Chasing Ideals

In case you haven't read them take a look at the next two posts first. Never in these last 13 years on earth have I gotten to really witness and experience the changes that take place in winter. Some are thrilled at the thought of a place like Phoenix where the sunshine never ends but I must tell you that after so many years I was and am bored of it. I had never the chance to see the sycamore and acorn leaves fall to the ground and to hear the sound of them crunch under my feet as I walked home from school. Never did I wake to see the sheet of pure white snow covering the earth and be overjoyed at the thought of racing out into it. I relish the chance to once again witness the dynamics of those seasonal changes firsthand on my travels. I believe the seasons of the earth hold powerful analogies for the periods of our lives and was reminded of this the other day during a visit to Plitvice (see recent and first gallery from here) for the second time.

When we arrived to the park I was shocked to see that the lush green was replaced with the dull brown of leafless trees. The moss and the grass also had turned dull brown as result of the frosts of the season. In comparison to those breathtaking moments first witnessing the beauty of the place now I was dissappointed to see the place in such a state. I believe that God was revealing something to my heart in those moments however. I thought back to my teenage years and how at that time I was as one of these trees. From the outside there was little or no life in me. To see my life at that time was to see brokeness, barreness, the scars of crushing experiences. Something similar to the look of those trees without their leaves. That which made them beautiful from spring to autumn lay in heaps on the ground around them. God revealed to me that in that time of my life he did not see me as I was but that he was looking forward to the spring. Springtime when leaves burst forth from the branches transforming dull brown to lush green. Springtime when dormant seeds burst from the ground producing flowers whose colors and designs no artist can fully mimic. So often we look at our lives and the lives of others from the winter perspective. We see only the current state and despair. I am thankful to know a God who had eyes to see the beauty that my life could become. He knew that through Christ and reconnection with him that my life could and would become so much more than any eyes but his could comprehend. Winter has its downsides but I am thankful that it causes me to much more appreciate the spring and the renewed and incredible life I have found through Jesus Christ.

I have added another gallery to Lovable Quirks from my time here in Slovenia. The first picture is of my friend where I stayed the first time around in Croatia and this time. The next few are of our hostel in Ljubliana. An old prison converted to a stellar work of architecture. The rest are from today and a visit to the castle in Postojna. I will continue to get you all up to speed as to getting to Slovenia and what we have been up to hopefully in the next days.

Make sure to read the post below if you have not already. I hope that you all have as much fun reading it as I did writing it. I had promised some info about Bulgaria and will attempt to satisfy the curious. Showing up in the country was an odd venture that included "disinfection" at the border crossing. Compared to the ridiculous longevity of later crossings it was a breeze but more strangely in this case there were so many forms to be paid for. One would guess that Bulgarians are lovers of booths as every 50m was another offering exciting new ways to spend your money. I expected on arriving at the "disinfection" booth that we would have to leave the car and be hosed down with some of Pfizer's finest but no such luck. Instead "disinfection" was a matter of paying some Euros and receiving a snazzy form which claimed that we were clear I imagine. For Andy it was quite an experience of all this as he had never been through a border inspection. Little did he know what was to come as some of you have now read about. We arrived at the final border check inundated with forms and had no clue which to offer for our exit so gave all and received almost all back. A love for glass booths and paper work is the only thing I can figure as I said.

I had planned on a complete "St. Cyril the Gobshite" post but shall instead present my comments here. I'm not sure that any of you have first hand experience of driving with only St. Cyril's alphabet to guide you but it is no picnic. How and why he came up with and decided on the letters of the cyrillic alphabet I shall never now. As a tease some do match there Latin counterparts but the sound of those is entirely different despite. When we arrived in Plovdiv all attempts to establish some bearings was thwarted by the fact that none of what we saw made any sense. One driving to the region should make valiant attempts to learn this alphabet before having a hope of finding your way. We wandered more than an hour searching for a bridge and was it not for an angelic sign with the words "Centrum" on it we may never have. Even then discovering our hostel was a task and a half that only sheer luck and some absurd driving accounted for.

On arrival at said hostel we were greeted by the sound of three man eating dogs. They barked and yelped and licked there lips for some time before a slight woman emerged and somehow inspired them toward calmness. Though the name on the front clearly indicated B&B the woman there said there was no breakfast to be had thereby knocking this down to a legendary one B. It was late however and sweet dreams were calling are names. We were quoted a price and decided to stay. Our following question was whether the car would be safe outside the place to which the answer came quickly as "no." She then told us that this area was one that thieving teens frequented but that we could park our car under the surveillance camera in the front and hope for the best. Hardly words to inspire confidence but again we had no desire to head back into the confusion that St. Cyril the gobshite had created for us. There room was nice and the two sleeps therein profoundly restful at least for me. Andy seems to have acquired consumption, black plague, cholera or the like somewhere along the way so recent sleeps have not been the most pleasant.

Perhaps the most pleasant aspect of a short stay in Bulgaria was an abundance of cheap and tasty culinary delights. Nearby restaurants served sheep liver, head, intestines as well as pork tripe, intestines, liver, head and much more to tantalize the ears. All that we choose in fact was marvelous and the prices were lower than any I have yet come across. I normally hate to eat out frequently while journeying but in Bulgaria it was a budget friendly treat. There also was much more to the menu than what I mentioned above including marvelous potato dishes, crepe dishes, and salads so we happily indulged. As you have seen from the photos some of the architecture of the place was colorful and interesting but unfortunately the communist styling of the majority put a major damper on it. In Plovdiv and later looking from the outskirts of Sofia the drab and dreary architecture of that time ruins the look of a place. The lack of creative expression of the time will take years to either destroy and replace or attempt to update. I am glad to have had the chance to see the country in this developing stage but without having a friendship there in the future or an area of nature to witness I think that I shall not soon return.

I realize that there is much more to tell as I am now in Slovenia enjoying every minute of the time with my friends here. I hope in the next days to keep the posts coming but know for now that we are in safe and hospitable hands and that for those of you who have sent emails yet feel neglected by the lack of response I have read all but had no chance to respond.