In a museum is the glass eye of one of their citizens who was killed in the 1924 uprising – nothing else. I’m not some sort of eye expert, but it is just a bit weird.
Straight to the ugly album!
In a museum is the glass eye of one of their citizens who was killed in the 1924 uprising – nothing else. I’m not some sort of eye expert, but it is just a bit weird.
Straight to the ugly album!
The Very Excellent Adventures of the Cunnington-Smythes 
I think I will need hours with you C-S’s when you get back and hear the stories of each of these photos. The eye was definitely odd.
My dear Farley
What a treat to be in Bulgaria’s former Communist Party headquarters! I wonder how much space, if any, is dedicated to the Bulgarian People’s Republic era in the museum. Have the labour camps been erased from the story? While on the contents of the museum, I think that you were being bit unfair about Bulgaria’s vincibility. I don’t believe that there have been too many Australians who have come out on top of them in Olympic wrestling and weightlifting.
You did surprise me with your use of “the year 0”, as no such year exists in our calendar. Maybe you saw it in the museum, on an artifact from communist days, which would explain everything, given Stalin’s penchant for rewriting history. I love the expression that was running around Moscow in the 1930s – “The past is not easy to predict.”
Applause for the artistry on the coffees in your photo collage. Are they Bulgarian flat whites? Speaking of which, Mitch looks decidedly vincible in his battle kit.
Thank you, Farls, for taking me to Bulgaria, a place to which I am a stranger. Maybe you could show me around Rosewood one day.
Farquhar
Farley, here are some of my comments that ‘evaded’ your blog over the past month or so.
6 January
Dear Farley
Well, it’s not long now before you say “better let you go” to Bulgaria. It’s very reassuring to see that you appear to be free of any physical or psychological damage after your flagellation by that young girl and that Mitch came out of that toilet block in one piece.
I am also very happy to hear that you thoroughly enjoyed the Nutcracker ballet as your experience was so very different to mine, and it’s got nothing to do with the location. You see, I accompanied my mother and sister to a Russian performance of this famous ballet in Brisbane back when the Warsaw Pact was in its infancy. Mum prepped me with, “there are soldiers in it, Michael”, and I can remember waiting, ever so ignorantly, for the screen to descend, the movie to begin and the soldiers to fight. Of course, I waited in vain but, I guess, Mum didn’t lie to me. With hindsight, I now understand that such experiences build forbearance.
In an earlier communication I referred to knowing when you’re in Australia rather than Bulgaria. Here’s another example: John Howard spent some time yesterday with the ABC’s radio commentary team at the Sydney Test. First of all, he had to find a spot to sit, then there was a bit of friendly critiquing of his cricket skills followed by a discussion of the game – all on a first name basis. Then he just got up and left. This is a former Prime Minister! Of course, none of this changes my view of his tenure from 1996 to 2007.
May your journey home be free of delays, lost luggage, inferior seating and odious humans.
Cheerio
Farquhar
28 December
My dear Farls
Here’s a bit of local flavour from my piece of our planet, which made me reflect that I am not in Plovdiv:
“Marco Polo” echoing across Palmwoods pool; to lap-swimming me – “Want a race, mate?” Accepted. From me: “Why did you stop?” To me: “I can’t swim”; the crack of red ball on willow at the adjoining cricket ground; a pubescent voice from long on – “good ball, Jackie; he’s your wicket”; every youngster on the field moving and sounding like their equivalents in the Aussie team; the umpires in shorts and thongs.
Such is the impact of your blogs.
24 December
My dear Farls
Did Lady Cunnington-Smythe confide in Miljo about her lost bag despair? Am very glad to hear that the blue case of the blues has arrived.
A word of caution – I just learned that the first murder in Antarctica occurred on the Russian (Soviet) base over a game of chess. Think carefully before you step into a game of noughts and crosses in that park you mentioned.
Plovdiv sounds wonderful, apart from its ‘felinities’. As you do crosswords, I do jumbled letters, and your good Cultural Capital 2019 looks like one. Plod, lip, dip, pod come easily but I surrender on a 7-letter word. I just can’t get ‘pavlova’ out of my head.
Could go a kebab right now.
Cheerio
Farquhar
16 December
Thanks for that vivid description of your journey to Vienna, Farls. I have now decided to change the means of my expedition to Central Asia next year. What chance of a ship berth?
With your and the Lady’s love of crosswords, try this: 6 letter word meaning ‘make a journey’; 7 letter word meaning ‘physical and/or mental toil’. Both begin with ‘T’ and end with ‘L’.
The fuel pump, Bali, cheeky fidgets and middle seat claustrophobia will all disappear when you’re settled in your unpronounceable Bulgarian destination, though I think you were a bit hard on John Schumann.
Farquhar