After the modest ceremony at which my friend Randall Baker was granted the honorary title of Professor of Honor of the New Bulgarian University (November 18, 2005), I ended up with HIS bunch of flowers in front of the poster announcing HIS honorary occasion. Life CAN be like that.

Here I am with Randall, from Wales, and Roger, from England, enjoying their company and the rare nowadays chance to talk freely with a British accent. We are standing at the Wall of Doctors of Honor of NBU (http://www.nbu.bg).

It was Violeta's idea of a joke, maybe a little sick, to have my photo taken in front of the mural of old men who founded the Bulgarian Social-Democratic Party in 1891.

After Randall's treat on November 9, 2005, our generous host and I posed in front of Dobro Restaurant with the symbolic statue of a Serbian cook.

Entertaining our friend, Radha Blackman, who visited Sofia on the weekend. She had funny stories about her life in Paris in these troubled times (car burning, riots, arrests, etc.). It is good that she remembers her friends in Bulgaria, and rushes to see them at the first opportunity.

In The Chair of the Adventurer Vlado has embodied more than just a restless spirit. The color balance in this remarkable composition carries its own message and provokes both a sense of tranquility, and certain disquietude.

When we visited the penthouse that Vlado Bunardzhiev uses as studio, we liked many of his canvasses, but we bought just The Chair of the Adventurer. Getting from time to time in touch with creative art, probably helps you address life and beauty from a broader perspective.

With the granite bust of my best lelia, Aunt Mika, that was sculptured by her husband, Vladimir Vladimirov, and is really a worthy piece of art.

On November3, 2005, at the presentation of Leda Mileva's new book, Color Tales, Gabi, a niece of mine once removed, was the principal participant.

Although a little unexpected, we were invited to a grand opening of the first issue of the magazine National Geographic in Bulgarian. Nevertheless I was proud to have my photo taken in front of a huge blow-up of the new magazine.

A friend of ours, the Geography teacher Dimitrina, accompanied us to the event. She kept us a pleasant, non-intrusive and enriching company.

At crowded events like the opening of the first issue of National Geographic Bulgaria, one meets acquaintances, friends and colleagues. Such was my encounter with a good friend: ex-student and ex deputy minister of education, Lyubomir Kotsev. We promised each other to keep in touch. Who knows, maybe our next meeting will not be by chance.