'Sofia Breathes' a handmade market in the streets

Sofia Breathes at Pirotska Street

Ah, the summertime. Most of the people expend all the year dreaming about August. Not me, because I’m a bit allergic to summer and a little freak, too. People think about the summer, about travels, about the beach, about long hours al fresco. And then, the naked truth. You have to work in these months, you can’t go abroad, you have to stay at home.

 Ok, it’s not so bad. Don’t kill me, please.

 It’s not so bad, I insist, especially if you see initiatives like Sofia Breathes. This festival took one street every Sunday of August and transformed it in a place of joy and celebration. Music, drinks, exhibitions, workshops, and a really beautiful handmade market. Perfect for expend a few hours in a very special environment.

I never told you? I love cups and mugs!

 This is the 4th year we can enjoy Sofia Breathes, and I’m pretty sure that every year is gaining more and more reputation. Of course, for me was my first time, but when I talked with the people there they told me the same. A place for art, for culture, for think about the environment and the sustainability in a very relaxed way, having fun with friends and, yes, buying things.

 I have told you once, but I’m really fascinated about handmade markets. I’m so bad with hands that really amused me how can they do such a beautiful things. Porcelain cups, earrings, notebooks, toys, soaps… You could find nearly everything there, made with love and patience. And, for a cheap price, you could take one of these treasures and use it at home. Isn’t great?

Steampunk jewels and notebooks! Lovely!

 This year, Sofia Breathes took place in the streets Ivan Shishman, Angel Kanchev, Pirotska and, finally, in boulevard Vitosha, and I can assure you that it was a success. Fun for all ages, in a lazy summer Sunday, who can imagine a better way to expend the evening in Sofia?

 I went two of the days (to Angel Kanchev and Pirotska) and I enjoyed a lot. I drank lemonade, bought a few things, talked with the people and took part of a workshop. I’m very proud to announce that, now, I can make paper flowers. Not perfect, but I’ll try to improve…

 Until the next year, Sofia Breathes!

Sorting out books, that's what we do in August

August is the preferred holiday month for many Bulgarians. Sofia gets unbearably hot, people move to the seaside. Not much point in keeping the libraries open.

Still, the librarians do go to work. They clean dust, polish bookshelves, redecorate reading rooms, sort out and label the books.

That's what we have been doing in August.

Sorting out.

Labelling.

Emptying out reading rooms so that they can be refurbished.

Some more sorting out.

And yet a little bit more.

Cleaning the shelves, German reading room.

Our tutor Valentina, cleaning the Scandinavian literature shelves.

At the Children's Department.

Beach library in Albena: now bookworms can have holidays too

EVS volunteers chosing a book.

As I write this I am lying on the beach, skin still damp after a nice swim in the Black Sea. It's summer time, let's face it. Next month, in August, probably half of Bulgaria's population will be going on holidays.

But enough about my hard life now. What I wanted to share is that I have discovered a beach library - a real library with real books located in the open, right behind sunbeds and beach umbrellas in Bulgaria's white-sanded Albena resort, some 30 kilometres away from the 'summer capital' of Varna.

If we believe the enthusiastic promotional materials, Albena's beach library is first one of such kind in the whole EU.

 
The setup is simple: one long, curvy shelf, stocked from both sides with books and magazines in several European languages, including English, German, Bulgarian, Romanian, French, Spanish, and Russian. There is also a small section called 'other languages' so if you happen to be a speaker of a less represented language you may still be able to find something to dig into.

I have seen plenty of recent fiction to choose from, as well as random books about health, travel and money; gardening, birdwatching and sex; arts albums, self-help guides, and digital photography manuals. There are stories for children as well as encyclopedic-looking volumes of classic French literature.  

View from the resort side. The sea is just behind the books.

The collection is always changing. You can borrow all books for free (only the name of your hotel is asked for reference) - and even keep them if you don't manage to finish them before your holiday ends. In return, readers are offered to donate their own unneeded books to the library.    

Both the library's stand itself and most of its resources still looked fresh at the time of my visit; the baseball-caps-and-shorts-wearing librarians happy and sporty. It is the library's first season of life, and, I believe, it has good hopes for the future. The sharing and reusing ideas are always welcome; and I have witnessed some interested readers. 

The Albena beach library is open between 8.30 AM - 5 PM every day. Unlike to most of other libraries you may go to this one dressed only in a bikini. 

The librarians' office.