Flowers, flowers everywhere

You can't escape flowers in Bulgaria. I always receive a bunch of them from the family on arrival, little bouquets are placed in the kitchen and bedroom of our apartment as welcome gifts, my grandfather in law even picked me a little sprig of purple ones when I visited his place this week, "for health", he said. My mother in law brought peonies when she came to babysit just because she saw them blooming and couldn't resist bringing us some. Flowers are sold in steetside stalls, some open 24 hours a day, old ladies from the villages sell them on the footpath to make spare change and the markets sell masses of seedlings. Its spring time here and lots of perennials like pansies and marigolds are being displayed everywhere in restaurant gardens, cafes, public parks and window boxes. Even along the country roads there is a mass of colour from flowers - poppies, dandelions, camomile and thistles to name a few. Gardens in the villages produce a stunning array of fruits and vegetables, and always room is made just for flowers.

To me the bright splashes of flower colour help to brighten the grey city scape that is Sofia, they focus my eye away from what is wrong or broken to the pride and care taken in flower cultivation and display, in giving and receiving. Its the little things sometimes, you know. I hope you enjoy the pictures I took of flowers (and related activities) while on my travels.

I am out of here as of today, going home to Brisbane via Istanbul and Dubai. Trying to take the trip slow and easy, but the jet lag is still going to hurt, I hate travelling east. Goodbye Bulgaria until next time.