the buildings were. Have found coins dating to Roman times, vessels for storing grain, some graves from 5th c.

Statue on the hill Alosha

Nearby ruins are 2nd to 4th CE of a forum and small theater

Bulgaria and Macedonia

This is the first in a series of journals chronicling the trip I took with my Ma to Bulgaria and Macedonia. They are lovely countries and I recommend them to anyone looking for wonderful food and rich history off the beaten path.

Map of May 2017 Trip to Bulgaria and Macedonia

Group:

Guides are Slaviša Raković, Yelena Djokovich (second cousin of the tennis player), Maria Krumova. In Macedonia, Yelena and Maria left, Zdenka Nikolovska and Demetr joined). Alumni we met were Shebe, Victoria, Victoria and Gabby, Emir x and x,

Don, Audrey, Bob H, Marina, Sudha and Raj, Sarel and Philip, Bob S and Sabrina, Carol, Mary. Most are volunteers for American Councils.

201705 - Balkans - Ilinden Group Photo: Don, Bob S, Dimitar, Maria, Bob H, Audrey, Sarel, Me, Raj, Sudha, Slaviša, Mary, Sabrina, Carol, Zdenka - May 27, 2017

American Councils

State department contracts with American Councils, an NGO. They run exchange programs that take top students from the former communist countries and send them to American high schools for a year. The volunteers review and grade the applications -- need experience reading them to judge the right fit. My mom has been volunteer since 2004.

Alumni we met were uniformly extraordinary people, and all cited their exchange program as transformative experience. Went to colleges like Georgetown, Princeton, American University in Abu Dhabi, Aberdeen, Cambridge.

Most students sent to fairly rural places, which they loved (I was surprised): no distractions meant they got the pure American experience. All reported that the American high schools were much easier than Bulgarian high schools, even given language difference. High proficiency in English necessary. English is a mandatory subject across Europe.

Volunteers can take two kinds of trips. I took an insider tour, where participants pay the expenses and it's guided by professional guides+American Councils staff+alumni. Other are the retrieval trips, where volunteer goes to a program country to chaperone students coming to US. American Councils pays for your ticket and one day of lodging; but you're encouraged to come earlier, and local office helps you coordinate independently exploring the country.

Sarel has taken insider tours to Kosovo and Ukraine; Georgia; Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Croatia; plus pickup trips to Armenia (and one from Belarus that she met in Frankfurt)

Bulgaria, Friday-Saturday May 20 2017, Day -1&0

Left Austin 6am Friday. Landed 9am Saturday. Turkish Airlines has really good food. Grabbed an aisle seat with nobody in center, napped on and off on the flight. Got to hotel, slept, orientation, slept.

Sunday May 21 2017, Day 1

History of Bulgaria

Bulgaria is composed of three main ethnic groups: Bulghurs, Slavs, Thracians

• Middle Stone Age 10,000-7000 BC
  • Stone tools
• Stone-Copper age 5000s-4000s BCE Varna culture , first civilization with a sophisticated social hierarchy in Europe. The centerpiece archaological find for this culture is the Varna Necropolis, discovered in the early 1970s; gold bracelets scepters and other artifacts created between 4,600 and 4200 BC: the oldest gold artifacts yet discovered anywhere in the world
  • Advanced stone tools, Ceramic pots and relics
  • Varna cemetery found 1976 dated to 5000s BC three graves including oldest known wrought gold
  • Grave of 35yo king with golden scepter, large gold armbands, buttons from a cloak. Also copper and stone axes
  • Amount of gold in this one grave as much as total gold found anywhere from this same period
  • Shells from Mediterranean -- there was trade
  • We have found necropolis but not the corresponding city
  • Copper came from the SW Black Sea coat and from east Thrace. Varna was metallurgical center for the East Balkan Peninsula
  • Most pots found in graves were smaller shoddier symbolic replicas of pots used in household. Rich graves had full sized pots with thin walls and high aesthetic standard
• Bronze Age 3200-1200 BC
  • Thracian identity forms.
  • floods came at end of Copper age; lack of continuity of people into Bronze Age
  • Big carved tombstones with shape of a person in relief
  • Large funerary urns, one with Swastika. Then a tumulus (menhir) erected; high status person could reach 5-10m. Deified deceased predecessorsl
• Early Iron Age 1200-500
  • Varna (then called Odessos) was major population center for western Black Sea coast
  • Trade with Greece and across Black Sea
• Classical 580-323
• Hellenistic 323-15
  • Wine trade as far as Rhodes, Georgia, Crimea.
• Roman 15-200 CE
  • fountains, heating system (thermae) for baths, aqueduct
  • Elaborate relief marble tombstones
  • Grave of a doctor priest: scalpels, tweezers, hooks
  • Gravestone with the Horse-Man ("Heros") figure that later developed into St George imagery
  • Rings with impossibly small marble figures carved imto
• Late Roman 200-330
  • In later Roman times, Varna becomes part of lower Moecia; from Nessebar down to Byzantium and west to Sofia (Serdica) is Thracia
  • Dice, silver bronze and glass items
  • Became an important Christian center
  • First Christian community established 1st c AD by St Andrew the Apostle.
  • In 311 Constantine and Licinius issued edict of tolerance for Christians, basilicas appeared in following years
• Late Antiquity 330-650
  • not destroyed in downfall of empire but suffered as economy crumbled
  • Remained the only large sea port in lower Moesia
  • The "evacuation" from Dacia in 3d century when Roman Empire abandoned in face of Goth
  • Slavs came from Carpathians and from near Berlin first looting of Illyrians in 611 century
  • Settled, mixed with Illyrians, Arromanian (latin-speaking) people
  • Resulting peoples will retain Bulghurs name but Slavic language and identity.
• First Bulgarian Empire 681-1018 CE
• Byzantine rule 1018-1187
• Second Kingdom 1187-1396
• Ottoman Rule 1396-1878 Bulgaria's "Dark Age"
• 1878-1943 Third Bulgarian Kingdom
• 1945 Communism
• After fall of communism Bulgaria has lost a million people due to emigration and low birth rate

Breakfast and lunch

Breakfast is scrambled eggs, sausage, feta, tomatoes, steamed mushrooms Banitsa thin flaky rolled pastry with cheese Nearly every lunch or dinner preceded by a cucumber tomato feta salad.

Lunch at restaurant with 360 view of Sofia

201705 - Balkans - View from Lunch of Sofia - 16 of 101 - Sofia - Oborishte - Sofia, May 21, 2017

Alexander Nevski Cathedral

Central church in Bulgaria

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

King Samuel (Самуил) statue

Apex and eventual Nadir of the Bulgarian people. Conquered large parts of Serbia, Macedonia, empire touched three seas (Black, Aegean, Mediterranean). Moved capital to Skopje from Sofia. Got his ass whipped by Ottomans in Battle of Kleidion. Basil II, the "Bulghur Killer", blinded the 14,000 surrendering soldiers -- leaving one in a hundred with one eye to lead the others back and be an economic burden on country. Samuel had a heart attack when soldiers returned.

King Samuel

Graffiti Tour of Sofia

A lot of sanctioned graffiti all around Sofia (and a ton of unsanctioned graffiti), including the electrical boxes.

201705 - Balkans - Peacock Graffiti - Sofia - Oborishte - Sofia, May 21, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Full Parking Lot Graffiti - Sofia - Oborishte - Sofia, May 21, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Falcon Graffiti - Sofia - Oborishte - Sofia, May 21, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Sad Man Graffiti - 11 of 46 - Sofia - Oborishte - Sofia, May 21, 2017

Ivan Vazov (Иван Вазов) Theater

Ivan Vazov is Bulgarias national poet. Statue of him, theater named for him

201705 - Balkans - Theater Ivan Vasov - 8 of 40 - Sofia - Oborishte - Sofia, May 21, 2017

201705 - Balkans - Ivan Vasov Placque - 4 of 66 - Sofia - Oborishte - Sofia, May 21, 2017

Dinner high above Sofia

Amazing rustic restaurant Folk dancers in the aisles

Nestinarstovo

At one point all go outside where people to walking on red hot coals, licking glowing brand. Nestinar is the dancer.

Rose Oil

Rose Oil is a major and identifying export of Bulgaria. Roses grow everywhere, they put rose oil in soaps, perfumes, anything that sells