Orson Welles
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
The story began and ended in Sofia Airport. The first thing that got my attention was that "Happy" sign. Was that a message foretelling things to come? Was Bulgaria my happy place?
Later on, I found out that "Happy" is a Bulgarian restaurant chain (I was too tired to notice the small print under the logo.) The restaurants are located in major Bulgarian cities as well as in London, England.
I asked the tour guide if this was a good place to eat. He said the food was tasty and the prices were reasonable.
My husband and I had a free afternoon in Varna. There was a Happy Restaurant by the pedestrian mall. We were hungry and intrigued by the restaurant name. So we went in and were seated by a waiter who spoke excellent English. Since the weather was pleasant we sat outside under an umbrella.
The restaurant is a bar and grill with a large, colorful, and varied menu that catered to just about everyone (even vegans). People of all ages go there to socialize, drink, and eat. They have indoor seating as well, and entertainment.
The highlight of the meal was the cat who attempted to steal our food. Street cats are everywhere in Bulgaria and they are used to people feeding them. (Just like my annoying cat at home!) I have had five (not all at the same time) and know what motivates them. Meat!
Was the cat included with the meal?
The menu is varied: they serve traditional Bulgarian dishes as well as burgers, sushi and other ethnic foods. We opted for the grilled meats. The cat stayed by our table for a good twenty minutes. She spoke Felinese with a Bulgarian accent and with a friendly meow she said "I'd like a bit of what you're eating." When she saw meat wasn't forthcoming, she got pushy. She stood on her hind paws, balanced on the chair, and gave us "The Look." That look that cats give humans when they mean business.
The waiter came over and asked if the cat was bothering us. (I like cats but not when they go after my food.) He gave the cat a tidbit and she was appeased. She wandered off to another table to find another human to feed her.
The rest of the meal was uneventful, and no more hungry felines came by for handouts.
Cats seem to go on the principle that it never does any harm to ask for what you want.
Joseph Wood Krutch
Read this article about Bulgaria's street cats.
The "Happy" logo was also one of the last things we saw before our flight home.
The video of the day is the Bulgarian folk dance Ripna Maca. There are two versions, Bulgarian and Serbian. I think it has to do with a cat who jumps on the table and steals food (in the Serbian version it is sausage).
If you enjoyed this you may also like: Dancing Across Borders: Ripna Maca
Link to the previous posts in this series: The Alien Diaries Visits Bulgaria, starting with the most recent: Part Three
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
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