Gene was on his way home, Nov. 12, 1993, when he started to think about his next trip. The fact that Gene was out of money, never stopped him at all. Gene was thinking, one more trip, so make it a good one!!! In 1993 Gene had bought a cheap new car with some of the money, from selling his house. So as soon as Gene arrived home, he ran to the money store (Credit Union.) in Milwaukee, WI., and borrowed $5000 dollars, using his 1993 Chrysler as collateral. Gene wanted to go back to Bulgaria, to get to know the people, to see the real Bulgaria, not just what a tourist would see. He wanted to rent a apartment and live like the natives live. Gene paid all his bills and rent, (four months in advance.), turning off his telephone, telling his friends and relatives to not worry, as he would be out of town for about four months.
Gene started out for Sofia on Feb. 3, 1994 and his friend Daniela Ivanova met him at the airport, and she had a friend of hers, who had a car, to take Gene back to Vratza. Daniela had found a apartment ($100 a month.), for him that was close to her and Gene’s new friend Yura Sivtcheva. Almost right away Gene caught a head cold and Yura took real good care of him. He didn’t complain!!! Yura was on leave of absents from her work as a pediatrician to study up on her doctor skills, but instead she took Gene all around Bulgaria. He asked Yura if she should be studying, but she said not to worry. Gene and Yura did all the tourist things, visiting Varna, Plovdiv, and other places, but we still went home to Vratza to live the real life.
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| The cabins, we rented up the mountains of Vratza. |
Mountains, right outside of Vratza. | Caves in the mountains of Vratza. |
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| Some interesting buildings, in Plovdiv. | ||
Daniela, Yura and the man named Illich with the car, asked Gene if he would like to go up into the mountains for a party. Gene said, why not? His friends rented cabins and a big kitchen, but we cooked outdoors and then went inside to eat, as it was too cold to eat outdoors. Illich and his business friend played guitar and everyone sang. We all had a really good time. Before Gene had returned to America in 1993, he had started a divorce action against Svetla Russeva. Now that Gene was back in Bulgaria, he thought that it would be fun to show up at the divorce hearings. He could not understand a word of the hearings, but Gene being a jerk, went ahead, anyway. Really stupid, as he didn’t need to be there, at all. Anyway, all he did was to make a simple hearing, into a much more complicated procedure. Everything worked out in the end, but not because of any help from Gene.
Back to the trip!! Gene and Yura were getting along well and were spending more and more time together. Going to band concerts, picture shows, long walks. (Loved those long walks.), etc. You know, getting to know each other!! Gene fell in love with Yura. Now, he had the hardest job that he ever, ever had. And that was to convince Yura, that he was for real!! After all, Gene had, had four failed marriages before, and Yura had never been married. Gene worked very hard at getting Yura to say yes to him He even told Yura, if she didn’t say yes, that he would go home and never come back to Bulgaria. How stupid, as Yura could of, just said, well, go ahead!!!
Gene didn’t like his apartment, so Daniela found him a different one. Same amount of money, but a better apartment and the owners were much nicer. When he made the move to the next apartment, Gene misplaced his travel checks and never did find them. Sense they were for $2500 dollars, he was worried. With the help of Gene’s Bulgarian friends, he was able to go to Sofia and replace the checks.
The last few days of May, Gene and Yura went to Varna for the Black Sea. It
was too cold for swimming, but that was not the reason for him and Yura to be
there. On the 3rd of June, he went home to sell everything,
as Yura had said
yes, to him.
Gene was happy!!
End of the trip!!!
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