NJSD

After major delays, missed connections, hours standing in line, and an unexpected overnight in Fankfurt, I arrived at Sofia airport 24 hours behind schedule. The memories of these travails would make for a story but they are already overshadowed by meeting old and new friends, taking in the sights and sounds of Bulgaria for the first time.

We came 2.5 hours east from Sofia to Karavelovo between the Balkan and Stara Planina mountains. The workshop began last night with a wonderful dance party lasting past midnight. After a chilly night, a good sleep, a hot shower and delicious breakfast I am ready for the first day of classes!

I posted a few first pictures on https://noelsk.smugmug.com/Photo-Galleries/BG-Rose-Valley-Workshop-2019, and will post pix and videos as time permits, and will post more updates here.

Dance class is starting so goodbye for now…. dovizhdane.

Noel

This afternoon we returned home to Lake Celeste. We celebrate the completion of this dream circle which included wonderful stays and visits with friends and family, 8700 miles of driving, seeing amazing new places, music and dancing, hotel rooms to hippy hangouts to hours of getting along in the car together… and so much more.  I still plan to write blog entries with pictures of much of our trip, begging your pardon as I was never able to make time during the journey itself. We christened our Sienna minivan “Argo”.  Below are family pix from the Grand Canyon south rim at sunset, and from the Route 66 car museum in Santa Rosa NM. Our cat is very happy that we returned. She doesn’t know about Balkan Camp.

So, yesterday we “did” Nashville properly.  Our sweet friend Amberly, who lives and works here as a professional violinist, took us all around Nashville like a pro tour guide.  We saw downtown, and she pointed out a lot of the venues where she has played.  She also took us to see the replica of the Parthenon near Vanderbilt.  We went folk dancing and then, for something completely different, went to see Jim Lauderdale at “Honky Tonk Tuesdays” at the American Legion Hall.  Though we’re not into country per se, we danced a combination of swing, zydeco, two-step, and whatever else occurred to Noel to lead me through.   Good times.  Finally, Amberly took us to Jeni’s, which is, hands down, the best ice cream ever!!!

Yesterday we met up with a folk dance friend of my parents named Amberly. She showed us around the city and we went to dinner and dancing. Sunset was really beautiful. She brought us to the Parthenon replica but we didn’t get to go inside. 

After that we went to a Jim Lauderdale concert and Craig Smith from Megadeath slayed on guitar. My parents danced and Sophie made some friends and found a cat to pet. It was a fun night. Today we’re going to drive as far as we can on the way back to NY. This trip has been so much fun, and we squeezed in so much in so little time. It really amazes me that we did most of what we wanted to do without a hitch. I am so happy my dad took the time to plan this out so meticulously. It has been such a wonderful and fun experience for me to see so many beautiful and interesting new places in America with the family I love so much!

Yesterday we drove from Yukon, Oaklahoma to Memphis, Tennessee. We went out to dinner at an Italian place with my mom’s best friend from Georgia, Eve, and her youngest daughter, Catherine, who was celebrating her 9th birthday! I ate a really good pizza and amaretto cake with ice cream and blueberry sauce for dessert, and Catherine got a cannoli with a sparkler candle on it!​​​

[wpvideo mHdScdWw]​After that, my parents went out partying on Beal Street and Sophie and I stayed in the hotel watching netflix and stuff. Today we went to a great café for breakfast and now we are going to explore and maybe visit the Mississppi River before we leave for Nashville.

We have had such a lovely stay in Anne and David’s house. We jammed on Marimbas and played with their dogs and cats. We walked around town and bought some beautiful Native American jewelry. I ate a really good burrito. Now we’re on our way to Oaklahoma City, Memphis and Nashville, and then we’ll be back home!