SO I was hanging out at a cafe the other day with a Bulgarian friend, who just happens to be the awesome guitarist in the Chernoriztsite - a local rock band. He likes to practice speaking English whenever he can, and we somehow got on the topic of how he actually learned English. The story was one of the coolest things I have ever heard...
Back in the days of Communism, listening to heavy metal was forbidden. Music had to be from within the country and approved by the government. Most Western rock (including metal) was not on the list. However there was an underground system of passing around Western music, and cassettes containing hard rock songs were the choice of the times in the 80s. However, if you got caught listening to them, the consequences were not good. Understandably, lyrics were not readily available, and almost nobody spoke English. So groups of people would get together and listen to the songs over and over again and imitate the sounds of the words in the songs. He went on to say that listening to the songs now, they were horribly off base, but back then it was as if they had found the Holy Grail.
Eventually, through context and other sources, words started getting translated. For example, one of the popular bands someone found out that Venom (the name of one of the bands) meant "vitrova" or poison. Then a cassette came out featuring songs from the band Poison, and they asked each other "what is the difference between this Venom and Poison?" (they are the same word in Bulgarian). Eventually they gathered that venom comes from an animal, and posion comes from somewhere else. He went on to say that heavy metal was responsible for the basis of his (very good) English abilities, and that he went on to attend an all-English speaking university. Aside from his spot in the rock band, he works in the local government and is currently creating an NGO to help local underserved farmers gain access to grants, small business loans, and other resources.
And who said rock and roll isn't good for anything?
In other news, I am now officially the only American in Preslav. My amazing sitemate of a year left yesterday (as her 2 years of service are officially up), and is off to the States for a short spell before turning around and signing up for another stint in the Peace Corps. Her ultimate goal is to serve in every continent... What a life! As for me, I've made enough friends here in town to keep occupied through the year, which will be great especially through the winter. It's already a lot colder than it was last year... Still it's going to be a much different place with her gone and I wish her the best of luck wherever she ends up next.
(This is the point at which all the other volunteers laugh because I have now become a regular volunteer without a sitemate. Yes... most other vols have been putting up with this for a year now haha)
Until next time...
Showing posts with label rock. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rock. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Friday, August 7, 2009
Rocked Like a Hurricane
The beginning of July brought with it my first actual vacation and the opportunity to rock out with several of the 80s’ best washed-up rock stars in the beach town of Kavarna, a 2 hour bus ride away in the northeastern corner of Bulgaria on the Black Sea.
My days were spent relaxing on the surprisingly respectable stretch of sand just outside of town, working on transforming my skin to any color other than pure, pasty white. I eventually succeeded in getting a nice layer of freckles, but it was during the nights in Kavarna that the real excitement came. Walking the road to the local stadium was a journey into a completely different world – a world covered in leather and long, greasy hair, a world in which the blast of motorcycle engines continuously interrupted any attempt for conversation, and where the food pyramid is completely comprised of sausage and French fries.
Inside the stadium, the crowds gathered for three nights of pure, unadulterated rock. The first night brought us the sweet serenades of Vince Neil and his Motley Crue singing such unforgettable classics as “Girls Girls Girls” and “Dr. Feelgood” (and didn’t they do that one song “Shout at the Devil?” Oh yeah there it goes…). It also brought us a drunk Tommy Lee attempting to tell the entire population of Bulgaria that he loves them, with hilarious consequences. The self-titled “Saints of Los Angeles” cranked up the volume right from the start and didn’t let up, save for one lighter-raising (cellphone raising?) power ballad. Nice Job.
The second night brought legendary group The Scorpions, whose concert, I must say, has entered my pantheon of favorite ever. Even though I had previously only known one of their songs (the incredible “Rock You Like a Hurricane”), the sheer energy present in the crowd made it worth it. This was one of those times in which the adage “They’re huge in Europe” is certainly true. Bulgarian flags waved, people chanted and sang along to songs we Americans had never heard, and we were informed by the band that they singlehandedly ended the Cold War with one of their songs (“Winds of Change”). This is to say nothing about the opening band, Blind Guardian, whose songs recounted epic Viking battles and the fight for Middle Earth. The whole experience added up to a night I will never forget.
Dream Theater – incredibly pretentious but nonetheless talented prog-rockers – brought in the 4th of July weekend with a bang. Even though it was a pretty rainy day, we were able to enjoy some appropriately American KFC and Subway, a homemade cherry pie, and a cake in the shape of an American flag. The presence of good food and good friends came together perfectly (as they so often do) to cap a weekend that will live on in my memory as one of the best and most memorable (if not at times incredibly bizarre) experiences of my time here in Bulgaria.
Until next time...
My days were spent relaxing on the surprisingly respectable stretch of sand just outside of town, working on transforming my skin to any color other than pure, pasty white. I eventually succeeded in getting a nice layer of freckles, but it was during the nights in Kavarna that the real excitement came. Walking the road to the local stadium was a journey into a completely different world – a world covered in leather and long, greasy hair, a world in which the blast of motorcycle engines continuously interrupted any attempt for conversation, and where the food pyramid is completely comprised of sausage and French fries.
Inside the stadium, the crowds gathered for three nights of pure, unadulterated rock. The first night brought us the sweet serenades of Vince Neil and his Motley Crue singing such unforgettable classics as “Girls Girls Girls” and “Dr. Feelgood” (and didn’t they do that one song “Shout at the Devil?” Oh yeah there it goes…). It also brought us a drunk Tommy Lee attempting to tell the entire population of Bulgaria that he loves them, with hilarious consequences. The self-titled “Saints of Los Angeles” cranked up the volume right from the start and didn’t let up, save for one lighter-raising (cellphone raising?) power ballad. Nice Job.
The second night brought legendary group The Scorpions, whose concert, I must say, has entered my pantheon of favorite ever. Even though I had previously only known one of their songs (the incredible “Rock You Like a Hurricane”), the sheer energy present in the crowd made it worth it. This was one of those times in which the adage “They’re huge in Europe” is certainly true. Bulgarian flags waved, people chanted and sang along to songs we Americans had never heard, and we were informed by the band that they singlehandedly ended the Cold War with one of their songs (“Winds of Change”). This is to say nothing about the opening band, Blind Guardian, whose songs recounted epic Viking battles and the fight for Middle Earth. The whole experience added up to a night I will never forget.
Dream Theater – incredibly pretentious but nonetheless talented prog-rockers – brought in the 4th of July weekend with a bang. Even though it was a pretty rainy day, we were able to enjoy some appropriately American KFC and Subway, a homemade cherry pie, and a cake in the shape of an American flag. The presence of good food and good friends came together perfectly (as they so often do) to cap a weekend that will live on in my memory as one of the best and most memorable (if not at times incredibly bizarre) experiences of my time here in Bulgaria.
Until next time...
Belogradchik and Magurata
After finishing up a short training session in Vratsa (way out on the other side of the country), I was invited up to a fellow volunteer’s town to see and help photograph one of Bulgaria’s great landmarks, the Belogradchik Rocks.
Eons ago, the Balkan Peninsula was actually covered under a vast ocean, and the evidence of this has been left in a region covering northwestern Bulgaria and eastern Serbia in the form of some amazingly unique rock formations. Just outside of town, there are countless numbers of them, each named after something they resemble, and many of them with their own mythology regarding their formation. These include Adam and Eve, the Madonna, the Whirling Dervish, the Bear, the schoolgirl, the mushrooms, the rebel Valko… the list goes on as far as the rocks stretch across the valley.
The main cluster of formations
Looking across a small ravine in the rocks...
The Rebel, "Valko"
The Horseman across the valley
Beyond the rocks into Serbia
The fort at sunset.
Looking down into the Ottoman part of the fort
Down into the fortress from the top,the Roman gate in the center.
The Ottoman gate below, the Roman gate within...
The future of these places is looking pretty good, and I hope that others will be able to experience the awe I felt during my visit to this truly unique corner of the country.
Eons ago, the Balkan Peninsula was actually covered under a vast ocean, and the evidence of this has been left in a region covering northwestern Bulgaria and eastern Serbia in the form of some amazingly unique rock formations. Just outside of town, there are countless numbers of them, each named after something they resemble, and many of them with their own mythology regarding their formation. These include Adam and Eve, the Madonna, the Whirling Dervish, the Bear, the schoolgirl, the mushrooms, the rebel Valko… the list goes on as far as the rocks stretch across the valley.
The main cluster of formations
Looking across a small ravine in the rocks...
The Rebel, "Valko"
The Horseman across the valley
Beyond the rocks into SerbiaBuilt into the main cluster of the rocks stands Kaleto, a complex of fortresses dating back to the Romans, and added to throughout history up until the rule of the Ottomans. While the Romans used the place primarily as a guard post due to the area’s natural towers affording a great view over the whole region, the Turks fortified it heavily with walls built by local experts. The legend goes that they then proceeded to kill those experts in order to make sure nobody could ever steal the blueprints. As a result of this long history, the complex is huge and imposing, while also deep and complicated – a labyrinth that uses the natural strength and observation range of the rocks. It is fascinating to walk deeper and higher through the fortress, peeling back the layers of history. There is an absolutely breathtaking view from the top, where one can see across the entire surrounding valley (also covered in rock formations), and into neighboring Serbia, just beyond a nearby mountain range.
The fort at sunset.
Looking down into the Ottoman part of the fort
Down into the fortress from the top,the Roman gate in the center.
The Ottoman gate below, the Roman gate within...Later, we headed to a small village about 20 minutes away to tour the Magura Cave. This cave not only contains some beautiful cave formations, but more importantly hosts a gallery of cave paintings dating back to as old as 12000BC. The paintings, made from the copious amounts of bat guano available in the cave and preserved by the cool and constant atmosphere in the cave, depict ancient tribes hunting and carrying out mating rituals, as well as features of the surrounding region. An interesting aspect of the drawings is the large and powerful female forms depicted in the scenes (as opposed to the smaller, more submissive male forms), revealing that apparently the society in the region was led by the women.
Unfortunately there was also some recent graffiti evident in the cave, causing the city to take the measure of closing off the gallery of cave drawings from the public. Only because the local volunteer works closely with the mayor were we able to access the chamber in which they are present. However, steps are being taken to hold preserve not only the Magura Cave paintings but also the Belogradchik Rocks and Kaleto Fortress within. Both sites have been placed on the tentative list to become listed together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site – in other words a site significant enough to earn international protection. The Belogradchik Rocks have also been included in the process to select the New 7 Wonders of the Natural World. The Rocks are currently 3rd in the category of geological features, a category that includes places such as the Grand Canyon (which currently is not the top in its category).
The future of these places is looking pretty good, and I hope that others will be able to experience the awe I felt during my visit to this truly unique corner of the country.
Until next time...
Monday, February 16, 2009
Chernoriztsite
There’s always one thing guaranteed to pick me up after a hard day here in Preslav: Черноризците.
Translated into English as “the Black Shirts,” this force of rock and roll was one of the first things I found out about in Preslav, way back during my site visit in PST. The good people from the orphanage brought along an English translator while showing me around town and what I would be doing for the next two years. Turns out that the English translator (now my Bulgarian tutor) is the keyboardist in an awesome local band. They blew my socks off the first time I saw them, and I go back to check out their practices every once in a while, a few times a month.
Translated into English as “the Black Shirts,” this force of rock and roll was one of the first things I found out about in Preslav, way back during my site visit in PST. The good people from the orphanage brought along an English translator while showing me around town and what I would be doing for the next two years. Turns out that the English translator (now my Bulgarian tutor) is the keyboardist in an awesome local band. They blew my socks off the first time I saw them, and I go back to check out their practices every once in a while, a few times a month.
Included in their repertoire are a number of Bulgarian rock songs (yes, they exist), as well as a surprising number of English songs (incl. "I Want to Break Free" and "Soldier of Fortune"). I’ve noticed that a lot of their songs are covers of a band here in Bulgaria called the Mary Boys Band (check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRFwv9dw7N0&feature=related - "Идва Ноща" or "The Night is Coming" for an idea). The lead singer flies through the songs with passion, while the drummer keeps time on either his electric drumset or a traditional one, and tosses in some creative fills. And of course, the keyboardist brings everything together, adding that extra layer of harmony to the sound.
The bassist is really good, and along with the lead guitarist, there is a lot of potential evident in the group. In between songs, the guitarist throws down metal riffs and Nirvana songs. The bassist thumbs through tabs, trying to get each song technically perfect...
Since I've been here, I've only seen them perform once outside of practices and that was at the obshtina's big annual Christmas concert, at which they performed a holiday song that I hadn't heard before. I want to see them put on more live shows, but really just hanging out in the chitalishte after tutoring is great too. Hey… I’m not complaining; it's a good time.
Until next time…
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