Lazy day

I have barely been out of the hostel today, except early this morning to call Tony in a phone office. I've been hanging out at the hostel all day doing nothing but contacting a few bands and talking to Katarina, the daytime bar tender at the hostel. It is slow enough that she has little work to do so we've been sitting in the garden being lazy. Its nice to not walk 10 miles like i have every other day...

cell phone number

If anyone dies or has some emergency, my telephone number here is 359 88 949 1065. But don't tell me if clove dies. Just freeze her. But if it is less of an emergency, international calling is relatively cheap from phone houses.

Bulgarian punk/hc festival

So I just learned there is a Bulgarian punk/hc festival here August 15,16 and 17th... and there will be 30+ bands at it. And I leave on August 7th. This really sucks. But I really don't want to change my ticket and be here for that much longer than I was originally going to be. Why didn't I know this before I bought my plane tickets? Fuck fuck fuck...

I have a lot to think about ...

Overpriced cell phone and free rent

I bought a cell phone today for 60lvs and a guiness book of world records free with two sim cards (why I need two, god knows) that each theoretically have ten minutes on them. The cards and book cost 15lv, so 75 total which is maybe maybe 55 USD or something. I can't do the math very well, 1BL=1.25USD with a good exchange rate... no the other way around... wait... I'm confused. Fractions were never my strong suite. Whichever one makes the US dollar 25% stronger... That's right, no? Anyway, Cyrillic Bulgarian guiness book of world records will do little good for me, but i have learned the phrase "the most" and "snakes" and "people" so I guess it can't be too bad. Maybe if I read the whole thing, I will be fluent (haha).
I also think I've set up a work exchange with the hostel. I will help out their cleaning lady who is in her 60s and getting burdened by all the work of keeping up a 50 bed hostel. In exchange I will get a free place to stay while I am in Sofia. I will probably end up being here for most of the time I stay in Bulgaria, though I need to do interviews in Plovdiv, Varna and Russe I think.
Living in a hostel is weird- you meet all these interesting people who have been half way around the world and the moment you get to know them they leave on more adventures. I hope to befriend some of the people who work here- that will give me a more stable friend base in Sofia anyway. I am meeting Chris for lunch, a guy who controls a fan page for an old punk band that has disbanded. He doesn't know the band, just likes their music. I sent messages back and forth with him all spring and he's going to show me around the center of Sofia. It will be nice to have a guide in this confusing city. Maybe this weekend I will try to climb the mountain- we'll see. As soon as I figure out what my cell phone number is (hopefully tonight) I will recontact all of my Sofia contacts and maybe my Varna ones too to let them know I am in the country. (I'm sure my research babble is very interesting to all you blog readers)

Anyway, I am doing well. I miss Minneapplsauce and the tiny and all of you.

Jet Lag and football?

My nap today was interrupted by screaming and honking and whistling and god knows what other noises at 5 in the afternoon. I can't remember if someone told me this or if I imagined/dreamed it but I think it had something to do with a football match? Now that I think about it, that must have been a dream. I guess I will find out soon enough. Maybe Bulgarians just really like to honk their horns and attach balloons to their car during rush hour traffic.
I am off to the vegetarian restaurant (if I can find it) I think I have learned enough Cyrillic today to translate street sings so I can read my English map. If not, Taxis are so inexpensive that I can always flag one down and have it drive me the three blocks to my hostel if I get totally turned around.

Thanks mom for the mini compass that came with that mini first aid kit thing. My sense of direction is not helped much by the lack of linear streets in Sofia and having something confirm my direction is endlessly helpful. Also, Laura, the mini flash light and the luggage lock are more useful that I ever imagined.

Sofia

So I seem to be in Sofia- I made it through my 16 hours of transit. I guess I got enough sleep on the plane that I am still awake at 11pm BG time (that's 3pm US time, kids). I lost 8 hours of my life in time zones, but i will get it all back in august. Bulgaria is crazy! Drivers are honking and swerving and driving 40 down narrow little roads with cars parked in both directions, up on the side walk, and anywhere else they can find to park! It is nuts! My hostel is near the center of the city (equivalent of down town sort of). It is an art hostel, so there is graffiti all over the walls and art exhibitions in the basement. The hostel clerk dragged me down to have drinks with him and some of his friends at the hostel bar, which i mysteriously didn't have to pay for. I couldn't drink too much since i haven't eaten since the breakfast meal on my first flight (flights don't like vegetarians) so I am just making a stop by the interwebs before heading up to my dorm. i am indeed going to have to learn cyrilic which is my plan for tomorrow. That and recontact all of my contacts to set up interviews. Sofia seems to be new york city without any money and with a history of communist artistic expression giving it an insane drive for western influence- but no huge buildings. anyway, Jess is really tired and needs to hit the sack before her stomach realizes it hasn't eaten in more than 16 hours.
Peace

Bulgaria

God knows if I will actually update this but I thought I'd give it a try. You can hear all about my adventures on my new, amazing blog.