The approach of summer pushes people towards holidays, travel, and relaxation. Desires are always great but the power to satisfy them is sometimes less. In these cases, memories can be a temporary substitute until better times will come.
This happens to me every spring, especially in the last few years since I am retired and have time to travel... but there are still a few more to go... I am however a patient man, and as I said, I can often substitute real travels for pleasant memories of former travels.
Last year in Balcik
Last year I traveled to Balcik somewhat too late. I mean at the end of the tourist season, after mid-September. Balchik is a resort on the Black Sea in Bulgaria. In this part of the world, with a relatively cooler climate, the classic summer season lasts only three months: June - August. In recent years, with the effects of global warming, September has become a tourist favorite, but it's not a certainty that the weather will be good for sunbathing. Because of this, at the end of August, or at the latest 15 September, most tourists leave.
I prefer the less crowded (and cheaper) coast and for this reason, I only go to the sea in June and September. Last year, the one I remember now, was quite late, after 20 September.
The weather was great, the town and the promenade by the sea uncrowded. It was extremely enjoyable but unfortunately, as nothing is perfect, it was missing some of the things I return to Balchik every year for. Most of all I missed the restaurant where I usually eat. Due to the small number of tourists and consumers, it closed just a few days before we got there...
I experienced this before when I came before the season opened. I looked sadly at the small terrace, now ready for hibernation and waiting for the 2023 season.
Only the menu that remained posted on one wall of the restaurant still reminded us of good, cheap food.
Prices are, of course, in Bulgarian currency, BGN. To find out, with a small approximation, the equivalent in Euro or USD you just have to divide the prices by 2.
Today is Friday and it's the day we talk about shopping and where to buy. For #MarketFriday, this challenge was brought to us by 
Not being able to eat at this restaurant was a disappointment quickly forgotten because of the beauty of the place. A nice and ordinary beauty, but a special beauty of a place by the sea, where the light, the smell, and the atmosphere are different from where I live.
The small old town, is full of history, with many buildings reminiscent of the early 1900s. The town was built on a hill, with many narrow and sloping streets...
What can you do in such a small town but walk the streets, to find and admire the beautiful houses but also find shops and things to buy?
Attached to the terrace of the restaurant is an art gallery that we often passed by without entering, either because we were in a hurry to go and eat, or because we were in a hurry to get to the sea.
This time I went in and had a big surprise... The gallery was open, the door was open, but no one was inside. I mean not even the lady who worked there and was looking after it!
Normally we shouldn't have gone in, there were a lot of valuables inside, but we knew that lady (we had bought from there in previous years) and we thought we would go in and wait for her there. On this occasion, I managed to take several photos.
The exhibits, paintings, sculpted figurines, toys, and jewelry, belonged to local artists. They were great art objects to be given as gifts or to decorate our homes.
Prices are quite high. Prices for foreign tourists, not for locals. Hundreds of dollars... Fortunately, if you want and look, you can always find something that fits into smaller budgets.
Now I think a little music would be nice!
Music is part of our lives, perhaps even more than we can imagine. I can't imagine my life without music, hence my fear of going deaf in my old age. Just in case, I listen to music all the time. I think music can be associated with any of our activities. Music can complement what we do. In this idea, I thought I would put the music ( #mymusic ) that comes to mind when I write here.
More than that...
To make it a little riddle and invite you to try to guess. I'll give a few little hints!
This song is related to what I'm talking about in this post. It is a famous French song, it was written in 1946 by a French singer-songwriter who has written more than 1,000 songs in his career of over sixty years. He died in 2001.
Listen to the song HERE!
The nice thing about places like this is that you're close to the sea. The view is free, even if the trip there costs quite a bit.
I love these narrow streets that go down to the sea. I'm always surprised that the sea at the end of the street doesn't wash over us!
No matter how passionate, how agitated, how happy and angry we visitors may be... the sea remains impassive in its eternity.
But we don't give up either. Year after year we look forward to summer! And summer means... The sea!
This is my opinion. I am in love with the sea, I live far from the sea and my main expectation is to get to the sea at least one day every year. For everyone, it may be different because we each have different passions, priorities, and possibilities.
And there's something else. I'm a bit over-excited, I realize that but I can't help it.
An ending isn't quite an ending if it isn't accompanied by a flower. Now a flower from Balchik, of course.
