Bela Dalton
Member
I was in Bulgaria around Easter once, and what stayed with me is how real everything felt. Nothing staged, just people doing things the way they always have.
The first thing I noticed was the red eggs. Everyone had them, and people kept offering them to each other. I didn’t expect the little “egg battle” to be such a big thing, but it was actually fun, even with strangers.
Saturday night was probably the most impressive part. People gathered outside churches with candles, very calm, no rush, and then at midnight everyone shared the same words, “Christ has risen.” Even just standing there and watching, you feel part of it somehow.
And then there’s the food. I still remember kozunak, that soft, slightly sweet bread, simple but really good. After the fasting period, you can tell the meal means more than just food.
What I liked most is that it didn’t feel like a tourist event. It felt like something people do for themselves, with family and close ones.
If you ever end up there at that time, I’d just say go with the flow, accept the egg if someone hands you one, and don’t expect anything flashy.
I started looking into it while checking options for a flight to Bulgaria, and didn’t expect the experience to feel that genuine.
The first thing I noticed was the red eggs. Everyone had them, and people kept offering them to each other. I didn’t expect the little “egg battle” to be such a big thing, but it was actually fun, even with strangers.
Saturday night was probably the most impressive part. People gathered outside churches with candles, very calm, no rush, and then at midnight everyone shared the same words, “Christ has risen.” Even just standing there and watching, you feel part of it somehow.
And then there’s the food. I still remember kozunak, that soft, slightly sweet bread, simple but really good. After the fasting period, you can tell the meal means more than just food.
What I liked most is that it didn’t feel like a tourist event. It felt like something people do for themselves, with family and close ones.
If you ever end up there at that time, I’d just say go with the flow, accept the egg if someone hands you one, and don’t expect anything flashy.
I started looking into it while checking options for a flight to Bulgaria, and didn’t expect the experience to feel that genuine.