Bulgaria hit by cold spell

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Bulgaria,s cold snap has cliamed lifes as temperatures dropped to record lows, schools across the country are closed, many rural roads and national roads have became impassable and power supplies were cut off meaning some villages and towns with no power, schools across Bulgaria closed their doors as the country cold snap takes hold.
Bulgaria has witnessed an historic cold snap over the last few days reaching records of 29 degrees Celsius below zero with wind chill.
Blizzards around Bulgaria has thrown the country into chaos with heavy snow falls and below zero temperatures, cut off power services, people stranded in railway and bus stations and at the road side stranded cars, buses and trucks as they make their way foot to the nearest place for warmth. Freezing conditions have created hazardous driving around Bulgaria,s many of the country,s main and rural roads. Local authorities have been forced to close many icy mountain roads
The historic cold snap will be around for the a few more days and then the country will start to warm up but the weathermen of Bulgaria will give no guarantees.
Keep warm drink lots of hot drinks and stay by the fire only venture out if you need too, for me personaly snow brings Fuji moments like the picture above of a man walking through a rural village with wood he has collected for the fire.
This image and many more can be downloaded in seconds

Photography weekend

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Coastume and portraits

Colourful costumes and hand made masks and cow bells that hang around the waist as they dance and play act for visitors. Colourful and fun filled routines to music are performed join documentary Photographer Cliff for a picture packed weekend in February at the 2012 Kukerovo Den in Bulgaria filled with portrait and documentary photographs. A culture packed short break that cries out to the beginner or advanced photographer don,t worry if you only have a compact camera you can still enjoy photography at this event. Your break starts as you land in Bulgaria to relax and enjoy a fun packed photography holiday with awarding winning documentary photographer Cliff Norton B.A.Hons of Bulgaria Photo Holidays. Return flights into Burgas Bulgaria from London Luton from around 100 pounds. The Kukerovo Den short break is idea short holiday coasting 500 pounds for two photographers sharing a twin beded room or a photographer and his no photographer partner sharing a twin beded room.
Culture weekend is idea for photographers or non photgrapher, just got your first digital camera its a great way to learn new skills with Cliff on hand all weekend to help you along. Contact Cliff for more information nortoncliff@ymail or call cliff on 00359 884 495 381

Whats in the package transport to and from the airport, transport to Kukerovo Den events that we will be covering during your stay, use of the hot tub to relax in after a hard days photography, meals at the cottage, Saturday evening meal in a traditional Bulgaria cafe bar, whats not in is flights, personal items and travel insurance.

Limited places cliff only guides small group photography tours.

Winters day

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Cirl Bunting taken with a clean back ground


Most of Bulgaria is effected by the sudden snow blizzards across the country and tempratures ranging from – 12 to -29 its cold. Walking around the outlaying fields of Malomirovo with my camera and sigma 150 to 500 mm zoom lens at the ready its not long before my feeling my fingers were feeling the cold. Limiting my photography walks to an hour at a time then back indoors for a warm and a hot mug of coffee. I am lucky to live on the edge of our village so its just a short walk to my photography patch and enjoying the wonders of wildlife in winter. Snow covered ground brings a few problems of its own for photography this time of year when the world looks white all over, I turn to manual dails on my camera taking my own spot meter light readings. Working in manual and taking manual reading from my hand or a object that looks nearest to 18 percent grey for best results. This Cirl Bunting made eye concact with me and puffed out his body to make himself look bigger this action add a punky look to my photograph. Enjoying a free meal of sraps and corn that I had just place on the ground with the right backdrop to allow my subjects a clean brackground of white. Pocket full of mixed seeds this time of year helps to attract birds into the front of your camera and also handing out a much needed free meal.

Stars of wildlife

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Front page of the VT Times


Goldfinchs that spend the winter in the village of Malomirovo star on the front cover of the first edition of the VT Times an English Newspaper put together by Rachel Pritchard and her staff. VT Times newspaper covers the city Veliko Tarnovo and the local area. Veliko Tarnovo was once the main capital of Bulgaria but now is known as the majestic capital and among one of Bulgaria,s main tourist attractions. Veliko Tarnovo stands on steep gauge of the river Yantra offering some very picturesque views. If staying in Bulgaria its well worth a visit, to make the visit more enjoyable book into one of the may guesthouses and stay over night.

This image was taken the morning after a fresh snow fall of 2010 in the village and can be used as blank note card for any part of the year.

If you would like to see more photographs visit the links on the left hand side of the village blog.

The photograph Goldfinchs in the snow will make a wonderfull Christmas card for 2012

We would like to wish the staff of the VT Times all the best for the coming editions

New years Day

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Survachka stick

The old Bulgarian tradition of Surva is practiced on New Years Day with young children chanting best wishes to family and friends. Children go to households with stick in hand and slap householders on the back wishing them a healhtly and prosperous New Year.

Remember to hand over a token of your appreciation with some stinkies or sweets.

PS Stinkies is small domination of Bulgarian money.

Survanhka Stick is made of cornel tree twigs adorned with pop corn, dried fruit, red woolen threads and cotton.

Koledari

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Christmas Day celebrations in Yambol with a traditional song, dance competition

Koledari is a term refering to the Bulgarian orthodox Christmas carolers.Carolers traditionally start their rounds at midnight on Christmas Eve. Visiting houses of their relatives, neighbours and other people in the village. Caroling usually performed by young men, and accompanied by an elder one called stanenik. The carolers carries a stick called gega. Wishing people from the village health, wealth and happiness.Each year caroler groups fro towns and village meet up in Yambol for a competition on Christmas Day.Christmas holiday “Yambol 2012″ held on Christmas Day 25, 2011 involved 42 groups from the areas of Yambol, Burgas, Sliven, Haskovo and Stara Zagora. Held each year on Christmas Day in the square space at the front of Yambol Municipality building. Groups compete in four categories – ritual, song, dance groups and children,s under the age of 14.The competition program begins with a presentation of children’s singing groups and Christmas ritual groups

Visit the Koledari gallery to view more photographs from this event enter through the home page

Autumn light

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A walk in the park


An early walk always brings me the most enjoyable light for photography, light is golden at this time of the year. Golden coloured leafs on the trees and ground make this image. This photograph was taken at our local park and woodland in the small rural town of Elhovo Bulgaria. The bright orange cast of the morning gives a warm feeling to the photograph. The frost of the morning had gone by the time we had arrived leaving only the warm of the early morning sun as you walked through the park and enjoyed the colours of this time of year.
To download this photograph or buy a print visit our gallery link on the main page.