Faces of Bulgaria

2009-02-06T23:17:00.000+01:00

MONASTICISM
(a beautiful video that was sent to me anonymously)

2008-07-01T00:11:00.002+02:00

BULGARIA - A FASCINATING COUNTRY

When I booked my flight to visit Bulgaria for the first time, I still had the feeling it would be a big - probably challanging - experience. Going there on my own, not knowing the language, neither Bulgarian, nor Russian, nor knowing how to decode the cyrillic letters, I thought it might get pretty tough to travel through the country. Using public transport or booking a hotel, communicate... all these things I imagined to be a real adventure.
But as soon as I arrived in Sofia I was almost hypnotized by the charm of the country, of the people, the sacred places and the nature. Things worked out great and
there were times - for instance in Melnik - where I could not stop saying "how beautiful,...fantastic,... it´s absolutely incredible..."
Even though I met people that told me about the corruption that could be found everywhere in the country and even Bulgarians warned me that I could not trust Bulgarians, my personal experience was different from that.

When I now had to decide which photos I would post out of several thousand photos that I took during the 12 days trip, this made me opt for a rather "romantic" version of how you can look at life in Bulgaria. I know there are other aspects, too. And I desire to find the time to put up more pictures, that display those aspects, later on.

I hope you will enjoy the site and would love to receive your comments.

2008-06-30T23:50:00.001+02:00

WHERE DO YOU RUN SO FAST? STOP RUSHING. LISTEN TO ME. I WANT TO SING YOU A SONG. A SONG THAT TELLS YOU ABOUT A DIFFERENT LIFE. LIFE IN BULGARIA. LET ME PLAY A ROMANTIC VERSION...OPEN YOUR EYES. OR EVEN CLOSE THEM. OPEN YOUR EARS. LISTEN. PERCEIVE. FEEL. ENJOY....

Harmonium player in one of the central streets of Sofia.

2008-06-30T23:42:00.001+02:00

LIFE IS FULL OF COLORS. WHAT COLOR COMBINATION DO YOU CHOSE FOR YOUR LIFE?

Fruit stand in the city center of Sofia

2008-06-30T23:40:00.001+02:00

A TIME FOR SECLUSION IN THE MOUNTAINS...TURNING YOUR BACK ON MODERN CIVILIZATION.

Entry to the Preobrajenski monastery near Veliko Turnovo.

2008-06-30T23:38:00.001+02:00

SECRET TREASURES.

... near the city center of Melnik - the smallest, but maybe most romantic town of Bulgaria.

2008-06-30T23:33:00.001+02:00

BURNING CANDLES. WHAT DO I BURN FOR?

Burning candles to remember the living dear ones, seen at the entrance of Sveti Georgi - Church of Saint George, Sofia.

2008-06-30T23:28:00.001+02:00

ORTHODOXY. WHAT DOES IT REALLY STAND FOR? AND CAN I LIFE UP TO IT?

Young monk Makarii, serving as the secretary of Bishop Evlogi at Rila monastery.

2008-06-30T23:24:00.002+02:00

REFRESHMENT. FOR BODY, MIND AND SOUL.

Water fountain offering icecold cristal clear water to the pilgrims and inhabitants of the Rila monastery.

2008-06-30T23:21:00.001+02:00

THE KEYS TO HEAVEN. DO WE REMEMBER THE CODE HOW TO ENTER THE HEAVENLY REALMS?

Saint Peter opening the gates to heaven. Painting seen on an outer wall of the church of the Rila monastery.

2008-06-30T23:18:00.001+02:00

LIFE. STILL ALIVE. WHAT ABOUT LIFE. YOUR LIFE. MY LIFE...THE TIME IS RUNNING...OR IS THAT AN ILLUSION? DOES TIME MAYBE NOT EVEN EXIST? IF SO, WHAT´S THE USE OF RUSHING? WHERE ARE WE HEADING WITH OUR MODE OF LIFE?

Monk Irinei at the remote Preobrajenski Monastery, near Veliko Turnovo. He came to that monastery when he was 17 years old. Even King Simon sat on his lap. Since the time he entered the monastery he has always been in that same place. Nowadays - in his ninties - he hardly understands. But with his piercing eyes he still wakefully observes everything around him.

2008-06-30T23:05:00.001+02:00

WHAT AM I CALLED FOR IN THIS LIFE?

The Dormition of Mary, Mother of God, detail of a painting on the chapel of the Sokolski (nuns) monastery.

2008-06-30T23:00:00.001+02:00

AT WORK. WHAT THINGS DO YOU WANT TO BRING INTO ORDER, WHAT ARE THE THINGS THAT STILL NEED TO BE REPAIRED AND WORKED ON?

Man doing restauration work, Rila Monastery.

2008-06-30T22:56:00.001+02:00

SIGNS OF FRIENDSHIP. TO REMEMBER THE FRIENDS YOU HAVE. DOES FRIENDSHIP GROW ON TREES? WHAT SIGNS OF FRIENDSHIP DO YOU SHOW TO OTHERS?

Sign of friendship and appreciation, exchanged on the first of May according to an old pagan tradition, seen in the woods next to Holy Trinity Monastery, Veliko Turnovo.

2008-06-30T22:47:00.001+02:00

THE SIMPLE JOYS OF LIFE. FOR ONE PERSON IT CAN BE FOUND IN A GOOD COFFE. FOR ANOTHER ONE IN THE MILD BREEZE. YET FOR ANOTHER IN THE GAME OF SHADOW AND LIGHT. IF WE TRUELY LIFE IN THE PRESENT, WE CAN EXPERIENCE THE ABUNDANCE OF THE MOMENT THAT CONTAINS EVERYTHING.

Coffee stop next to the bus station at Rila village

2008-06-30T22:38:00.001+02:00

LOVE AND DISPAIR. JOY AND PAIN. WORK AND RELAXATION. TRUST AND BETRAYAL. GAIN AND LOSS. WE SAW AND EXPERIENCED A LOT IN OUR LIVES.
IF YOU ARE ROOTED IN LOVE, THEN NO MATTER WHAT, NOTHING CAN CONQUER YOUR INNER KINGDOM, WHERE THE PRINCE OF PEACE REIGNS.

Three old women, enjoying their company in the shaddow of a street in the ski-resort-town Bansko.

2008-06-30T22:30:00.001+02:00

FEELING AT HOME. WHERE IS HOME FOR YOU?

Etar, Ethnographic Village near Gabrovo.

2008-06-30T22:25:00.001+02:00

GOOD OLD TIMES. THE ROADS WE TAKE, DO THEY LEAD US WHERE WE WANT TO GO?

Carriage, seen at the ethnographic village Etar near Gabrovo.

2008-06-30T22:21:00.001+02:00

YOU WANT ME TO TELL YOU ABOUT THE OLD TIMES? WE HAD NO COMPUTERS, NO CELL PHONE, NO "MUCH MONEY", WE HAD LESS COMFORT. ... BUT WE HAD TIME. TODAY EVERYTHING IS BUILT TO BE MORE EFFECTIVE, TO SAFE TIME. BUT I SEE THAT PEOPLE HAVE LESS TIME. THEY RUSH MORE. What for?

Neighbor of the Hikers Hostel in Veliko Tarnovo, the beautiful ex-capital of Bulgaria.

2008-06-30T22:16:00.002+02:00

THE TIME OF OUR LIFE. SOMETIMES WE FEEL LIKE LIVING FOREVER. AND SUDDENLY IT´S THE DAY - THE HOUR - THE MINUTE WHERE WE WILL LOOK DEATH IN THE FACE. WE - THAT FELT IMMORTAL, WILL BE GONE. IF THIS DAY IS ALL WE WOULD HAVE LEFT, HOW WOULD WE LIVE IT? HOW DO WE USE THE TIME OF OUR LIFE?

Yesterday alive - today dead. Commemoration adds, posted by their loved ones. Seen on a lonely busstop near Sokolski monastery.

2008-06-30T22:06:00.002+02:00

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO PARK YOUR CAR? WHAT IS YOUR HEAVENLY HAVEN? WHAT CHOICES IN LIFE DO YOU WANT TO MAKE?

Mercedes in a Garage, seen on the way to Sokolski monastery near the city of Gabrovo.

2008-06-30T22:00:00.001+02:00

WHAT DO THE BELLS RING FOR IN YOUR LIFE? DO YOU LISTEN TO THEM?

Shipka. Belltower of the Russian Orthodox Church that was built to commemorate the Russians that helped Bulgaria to their victory over the Turks on the Shipka Pass in 1878.

2008-02-16T09:28:00.000+01:00

PRAYERS BY THE LAKE
... to share some more of the orthodox spirit with you in song and poetry...

For additional photos / articles / exhibitions:
Claudia.Henzler[at]henzlerworks.com