A cottage in Barzitsa, Bulgaria


Bulgaria has a lot in common with other parts of Europe. The homes mostly have the terracotta roof tiles that can be found in Italy, Spain, and France. Their homes are built with either brick or mortar. I really loved the humble cottages the best, and as we set up our easels and painted every day in touristy places, I was not able to focus on one of them. The last day to paint, when everyone else was finishing their other paintings, I was on a mission. I went 1000 feet from Villa Charlotte and set up shop under a mulberry tree. Yes, there were lots of sticky fruit and flies. Confident after a thorough inspection that there were, however, no nettles, I sat down and painted the neighbor’s house. She was pleased to see me there and was happy that I was painting her house. Her yard was filled with wonders; lots of dill weed, corn, tomatoes, and other herbs. Her house was mostly bare brick, with a bit of cement patching here and there. The road was unpaved, and if you got up early enough, you’d see sheep with their shepherd, trimming the road’s edges. This is the Bulgaria that I loved the best.


Leave a Reply