Travel, Pg 3

Travelogue: An Artist's Journey Robin Ann Walker's Trip to Eastern Europe, October 2003 - Page 3.
The Journey to Gela begins. October 2, 2003 We had a fitful night sleeping, as Nancy, Judy and I shared a big room. Every time one of us would turn over the bed would creak loudly and start another round of giggles. Three grown women, acting like we were having a slumber party! In reality, we were over-excited by what we had already experienced and we had great expectations of what the next day would bring.		Nancy: "Well it really was like a slumber party!"
The morning dawned with bright blue skies, and we woke to our hostess calling us to breakfast. Sarah was a good friend of Valeri's and she provided a big hearty meal before sending us on our way. We were picked up by Niki, and another one of the Bulgarian painters (we found out later) Nasco, who was so handsome we argued over who got to ride in the front seat with him (me). And we headed up the mountains in two cars. The first stop was this monastery. The interior was totally covered in murals, which in turn were covered with smoke from all the candles that had burned there over the years.
After a quick tour around the buildings, I headed out back, where the local women were preparing food.
We didn't know how long the trip to Gela would take, and our drivers spoke very little English. It was a long ride, and we stopped for coffee once. The last hour was on a small switchback road, steadily climbing, and I was glad I was in the front seat. The last thirty minutes there was hardly a road at all. Then the road ended, and we were at the hotel, our home for the next 10 days. This photo is from the back side of the hotel, not the way we drove up. But notice that we are isolated, there is no town around, and only the one "road" in and out. It feels like we are at the top of the world. There are the five of us, Judy, Nancy, Nasco, Niki and me. The others arrive late tonight. We are alone in the hotel. There is a small staff, none of whom speak English.
This is my room. It's bigger than it looks in the picture, I have a great balcony view.	This is the road we drove up on - notice the grass growing in it!	taken from my balcony
	View from the hotel to the north.	A local farmer walking up to a field by the hotel. He is working the garden (by hand).
The other two cars arrived way after dark (time had already ceased being counted), and I can't find any pictures of our first dinner meeting with all of us together. Let's just say that it was my first introduction to Bulgarian brandy (Rakia) and I had a little too much, my cheeks turned red and I starting talking loud. Thank goodness everyone else was doing the same! So there are 7 Westerners, and 4 Bulgarian painters at this point.	A little too much Rakia! Valeri took this picture, to my dismay!	All these photos were taken Oct. 3, 2003, the first day at Gela.

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