How long does it take to get an Indian visa in Bulgaria?

Well, around 7 or 8 months, provided you have submitted the right set of documents. That, I learned, was the case of another Bulgarain, working now in Delhi.
But...I submitted the wrong set of documents and I can't understand how, at the time of submission I was told "Your application is against the law", yet they took my documents.
Since the 12th of Feb, I have tried every single option possible, got people involved in "my visa issue" at the highest possible level.
All they say is - you need to wait. So wait I did, days, months. Around 2 months and a half, to be precise.
No indication that anything is moving though.
Great strategy, I admit - you do not want to give a visa to someone, so you leave them waiting, until they give up.
This time has been tough. I wish u never to be in a situation when you don't know where you will be next week, but you cannot act to change anything, cause someone has told you to WAIT!
At the beginning it was very tough to grasp the idea that I am not coming back. Everyone knows how I love India as a second home. I had made plans, I wanted to go, to see, to experience. If you want to cheer up God, tell Him your plans ;)
Now, I am taking it as a sign. Maybe it is better that way. Maybe I need to come back to India at a different time and with a different purpose.
The future will show.
Now I live in the present...

heartography

this is a worldmap
with the pieces of my heart scattered over it

long time no sea

I am going to the sea after a long time.
I saw it last in December 2007.
Yes, I saw the ocean in October last year...but it is not the same.
It was not my sea...tamed by the memories of so many hours, spent with precious people.
I didn't have the time to tame the ocean. I just took the memory of the deserted beach. Of people, I had got to know a day before, but my inner self felt like I have always known them. Of those rare moments of bliss when you are not thinking, just being.
Nevermind...
The sea. I am looking forward to seeing it. Smelling it. Feeling the cold wind blow through me (I have never been on very friendly terms with this wind). Breathing life.
It will be a long-craved home-coming.

I wish I could live by the sea some day.

back

Back to Sofia.
walking the same streets that bring so many memories.
breathing the air that seems fresh and clean.
sipping a large cappucino in my favourite Onda opposite the Russian church.
recieving unexpected calls.
meeting unexpected people.
spending time with close friends.
smiling.
a lot.
the look at people's faces when they first see me.
having my schedule full with meeting people.
drinking wine and eating cheese.
making tentative plans for concerts, parties, trips.
nothing has changed much in Sofia.
it is grey, dirty...a little sad.
nothing has changed...
except me.

before you jump

it is just the moment before you jump
when you are scared from the water
yet welcoming, expecting its cold embrace
you want to feel its powerful fingers grip your limbs
and the tender touch of a warm current caress your skin
it's the first time
the comeback
the plunge from one world to the other
the clash of civilizations
the life before that never equals the life after
places change
people change
you change
life is change
it is just the moment before you jump
the essence of existence on the tip of a moment
exciting
exhilirating
pulsating
everything poised on the line of balance
your whole being is expecting the jump
but you are not in a hurry
you are here
now
vibrating with the heartbeat of the Universe
with a heart full of sun rays
and hope shining in the curls of your hair
you know that you are not the best swimmer
but you trust the water
and you love the water
it will never let you down.

On the last day of 2008...

I would like to thank God for this year, cause it has been, truly, one of the most amazing years of my life.
I saw and experienced so much beauty in every form of it - in places, in people, in music, in colours,in tastes, in aromas, in moments.
I discovered that I am capable of loving again. And suffering the pain of love.
I learned lessons about the world, about life, about love and myself.
I was up and down, I laughed loud and cried so hard as if my soul was torn apart.
I made stupid, painful mistakes.
I forgave people, and loved them, despite circumstances.
I hoped and I prayed. I may be got a step closer to the Divine self...
Thank you, God, for bringing all this my way.
In the new year,
I wish for good health for me and my closest people.
I wish to find the stregth in me to be a better person.
I wish to find the inspiration to create beauty around me and inspire smiles on people's faces.
I wish to always find a good word to say to warm a heart.
I wish to find the love for life and for people and the excitement of meeting every new day with a smile and new hope:)
Happy New Year to everyone!

laziest weekend ever...

Just spent the most amazingly lazy Sunday in my life so far.
Anca and me whent to Bisha's house for dinner yesterday...
Got totally high on wine (and a bit of Baileys).
Bulgarian rakia was the absolute hit, everyone taking shots (although i told them they should drink it slowly)...the alcohol in it being around 50 degree...it is easy to grasp that everyone was so happy and smiling and high in no time ;)
Then...after the alcoholic devastation, we woke up at around 1 and were about to leave...but then we had lunch...then chai and sweet conversations ranging from matrimonials to what are our plans for the near future and from Indian sweets to politics and Dracula (Anca is Romanian after all) and business plans.
Then, when I almost believed we are starting back for Gurgaon, we decided to have dinner...Ridz's cousin Suhil who is working in a hotel, made this amazing mutton with coconut juice...All in all this guy was pretty much spoiling us - making pancakes, tea, chicken soup :)
All in all - we did nothing but chill the whole day...
It was probably the first time that I have had such a lazy day...and I loved it :)

Happy Independence day!

Happy Independence Day to all Indians by passport and by heart :)

Lazy Saturday

Today i had an extremely lazy day...
I need to write one text, but I just cannot make myself do that.
Here is a cartoon very appropriate for the case ;)
I dunno maybe - laziness is sometimes useful...
What do u think?

My vacation didn't go so well...

It is very true that whenever you are very eager to do something, usually things screw up.The same happened with my vacation...more or less.
I went to the seaside, yet I didn't go to the beach, as the sea was dirty (too much building of hotels near Varna, resulted in a sewage system breakdown). Anyway, I was not much in the mood for beach-ing as Mury had serious health problems and I was quite concerned. I hope things get better with her.
Despite that, I think I managed to have some good rest and time for myself :) Which is always quite valuable.
I went back to Veliko Turnovo and the stay there was quite nice and calm - I visited a friend in the nearby Arbanassi (the luxurious villa-quarter of the town) and spent several nice hours chatting. I met some friends and drank coffee on hot sand. I also managed to spend a surprising amount of time watching TV :)
Yet, the last days we went to Gabrovo, Sokolovo monastery and the etnographic museum "Etara". And this week I am going to continue with the village tourism and stay 4 days in some nice villages in Rodopi mountain:)Hope the weather stays okay, rain please GO AWAY!

Easter

Now, it is high time I said Happy Easter, I guess :)
Apart from all the Eastern -Western traditions that are mixing right now in Bulgaria, I really like Easter.
Maybe I am not so convinced in the existence of the Easter bunny (and I really do not know what is the role of the Easter bunny, frankly)and I didn't take part in the colouring of the Easter eggs this year but...
I LOVE EASTER
Because it is a spring holiday.
It is a feast of resurrection and renewed hope.
It is a time of the year when beauty blossoms all around.
You should not feel sad at this date.
Everything is colourful, everybody -smiling :)
And I am back in my hometown, taking all the incredible atmosphere it has to give me.
From the Christian point of view, Christ's resurrection is even more miraculous than his birth.
It is also a time of spending precious minutes with the family and closest friends. And for self-reflection.
Have I been good enough? Am I doing my best? Is this what I want to do? Am I not envious sometimes? Questions questions questions crossing my mind all the time...
Sometimes I wonder what questions other people ask themselves...Are they the same as mine?Or completely different?

A nice nostalgic walk down my hometown's narrow cobbled streets

Yesterday I allowed myself a nice walk around the old part of Veliko Turnovo.
It was simply marvelous.
I won't tell you any more, just see the pictures:)