Just when you see the light at the end of the tunnel, it just shuts off and you wait for it to appear again. This is what it felt like today as we tried to go with the flow on the weather front.We had to be at the Yambol clinic for a medical check for 9:30, this we felt was quite achievable as we normally start work some two hours before this at 7:30. No problem. But no problem means big problem in Bulgaria.
The light at the end of the tunnel was the rain that we saw falling from the sky. After five days now we still had no water and the sight of rain was optimistic that we might see water soon from the tap.
This hope was for about an hour until we put our foot outside and ended up arse over tit! Luckily, it was just our pride hurt. The whole of Yambol was sheet ice. The rain had fallen and instantly turned to clear ice wherever it landed. This included the Lada that was caked in solid ice, effectively welding the doors together, we just couldn't get in, but that wasn't the worst of it. We just couldn't walk on the roads or footways, along with all the other pedestrians. The 100-metre walk to the hospital took 10 minutes as we edged our way in the most gingerly fashion towards the main road that had been gritted.
The school had just closed due to ice and lack of heating from gas supplies still not here and the children were in fits of laughter as every few moments someone else was on their backside. It was like an old 1920s slapstick comedy, but in colour. A taxi finally skidded into our path and a further 2-3 minutes was spent just trying to cross the road to the taxi.I have to admit, this was the most serious case of ice I have ever seen, but no one here complains, they just get on with it the best they can. We saw old and frail people being helped along by young people from the school and younger shopkeepers coming out to help without any need for prompting. It really does lift your heart to see this. Everyone thinks of everyone else, not just themselves.
The ice stayed with us all day and tomorrow will be the same, as overnight nothing will change with more freezing temperatures. And as for that little light at the end of the tunnel for us getting our water back? That will have to wait another day.
Brrr...I hope your gas supply comes back on soon; it is cold in London, too, but indoors it is warm and cosy...
ReplyDeleteThanks N.C.C.
ReplyDeleteWe'll get through it over here, the springs, summers and autumns more than make up for the winters here.
3 things comes to mind - r the roads not sprinkled with salt, r the car tyres not in chains n why not try on shoes that hv ironed spikes to hv a good grip on the slippery ice ?
ReplyDeleteDutchie:
ReplyDeleteFirstly, thanks for your visit and comment. Valid points I might add.
1.They don't use salt for the roads here they don’t need it. Sand and grit work very well. We did use salt on the yard, but that will just freeze over with extreme temperatures each night.
2.Cars with chained tyres are around, but this is rare. It is a cost that many don't entertain with the amount of time they are needed. An expense that is best avoided. It may be different in the mountain regions.
3. Shoes with iron spikes? There was mention of this on local TV last night; this is a new idea well at least in our area anyway. Again the cost for the time they are used and lack of supplies comes into it. Anyway for Bulgarian women it is not fashionable; needle thin stilettos work quite well though.
It seems that it's much worse over at continental Europe. Hope that there has been more rain since.
ReplyDeleteJust curious, is there any water storage (as in reservoirs) over there? Though it would probably have frozen but would there be any underground storage?
the reason we haven't any water is that the underground pipes have frozen. We make do like everyone else here, even though it's coming up to a week without it.
ReplyDeleteBeing without mains water is quite normal here, just slightly inconvenient.
By the way, no one complains here a step back to the communist ways with that one I think.
Hope you're warm at home in London. :)
makes you appreciate what you have in your home country.
ReplyDeletehope things improve.
thanks for stopping by my blog and bothering to read..most people dont.
its disheartening
keep your work up!!