From My Busker diary.

July 21, 2010 at 1:35 am

Today I had a very strange day

I got up early to go on the island. Hvar to the early ferry. I boarded a Ferry that was frozen somewhere in the 1983-85. All of ferry smelled of socialist nostalgia: paneling, chairs, tables, pictures on the walls, the ads in "Korekom" :) expensive whiskeys in lightly dusty and obviously aged windows. Right down to the bartenders in the lobby bar - Old school pro around his 50s with painted thin mustache and smily slightly arogant face. The trip was little bit more than 2 hours... I walked all the ship remembering what was my childhood like in comunist Bulgaria... Alot of similarities

I went down to Old Town harbor and I took a bus to the town of Hvar. Day there passed lazy after my first show at 12 pm. Up to 4pm I was wondering what to do. Drinking coffee and walking arround the small town was my only activity. After 4pm. people began to squirm and 6 something made my second show. it was good one. I decided to go to the next town to do a show there and go to back to Split with the early evening ferry. Got a bus packed to bursting. I don't know why the trip took longer than usual. I got out and bough ticket to Split and realized that I had Forgotten my laptop in Hvar. 20km away and an hour later I realize that I am one bag lighter! Of course I had to go back by taxi. My cab was 10 times more expensive than the bus. I curssed myself how could I forget it.

20 endless minutes of thinking "how can you be so stupid... you probably lost the computer already, and these 50 euros for a taxi... aAAAAAARRTTTGGHHH!!!!"

It turned out that the laptop didn't left the table at the bar i left it on. So that's good- didn't lose the laptop YEY!!!

I had two hours until the next ferry Because I missed the early one... and a little daylight left. This meant that the third show had to be in Hvar. Decent performance with not much money but still - money :). Then left to linger in the local market staring to kill the time. A hat stall caught my eye, and in particular the wide range of hats burselinyo. I began to mesure, to watch and stare, again mesure ... suddenly behind me I heard "So... Good show today?" It was the seller. Turns out he is a fan. Watched my shows in Split last season with his family. We started talking. suddenly he said with quiet and conspiratorially "Quick you must hide!!! My doughter likes you very much we must surprise her... " So I hid.

After she arrived her father showed me to her and she screamed of joy and excitement, and began to beg me for a balloon flower. I made it, she asked me for another one - and it did. She went unning with the balloons in hand and shouting "Mommy, mommy look!!" as only a child can, we lost her in the crowdy market

With her father - the owner of the hat stand we continued to talk. Shortly thereafter, a blue and white bursalinyo cought my eye. I was. just about to ask how much when the little one apeared with a plush donkey. Was with his mother already beaming with joy and shouted in broken English "Present, present for clown!!!". When she saw the hat in my hand said "Try!". I caught several models in different color and started to pose and with different hats, but she liked was the blue/white burselinyo and said "Ova!!!" (This) - "plavo - plavo" (blue and blue). Her mother added, "she says that it goes to yor eyes". The girl smiled and pushed the hat in my hands and said, "Present for clown" and looked at his father and he made a face, "What do I do - a gift for the clown."

Now as I sit in the ferry I'm thiking. Did I lose or I won? Which is more important - lost money for taxi and a new ticket for the ferry or the happy child's face. Lost time and nerves or gifts of a child, which I left a vivid memory.

Up to today I use these hats ( I found more and I bought them ) as part of my clown character. I am connected to them emotionaly and I don't emagine my character without this hat.