Winter Comes To Bulgaria At Last

Well winter has come with vengeance in Bulgaria as I look out of my Yambol window and see half a metre of snow surrounding us and the finely balanced wedges of white fluffy stuff settled on the bare vine trellis that gave us the wine and rakia this year. I it has been a very warm and unreal over the last few months and it was a worry that the normal extreme cold spell would not kill off all the pests for the crops later this year. Even the bears had come out of hibernation due to this winter heat wave. Well they can go back to sleep now for sure at it was –10C last night and due for a drop to –22C overnight at the weekend.

Not that I have to worry, last Thursday night I injured my back and have been cooped up in bed for the last 5 days. The injury was a reoccurrence of back trouble I had not so long ago last winter. Trying to work with a bad back was murder Friday, physical work is not what the Doctor ordered so I have had to take a week off! Galia still struggles into work and back in taxis everyday and I feel quite hopeless and a burden right now. Rest assured I would return to work on Monday, as injections, rakia/aspirin and cream rubs and the prescribed tablets are well on course for the cure.

Needless to say our plan not to go to the farm in Skalitsa last weekend needn’t have been planned at all now with me on my back and unable to drive; it made it a bit easier to accept funnily enough. Baba, who has had a bad back for years yet never complains is currently nursing me throughout with rakia/aspirin massages, banquets of home made foods and attention. I feel so guilty about not working, being tended to with from someone who needs attention herself. Then of course there’s Galia facing the winter elements as well as working like a Trojan at the factory with me in the warm ‘home hotel!’ Strangely enough it was only a week ago when said to her that I felt guilty about me being healthy all the time and Galia having all the niggling illnesses! I wish I hadn’t tempted fate now.

So it remains that I have to sit out (or lie out) the next few days and look forward to meeting my work colleagues again on Monday. I just hate being non-active!

ps No pictures I'm afraid - for obvious reasons

Snow and Decisions Made At The Weekend

It was Friday 5:00 and the weekend had just begun, we were due to travel to Skalitsa for a weekend retreat after grafting for five solid days on the trot. Just as I left to pick up Galia from the factory, the snow started falling, well I say falling it was horizontal with the wind that blew it in. Falling snow isn't a problem, drifting snow is as we weighed up where we should risk the trip to Skalitsa at this point.

We got to a junction where we had to decide whether a left or a right turn was to be made, depending on what our destination was going to be. Galia being a Bulgarian women always expects the man to make the decisions. I in my previous life I found it very hard to make decisions, it was a fear of being torn to shreds with the blame if the decision is wrong. So faced with having to make a decision I suggested we stay in Yambol. Getting caught in snowdrifts is not my idea of winding down at the weekend and certainly Galia wouldn't take kindly to the cold sub zero temperatures. Galia didn't react to that decision so I assumed she didn't really want to stay in Yambol, so I change my mind and opted for the left turn for Skalitsa.

Like I said, the trouble with me making decisions is that I get the blame, getting shouted at and never made to forget my errors. This was always the case in the UK with both my previous English partners. (Yes, yes, I've been married twice before if you were wondering.) This thought hung over me throughout the journey that was now running the risk with the weather, which Galia had heard on the news was quite serious. As we sped out way and reached the outskirts of Yambol the snowfall and winds had picked up and the road now was cover with waves of drifting snow. Every so often there would be a gap in the hedgerows and a major wedge of snow was being forced through it. this was worrying, we could see ahead that the sky was darker and this would get worse as we knocked up each kilometre.

By the time we had got to the first village the road was totally covered with snow and it kept falling and drifting in many if not most parts int open flat countryside. Every so often a bus would come the other way speeding like a bat out of hell along these slippery roads. What possesses drivers like this to use such speed with passengers aboard is beyond me, Galia didn't seem surprised with this and she looked a bit nervous regarding this choice of destination now as we still have 20 kilometres to go and the weather was closing in even more.

I'd driven in snow packed roads here before in a Lada, the trouble is you don't know where the road is, there weren't any other vehicle tracks to guide you - We seemed to be the only vehicle on the road on a Friday at rush hour as the thought of that decision at the junction was beginning to feel like the wrong decision. I wasn't too worried about anything else other than the repercussions of a woman's tongue and scorn during the saga and even more the end of it.

Taking it very slowly, and without using brakes which just caused us to skid, we managed to slide our way to Skalitsa, it was a roller coast of a ride, I loved every moment. It was easier than expected especially in view of the severe weather we encountered.

A bigger problem was the final 200 metres in the the village road that leads to the farmhouse. Another decision had to be made; try and get to the farmhouse garage or leave the car on the main road next to the bar/shop. Again, it was left for me to make the decision as it was made instantaneously and the brave Lada when head first in the drifted snow up the small hill to the farmhouse. It only just made it, but the big problem was yet o come, the actual crossing the verge which had a dip in it to get into the garage.

We had spoken to our neighbour who was outside gathering winter fuel just before attempting the final run. He informed us that the whole village had no electricity as the power lines had been blown over in the wind. He was actually amazed we were here as the whole of Bulgaria had come to a halt due to drifting snow and his intended guest this weekend had cancelled their trip.

He had caught up with us as just as we had given up any hope of having the car undercover in the garage overnight. It was entrenched in the middle of the road in half a metre of snow and going was going nowhere. But this is Bulgaria, this is a village and there is always help at hand in these locations. Our neighbour had caught up with us and was with his wife this time. We had three people now (Galia being the third) who could help push the Lada out of trouble and into the garage. The only stressed out person was me, I knew that it was near impossible to get the car in the garage an the efforts that were being made by these Bulgarians would be fruitless. The car only had to travel some 10 metres, but in snow that had drifted to nearly a metre against the garage door look like a mission impossible, and without electric with the dark of the night looming just half an hour away, the original decision looked even more or a wrong one. What penalty will I have to pay for making that choice.

To cut a long story short, the car eventually got in the garage, it took 30 to 40 minutes to achieve this as no one gave up except me. The car in was in the garage and suddenly the electricity came back on and lit up the darkness that was now surrounding us in this almost isolated spot. There was no no rush as we spent the next twenty minutes talking and catching up on the news locally.

We finally got indoors, the wood burner started up and not food prepared as the snow carried on outside. This was the best kind of evening you could ever have having finally got here. Was it the wrong decision after all? Only Sunday will tell us that as we have to get back to Yambol for work the next day. Did I get shouted at for making the wrong decisions? No, even though there were times when it was deemed wrong, Galia seems understands that making decisions is always a risk and sometimes wrong decisions are made. Why should she get angry with me and use that against me for the rest of my life? Why I put up with that in the UK I'll never know, perhaps I thought that was normal then.

Snow? - What's the Problem?

It is quite amazing how one country can come to a complete standstill and another just carries on as normal when there is a bit of snow. There has been major amounts of snowfall in Bulgaria this winter and all the roads are still being used whether cleared of snow or not.

The system here in and around Yambol is to use snowploughs on the main trunk roads, tractors with snow shifting devices fixing on the front of the machines in the villages and just sprinkle a load of grit and sand on all roads to give a little grip. There is no salt put on roads here, and to be quite honest there is no need as the systems in place here work very well.

It is a quick recall to the UK where the slightest touch of snow sends shock waves through the country, which grinds to a halt. I know they have a lot this year, the feeback I get is that it has been the the worst there for 18 years! Don't ask me why, perhaps they are trying to be too clever in dealing with it. Working with the weather rather than against it is probably a better solution, that's how most deal with it here. The snow will go eventually why try and clear it all?

In my street in Yambol town last year it was covered with snow for at least three weeks. People in cars and on foot used it daily in this condition, albeit slightly more cautious than normal, of course it does cause problems, but no complaining just taking it more slowly than normal, which is slow to start with anyway. The sand and grit mixture, and that was all it was, that was put on the surface of the ice and snow really does a very good job. No salt on the roads is another reason Lada cars last so long, no rust!

Freezing Weather? Village 1 - Town 0

The problem sub-zero temperatures create is something that is more than an inconvenience and it is quite amazing how quickly one forgets how is was in years past. I looked back over my diaries from three years ago and found that dealing with the extremes cold isn't that difficult if your heating energy is not from a third party.

Last year, we missed the winter here, the year before that we were in the village all winter and although more difficult that in other months the fact we had a wood burner solved most of our problems. Even without water, gas or electric on occasions the wood burner dealt with most of these problems. A wood burner provided heat for the house and for cooking. It melted the snow from the garden and when on to boil the water. It gave light, much more than any candles could give and of course kept us warm all through the night as we lived, ate and slept in the same room. It wasn’t noisy like air-conditioning systems (klimatik) and bottled gas fires. We also like the romantic side of it as well.

In the town it is much more difficult. We don’t have a wood burner just bottled gas fires and an air conditioning system for the main room, which is on all the time at the moment as Baba sleeps in that main room. The two bottled gas fires are for Ivo’s bedroom (which is a living room) and our bedroom. These are used just 20 minutes to warm the room up before going to bed. Our bedroom is well below zero at 6:30 in the morning when we wake. My glass of water that sits on the chair by our bed had ice crystals in it the last three mornings. The number and the weight of blankets we use to combat the cold at nights gives us a work out everytime we want to turn over. We are of course fully clothed, pyjamas just aren't warm enough. This is not needed in the village with the wood burner!

For the last three days we have had no water and no gas in the Yambol City home, and ithe snow in the City, unlike the village, is not edible. The advice that stands of don’t eat yellow snow is the best advice right now. With Yambol City being snow-covered for the last two weeks, the toiletry habits of Bulgarians show up quite clearly. Toiletry footprints are all over the place which backs up the theory that Bulgarians prefer to use the outside toilets and public places rather than inside toilets!

It has been more than difficult to get water, which has had to be bought. Washing in freezing cold water rationed to a margarine tub each first thing in the morning is tough for our family. I quite like roughing it, that is partly why I am living here, but I feel sorry for the rest of the Bulgarian household having to go through this. I commented on a friend's site who had a interesting article about 'Weather talk in Thailand', it was mentioned that is wasn't only Brits talking about weather, but Bulgarians love to talk about the weather just as much as the Brits. Well it's not surprising as the weather really does affect the way of life here right now.

With temperatures not getting about freezing point both day and night for the last 10 days or so and set to continue, we cannot see us getting any running water for quite a while to come. As for the gas, we will have to wait and see?

There are many other things that are affected, but this is a blog not a novel.

Snow at Last - Cause for More Celebration in Bulgaria

It has been quite a worry over the last month or so that we have had no snow. It is quite unusual for Bulgaria not to have a white Christmas or at the very least to have had snowfall prior to the festive season. This year it has been different.

There is much talk and concern at village level of the low well water levels that were almost run dry last year. Without snowfall this winter, they fear that this year this will go from bad to worse. Villagers rely on the water from their wells for their produce and home use. Many homes don’t even have water main supplies and will have to resort to shipping water supplies from natural springs in most village centres, this of course is fine for domestic supplies, but for smallholding that depend on water for crops, impossible.

So the New Year came and the talk was of drought this coming summer, then yesterday, the snow finally came, and lots of it. There is forecast even more on its way throughout the week, this is cause for even more celebrations and that’s how it is right now. Even though many villages are now snowed in, there will be more celebrations beyond Christmas, New Year and countless name day celebrations.

Weather in Bulgaria

Since coming to Bulgaria in 2005 the weather here has been a series of extremes - why is this happening?

The winter of 2005/2006 saw temperatures dip to minus 24 C something not seen for 40 years in Bulgaria breaking records along the way. Snow fall was here as expected but Bulgaria didn't stop working, just a few more bits of clothing put on with the wood-burners still not having to work to their limit as they are so effective in radiating heat.

Although water was frozen for much of the time, not just outside but inside, there was never a danger of being without water as the clean Bulgaria snow could be melted and used in place of piped and high level well water. In fact in Skalitsa no well water froze up as it lays 23 metres below ground level, even at minus 24 C the system pumped out bullets of ice that have formed in the higher level standing water in the pipes.

The following summer was normal by Bulgarian standards and although there was extended periods without rain the growing season was fantastic and everything thrived in the sub-med conditions waving around 30-35 C for most of the year. In fact from April to November the only real change in temperatures were in the evening when the sun went down ranging from chilly to cold.

The there was last winter, the mildest anyone can remember in Bulgaria, perhaps a couple of days of snow but just a sprinkle this time. Below freezing temperatures throughout this season was quite rare and even then, at best it only dropped to around minus 8 degrees. Of course the winter resorts being high up will alway get the perfect conditions for snow but on the Thracian plain just above seas level something just didn't feel right about the whole weather system.

You just know that a mild winter leads to all sorts of problems in the following summer, not least an invasion of pests and bugs that should have been killed off by the cold. And so it was, but that's another blog subject but you might be interested to read: Indoor Cricket in Bulgaria

So this year and summer where again record breaking temperatures reaching 48 C were not only reached but sustained over a few days in June. Without any real rainfall before this has now caused a total crop failure but not purely from the lack of rain but from the crops not being able to survive the intense heat from what the Bulgarians called African weather.

We are now just over midway through summer right now and temperatures continue to raise concern and today at the end of August 38 C was recorded.

Bulgaria like many other countries worldwide is experiencing extremes of weather but life in Bulgaria will adapt to whatever is thrown at it, it is that kind of country. They will deal with the crop failures and inevitable rise in prices of food from it. They will deal in in other ways with the lack of preserved food for the winter being the most resourceful people I have ever known.

Weather in Bulgaria happens and when in extremes there is no other place I know that I would rather be with the people who know how to deal with crisis situations. The Bulgarians have a history of dealing with these situations after all.

One last point - A friend of mine who was on duty in Iraq with the Bulgarian Army had to endure 67 C during the day and below freezing conditions during the night - I may add that is normal for Iraq! Now thats something to put into perspective.

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