crazy week

The mountain was amazing. Peter and I accidentally took a short cut up the mountain which, when mountain climbing, usually means 30 degree inclined and really rough terrain. It was really challenging, but I made it to the top in one piece. It was beautiful up there- the city looked so huge and far away. I'd never taken a lift before either, so that was a fun experience for me. We could watch the city disappear as we ascend the mountain above the trees. We never found a brewery- I think it was in the monestary, which we also didn't find. C'est la vie. After the work out, I didn't really want to ingest anything besides water. It was cool, they had natural springs all along the way where you could fill your water bottle with ice cold natural spring water. I've never tasted water that sweet and refreshing.

I met a guy named chad who is writing an article on Serbian rockabilly music for an english speaking journal called pilvax. Its either Serbian or Hungarian, I can't remember. Anyway, the next issue is about Eastern European music, so i am going to attempt to write a piece on BG hardcore music. I talked to the editor of the paper and he seemed interested in what I was doing... It will be some kind of creative non fiction piece about my experience more that a research piece- I think maybe about my ignorance and naivety about the whole thing, or maybe my experience entering the scene. Any ideas you have for me about how I could approach the article are music appreciated!

In other news, an older brittish american guy named Sam took me and Peter out to dinner at the Czech club. I can't say no to a free meal, so we went. Afterwards, we hung out with the gaijda player (Bulgarian bagpipe) who plays in the part outside of Sofia university for ten hours everyday. For twenty years he has played there for ten hours a day, six days a week (sundays are off). He plays BG songs and American jazz and folk tunes. He started singing Motherless Child at me and was shocked that I knew the words. Then he made me teach him a song, so I taught him Stars in my Crown. He invited the three of us over to his home where we drank rakia (I only had one small glass- that stuff is dangerous) and ate watermelon and homemade banitsa. He made me record Stars in my Crown on a small tape recorder so he could learn it. I wrote the words down for him (he kept saying "I only speak nine words in English" but actually his English was very good). He taught me a song, the lyrics of which are "I work all day but the night belongs to me." I have no idea where the song comes from. I should look it up somehow. He also sang Stars in My Crown (just the melody with no words) in the style he would play on the gaijda. It was amazing! Probably one of the weirdest experineces I've had so far (but among the best)
We returned to the hostel at about 2am to find the garden crowded with people playing guitar and having a sing along. That lasted until maybe 4:30 or 5:00- the neighbors must really hate us... Life is hard.

I'm off to the sea on Thursday to see a few shows and to sit on the beach. Maybe I can even get someone to talk to me while I'm at it. Hopefully.

Peace, love and all that. Sorry i've been lazy about the blogging.