When I leave my apartment to go to the CBA "magazin" opposite or walk down to the bus stand I often pass the time of day with a Bulgarianwho sits in his car listening to the radio and watching the world go by. "Dobur den", "Ich gehe zum kino", "Kak si?"... - "Good Morning", "I am going to the cinema", "How are you?" - the conversation haltingly exchanged in a little Bulgarian, German and English. On occasion he will open the passenger door and I will sit and share his time. He is a pensioner in his 70s existing on 200 leva per month as do most of my neighbours who are not working. On this occasion I was passing with supplies for my fridge so declined his company. Having stored my provisions I changed my mind and returned to pass some time with him. "Ah, navigator." he said as I climbed into the passenger seat, reaching across to make sure that my door was closed and prompting the fastening of my seat belt. The MOT is a moot point here as he manipulated his door catch to secure his door at the same time as igniting the engine. We reversed out across the street, I was being kidnapped!
We headed out of town and turned in the direction of the airport and Dobrich passing huge fields which stretch to the horizon, freshly ploughed and planted with arable crops. We are, perhaps, 10 km out of Varna turning off onto narrow country roads rising into the surrounding hills. A mixed herd of cows, sheep and goats block our path. We pass through once thriving villages now desolate as people have moved to the cities or abroad. Bulgaria was a market garden exporting fresh, succulent, tasty produce to surrounding countries now the EU prevents this happening and the majority of food is imported and the locals lament the lack of freshness and taste. It is now more a case of market gardening, most houses have plots of land attached. Livestock is also raised there and grazed on communal land.
We are never more than 20km from Varna, our route describes a semi-circle to the west and north of the city. Roads vary from stretches of smooth metalled surface to potholed, corroded concrete interchanging every few hundred metres. Some villages appear to have survived a recent battle with many houses derelict and little more than a shell. I suspect that these have been looted to repair other structures or deliberately wrecked to prevent squatting.
Other houses reflect the make do and mend construction of the countryside. Very little in the way of building regulation. Homes of stone vie with concrete structures of the communist era. A home in good repair with a tidy garden probably inhabited by an "incomer" from the UK, Germany, Russia or China. Public transport and amenities no longer exist, a car is essential. There is nothing to encourage the young to return with their families. The larger village of Dolishte possessed a school bulding, now closed as there are no children in the area. It did, however, still have a bus stop to commute to Varna.
We reach our destination as we enter the grounds of his family home. The view from his large garden is spectacular. There are outhouses and the ever present log pile. His neighbour grows vines. Everyone ekes out a meagre existence, no-one really retires here. The old return to maintain the plots, growing fresh fruit and vegetables to support extended families or look after the children before or after school to enable both parents to work for the average monthly income of around 500 Leva. The new government proposes to raise the minimum income to 1500 leva per month but what will that do to the cost of living?
I am not sure if the house is deserted or not. Our halting conversation revealed that the roof had been repaired at some point, evidenced by the huge beams which formed part of the wood pile. Part of the structure is corroding, typical of the concrete structures in town and city alike. The grassed area probably once supplied food for the family as well as a pleasant area for external dining during the hot summer months. There is beauty here too in the blossoms and wild flowers growing along the verges.
Just along the street another well maintained house has beehives in the garden. Bulgaria is famous for its honey. Is this a local whose produce will be on sale in the markets of Varna or a British expat pursuing the good life? We carry on with our journey looping around to enter Varna from the opposite side calling in at a popular restaurant in the woods. It is being refurbished in time for the summer season.
There is investment here as Bulgarians try to improve their lot. As someone said to me yesterday, "There are rich and there are poor, there is nothing in the middle." Tomorrow we will have another perspective of Varna when my next neighbour neighbour knocked on my door. Until then here is the link to the
"Perspectives" photo album so far.
Comments
Post a Comment