Just returned from another amazing afternoon at Mindya Babaden day celebrations. This is to celebrate all grandmothers who also delivered the village babies. In the morning I had a visitation from several of the local lassies dressed up as a bride, grandmother and a Papa who 'blessed'me and as usual I put a few levs in the decorated cauldron. In the afternoon it was party time in the Community hall. After a slow start with everyone quietly tucking in to plates of cookies, banitsa, salami, bottled veggies etc and drinking the luminous coloured pop, the accordian came out and everyone began singing and dancing especially as someone thoughtfully brought some homemade wine which loosened everyone up. I eventually moved my bones and joined in with the Hora. I was congratulated on being an Anglichanka dancing their traditional dance and had a few 'Bravos'. This is flattering and also amazing since they have seen me joining in many other times but it really doesn't take much to make them happy and its lovely to feel involved. The Mayor gave his usual speech of course and the Mayor of Veliko Turnovo sent his goodwishes which was nice. All in all the Community did us Babas proud once again.

Getting down to it!

Great photos..but which one is you? Oh, and the story is great too.

Never fancied bottled veggies much but the banitsa and wine would go down well! My wife went to a one last year and felt bad as it falls on my birthday but refused to go this year because of this.I don't mind but she just said no out right this year.Can men go to this event or is it strictly female as I think it's a shame that she misses out.

No I am not on the pics as I took them and I also like to keep a low profile! There were some men this year but they came later and made the fun! The bottled veg are done in vinegar, water, salt and some sugar so I doubt there would be any health problem.

Thanks for the reply..my extended family all love the bottled/semi pickled veg and often snack on them, but I can't face them at all. Afraid I'm old school when it comes to vegetables..boiled, steamed or baked suits me. I must be fussy.

Not really bgbazz - my Hero isn't keen either. I only really like the red peppers but eat as I am instructed on these occasions to be polite. I 'find the pork fat horrible and I crisp it in the oven to make it tasty although since my Hero's illness animal fat is not recommended. There are very limited salami's that I like too but again, eat whatever it is on offer at these functions. Its also difficult to eat first sweet things, like all kinds of biscuits (which actually taste the same to me but might have different decorations) followed by savoury things followed by bread or banitsa and back to savoury! The wine is usually diluted with lemonade so even the locals must find the home brew a tad sharp. However, after a few hours of merriment I notice that everything has been eaten or drunk. It is probably a treat for many of the old people (some even older than me!) to have such a selection. We in the west are very spoilt so I wouldn't dream of refusing anything offered.
While on the subject of food - Mindya Community organised an International Food event one year where we Brits had to cook a traditional British dish and the Bulgarians one of theirs with prizes for the best. When the judging was over (I got 2nd place for my apple cobbler), all of us Brits tucked in but I noticed that our choir only looked on. At the end of a very successful party we all left and I was invited to attend at 10am the following morning. I assumed that I would be helping to clear up. Wrong. All my Bulgarian choir ladies were there sat around one of the big tables and tucking into the, now obviously cold, dishes! Now I don't know about you, but at 10am after my tea, toast and marmalade, I really find it difficult to tuck in with fervour to chicken livers in gravy, stuffed fish and several other Bulgarian main course delicacies. Oh well, its all part of life in Bulgaria and something to talk about in the old country except that no-one in England would have anymore clue about what I was on about than the Bulgarians have about Britain. So there you go.... Sorry to ramble on.

I know exactly what you mean about the cold leftovers..my best friend Mario and his wife often put on a really lovely BBQ and the food, when hot is superb, however I've noticed that Mario always waits a couple of hours before tucking into cold, greasy meat and potatoes. His breakfast next morning is even colder and greasier..yuk!