Communing with the Gods...Thessaloniki and Litochoro (September 4-6, 2013)

The White Tower

After settling into the apartment in Yambol, Lane and I decided to do some travelling before school starts.  We decided to go to Thessaloniki, a place I have always wanted to visit since reading Mark Mazower's Salonika: City of Ghosts. The city has a long and interesting history which I will not discuss in this post, but at one point it was part of Bulgaria.

Lane and I travelled to Sophia first, then took a bus from Sophia to Thessaloniki.  The ride was pretty but very long. Once we arrived, we settled into our minimalist hotel and then walked along Nikis Avenue, a promenade that runs parallel to the Old Beach.  From here, we were able to see The White Tower.  Along the way we found a sea food restaurant with awesome food and friendly waiters.  I ordered grilled squid, which arrived as a whole squid on a plate, stuffed with feta and tomatoes.  It was a dinner of epic proportions!

The next day, we headed to Litochoro,

Mount Olympus National Park

home of Mount Olympus National Park. Lane really wanted to go so he could moon Zeus and the rest of the Gods. Well, it didn't quite happen that way, seeing as how the mountain is actually a pretty far hike.  Afterwards, we headed back into town and stopped for some gyros, which were way too big for either of us.  They also served a desert of yogurt, candied apples, honey, and cinnomen that proved to be pretty amazing.

Church of St. Demetrios

We spent the entire next day in Thessaloniki,  visiting what seemed like dozens of old churches.  First up was the Church of St. Demetrios, the patron saint of the city. Originally built during the 5th it has been destroyed by earthquakes and fires, but each time rebuilt.  After the fall of Constantinople, it was converted to a mosque. Although the inside of the church is quite nice, the crypt exhibits a fascinating collection of sculptures from the temple throughout history. 

Church of Agia Sophia

Next up-Church of Agia Sophia.  Dedicated to the Wisdom of God rather than a particular saint, this domed basilica belongs to the Byzantine era.  Built in the 7th century it has many frescoes and mosaics.  Sadly, we were not able to go inside, although we aren't really sure why.

Inside The Rotunda
St. George Church

Of all of the churches in Thessaloniki, it is the Rotunda of St. George that resonated with me the most, perhaps because of its fascintating history.  The Rotunda can trace its origins back to 300 AD, when it was part of a larger building complex established by Galerius Ceasar.  Erected as a temple to Zeus, it became a Christian church, then turned into a mosque after the arrival of the Ottomans, and then turned back into a church.  It is during this last conversion that it was dedicated to St. George.  There isn't much to see on the inside since it is currently under restoration.  However, you can still see remnants of the frescoes that used to be there.  Although it sits largely empty save the scaffolding, I very much enjoyed my visit. This may be because it is so rare to see a bare bones structure.

Reliefs on the Arch of Galerius

One of the coolest things about Thessaloniki is its many structures left over from the Roman Empire.  One of these is The Roman Agora.  Constructed from the 2nd to the 5th century, it functioned as the administrative center of the city and housed a conservatory, a public bath, shops, and galleries.  The Arch of Galerius dates from the 4th century to commemorate the emperor's vicorious return from the war against the Persians.  The Arch is covered in beautiful reliefs depicting many different scenes.

There is so much to write about I can hardly contain it all in one post.  Next up, Lane and I take the night bus to Istanbul!

Ruins of the Roman Agora

A little excursion....

Inside Saeva Dupka Cave

During our stay in Pravets, Lane and I took part in an excursion to the Troyan Monastery "Holy Mother's Assumption" and the Saeva Dupka Cave.  

Our morning started with a one hour bus ride, giving everyone a chance to work off the slight hangovers some had received during the previous night's festivities.  We arrived at the cave shortly after ten o'clock in the morning.  The cave is located near Brestnitsa and is one of nine developed caves in Bulgaria.  The name comes from two brothers, Syu and Seyu, who hid in the cave during Ottoman rule.  The cave consists of five main chambers, or galleries as they are called.  The third gallery, Harmana, is so large and has such great acoustics that choirs and chamber performers often give concerts.  The formations are intriguing.  Some of the formations look like strangely carved chandeliers coming out of the ceiling, while others look like huge squares strewn about the floor.  Excavations have found animal bones, earthenware pottery, and Roman coins.   

Frescoes inside the Troyan Monastery

Troyan Monastery is located between the villages of Troyan and Oreshaka and is the third largest monastery in Bulgaria.  Established in the 17th century by hermits, the monastery received visitors for prayer and advice.  This resulted in the building of a church on the site.  

The church "Holy Mother's Assumption" was built in 1835 by Konstantin from Peshtera, a master builder of his time.  It is built in the Bulgarian Renaissance style and features murals by Zahari Zograf, the most famous mural painters of the Revival Period.  The most famous frescoes are Doomsday and Wheel of Life.  From what I can tell, Zograf must have been rather unconventional.  While most of the frescoes he painted included traditional scenes, he also painted a fresco which includes all of the monks that lived in the monastery at the time.  He also left his self-portrait in the corner of a window in the north wall.   

The main church holds the relic of Troyan Monastery, the icon "the Three-Handed Holy Virgin," which was supposedly brought from Mount Athos.  The story behind the icon involves St. John Damascene.  While serving the Vizier to the Caliph, St. John was accused of treachery and had his hand cut off as punishment.   He prayed to the Theotokos (Virgin Mary) and his hand was miraculously restored.  The then had his hand cast and added to the icon, hence the three hands.

Lane in his natural habitat...because he's a cave man!

Pravets and Fulbright training...lots and lots of training!

Pravets Resort

As a participant in the Fulbright program, I attended the Fulbright International Summer Institute, which took place at the very swanky (and very Shining-like) Pravets Resort.  The town itself didn't have too much to offer, but the hotel was very nice, the food was plentiful, and the people were fantastic.  The one thing it did not have, however, was reliable internet.  Between days of morning to afternoon training and the internet being out of commission, it has been pretty difficult to keep up with my blog, which is why I am so behind in posts!  However, both Lane and I had a wonderful time in Pravets!  Besides meeting all of my fellow Fulbright ETAs, there were a few researchers and American professors.  We also had the pleasure of meeting Ambassador Marcie Ries, who gave a wonderful welcome speech.

The ETAs at the farewell dinner.  One big, happy,
somewhat dysfunctional family!

Training included sessions on lesson planning, classroom management, and an informational session on the Bulgarian Educational system.  We also learned about projects that past ETAs have been involved in, such as the Bulgarian National English Spelling Bee, the Creative Writing Contest, and the Bulgarian Forensics League.  When we were not busy with training, we attended lectures on Bulgarian culture as well as Bulgarian language courses.  I find the language to be really fun to learn and enough like Croatian that I feel I have a little bit of an edge.  The trick is to not get them confused!

Chicago Alex working on his "Man Tan"

But is wasn't all work and no play!  We had a great time enjoying the indoor and outdoor pool.  The indoor pool required either a swimming or shower cap.  One day, we all decided to go swimming in our shower caps, making for a great photo opportunity!  Once I locate the photo, I will post it!  The extensive patio also allowed us to catch some rays and work on our tans while enjoying the mountain view.  As if that were not enough, our stay included access to the spa, which included several different types of saunas, a steam room, and an ice room.  I highly recommend the Finnish Sauna!  

In additin to all of our activities, the hotel also hosted the fourth annual Mozart festival, featuring the music of Mozart (of course), Verdi, and Wagner.  The festival included musicians from all over Europe, as well as the Rousse State Opera Company.  The hotel hosted the opening of the festival with a performance of Aida.  In the days leading up to the performance, we actually watched crew members assemble the stage, install the lights, and set the stage.  The performace was fantastic and is yet another opera I can mark off of my list!  However, the Bulgarian audience have not yet mastered the art of turning off their cell phones before a concert!  I also found myself amused by a stray cat (there are many of them in Bulgaria) as it ran under the chairs of audience members, causing a ripple through the crowd!  All in all it was a very enjoyable experience!

Stay in Sofia

Promenade on Vitosha Boulevard, city center.

Before heading to Pravets tomorrow, Lane and I spent today in Sofia.  Not only is Sofia the capital of Bulgaria, but it is also the largest city with 1.3 million residents.  We are staying at the Central Park Hotel, which is just on the edge of the city center and runs along Vitosha Boulevard, a walkway for pedestrians that leads straight to the city's main attractions.  The location has proved to be perfect, the room comfortable, and the staff friendly!

After grabbing some breakfast at a bakery, we went to the Rotunda of St. George.  It is the oldest building in the city, constructed in the 4th century, with the oldest frescoes dating to the 10th century.  Lane and I actually caught the end of a service while there.  

We also stopped at the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.  It is the second largest cathedral on the Balkan Peninsula.  It's construction began in 1882 and is modeled in the Neo-Byzantine style.  It is named after the Russian national hero Alexander Nevsky in honor of the many Russian soldiers who died in the Russo-Turkish War.  As a result of this conflict, Bulgaria gained its independence from the Ottomans.

Crypt underneath Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Although the inside of the cathedral is beautiful, my favorite part is the crypt underneath.  This area has been turned into a museum of icons and ecclesiastical art.  The collection is part of the National Art Gallery.  The holdings were extensive and were beautiful to behold.  

Lane and I also walked through the St. Sofia Church and the St. Nikolai Russian  Church.  My favorite building was actually the bath house. Unfortunately, the building has not served as a bath for many years and sits empty.  However, plans are being made to renovate the building and turn it into a museum.  I find the architecture of this building to be amazing!

Bulgarian Banya, or bath house

Lane and I ate at a restaurant that served traditional Bulgarian food.  They also had folk dancers in traditional costumes and singers who entertained throughout the night.

So far, Lane and I have found the people here to be very friendly.  The hotel staff has especially been kind and helpful.  Lane even practice some German with a waiter at the Pizza Palace, Bulgaria's best pizzeria! In the next post, I will talk all about Pravetz!

Arrival in Bulgaria

Hello World!  First and foremost I would like to welcome you all to my blog.  I hope to use this as a journal of my travels and my teaching experiences in and around Bulgaria.  For one year, I will be teaching English literature to 11th an 12th graders as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant.  I have been placed in Yambol, Bulgaria, a town of 60,000 people situated in the south-eastern corner of the country.  I am also writing this blog so that my friends and family can follow my adventures.  Thus, I invite comments and questions always!

Lane and I landed in Sofia after several hours of flying.  We travelled from Lincoln, Nebraska, then to Chicago.  A little over seven hours later, we landed in Frankfurt, Germany.  Our friend Niko met us at the airport, and rather than spend our layover in uncomfortable chairs, we took a train into the city and walked around Frankfurt.

Now, we are safely in Sofia!  More on that in my next post!

Alexander Nevski Cathedral.  Built in the late 19th and
early 20th centuries in tribute to those who helped free
Bulgaria from the Ottomans.