Bulgaria with Noodles

The results of the American election were such a shock that for several days I did not want to watch TV or read the BBC and the CNN news on my computer. Then I remembered that I do not live in America, I am not an American, and in fact I live in Bulgaria. At the moment Irena and I are living in a part of Veliko Tarnovo called Assenova, a world away from Washington DC. Located more or less half-way between the two fortresses of Trapezetiya and Tsaravets, the region or district of Assenova is next to the river, close to the old wooden bridge. The bridge is called "Vladishki Most", the bishop's bridge, and it dates back to the Middle Ages. You can find lots of padlocks fixed onto the wires on the bridge, many with red hearts on them, so some people call it "the lovers' bridge".  On a less romantic and more practical note, there are two little houses or towers at the Tsaravets end of the bridge and I think that these used to be tollhouses, as you had to pay a fe

Dear Peter, Well, I was rather hoping for a reply from you that would perhaps be a little longer, more detailed and informative. However, I completely agree with your sentiments. I don't understand how it is possible for the majority of the population in America to have re-elected that scumbag, that liar and fraudster. On the other hand, someone once said to me, "Never underestimate the stupidity of Americans." I mean, Trump becoming President again just about proves it, 100%, and so you do not need any more of those YouTube videos about how many Americans have such limited intelligence. From your point of view, there is of course a silver lining to the Trump cloud: it means that you will win your bet! It very much looks as though I shall have to pay for that very yummy and expensive meal in a posh restaurant. Now that Trump is President-Elect, can he be sent to jail? Could he pardon himself? Sentencing is supposed to happen on 26 th  November, but my guess is that now th

The other day I came across this letter to my old friend and colleague, Mark Slade. I wrote this letter back in 2013, just as we were making the move from Qatar to China. Oh, those were the days! Dear Mark, It is always marvellous it was to receive any news from you, old fellow, but I think that you have been a bit busy recently and so you have not been able to write a proper and detailed account of your latest foreign adventures. Well, we have also been rather preoccupied with all of our problems recently, so it was great to read your comments on FB the other day. And at last I have your e-mail address! I was amused when I first thought that you might be going to the same school that I was at a few years ago, the British School of Al Rehab. Yes, it is true that Al Rehab is a long way from Tahrir Square and for most Egyptians life just goes on as normal. Perhaps that is a bit optimistic, as the truth of the matter is that all of the political troubles have had a very serious impact on

After our exhausting exposure to the international media, Irena and I went for a pleasant lunch in Elena for our 29th wedding anniversary. We have had lunch in the outside seating area a couple of times, but the inside bit is actually much nicer.  As usual, I had some schkembe chorba (that is tripe soup, if you have trouble finding your way around a Bulgarian menu). Then we had some skara (Bulgarian barbecued things) and the real stars were the cheesy stuffed peppers.  After lunch, we went for a little wander around Elena and we visited a rather interesting and quaint three-hundred-year-old timber-framed house cum museum. In the garden there were some pear trees full of fruit, with more lying on the ground, so we took some pears back to Daveri.    

Well, not really. After the article in The Daily Mail , I was contacted by a reporter for a Bulgarian TV company, who wanted to interview me at Daveri. I think that our interview with Novinite news channel went quite well, even though Tina rolled over and showed her tummy. What an embarrassing doggie! If you really have nothing better to do and you would like to watch the whole thing, click here .

Dear Markoi,                       Tuesday, 22nd October Who is this amazingly handsome and good-looking young fellow, whose photo you have sent to me? Obviously this seventeen-year-old aquatic Adonis is no relation of yours. At LWC, aka the London Water Closet, I do remember the one and only Mint, Mr Merriman, coming up to me and saying, “Your brother has the body of a young Greek god!” Andy, aka The Sheep, has had several crime novels published and he does not seem to have made any money out of them. I only read the first one,  Dead Drift , and it really was quite well written. In the book there was a “blurb” about Andy’s CV (or resume, as you Americans call it) and that was an even greater work of fiction. As for me, I do not have any photos of my son or daughter playing water polo, so I am sending you a few pictures of Tina, our very fat and naughty Jack Russell. My dear wife says that Tina is lazy, greedy, and disobedient. Well, I think that she was talking about Tina. You did not