The Tattoo Returns For Love

Tattoos are now the subject to talk about again. Many Bulgarians have them. A visit to the Black Sea Coast in the summer will verify the popularity of tattoos on many Bulgarian olive tanned skins and in the most discreet places. They are just as popular on women as men and on the increase. Many shops are closing down due to lack of business, but the tattoo studios continue to thrive as I saw for myself last Friday.

Galia and I have completely different ways of showing our love for each other. I am very open, my heart is worn on my sleeve and I am not afraid show my love for her anywhere and everywhere, that's me. There is a lot of love I have to give Galia and sometimes it's quite overpowering for her. On the other hand Galia is very reserved with her emotions, she chooses odd moments of affection, but for the most doesn't make any exhibition of it. Sometimes the lack of returning the 'happy skippy love' that give fills me with a little sense of insecurity. I know there is nothing wrong with our relationship, but the different ways we show it are I'm sure mainly cultural differences.

The Tattoo Returns For LoveI got one of these insecure feels last Friday and there and then decided to get Galia's name tattoos on my forearm. The whole process from the first thought in my head to having the tattoo pierced into my skin took two hours. 10:00 that morning the thought of having it done and before 12:00 I was back in the house with the competed tattoo in place. Well that's me all over, no messing go for it while the iron is hot. If I had thought too much about it, it probably wouldn't have happened. One thing is for sure, as long as there is love in this world tattoo studios will be safe from the effects of a recession.

I decided not to tell Galia until we were alone in the village farmhouse later that evening. I find it quite hard to keep secrets, but managed to keep my mouth shut until we had the table prepared with shopska salad accompanied with homemade rakia sitting next to each other with dimmed lighting and a roaring wood burner. The Tattoo Returns For LoveIt was at that moment that the secret was unfolded to Galia. She was gob-smacked and shocked as tears ran down her cheek. We embraced and at that point I knew that all my insecurities that were just stupid fabrications in my mind, they were there for no reason at all.

She is Bulgarian, I am English and we show our love for each other in different ways, that's all. We talked about it and knew that it wasn't only the tattoos that will last forever, but our different cultural loving relationship.

14 comments:

  1. You guys are so cute. What a sweet sneaky surprise you made!

    Nice tattoos, nice martenitsi, beautiful kitchen! Metodi and I have thought of getting tattoos, we are undecided about the form yet though. ;)

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  2. Hi Sam, Did you notice the freshly baked Skalitsa Banitsa cooling down on the hob?

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  3. Awww. That is lovely!!! I want another tattoo, but not of Ste's name! I have an atom on the back of my neck and I want soemthing in sanskrit somewhere on my body. I was over 30 when I got my first tattoo, maybe I'll get the next when I grow up. :0)

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  4. What a wonderful story, and so sweet of you to get a matching (in a way) tatoo. Seems it was the right thing to do.

    The photo of you two had me smiling and tearing up just a wee bit (I won't admit to more ;-)

    I'm too chicken to get a tatoo, although I have six holes running up my right ear from my crazy youth.

    I do aim to visit the tatoo festival out here (Thailand) at some point, just for the excellent photo ops. And I hear they get pretty outrageous (a plus).

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  5. Martin I have always resisted the temptation at this form of body art even though I spent a good few years in the Army where it was common.

    That said the sentiment expressed in your story is touching and I am glad that you were both pleased with the results.

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  6. Martin,
    You're a soppy old fool!

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  7. oh wow, that is so sweet of you. I would have been crying like a baby too if I were Galia.

    btw, did it hurt?

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  8. Such a lovely gesture. Not one I could make, I'm far too much of a coward. Your inner forearm I would have thought would be a very sensitive area to have a tattoo, and more painful, no?

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  9. Hi Martin,
    This is a great and touching story!!! I know you made Galia very happy and the picture of you both is really darling!!! You both look VERY happy and VERY in love!!!! :0)

    My husband and I can relate to how love is expressed differently between us due to the cultural differences! :0) It makes an interesting mix sometimes...and it looks like you guys have found the right mix!!!!! :0)

    Thanks for sharing this!!!

    Have a great day,
    Sher :0)

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  10. PS The comments here show how we women are reacting to this story! :0)

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  11. Martin, this is one big baby writing this comment , when I was 16 my brother and I were going to give each other tattoos, Malcolm is the name as you know ,but on my arm is the letters Mal, and that is where I quit , I Was such a baby that my brother would not let me do his and it was only 3 letters Jim .
    I have to commend you and say "YOU DONE GOOD" and glad you got your tattoo, because it meant a lot to Galia for you to give of your,as it were SKIN. And we are all so proud of you , great show of affection on your part , but I think I will buy Ciejay a new Vaccum cleaner and tell her how much I love her.
    Malcolm
    And yes , I can't believe how popular they are in America, my boys and their wives have all gotten tattoos in the last two years .

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  12. thanks for all those comments guys. I wasn't too sure of the reaction I would get.

    Sheila and Juliana - Yes it did hurt, I don't mind pain, but I have found that heartache is much worse.

    NightCab - Tou are too right

    Emm - One day perhaps

    Sher - My pleasure

    Malcolm and CieJay - A vacuum cleaner as a gesture of love - That sucks man! lol

    Catherine - You've got me going again.

    Mike - I used to live in Colchester, I can't remember any of the army chaps without tattoos. And I knew a quite a few of them.

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  13. I'll second Emm... Awwww....

    Realised that those tattoos are Chinese characters. Are they not? How do you know what are the correct characters?

    C K

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  14. Hi CK, nice to see you here:

    The guy who did the tattoo had a conversion from english consonants and vowles to their chinese equivilant sound. This was triple checked before the needle was set into work - He had made a mistake on someone before he told me and never wants that to happen again.

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