Karaoke in Bulgaria
Oh my. Last night was Karaoke night. People who know me probably know I don't sing in front of other people (unless there are at least 10 other people screaming lyrics...). My voice makes caterwauling sound nice.
As such, I never planned to sing last night. This is not to say that I did, but I started to consider it. Karaoke in Varna is not like Karaoke in the US. You do not go up to a stage to sing. You sing from your table, and every table had 1-2 microphones. Oh, and you do not sing alone. If you choose a song someone else knows, you may find yourself as part of a duet, trio or a much larger group.
Back to my singing ability, though. There were people singing there that made my worse-than-caterwauling voice seem ok. Everyone was having a fantastic time and I never noticed anyone cringing in the bar -- except sometimes the people I was with. We were a mixed group of Kiwis, a couple Americans, Australian, French, Quebecois and another Bulgarian. The owner of my current hostel and E, another American (one of the very, very few I've met and found very cool (and who is now under the new A Little Linky, Linky to other travellers section)) sang a heart-jumping rendition of Africa. And yes, I have a couple fantastic photos... Only one other person at the table sang with a mic. All of us started hollering lyrics to an assortment of songs, including a Romanian song that's quite popular and has some easy lyrics in the chorus, the theme to Friends, Bon Jovi. You get the idea.
Nearly everyone in the hostel left today, which is a bit sad (though, there were a few people I was quite happy to see go). Though, I now have a dorm room for my very own tonight, unless someone shows up this evening. So, as in everything, there are pluses and minuses.
I'll be here for a few days yet, as I still have to finish my work on the previously-mentioned manuscript. It's weird to be 'working', though I must admit that doing a 'job' like this doesn't really feel like work to me. It will probably be a couple weeks before I actually get to Istanbul -- mostly because E gave convincing arguments for the peaceful-ness and beauty of a couple places he's visited, and I will be visiting one or both of the places. And I'm not one to spend only 2-3 nights someplace...unless it's awful and I need to escape. I have no idea what this will be doing to my planned itinerary to Western Europe. Though, I'm thinking that may very well be cut very short. I've enjoyed Eastern Europe a great deal more than I expected, and it's very interesting to visit EE countries that are now part of the EU, and then ones that are not (though, Bulgaria will be EU in 2007). After I stop in London, I'm thinking I might fly to Stockholm and see the Swedish Sirens of Buenos Aires, then take a boat to Finland, then another boat to St Petersburg, and then work down from Estonia through norther EE. There are a few people I will visit in Western Europe, but I'm even considering just doing a little whirlwind tour through Western Europe for one month, which would give me an extra month to visit EE. I will also state that the month in Portugal is non-negotiable for me. However, given my flexibility and commitment-phobia, if I find another place that would be lovely for a month in the sun on the beach, I may go there. But I'm REALLY wanting Portugal, so it will probably be Portugal.
If I could stay in Bulgaria for longer than 30 days within six months, that place might've been somewhere around here (though not Varna, because it's a little dull -- except for the people I've met).
Anyway, I want some chocolate now. Which means I'm signing off...
As such, I never planned to sing last night. This is not to say that I did, but I started to consider it. Karaoke in Varna is not like Karaoke in the US. You do not go up to a stage to sing. You sing from your table, and every table had 1-2 microphones. Oh, and you do not sing alone. If you choose a song someone else knows, you may find yourself as part of a duet, trio or a much larger group.
Back to my singing ability, though. There were people singing there that made my worse-than-caterwauling voice seem ok. Everyone was having a fantastic time and I never noticed anyone cringing in the bar -- except sometimes the people I was with. We were a mixed group of Kiwis, a couple Americans, Australian, French, Quebecois and another Bulgarian. The owner of my current hostel and E, another American (one of the very, very few I've met and found very cool (and who is now under the new A Little Linky, Linky to other travellers section)) sang a heart-jumping rendition of Africa. And yes, I have a couple fantastic photos... Only one other person at the table sang with a mic. All of us started hollering lyrics to an assortment of songs, including a Romanian song that's quite popular and has some easy lyrics in the chorus, the theme to Friends, Bon Jovi. You get the idea.
Nearly everyone in the hostel left today, which is a bit sad (though, there were a few people I was quite happy to see go). Though, I now have a dorm room for my very own tonight, unless someone shows up this evening. So, as in everything, there are pluses and minuses.
I'll be here for a few days yet, as I still have to finish my work on the previously-mentioned manuscript. It's weird to be 'working', though I must admit that doing a 'job' like this doesn't really feel like work to me. It will probably be a couple weeks before I actually get to Istanbul -- mostly because E gave convincing arguments for the peaceful-ness and beauty of a couple places he's visited, and I will be visiting one or both of the places. And I'm not one to spend only 2-3 nights someplace...unless it's awful and I need to escape. I have no idea what this will be doing to my planned itinerary to Western Europe. Though, I'm thinking that may very well be cut very short. I've enjoyed Eastern Europe a great deal more than I expected, and it's very interesting to visit EE countries that are now part of the EU, and then ones that are not (though, Bulgaria will be EU in 2007). After I stop in London, I'm thinking I might fly to Stockholm and see the Swedish Sirens of Buenos Aires, then take a boat to Finland, then another boat to St Petersburg, and then work down from Estonia through norther EE. There are a few people I will visit in Western Europe, but I'm even considering just doing a little whirlwind tour through Western Europe for one month, which would give me an extra month to visit EE. I will also state that the month in Portugal is non-negotiable for me. However, given my flexibility and commitment-phobia, if I find another place that would be lovely for a month in the sun on the beach, I may go there. But I'm REALLY wanting Portugal, so it will probably be Portugal.
If I could stay in Bulgaria for longer than 30 days within six months, that place might've been somewhere around here (though not Varna, because it's a little dull -- except for the people I've met).
Anyway, I want some chocolate now. Which means I'm signing off...
posted by Shana @ 11:08 AM
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