BREAD HOUSES NETWORK BULGARIA BREAD (FOR SOCIAL CHANGE) CULTURAL ROUTE “On the road with bread” To “travel with a mission” has been one of the life journeys and goals of cultural anthropologist Dr. Nadezhda Savova – Grigorova, Founder and President of the Bread Houses Network. She was awarded as "Traveler with a mission of 2012” by the global National Geographic for her travels in 76 countries around the globe where she conducted research and community-­‐building development projects around collective bread-­‐making (you can read more at http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/travelers-­‐of-­‐the-­‐year/nadezhda-­‐savova/). The cultural route "On the road with bread" is inspired by the travels of Nadezhda, who observed and experienced how making, baking, and breaking bread with locals in a foreign context is an unforgettable experience for travellers. At the same time, the Bread (for Social Change) Cultural Route is not a simple tourist attraction but a destination of experiences. It falls in the categories of cultural, social and green alternative tourism, offering tourists a variety of interactive activities that leave them with lasting emotional memory from their vacation in Bulgaria. Indeed, what’s better than to go home from a place not only with beautiful photos but with a heart full of love and hands with new acquired skills and arts! The route passes through six cities with rich history and traditions, where tourists will master different recipes for the preparation of traditional bread and pastry products. Part of everyday life and celebration of these cities are the socio-­‐cultural centers Bread House, part of the Bread Houses Network Bulgaria (www.breadhousesnetwork.org; www.bread.bg). Each one of them has worked locally for the revival and enrichment of forgotten in the urban environment traditions related to food, arts and crafts. But the core mission of the Bread Houses more than cultural is social: all our local teams strive to create conditions for people of different social backgrounds and people with diverse disabilitiess to come together to make, bake, and break bread as a means to help the vulnerable groups integrate in society, develop friendship and live with hope and happiness. Envisaged activities of our Bread Cultural Route weave a unique journey through the Bulgarian history and also through human imagination. Through our innovative method for community baking called "Theater of crumbs", tourists will learn about the interesting facts of the history of Bulgaria. By drawing in flour and creating sculptures/symbols and puppets out of dough, they re-­‐
create their collective sense of history in the present -­‐ here and now. Each theme is an inspiration for a co-­‐creative activity that leaves a feeling of unity, common direction, and family. National Coordinator of the Cultural Route: Silviya Nedelcheva, tel: 0884 04 80 93, e-­‐mail: [email protected] Part of the concept of the Route is to play a game. We know that when you visit a place, you want to take a piece of it with you: a souvenir, a gift or….. a piece to take a bite if you get hungry on the road. Each group that has visited some or all of the sites of the Bread Route will not only take freshly baked bread along but will also take from each subsequent Bread House one of bread’s ingredients (flour, water, salt, sugar, yeast, local spices, etc.). Once you get past all the sites, you will have fractions of the whole. In the last Bread House, before the group splits and departs, again all together with “Theatre of crumbs” will knead a collective bread from all your previously collected experiences of the taste and feel of Bulgaria – the most delicious, interesting and unforgettable memories ever! NOTE: The order of visiting the Bread Houses is not fixed, and the group sizes and prices are flexible decided case by case, with our National Coordinator of the Cultural Route Silviya Nedelcheva, tel: 0884 04 80 93, e-­‐mail: [email protected]. Veliko Tarnovo Address: Samovodska charshia, Georgi Mamarchev str, 13 Theme: “Kingdom” Duration: 180 minutes + Number of participants: 10-­‐15 Cultural Center "Bread House" is located on the main crafts street “Samovodska charshia”, which is one of the most visited tourist sites in the city. The theme of kneading bread is associated with the Second Bulgarian Kingdom and its capital Tsarevgrad Tarnov. Tourists will be familiar with various historic little known facts. The theme "Kingdom" will bring people to the idea of unity by introducing the Latin term “company” (com+ panis), which means “sharing bread”. This is the starting point on this journey. As part of the program there will be a demonstration of a medieval craft, represented by a member of the Association "Tradition" Veliko Tarnovo. Contacts: [email protected] Gabrovo Address: First Bread House – San Stefano str, 26 (close to Railway station) Second Bread House – Social Enterprise Bakery, Vassil Levski str, 1 (behind House of Satire) Theme: “Freedom” Duration: 180 minutes + Number of participants: 10-­‐15 The Gabrovo Bread House is the first house of the Network, more than 100-­‐years old and with its own fascinating history and attractive appearance. Annually it is visited by hundreds of people and is increasingly becoming an attraction for the city and the region. The theme of kneading is National Coordinator of the Cultural Route: Silviya Nedelcheva, tel: 0884 04 80 93, e-­‐mail: [email protected] associated with the historical fights for Bulgarina liberation from the Ottoman Empite on the Shipka Peak, and the fact that the entire local population was mobilized to provide food for the troops. Night and day, the home furnaces were baking tons and tons of bread to help secure the Bulgarian freedom. This bread was called “ Freedom Bread”. The group will interpret this theme and will complete its "battle" fought in the name of goodness and love. As part of the program, at the Bread House there is a unique exhibition of local gaitan (typical woolen string) woven crafts, a collection of bread stamps from around the world and demonstration on how to make Gabrovo’s pita bread (purlenka). Also, they will visit the second Bread Houses, the Social Enterprise Bakery -­‐ Social Club housed in the old factory called "Happiness", which we like to call "Factory for Happiness". For our guests we could organized additional tour of the city visiting some of the unique museums – “House of Humour and Satire” and/or “Interactive Museum of Industry”. Contacts: [email protected] Stara Zagora Theme: “Home” Duration: 180 minutes + Number of participants: 10-­‐15 In Stara Zagora the topic of kneading is related to the oldest and best preserved Neolithic dwellings in Europe. Home is where the family is. The old family house of the Founder of the Bread Houses Network will welcome guests with stories about the family winery. For the guests will be organized wine tasting and bread tasting. As part of the program for the tourists we could include a tour of downtown, declared as an archaeological reserve, and the Historical Museum, where visitors can buy clay copies of the early Christian bread stamps to use on their breads at home. We offer an additional option for a workshop with clay and making individual/ family bread stamps. Contacts: [email protected] Koprivshtitsa Theme: “Bridge” Duration: 180 minutes + Number of participants: 10-­‐15 The Bread House in Koprivshtitsa is the latest in the family of the Bread Houses Network Bulgaria. There tourists impart knowledge and skills in the field of gastronomy as a bridge between generations, which in this Bread House includes cooking in addition to baking. Sharing different tastes is way of communication, and the table is the place to discover your own roots. The group will be immersed in an authentic atmosphere of the recent past, to witness the transmission of traditions in the kitchen. The Academy"Culinary historian" administering this Bread House offers the opportunity for you to prepare some traditional dishes and breads. National Coordinator of the Cultural Route: Silviya Nedelcheva, tel: 0884 04 80 93, e-­‐mail: [email protected] Contacts: [email protected] Plovdiv Address: Old Town, across Hostel Old Plovdiv, 4th of January/Chetvurti Ianuari str, 4 Theme: “Shared” Duration: 180 minutes + Number of participants: 10-­‐15 The Bread House in Plovdiv is the old bakery of the Old Historic Town, situated near the famous “Balabanova House”. This over 150-­‐year-­‐old communal oven today opens doors to tell us about the diverse traditions of the multi-­‐cultural Plovdiv and its ethnic groups (Armenian, Jewish, and Turkish) and their peaceful coexistence. Wisdom lies in continuity and mutual assistance. Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in the world along with Byblos, where cultures, traditions and people are intertwined from millennia. Our guests will learn a brief history of each ethnic group and will travel through the taste of bread and Armenian pastries across several eras and civilizations. As part of the program the group will also visit the nearby Ethnographic Museum and its exhibit of traditional tools for sewing, harvesting, and grinding wheat. Contacts: [email protected] Sofia Address: Sofia Bread House/“NadEzhko” Social Bakery -­‐ Beethoven str., 12 (by Geo Milev Park) Theme: “Road” Duration: 180 minutes + Number of participants: 10-­‐15 In Sofia is located the second Bread House Social Enterprise -­‐ "NadEzhko" Social Bakery next to the “Geo Milev Park”. Besides the long history of Sofia as a cultural crossroad, in the Bread House “NadEzhko” our guests will hear the intriguing stories through photographs from around the world captured by "Traveler with a mission for 2012” of the global National Geographic -­‐ anthropologist Dr. Nadezhda Savova – Grigorova, Founder of the Network. The topic of kneading is associated with the new road/life path to return home after the transformative travel. Bread is a worldwide symbol of peace, and every tourist leaving Bulgaria takes it in his heart. Part of the program is a visit to the nearby Military History Museum, where we will discuss the bread as a symbol of peace and trigger for conflicts in different wars and social movements in human history. If visited, the Archaeological Museum will allow tourists to see unique models of Neolithic furnaces and stamps. At the last Bread House with the ingredients previously brought from the other Bread Houses, each participant will knead the last piece of their bread with a message of peace! Contacts: [email protected] National Coordinator of the Cultural Route: Silviya Nedelcheva, tel: 0884 04 80 93, e-­‐mail: [email protected] National Coordinator of the Cultural Route: Silviya Nedelcheva, tel: 0884 04 80 93, e-­‐mail: [email protected]