Cleaning up Shabla

One of the partners I used to work for used to say that being a lawyer is much the same as being the guy with the circus who follows around the elephants and shovels up their shit. It’s been a long time since I’ve gone around cleaning up shit, but that’s exactly what I spent much of the past week doing. I charged exactly $275 an hour less than I used to charge, and I wore a swimsuit rather than a coat and tie. I wore sandals instead of dress shoes, and, instead of an office or a courthouse, my work was done on the beach and dunes and in the marsh. It wasn’t a mentally challenging exercise, but the oppressive heat and constant bending and stooping to pick up garbage provided more than enough of a physical challenge.

We were in Shabla, picking up the trash locals had long considered part of the area landscape. As frustrating and infuriating as it was to see all the trash strewn on the beach and in the marshes (we filled upwards of 700 bags with garbage and with more time and manpower could have filled ten times that many), it was encouraging and rewarding to work with the other volunteers who came from all around Bulgaria to join the effort. We worked hard and played hard, shared our frustrations and laughter, and forged new friendships. More than anything, we had fun.

The experience also reinforced something I often forget. After everyone else had slipped off to bed and I was tending to the bonfire we built nightly, I looked out to the sea. Having been focused on the fire to that point, I was amazed to see the waves crashing in were glowing blue. Upon closer inspection, so were parts of the sand which had been touched by the water. It’s possible I’d seen it before somewhere, but I was really entranced by the phosphorescent sea (this phenomenon is caused by bioluminescent dinoflagellates). And that’s when I was reminded that some people get it, and some people don’t. Most of us waste too much time working with those who don't get it, and not enough time working with those who do. It was nice to spend five days working with a group of people who do get it.

From a distance, the area looks pristine.





Up close, however, things don't look so pretty.


Here is the crew getting some last minute instructions.


And in action.


It was too late to do anything to save this Harbor Porpoise ...


or this dolphin.


But we did see some live Bottle-nosed Dolphins and plenty of other things worth trying to protect, such as Great Cormorants,



European Bee-eaters,


Red-backed Shrikes,


Lesser Gray Shrikes,


Pied Wheatears,


Tawny Pipits,


White Wagtails,


Callandra Larks,


and many other critters.











In July, much of Bulgaria is a seemingly never-ending field of sunflowers. The area around Shabla is no different.






As a reward for our hard work, we were treated to a trip to the Yailata National Archaeological Reserve. Located 1.5 kilometers south of the village of Kamen Bryag, Yailata is one of the more interesting places I've visited along the Bulgarian coast. In addition to ruins of a stronghold dating back to Roman and Byzantine times, the reserve is home to approximately 40 caves which were once part of an ancient cave settlement.

Most of the caves are dug into vertical cliffs hanging over the sea. Here is a shot of the sea looking out from one of the caves.


And here are some shots of the surrounding cliffs.

Recipe #11: Таратор (Tarator)

It’s hot in Bulgaria. Really hot. For the past several days it’s been pushing 100º F. That means it’s time for таратор (tarator). The first time I saw tarator, I thought maybe it was a chowder or cream of potato soup. Not even close. Imagine my surprise when the first spoonful revealed three of my least favorite tastes – cucumber, sour milk, and dill – in a cold soup. I nearly gagged. But a funny thing happened. I finished the first spoonful and had another. Then I finished the bowl and got another. And I haven’t stopped eating the stuff since. It’s especially refreshing on hot days, and it’s incredibly easy to make. This is a recipe which yields 3-4 servings.

Ingredients:

400 grams of plain yogurt
1 large cucumber – skinned and grated
3 cloves garlic – grated
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 tablespoons fresh dill – finely chopped
cold water
salt

Mix the yogurt thoroughly. Add the cucumber, garlic, and oil and mix together. Dilute with cold water and stir to desired thickness (I typically use equal parts yogurt and water). Salt to taste. Sprinkle with dill (most recipes also call for ground walnuts, but I have yet to be served tarator with walnuts).

Гургулят (Gurgulyat)

On Saturday, I joined some friends on a hike to the nearby village of Гургулят (Gurgulyat). With a population of fewer than 40 (excluding livestock), Gurgulyat isn’t exactly a tourist hotspot. Like many Bulgarian villages, the place appears to be dying. As outsiders, it’s easy for us to romanticize such places and mourn for their loss thinking they have seen better days. Maybe they have, but, having spoken to people who grew up in villages like Gurgulyat, I know life in such places was never easy. And, if you look closely, you realize that these places aren’t dying. Crumbling buildings and a relative absence of people may not jive with our romantic notion of such places, but I doubt the villages’ glory days do either. And, as much as I enjoyed the day we spent in Gurgulyat, I’m not sure I would want it any other way than it is now.

A dirt track leading to the village.


Shots around town.




Prior to the time we returned to town to have lunch and catch the bus home, we saw two people. This guy and his wife.


We also ran into their horse ... in the middle of the street.


We had the rest of this to ourselves.