Never A Slave To Fashion in Bulgaria

A good tip I learnt since coming to Bulgaria and that is not to become a slave to fashion, especially in the home. As an expatriate there are habits that take a long time to get rid of. Wearing shoes in the house, saying please and thank you to everything, eating as fast as you can and stopping only when your plate is empty, using a knife to name a few. Most if not all habits I feel are better here than the old habits I used to have, but the main difference is the habit of being a slave to fashion in the home.

Things look nice, but they are nicer if they are trendy, up to date and fashionable. This is what I was forced to believe in the UK. Here, there are things that are used in the home that are twenty thirty or even fifty years old and work just as well as they did when first bought. If things do have to be replaced, they are replaced with the cheapest they can find, even if it means shopping for weeks to find it.

A classic example is a table cloth that was replaced. The old one was at least 30 years old and the cheapest around at that time. It was a plastic table cloth with some flowers decoration on it that had faded over the years. The problem that arose was that there were a few holes not in the tablecloth and Galia had seen some very cheap plastic material so bought form the second hand market with the table clothing in mind.

The point was that this tablecloth was in mind for being replaced but it had taken around two months for a bargain piece of plastic to be found. No new table cloth, a sheet of plastic that would be turned into a tablecloth with a bit of sizing and cutting. This is a habit that stands out in Bulgaria, their one minded resourcefulness to get something replace at the cheapest possible price, yet still let it do the job very well.

We now have a new table cloth, but that's not the end of it. What happened to the old tablecloth? Simple it was cut up, the holey bits were thrown away and smaller table clothes were made for other tables that plants were placed on. These will now last at least another 30 years, possibly forever.

It hasn't taken me long to catch up on to this habit of finding the cheapest and recycling the old, it was always in my blood, which has a green streak in it anyway.

Bulgarian Fish and Chips

Another evening out last night with a friend of Galia. She is just as keen on fashion Galia is as all three of us walk into Yambol town at around 7:00 in the evening.

It is not often we see the town this time of the day as I was surprised that is was swarming with people of all generations. Most of the background noise was coming from the rented out little electric children's cars with their hard black plastic types rumbling along in and out of the crowds. It was a free for all traffic jam but no one was bothered with the inconvenience of having to avoid erratic steering of children as young as three driving unaided. It was very entertaining sitting there watching them for half and hour.

Why was I sitting watching them for half an hour? Galia and her friend were in a clothes shop looking for dresses, skirts and anything that tickled their fancy. I knew they wouldn't buy anything, they rarely do, they just love feeling and touching the clothing they can't afford.

So half an hour literally I waiting watching the Yambol folk walk, talk and enjoy the summer evening atmosphere. I remember before most families go for a walk in the town or park before their evening meal. That's exactly what we were doing but most clothes shops were still open after 7:00.

During this time I saw many unique Bulgarian happenings, in fact too many happenings they come and go so quick. One I particularly remember was a balloon seller. His wares are tied tot a fold up chair, as I looked closer he carried around with him a big chunky rock which is placed on the chair. It must weight around 5-10 Kg and placed there purely and simply to stop the chair toppling over with the balloons tied on the backrest being blown in the wind

The girls finally finished and it was now after 7:30, as we made a walk around town, this time just looking in the windows at goods but never stopping talking.

We finally stopped at a restaurant, we’d been to this once before and had fish and chips Bulgarian style. The same was about to happen with an added guest. This is also a stopping place for cats and dogs who get food thrown at them towards the end of most customer's meals. This is normal with restaurants in Yambol.

So, the talking continued but this time over food and beer, we didn't leave until gone 10:00. the place was just livening up with the night life coming into play, but we were too old for that tonight as we made out way back home.

The stars can be clearly seen in the black sky in Yambol and just a reminder of how unpolluted this region is.

A lovely evening and it made a change from sitting facing a computer all evening, in fact I think that's why Galia decided on this evening's plan, she says I work too hard and need a break.





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Yambol Fashion - A Funny Side

Bulgarian fashion is stylish to say the least. You can never fail to be impressed with the variety of chic clothing that is worn by the beautiful women so effectively fashioned out in the towns and cities here. The perfect compliment of beautiful Yambol women and fashion how lucky can yo get being a man here

Today something struck as very funny but by no means unique in how Yambol fashion is taken at just at face value here.

It was just a glimpse taken out of the office window this morning and there before me was a sight that made me laugh so much tears rolled down my cheek.

A very large middle aged mother was waddling down the down the hill towards Yambol Bus Station. She was dressed with a lovely over-sized type brown blouse which is the norm of wear for many women that adorn such a figure. Nothing strange about that I hear you say!

Just as the skirting of the blouse was flapping about in the warm Yambol breeze, I noticed some English text on the front of the blouse. It was at that point the humour hit.

It read:
SEX INSTRUCTOR
FIRST LESSON FREE!

Now this was quite funny in itself but any self-respecting middle-aged overweight Bulgarian mother would not choose this if she knew what the text meant and I am totally convinced that the purchase was made in complete oblivion.

Needless to say I don't think she'll get many customers!

There are many Bulgarian women here that could wear that garment and there would be queues - made up of course from only English speaking clients!

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