Folklore

While many Western countries believe that Friday the 13th is an ominous day, it is Tuesday the 13th that Greeks fear the most. Misfortune and calamity struck with the fall of Constantinople to the Fourth Crusade on Tuesday, April 13, 1204 paving the way for the Fall of the city to the Ottomans many Tuesdays later on Tuesday, May 29, 1453.

Greek researcher Eleni Antoniadou has was picked by Forbes in third place in the list of top global health professional under the age of 30.

The text accompanying Antoniadou’s photo notes that Eleni is chasing the “Holy Grail” of bio-technology, namely, the creation of mammalian organs in the lab, a process that would eventually lead to transplants for patients whenever necessary.

A new edition of the annual East in the Park festival is due this Sunday afternoon in downtown Sofia.

At the Summer Scene One More ???? ("One More Cinema"), singing lessons, storytelling, dancing, yoga, and Eastern fairy tales will all be part of the event scheduled between 15:00 and 19:00.

Time to admit, I have a fondness for gin and tonic, or maybe just gin with a dash of vermouth. My undeniable inclination for gin as a choice of drink is easy to explain: It was my first ever drink in life. I did not start my drinking career by taking shy sips of wine or beer, or tasting the cloying sweet liquors my paternal grandmother used to enjoy along with her dense Turkish coffee.

Bulgarians from all over the country are expected to gather at the Rozhen folklore fair, which is taking place in the Rhodope mountains between Friday and Sunday.

The roots of the fair, which takes place on the meadows of the Rozhen area in the municipality of Smolyan, can be traced back to 1898 and its last edition was back in 2006.

“Strange Magic”. That’s the title of George Lucas’ new fairy tale. A tale comprising of a mosaic of goblins, fairies and weird creatures in a forest, all in the form of a musical. It was inspired by Shakespeare’s classic “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and it is filled with wonderful songs of the past six decades, ranging from Elvis Presley, to Beyonce and Lady Gaga.

The biggest cultural event in the Bulgarian emigrant community across the ocean happened in Chicago. This was the fifth edition of the folklore festival ''Vereya'', featuring the slogan ''Folklore is magic''.

For two days Bulgarian dance crews and singing groups celebrated as is the typical practice of the folkloric groups around Koprivshtica.

Turkey marking National Sovereignty and Children's Day yesterday. As for the Children's Day, there was no problem. Even the neo-sultan of the grotesque palace temporarily gave his specious seat to a small girl, allowed another girl playing a violin to entertain him with songs in his, his mother's and the Çanakkale martyrs' honor.

I love Christmas. I really do. I recently realized that I have not celebrated Christmas since moving back to Turkey from the United States in 2005, and I decided, on a whim, to spend Christmas in London, where I am writing this column on Christmas Day.

The traditions surrounding Sinterklaas have attracted increasing controversy in recent years, specifically in regard to the question of race with the role of Sinterklaas' helper, ‘Zwarte Piet' (Black Pete). The 2014 celebration of Sinterklaas in Istanbul, however, was a chance for merriment for Turks and Dutch people alike Dec. 6 has finally rolled around again.