| Bulgaria is considered one of the least developed of the Balkan nations and has been slow to recover from 50 years of Communist rule. Unlike its neighbors north of the Danube, Bulgaria has been mostly focused on the East. Its Eastern border on the Black Sea is populated with seaside resorts catering mostly to Russians, and more recently (according to one of our guides) to English football hooligans who are attracted by low airfares and cheap booze. Because of frequent flooding along this stretch of the Danube, Vidin is one of the few cities located on the river; it was an important early Roman port town. Most of Bulgaria's population is in the center of the country where Sofia, the capital, is located and in the South of the country. The cyrillic alphabet, which is based on Greek, was developed in Bulgaria. Bulgaria's claims to fame include its yogurt and banitsa made from dough with various fillings. Although we took a quick tour or Vidin, we spent most of our time in a private home, learning how to make banitsa |
| Vidin, Bulgaria |
| At Vidin's entrance is a memorial inscribed in 4 different languages: "Memorial of the Victims of Communism". The thumbnail shows our Bulgarian tour director explaining what it was like growing up under communism; she is wearing the costume that all communist youth wore to government events. Below is the town square with a mix of some new and some old. The "old" commonly displays electrical wiring chaotically strung on the outside of residences and shops. |
| Along the river's edge is a nicely maintained park, which includes a play area for kids and two tall poles with bungee cords attached. We watched a young father holding his daughter's feet and using his weight to stretch the bungees,releasing her to fly high over the pole tops - Definitely Non-OSHA. |
| A mosque at the end of the park, reflecting earlier Turkish influence. |
| We took a bus ride to a suberb to visit a Bulgarian home where we would learn how to make and enjoy banitsa. The recently constructed home had all the modern fixtures and appliances you would see in the west. The owners had lived in Ohio for 5 years and spoke excellent English. The woman of the house showed us how to make banitsa and then with the help of "Aunt Rosa" we made some ourselves |
| IThis was not a typical Bulgarian house; we didn't find out why the family returned to Vidin or what they do there. |
Our teacher, with a great sense of humor
| Ready for the oven; Ingredients are phyllo dough, eggs, cheese, oil, butter, and a splash of fizzy drink |
Fresh from the oven
| Ready to serve, accompanied with Bulgarian yogurt |
| The amateurs take over, under the watchful eye of Aunt Rosa. We have the recipe; it is actually worth making; it's tasty. |
| We depart happy and full! |
