Autumn in Ottoman paradise

Well here we are two weeks into our Bulgarian experience. Here are a few things I have learned so far:
1. They make their own moonshine here, a distilled form of wine, called rakya. This is immensely powerful, enough to blind.

2. If you have too much rakya, more than two glasses, they will carry you home.

3. It is impossible to refuse something offered to you, (especially rakya)- really it seems to be the only thing that angers them.

You see where this is going.

The forest is sacred to Bulgarians, and of the forest, one tree in particular is most sacred. I don't know the name of this tree but it is beautiful and used in fine carpentry. Near to us is a valley famous for hot springs. Resort spas have built huge swimming/soaking pools here and charge a modest price, 6 lev I think, for a day use. We have not been yet but it is on the menu.

I have been able to work as a carpenter out here, and although masonry was real fun, it is nice to work with wood again. Hey Jerry, real 2x4's! We did a bit of work in a town called Leshten on a British family's getaway home. And hoo boy, you're really getting away from it out here, all of it, everything. Leshten is a bit different from Kruschevo in that it is mostly getaway homes. It is very beautiful and also high up in a mountain valley. However it lacks the true grit lived-in feel of our little rocky rutted gem. A bit too much plastic and chrome feeling.

The house we were fixing up had been taken over by a seriously aggressive fungus. Like a Star Trek episode, or Doctor Who for you Brits. It was our job to insulate the subfloor and install in-floor heating under a slab to be poured, and finally finished off with natural stone or tile. Both boys got to help do this and were very good, adept natural foremen. At one point, I caught them leaning on shovels and drinking sodas quite importantly. I was so proud.

On the road to Leshten you pass a gypsy camp, oops that's a bad word out here, instead they prefer to be called Romas. This camp has no name outside of the Roma and is not on any map. The Bulgarians don't really like them I think. Anyway, they have improved the camp and it is starting to look like a little town, pretty run down, but a few brick buildings. The road through here leads up to a tourist attraction past the town of Leshten. We haven't seen it but it is supposed to be a traditional old Bulgarian village, and I hear its nice. So the government decided that they would build a new road so the tourists would not see the Roma town. This road is yet to be finished, so you drive through the Roma town and wave and smile. And sometimes if you're lucky they throw rocks at you, which is Roma for "Hello and Welcome". Most times though, you just drive through and realize how incredibly lucky (and wealthy) you are.

The house we are staying in at the top of the village is also a storehouse for 30,000 books. A bit of scavenging around turns up gem after gem. I have already read "Dilbert, Journey to Cubeville" and a Rolling Stones songbook, while Cade has busied herself with as much Danielle Steele as she can get her hands on. (Editor's note: Cade only read one Danielle Steele book and that was during a night of insomnia. Most other times she reads extremely intellectual tomes, like 'So You Want to Be a Shaman', etc.) (Writer's note: Mike also reads intellectual books, such as James Glieks 'Chaos').

Summer is passing into fall out here and the nights grow cooler each day. The days are still warm and sunny. We have a wood burning stove in our room so we stay toasty at night. There is plenty of work to do before the rains of winter begin towards the middle of November, so we will keep busy.

We did have a cold rainy day last week. Luckily we were outside at a fair in Dospat. Diego and I went on a swingy ride and we had hotdogs and kebabs. It was fun but everyone was a bit cold so we didn't stay too long.

Well that's it for now. You keep reading and I'll keep writing.

Naz'drave!

The mountains of Mordor

Well the photos got a bit jumbled, so just in case yer confused a bit, the beach ones are not Bulgaria. We spent a few terrific days and nights on the Kassandra penninsula at the beach town of Posidi. This is on the northern fingers of Greece. Totally sweet. Plus we had two Engish speaking Greeks, one from Fourka just up the road from Posidi, as our tour guides. Posidi is named for...anyone, anyone, that's right Posidon. There is an ancient ruin of a sanctuary of Posidon right near the beach. Honestly, there are ancient ruins everywhere in Greece. You could literally drop a shovel with your eyes closed and find some ruin.

We were introduced to an old family friend named Paraskevas, which means Friday, who is a sculptor. Not only did he build his own house from limestone but has a huge gallery in his basement filled with sculptures big and small. About 200 or so. He is also an expert on this particular areas ancient history and took us to the site of the very old town of Mendes. There was a old established olive grove growing here, and under this was the town of Mendes... dating back to the 8th century BC. Here we found pottery shards scattered all around and a few tombs that had been raided ages ago. There is no official archeological dig here so we got to play Indiana Jones a bit, totally cool.

Another highlight was swimming to sea caves. Our friends took us to a small beach surrounded on both sides by large cliffs. On this day, the sea was a bit large and wavy. I went with our two friends on about a 1/4 mile swim in deep water, about 10 meters, or 30 feet. After a bit of wave swimming we came to these small openings in the cliff. A bit of timing and good swimming skills were needed to navigate the openings in the crashing surf. Once inside the caves, the sun shone down from holes in the cliffs above and lit up the floor of the sea far below. So too much. We stayed here a short while before heading back to the little beach. At this point I realized not only was I up against the formidable surf but also a fair current, in the wrong direction. I am glad I had been swimming in the pool at the gym all last year. At one point about 1/2 way through I thought to myself, " Take it easy, breathe, and please, don't let me spot any sunken treasure right now." Obviously I made it, but I was spent. Swimming in the sea is not always easy. Needless to say the boys missed that one.

We had a nice campfire on the beach to say goodbye and it was all buses and trains the next day to Bulgaria.


We arrived in the early evening to Krushevo. This town is set at 3200 feet in the Bulgarian mountains just northwest of Gotse Delchev. It is also set in the year 1300. Horse drawn carts, donkeys, cows living in the house, chickens and dogs all over the place, and stone houses and roads. Our house is a 4 bedroom traditional home with a first floor that was historically reserved for livestock. This is set on the top of the town with a beautiful view of the mountains of Mordor. (Take a look at a map from the Lord of the Rings... England is the Shire and Bulgaria is Mordor.)

We also have a lovely view of the newly painted mosque as this is a muslim town. Not radical just normal... you know we drink beers, smoke and eat bacon. No raising pigs, but sausage? Hell yes.


Traditional Bulgarian costume is worn by the elder ladies and some younger ones too, especially on holidays. A sort of pantaloon and headscarf usually with a homemade sweater. There are many children ages 5-15 and also every age all the way up to 90 or so. There is not one sort of type to the look of everyone; there are blue eyed blondes as well as hazel eyes and brown and red hair. I guess when your country is invaded for 5000 years, people tend to leave their mark. Some of the men are short, round faced and as wide as they are tall, while others are almost gaunt. The locals are very kind and welcoming to us. Also they really like to stare and get right in your face. Not mean, just curious. And no English whatsoever, alhtough I have found a couple that speak Spanish.


The other day marked the end of Ramadan here and a large party was thrown in town. This involved a variation on trick-or-treating for the kids in the morning and then much greeting, singing, dancing and drinking later in the day. In the afternoon, I went from our house to the local water spout when five stern Bulgarian locals gestured me to sit near them. Refusal is not an option... made more difficult because the head shake for no here means yes. So I sat and smiled and said Barack Obama, to which they all began smiling and patting me on the back. Then they dragged me to a local bar and began to buy rounds of beers and local spirits. What I learned is that if they see you with a empty or near empty beer, there will be a near fight to see who can buy you another one. I barely made it out alive.

We know about 10 words in Bulgarian so far, although you can get by on 3. Molya=please, no, sure, whatever, yes. Naz'drave=cheers. And spek'oyno=everythings cool, take it easy.


The place we are working at has four buildings on it, all of green construction of some type. The main house is a straw bale round house. This is a completed living area. There is a caravan being built into a small house structure, a large barn under construction, and a completed chicken coop/tool shed/greenhouse.

There is plenty of work to keep us busy here for awhile. The weather is beautiful; the days are warm and the nights are cool, and our hosts are lovely. It really is a little piece of heaven out here.

So check in soon for more exciting forest adventures in Bulgaria, and thanks for tuning in!

Naz'drave!

Two Nights in Thessaloniki

Our gracious friends offered us a couple nights and some touring of one of Mediterranean Europe's oldest cities, and we said yes! Saturday we said goodbye to Mesohori and Peliti. We boarded a train to Thessaloniki, only to realize half way through we had mistakenly sat in first class. Oops! As no one checked our tickets or asked us to move, this did not prove to be problematic.

The boys and I enjoyed beverages in the dining car, and before too long we arrived at the train depot in central Thessaloniki. From here we took the number 3 bus to Aristotle Plaza, the old city center right on the Med. We stopped at a small bar to wait a short while and people watched. No shortage of that here.

Soon we arrived at the home of our friend Vasillis in the neighborhood of Kalamaria. This is some distance from the center of the city in what used to be an old fishing village 50 years ago. Now it is quite built up with all manner of shops and apartments everywhere. The first floor apartment is spacious and our hosts, native Greek speakers with no English, were more than hospitable.

We feasted our first evening on traditional moussaka and Greek meatballs. We then headed out to catch a late movie on the beach: Inception. Then on to gyros at a local late night spot. All this within walking distance.

The next day brought breakfast sweets, Greek coffee and a tour of Thessaloniki from a native resident. Starting at the archeological museum, which was incredible, we walked our way to the old Byzantine section of the city. Now alive with shops of all kinds, and still preserving the ancient ruins. We saw several churches old and new, and stopped in a very lively sidewalk cafe for refreshments.

After a bit of time resting, we continued down the waterfront to the White Tower. A relic of the Ottoman Empire. Further along we saw many statues, the most impressive was the one of Alexander the Great and Bucephalus. We continued walking on the waterfront quite a bit more before we threw in the white towel and rode the rest of the way in a bus.

We were treated to a delicious dinner of grilled sea bass and Greek salad back at home. We went to bed early because we were so tired after a long day of sightseeing.

A bit of a whirlwind trip.

Thessaloniki has much to see and offer. It is a busy city too, with always something going on. We liked it a lot. It is clean, well laid out and has frequent cheap buses. Good nightlife, shopping... basically everything you could ask for from a big city with the added bonus of the beautiful Med right there. Check it out sometime, and if you please, say hello to Katarina and Nicos! Efkharisto poli!

Up next: Possidi, Helkadiki beach, and off to Bulgaria!

Working on the Chain Gang

Move 15 tons and what do you get? Another day older and deeper in debt...
Well we didn't build a pyramid, just 40 yards of retaining wall. Let me tell you, I will never look at a rock or pebble the same way again. Ella laspi! So, we wrapped up our latest, survivor Peliti, and finally got kicked off the island. Not too bad as our friends have offered to show us around Thessaloniki for a couple days before heading off to the beach community of Posidi for some R&R on the Med. This will be a welcome reward as we have worked really hard in Mesohori. The strawbale building didnt see a single bale this season, but the plans are beautiful, oreos, and it will be stunning when finally done.
We will be leaving the Schengen area on September 4 and starting out in Bulgaria for two months. Here we will most likely start out staying in a caravan and then possibly moving into a small house.
We have downsized again! The blue roll luggage that lost a wheel is now a dead soldier, and his guts are full of more junk we can live without. Now we are down to one large roll luggage and four backpacks. I'm tellin ya, by the time we get back it may just be the clothes on our backs and a crazed look in our eyes that we have.
The boys are great and having so much fun, learning Greek, playing chess, (thanks Josh!), and scrapping about looking for food with the local dog pack. I have found the Greeks to be generous beyond measure as well as hot blooded and very good natured. Just beware the Cretian masons! Much love to all back in PDX and to all the great new friends we have made so far. The experience has been wonderful, and we look forward to seeing you all again soon.
A big huge happy birthday to my wonderful grandma!
Until next time, Yamas!

Thassos, Kavala, Xanthi, Paranesti, Mesohori and Peliti

After many hours spent on the crystal beaches of Thassos and many kilos of gyros devoured (thank you Edmund!), we departed for the small (100 people strong) community of Mesohori.
Our travels did not involve airlines so we had no one to blame for our luggage breaking but ourselves. No joke, one rolly cart down, busted outside of Xanthi railroad station.
I'll tell ya, I'm glad I learned a bit ofGreek 'cause these towns are smaaall and although people do speak English, it is really helpful to know some words in Greek. So bye bye Cantonas, hello road. Bus from Eri's to Skala Prinos to catch a ferry to Kavala, to take a bus to Xanthi, to catch a train to Paranesti (seats are assigned), to get picked up by the extraordinarily kind Panagioti. That's his name y'all. Then a short drive to the small community of Mesohori. I'm not talking Portland small, I'm talking big Thanksgiving dinner small.
Mesohori is set on the edge of the Rhodopi mountain range. Sort of a mix of Appalachians and Rockies with a tropical heat thrown in for measure. It's simply beautiful. And I have never met kinder, more generous people. No joke. We were here for a few hours and had already been fed dinner, invited to a birthday party where they gave us presents, and given a peach on the street for saying hello. That was just the first day.
Work here is tough but doable, ranging from yard work to concrete, cooking, laundry, gardening, etc. We are about 16 total workers, and very international too, here to build a straw bale house to store seeds for the nonprofit organization of Peliti (http://www.peliti.gr/). Peliti puts out a yearly newsletter and a facilitator for a whole barter system for organic seeds and goods in Greece to promote seed saving and organic, money free living.
We are staying in a nice small house on the very edge of the 1 kilometer long town. Our diet is all vegetarian - fresh from the garden to pot - and so delicious. They make their own cheese and yoghurt and Cad has learned how. She claims both are so simple to make, it is ridiculous to buy them from the store. We take all our meals together in a large field covered with tents where one day soon the straw bale house will be erected.
The boys are loving it here because they have about six other kids to play with. They enjoy watching all the people work and having water fights with the other children (and sometimes adults) as it is hot.
We will have a big celebration in town this weekend because August 15th is the third biggest holiday in Greece celebrating the death of the Virgin. Music, food, dancing and prayer. Probably some ouzo too.
On Sunday, we will take a guided canoe trip down the Nestos river. A big, fast, cold river, not too many rapids... class I mostly. The launch is about two kilometers from town and the owners are friends of Panagiotis so we received a group discount.
Everyone in the group here is great. Mostly couples: Greeks, Swiss, Kiwis and not a bad egg among them. I know you Portland punks will think hippies, but they are jokers and partiers out here to learn straw bale construction and to have a different travel experience. Many of them have invited us to stay at their homes and we just may take them up on their offers later in our travels.
We miss our Spanish friends daily and hope to see them again soon. Our Greek is better each day as we get a lot of practice. Each new place brings a whole new adventure, friends and language. We are soaking it up and wishing we had done it ten years ago.
A big hug to all back home as we miss you dearly too... and a happy early birthday to Kel. Yamas!

It's All Greek To Me

So we said goodbye to our new friends at Cortijo Vadillo in proper fashion: a day at the waterpark in Granada. We definitely made a big splash. After an evening bus ride to Malaga, we checked into our non-airconditioned fifth floor walk up room (sink and shower but no toilet in the room?) And it was only $136... Downtown Malaga was hopping. We had a couple sandwiches, people watched and headed for bed.

The next day, we started early as we caught the city bus to the airport for a 10:30 flight to Milan. The flight was uneventful and we arrived in Milan only to realize we didn't have the phone number for our hotel to get a pick up. However this proved to be no problem as the number miraculously appeared on a sign in the airport just when we needed it. A short shuttle ride later and we arrived at the Hotel Sempione which is a quaint little hotel a few miles from the airport. This room was airconditioned (a good thing since it was on the fourth floor in the attic). We slept most of the day and then dined at the restaurant downstairs. A delicious Italian meal.

Our wake up call was at 5:00 the next morning and thus began our travel day to Greece. We arrived in Thessaloniki and took a bus through the city to the bus station. We were helped along the way by a friendly Greek guy named Nick who was nice to me because I spoke Greek to him... it seems a few words in Greek go a long way. We purchased tickets to Kavala (the port town near Thassos) and had a quick snack before our 2.5 hour bus ride. In Kavala, we walked a short (and very hot) distance to the port. Here we boarded the ferry to Thassos, the legendary island of Zeus' childhood.

We arrived in Thassos too late to take the bus to Eric's Apartments and Studios so we had to take (an expensive) taxi. We were immediately pleased with our choice of hotel because the room is spacious (with airconditioning!) and came with a kitchenette. And, Eric Cantona greeted us... you know, the famous football player. Come on Americans, join the football craze.

Skala Potamia, the beach where we are staying, is just one of many little beach towns on this pine forest covered mountained island. Although a bus can take you to the other beaches, we are staying put on Skala Potamia, mostly because we have everything we need right here. Beautiful sea, great food (gyros and more gyros, and sometimes some delicious fresh seafood), mountain backdrop and a pool if we get bored of the green-blue sea. That said, there's only one ATM in town and it's currently empty, so we may have to head to Thassos town tomorrow.

Our day of departure approaches and we will all be sad to leave. If you get a chance, don't miss Thassos. The people here are extremely friendly and Americans are sorely under-represented, as we figure there are probably four, maybe five, Americans on the island right now... including us.

Next up: Paranesti and the alternative community of Peliti...
Happy belated birthday mom and Torrey!

The Alhambra and Scaling Castle Rock

Well there was a lot of hype building up to our visit to the Alhambra and it lived up to every bit. This is one monument that does not disappoint. Set high on a hill overlooking all of Granada and just across from a small valley from the Albaycin - the old Moorish center of the city - it dominates the view. Granada itself is quite a beautiful city. An extremely hot beautiful city. The day we visited, it was around 104 degrees. Drink water bro.

We arrived in the morning and had coffee at the Mirador, an Alhambra viewpoint set at the top of the Albaycin. After roaming the streets a bit and buying fruit at an old market near the old city gates, we made our way down an unmarked staircase from the Mirdor down to Plaza Nueva. The stairway was old and so narrow, at times Diego could touch wall to wall. The stairway basically cuts right down the hill, bisecting small streets and little hidden plazas. It dumped us out right in front of a church, a giant museum and a tourist info area where you can obtain a free walking map of Granada. This is useful for a beginner here.

We had prepaid tickets for the Alhambra palace waiting to be picked up at an ATM-like machine. After picking these up at a bookstore, we walked up the long steep hill to the middle gate of the Alhambra, first passing through an extensive forest and well watered path. After we walked through the 30 foot doors into the fortress, we entered a large plaza where we bought ice creams and beer before touring the palace.

The plaza contains an old Moorish fortress in front and a Roman ampitheter converted into a museum. The palace extends further back and huge gardens dominate most of the footprint. The palace was so too much. Historically, artistically... very moving. But it was so hot!

We saw the palace and the fortress boasts a tower with a full view of Granada and the surrounding countryside. After this, it was time for some shade and food and a proper Spanish lunch was provided at a hole in the wall restaurant on the road out from the base of the fortress. Here we spent a couple hours eating paella, fried fish, macaroni, lomo and a few cold drinks. (A typical Spanish lunch is three courses and a drink for about 8 euros.) It was worth it.

After lunch, we window shopped a bit before catching a bus to the bus station and then home to Cortijo Vadillo about an hour away. Granada was too good to miss: crowded and hot but so great. Old and beautiful and very friendly. We met some nice people from Cape Town and France, and the general vibe of the people was very friendly. We didn't get a chance to overnight in Granada but we hear the nightlife is also great fun.

The very next day proved another great adventure. We decided to ascend the castle rock that dominates our view across the valley. Our friends took us to the top of Castillo and we parked at the pool bar (a municipal pool that also has a bar - how wonderful!) From here, a short very steep climb brings you to a proper bandito cave hideout. The entrance is small but opens to a cavernous maw with a partial opening on one wall that lets in light, a space big enough for 20 people probably.

Our crew wanted more so we set up the mountain on a proper Denny Moylan scramble (you would have loved it dad) through Moorish terraced scrub. A sheep's skull was found well weathered. Also some very inaccessable ruins far from anything. Just some old stone walls that told of once was and has been. A large crack in the mountain appeared and a bone was spotted way down. Hopefully a goat or sheep bone. Further mountains were visible in a 360 degree view. Huge olive covered mountains baking in the heat of Andalu.

On our final approach to the top, we spotted a small cave entrance with refrigerator-cold air shooting out. We all took a turn at this natural aircon before moving on. Finally, we made it to the edge, 1300 feet above our valley floor and we easily spotted our cortijo. It felt like how a bird might see it: all tiny and railroad set looking. At the top, we ate our homemade pemmican and packed our hodges with pb and quince jam and chips near a pile of stones that had been made into a cylinder shape long ago.

Descending, we scrambled down a steep hill covered in almond trees and popped out on a dirt road that led us straight back to the pool bar. We arrived at the pool bar about 25 minutes before sunset. Enough time to relax and watch the huge red sun sink behind the mountains and the far off town of Alcuadete. It was spectacular... has to be one of the best places to watch a sunset. After some food here, the teenagers showed up for some fun and it was a good time for us to head home (after a few rounds of free drinks from the pool bar owner... nice).

I think I'm beginning to realize the apprehension of arrival may pale to the strong desire to stay once we have arrived. Spain has been very, very good to us, and we will be sad to say goodbye. Our next stop is Greece, and we leave here on Monday.

Next up: Granada waterpark, air travel, Milan for a day and Thassos!