Our guide was born in 1971. Her parents wanted her to be named Anna Maria, but this name was forbidden because it sounded too much like a queen. She was therefore known simply as Anna until 1987 when the country gained its freedom after the protests against the Chlorine gas pollution which was coming across the Danube from Romania.
Four women started the protest in front of the communist party house. The movement grew, the communist leader was ousted without bloodshed ultimately bringing freedom to the country.
After this happened, she officially got her entire name. She had been secretly baptized by her grandmother as a child. the morning after freedom came, her father took her to church. During the communist regime, the rich and powerful were allowed to attend church, but communism was supposed to be the "god" of the people. This morning she took us to that church which has now grown into a large church.
It was built during the domination and occupation of the Ottoman Empire. Christian churches had to be lower than an Ottoman soldier on horseback with his sword raised. The builders of the church went underground for most of the construction. Outside it looks like a squat building.
Inside we find soaring ceilings, beautiful paintings, and sparkling chandeliers. We also met the old priest, Father Menko who lived in oppression from 1944 to 1987 because he would not renounce Christ and embrace the state.
When Anna Maria was sixteen years old and got to go into her church for the first time, the sun was streaming into the sanctuary through the stained glass windows. She looked at her father and said, "I see heaven." After years of having their rituals and symbols turned toward the state, it must have seemed so!
We next visited the History Museum which has artifacts from over six centuries ago. The people who are now here descended from people who migrated from the region which now includes Afghanistan and Iron.
Our last major stop was Calliope's House which takes the name of the woman who owned it during the eighteen hundreds. A nobleman wanted to buy a house for her and she would not accept. He arrange a shooting competition for women and all the women except her were given guns with blanks. It is a lovely two storied house which is furnished with antiques from that era. We enjoyed a piano recital from a woman who teaches piano at the School of Music. Her name was Marcello and her playing was beautiful. One piece she played is a unique Bulgarian style written in 9/8. How she manages it is beyond me!
After listening to Shuman, Chopin, Strauss, and other composers, we walked back to our minivan and made our way to artisan's row near the ship where we tasted some delicacies such as sunflower candy and rose Turkish delight. I had read about the candy known as Turkish delight in English novels for years. Now I have tasted it.
I have also tasted the delights of the country which has sports hero's Olympic medal winners (especially in ribbon gymnastics), sumo wrestlers, noted musicians, and Nobel prize winners in literature. I had always just thought of this country as another one of those little third world European countries from the Eastern Soviet Block. Now I think of it as a nation with a rich history which more often than not, due to its geographic location, with a tragic past. It appears to be a place that is trying hard to hold on to its history and traditions while moving forward economically. I, for one, pray they succeed.
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