street music by Jonathan_C
Wandering through the center city one last time before my imminent departure my heart found resonance with some mournful Balkan melodies I heard. Around a corner I found an old Bulgarian busking on the sidewalk. I gave him my last few euros and sat down to listen for a while. His French was pretty minimal but he did show me how his gadoulka, which has no fingerboard, is played with the nails rather than the tips of the fingers. Over perhaps 20 minutes he gave me a little tour of Balkan melodies, some melancholy, some cheerful and some so beautiful I didn't want to leave. Eventually I did leave, of course, and I wish him much success in his wanderings. He is certainly doing his small part to spread joy in the world -- a sort of inverse traveller, voyaging more to give away what he's brought with him than to bring back something new.
