The most intriguing and beautiful part of Plovdiv is indisputably its layers. The past, present, and future is melded together in the architecture and the people. The city has a university, the main road sits atop of Roman ruins, the restored (and some not so restored) 19th century buildings are used commercially by many Western industries, and the entire city pulses with creativity. The remnants of communism still remain, as do reminders of legacies of empiricism: exemplified by the skyline full of communist bloc buildings and Russian statues. Further, the entire city is coated in graffiti and street art. I am reminded, on every street corner, that we carry our histories.
Serendipitously, as I pondered this thought, I read the Yogi wisdom found on my tea bag. It stated, "love what is to come by loving what has been."
Blessings from a city that embraces its shadows and its sunshine.
The Old City -- Ivan Teofilov
Your ancient tiers climb among through stars,
small blue donkeys graze the silence,
a Roman street twists down among the wedding candles,
a cry of woman's flesh issues from the clock,
purple landowners recline in their deep houses,
they can hear the pig, the hen, the train, the mouse.
The darkness is rising, its pupils sensual and quick,
the wedding veil flies on the chimneys breath,
the blue donkeys scamper on moonlit roofs.
Saints with bleeding lambs soar up
From white churches to meet the wedding veils,
leopards with eyes of amber watch the gates.
Bacchantes with satin headbands pour
Fragrant myrrh from bronze jars among the boxwoods.
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