Da! Da! Da!

 

THE BEST 

IS YET TO COME, 

BULGARIA! 

Da!

The Day Is Almost Here!!!

#оставка

It Is Time

Aye, Bulgaria - you have to wake up...



so that your fabled land can become, once again, one of those...



and even this...




Força, Bulgaria!
+++

Bulgarian Dream Match-Up!

The oddest party leader to have come down the pike in a long, long time, he who is half-way between The Che and Adolf, as for his salute goes (throw in a bit of Il Duce, too) - he who is Volen, not Bolen... but still...  After his many misadventures which saw him throw sandwiches at waitresses, challenge all of Brussels (hey - he heard of the Belfast Bruiser so he wanted to be the Brussels Brawler?) and, finally (last night, in fact, on the shortest of flights there is: Sofia to Varna - 35 minutes - he managed to, once again, drink rakia and make trouble all at once - his brand of multi-tasking, see...?) callously invoke his status as Parliamentary in order to calumniate another passenger on-board that flight; one who couldn't speak Bulgarian to defend herself...! (He even stole her passport!) He topped his night by punching a police officer in uniform who had the misfortune of telling him (in Bulgarian!) that he was a moron! (So our sources say: and they are offnews.bg, so they know!) Well, after all that, the name that seems perfect for him is, indeed... the inedible, ignoble, gnomish for he is diminished... Ataka-Man!

Opposite him, who better than someone with verve and as virulent as that little man tries to be? Who better than someone who can take on all comers - and still ask for more in his spare time? Well, isn't there this charismatic Protestite leader (he who first said ''az stoya zad protestite!'' back in May... maybe!) hailing from the proverbial ''parts unknown'' and weighing in with... well, a few extra pounds than that dwarf named Volen, that is for sure! (We knew Huckepack, Purzelbaum and Rumplebold... but not ''Volen'' we must admit?)  Now, his faits d'armes are not as publicized as the former one's (soon, quite literally former... well, former everything that he allegedly is, really! But that is another story...) however, if one was to recount all the exploits of this luminous individual... well... it would fill-up at least one book... er, right?  For he craves vindication and justice (in reverse order, of course) and never backs down from anything! Perseverance and resilience - with luminescence from up above! That's *our guy* here! The clear-cut favourite in any altercation (whether with the aforementioned dwarf or any other violent dwarf there can be: from Gourgen to Toe-Ninny to countless others - they're as numerous as the pecks of sand, verily... But that's another story; from one (or many) of our other blogs out there...!) - for Ostavka-Man's uncanny powers of persuasion (which are, truly, powers of dissuasion) making them all abdicate, down to their knees full of (fake?) remorse... eventually! Thus, aye, the winner always is... the ubiquitous Ostavka-Man! (Which might still sound as sort of an oxymoron; but that's not the point!)

Hence, imagine it here and now: the battle of the decade... 

If not merely the day, indeed!

Aye, who better, as special celebrity guest-referee for this contest, than the one, the only Opera Man himself...?!? Volen's defeats are being recounted as libretto, anyway...

Alas, forces are conspiring to make this marquee match-up never happen: skinheads with political clout, baseball bats and balls-and-chains too (among other troglodytes) are waiting the green light to openly hunt down Ataka-Man on the streets of Sofia (for ''campaign promises gone unfulfilled'' allegedly: we've seen that before! Only, other -smarter- politicians don't make it possible for the outrage to degenerate into full-fledged, fist-pumping, hard-hitting backlash as this one has, with his succession of ridiculous very public meltdowns all over the place...!)

Meanwhile, Ostavka-Man has his own enemies: he knows them (he knows where they live!) and they know him (too) and both camps could (also) ''atacar'' at the slightest provocation (sort of like Ataka-Man; minus the demented, dejected outbursts when he's not being given what he thinks to be his due: still, as we've just stated, he's in line to get his due very shortly... For the commie family does not always protect their own: now, where Ostavka-Man comes from, it's totally the opposite! But they're not commies there, either...)

And what of Opera-Man in all this, you ask? He's just doing his best...

But that's another story...

OSTAVKA!!!

+++ 

Bulgarians Dream Of... Futebol, in 2014?

Ah...! Da... Da! 

Another Masterful 

Luminous Production! 

Many Thanks to the crowds there, 

VIDEO NEWS.bg 

and the same two 

musical muses 

as well as my local muse 

for the inspiration -

as always!  

Sempre Por O Melhor!

+++

Bulgarians Dream Of... Faith, in 2014...?

"Because it is fragile Bulgarian people, gifted and patient, 
lied to and robbed of worlds and interests, 
by foreign advisers and their Godless kins.
Inside each of us there is so much phosphorus 
that it can make 2000 matchsticks. 
Can you imagine what a fire it would be?
Unreliable is this world, gentlemen, 
for people are fake, 
and most unreliable is time. 
 But when there is no faith, then it is terrible...''.

+++

Happy New Ostavka... er... Year, Bulgaria!

Courtesy of Yanne ''Ostavka'' Golev

And may the new year 

bring about the 

OSTAVKA 

we have been waiting for -

for 200 days now 

(and counting...!)

Dreams... of MORE violence?!?

This guy apparently has them in spades...!

Who Wants To Be A Troglodyte?

This guy takes the cake, really: 

with some kindly help from ''Motherly Russia'' 

he instigated a bunch of senseless scuffles 

(most notably in a restaurant in Brussels, of all places, 

on a Lufthansa flight as well as during prayer time 

all around the capital, Sofia, 

right at home hence 

but in the company 

of equally rude and boorish 

neo-nazi friends...!)

and, he does it all in the names of 

nationalism and patriotism! 

The lunatic is, after all, 

leader of a bonafide political party; 

a party aptly named ATAKA...!

(It would be such a great name for a 

Portuguese party, or simplest of slogans: 

''Vamos Ataka!!!''

Atacar, quer dizer... Em *bom* Português...!

É assim...)

Needless to say... 

You don't have to read or speak 

Bulgarian in order to grasp 

the virulence behind the concept 

and ideology of this party! 

Just when you thought you'd seen 

and heard it all...

!!!

VIOLENCE - but there is hope on the horizon...

Lurking, there, right on the spot itself...!

Maybe the best video yet 

in this entire series of 

''Ostavka! BG Protests''...

Remember, Remember, The 10th Of November...!

It was today that the people won -

and oppression lost! 

It was on this very date, yes, that 

the dictator abdicated - 

ushering in a new age 

for all the land...! 

It was on this day 

that hope shattered 

the dismal grey firmament 

that had permeated the atmosphere 

for decades of insufferable, 

inept and inane communism. 

Aye, it was today, 

November the 10th - 

back in 1989.

On this day, 24 years ago, the official start of the transition in Bulgaria was given, as Todor Zhivkov, the general secretary of the Bulgarian Communist Party, was discharged from his position.

And today, 

November the 10th,  2013 

we can hope anew. 

For, if communism is like a mythical hydra 

with a thousand heads 

- you slay one 

and ten more spring forth - 

Bulgaria does not lack sharp blades 

and fancy swords... 

Although, 

we all know that 

the pen is mightier...!

And a single word suffices:

#OSTAVKA! 

We can do it - again!

And, HEY, YO - NO, the colors of the flag are NOT upside down!

They're in the proper order of priorities required for the task at hand now! 

À Bon Entendeur, Salut!

Or rather... 

Zdrasti!

;-)

#occupySU

The whole world means *us* - too! 

Somewhere in-between London and Nottingham! 

Did you spot us?

;-)

Music: that beautiful immigrant song 

about a little white cloud 

being the messenger... 

A trifle more classical arrangement 

- kudos to whoever did it! 

+++

Say Zdravei To The Foundation...!

Ostavka Man was there... 

and The Foundation simply never knew...!

Dobrei...!

What a fine concert it was, still; 

full of raw emotion, nostalgia aplenty 

and great rock! 

Five -count'em, five!- Bulgarian artists 

of immense talent: 

Kiril Marichkov (“Shturtsite” - The Crickets!)
Ivan Lechev (of “FSB” renown)
Doni (one half of “Doni & Momchil”)
Slavcho Nikolov (of “BTR” renown)
and drummer Venko Poromanski (“Te”)

Five representatives of different groups 

united to bring Bulgarian music to Bulgarians abroad! 

Beautiful! 

They went on a sort of mini-tour across North America 

performing in Seattle and Toronto 

before landing in Montreal - 

basically, everywhere that there are, now, 

flourishing Bulgarian communities!

The songs they performed were familiar to me, too; 

all the hit songs that inspired 

generations of Europeans 

to reach out for their dreams 

and deepest aspirations. 

And not just each other's various hits 

but other bands hits, too 

(such as the quite emblematic now Kukla...!)

However, for the partly-Canadian Barbarian observer, 

appreciative of the sounds, beats, emotions 

but only -possibly- of a fraction of the lyrics 

(hey - it's all Greek to me, okay?)

it was like seeing the most compelling assemblage 

of diverse musicians ever assembled on one stage: 

imagine attending a show featuring 

Geddy Lee (it was good Doni looks and sounds like him;

and not like Donny of Donny & Marie!) 

André Rieu (Ivan Lechev can give André a run for his violin...)

David Crosby (Kiril projects the same aura -

he doesn't just sport the same hairstyle!)

Robbie Robertson (Slavcho is another Robbie, methinks...)

and Nir Z (of Genesis renown) on drums...

That's what The Foundation looked like to me! 

And that is, admittedly, a great foundation 

to keep on building upon, 

indeed!

Bravo! 

Viva Bulgaria! 

+++

Thanks, Joro! 

;-)

OCCUPY-SU!

OCCUPY - NOW

OSTAVKA -

soon!

Hopefully! 

#occupySU

#ostavka 

#DANSwithme

Independence Day - Força, Bulgaria!!!

Once again, we protest...!

And, once again, 

many thanks to the ingenious use of cowbells 

from one Petar Bonev, 

bagpiper extraordinaire 

from Bulgaria, 

making up the musical background,

which is much of the soundtrack 

for these videos and slideshows 

(part of our *Protestite Series*)

when there are no chants of ''OSTAVKA!''

nor inspirational speeches 

from ''Ostavka-Man'' 

to be heard and enjoyed!

Merci!

Konsolidatsiya - Consolidação - Unity!

How better to solidify a nation 

than to refocus upon the common struggle that it faces? 

And how better to drive the point across 

than by underlining the bond between nations 

(Bulgaria and Portugal, in this particular case -

why? 'Cause I say so - and am it!) 

with style, substance and panache 

and doing so with sub-titles, to boot - in a third language!

For I've said it before, and I state it again, here:

Bulgaria and Portugal have a ton of things in common! 

Not only do they share virtually the same national colors 

(the only closer match would be Hungary and Bulgaria!) 

but they also share a similar long, hard-luck type of history 

that made them who they are now, 

drove them to roam and conquer the entire globe 

(in different ways, granted - as in different eras too)

and shaped their nations for things to come soon... 

Their crests are astonishingly close (as they should be)

Their flags, as we said, obvious brothers of the E.U. 

And what can we say about the uncanny similarities 

that exist between the people, too?

Two countries:  two similar struggles! 

Inept governments are a fad all across the globe, 

don't you know? 

And so, having driven all that across to you, 

it is time to present our 

FEATURE PRESENTATION:

Thus, only one thing remains to say here, indeed...

And that is  

OSTAVKA!

ÉPA...! 

JÀ!

Ostavka Man's Message To Bulgaria...

Dobrei...

Never mind that...

Blogger boogers!

Here...

Have a look at this:

Da! 

Ostavka Man's Message from Luciano Pimèntel on Vimeo.

And always remember...

ostavka man 

is watching 

you!

;-)

Ostavka Man!

Behold the coming of... Ostavka Man! 

Drawing upon the fortitude of ancient kings, 

Ostavka Man swears to keep a vigil 

until the evil Oligarchy is no more! 

Even as most other protesters 

seem to have lost interest... 

All but the Radiant One, that is! 

With she by the side of Ostavka Man, 

all of Bulgaria can rest at ease -

they've got some big-time back-up there! 

Back-up that they sorely need, too... 

But that's another story!

Let's watch the clip now...

Music Credits: 

Гайдарят с чановете - Петър Бонев 

Uploaded to soundcloud.com 

by one Boyko Gargov - 

which prompts us to say: 

thank you, Boyko!

Ironically enough...

Tis a sampling of the wondrous work 

of one... Petar Bonev!

Uncle Peter would be proud...

I think!

+++ 

Pause Dégustation Durant La Manif...

NO WALNUTS 

AND NO PUMPKIN - 

PERFECT!!!

OSTAVKA!

OSTAVKA!!

OSTAVKA!!!

Many thanks to all the protesters who showed up, 

of all ages, levels of ''fed-upness'' and more, 

to George Lucas for the rebellious inspiration, 

to Commie goofs for the material 

with which we can knit our laughing stockings, 

to the Notre-Dame Basilica of MTL 

(for the background it provided, 

the atmosphere it created as  

for its Parisian flair - and envy) 

And to our musical guest, 

 Volodja Stoyanov 

(a Bulgarian with a Russian name 

who hails from a Macedonian region 

and musical background - actually!)

whose song enhances this new slideshow  

(his masterful ''Nazad Nazad Mome Kalino'' 

is sampled here - and it, once again, 

delivers the right tone and rhythm 

for this 2nd mini-epic luminous production! 

Buy Volodja Stoyanov CDs 

wherever good Bulgarian music is sold - too!) 

Merci! 

Ostavka - Luminous-Style!

We promised you more chants of this nature - and here they are! 

As we continue to appeal for... heck, to clamor for... 

no, make that to demand that those buffoons in power 

abdicate pronto - and once and for all... 

We decided to take to the streets once more 

and so we stopped by the moribund grounds of Old Montreal 

in order to make it clear - once and for all! 

Since it is Montréal, we've got to make it clear in Frenski too...

So here goes... 

Nous semonçons le gouvernement Bulgare actuel 

d'abdiquer le pouvoir acquis de manière frauduleuse 

et à l'encontre de la volonté réelle du peuple - 

nous encourageons celui-ci à ne pas lâcher prise 

et à vous talonner jusqu'au bout, 

pourritures communistes et autres crapules assorties, 

qui ne pensez qu'à vous enrichir aux dépens 

d'un peuple trop bon pour hésiter encore 

à vous faire déguerpir de force...!

For those of you wondering what the hell is being said 

in the above video: it's, quite literally, 

''Yo, Bulgaria!  Az Stoya Zad Protestite! 

Ostavka! Ostavka! Ostavka!''

In other words: 

''Hey, Bulgaria - it is me who is behind 

all of those protests - yeah! 

Resignation! Resignation! Resignation!'' 

That certain corrupt political clod 

who thought he had it all figured out 

certainly never saw THIS ONE coming...!

Many thanks to the 18-second director, George, 

and his loud and crystal-clear ''cut'' in there... 

And to our Macedonian friend to all, 

Volodja Stoyanov 

whose song enhances the slideshow part 

of this short luminous presentation 

(his masterful ''Makedonsko Devoiche'' 

is sampled here - and it delivers the right tone 

for this mini-epic luminous production! 

Buy Volodja Stoyanov CDs 

wherever good Macedonian music is sold!) 

And to end on a colourful note, 

let us quote another songman,  Billy Joel: 

we didn't start the fire - 

it was always burning 

since the world was turning... 

Sure... 

But we can always add fuel to it! 

;-)

Ostavka - Lubomir-Style!

Ostavka / Оставка from Lubomir Petkov on Vimeo.

And also CYRILLIC-STYLE... as it is! 
Cyrillic - and epic! 
A trailer worthy of the greatest 
cinematic event...! 
However - this isn't cinema.
This is REAL! 
And reality is always stranger than fiction! 

From one LP to another -
bravo!

;-)