The First Christmas Eve for Kamila in Bulgaria

It was celebrations all round as Bulgaria celebrated its biggest party of the year on New Year Eve. Kamila really didn't know what to expect as this was the first Christmas here, but it didn't take long for her to get an insight as to what goes on during this period.

It was quite surprising for Kamila to see that most homes here in Yambol don't have lights or fancy Christmas trees but maybe just a little tinsel around a window or door, that's it. What she did realise was the amount of family get together that happened and everyone just enjoying the company and conversation alongside delicious food, drink and music.

It was Christmas Eve that Kamila discovered beer. She had tried it before and didn’t like it but this evening somehow it tasted different, maybe because of the company and atmosphere; who knows? On thing was for sure though, it was respected and only one bottle was drunk the whole evening. It went down really well with much of the traditional vegetarian food Kamila ate this particular evening, the menu was designed for her.

All Kamila's friends were there as the talked and danced the evening away, never forgetting the reason this evening was celebrated with a little prayer all together before the party started. Who knows we told Kamila, your ancestors might have been one of the Camels that the three kings travelled on to see Jesus in the stable.

That thought stuck with Kamila all evening and made it even more special.

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Boiled Bulgarian Cabbage Stew

Kamila is such a helpful Camel around the house, when she is not playing with here friend, her helping hand is always there and today was no exception.

It is on the borders of winter now in Bulgaria and one of the most favourite of foods in this season, the humble cabbage. Well it may be humble in other countries but here it is the king of food in winter. Kamila had tired cabbage salad before and being a vegetarian Camel had the opinion that this was one of her most favourite foods and that the cabbage salad couldn't be surpassed, until today.

Baba was to make a boiled Bulgarian Cabbage Stew for this lunchtime and evening meal and Kamila was by her side helping out all the way through the process. She watched the ingredients go in one by one and took charge of the supervision throughout the two hour cooking period. She was fascinated by how easy the meal was to make and all the ingredients (all vegetarian) were so simple - Cabbage, tomatoes, onions, red pepper, salt and some sunflower oil was all that was required.

The meal was ready at lunchtime as we all tucked in, it was so sweet and moreish that Kamila gave this meal the mark of her favourite meal of all time and that is some accolade for a food as simple as this.

Her last remarks were, 'This cabbage meal wouldn't taste the same anywhere else!' We all agreed as we had tried it elsewhere and it just fails.

Kamila is learning all the time that the food here is the simplest and the best.

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