There's something in Bulgaria for which I am thankful - cheap bread. Bread being the staple of every Bulgarian, a loaf may cost as low as .80 stotinki (60 cents) at the local grocery establishments. Baked daily, fresh bread is always bountiful. However, friends and foes are equally aware of my affinity for the whole-grain kind. Because variety-seeking is a luxury merely endeavored here in the staples section, to buy multi-grain over the regular white has a hefty cost - a whole Lev (BG currency). So here's the catch. Only one store in my village carries that bread. Last week, when I went to the store to re-fill my cabinet, I noticed it didn't have my bread. Instead, there sat a stack bagged in blue label. Naturally I asked about them to which the shop keep replied, "wheat". Consequently, I bought a loaf, something I had to suffice with for now. When I ran to the store to buy more bread next time, those blue bags were sitting over the counter again. This time I grew curious and asked the shopkeeper why she wasn't carrying any multi-grain bread in orange bags anymore. After brief exchange of whatnot, she speculated that it was due to the recent gas shut-off from Russia that caused the bakery to stop making multi-grain bread. So how had the Russian-Ukrainian gas conflict affected me you ask? Well, it wasn't the obvious. I don't have a gas furnace to heat my place; I use wood. I am glad the gas flow is resumed. Now hopefully my bread will come soon.
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