Bulgaria !
Dear Jim,
Just a quick note to say how much I enjoyed the tour in Bulgaria - it was absolutely fabulous! Thanks for all the work and planning
you put into making it such a smooth and fun and varied trip.
Many thanks!
Carol Friedman.
Dear Jim,
Our trip to Bulgaria with you was one of the finest I have taken,
and I have traveled in almost 60 countries. I have told everyone
who has asked since I have returned home, It was a GREAT trip!
We had a blast! Jim manages to get his fellow travelers "up
close and personal" with the locals and plans surprises
that are unique and fun. Every day was a new adventure. I’d
go anywhere with you—can’t wait for the Poland
trip!
For those of you who bought my CD of the Copper Canyon and
Bulgaria, let me say, "Thank you for all the kind words".
Phyllis Fuller
Hi
Jim,
What a wonderful trip! We both enjoyed every minute. Such splendid dancing, costumes,
and photo ops at the Koprivshtitsa Folk Festival!
Lee Furlong and Bill Cely
Our 2007 Bulgaria tour was a splendid and unforgettable adventure.
Our guide, Stefan, was a walking encyclopedia of Bulgarian history
and culture, and our bus driver, Pero, handled the coach on the
mountain roads like you wouldn't believe. Our second guide, Maria,
is a sweetheart. We had our own resident musician (gaida) and
dance teacher, Ventzy and Iglika Andonovi (husband-wife team).
Even if you've been to Bulgaria before, you'd love this trip.
Jim Gold pays attention to the details, and hotels, meals, and
entertainment are all excellent. It's worth the money for the
service. As for me, I couldn't get enough so I plan to go back!
Ceil Wirth
Minneapolis, MN
Dear Jim,
There's not enough space on this page to say how much I enjoyed my trip to undiscovered Bulgaria. So, I wrote a book! To see excerpts, click here.
Carol Karels
Leonia, New Jersey
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Greece !
Dear Jim,
Our trip to Greece was the very best I have ever been on and I have been on quite a few.
To me seeing where the Delphic Sybille sat on her tripod and seeing the bellybutton of the ancient world thrilled me.
I enjoyed the monasteries on the rocks and in Patmos. And, of course, the food and the dancing!
I would tell anyone to tour with Jim Gold. In fact, I’d tell them they’d be crazy not to!
Fondly,
Fannie Salerno
Dear Jim,
What a gift I gave to myself by going to Greece with you. This was a dream of a lifetime and it was better than I had ever imagined. Your tour was the Way to go for me. I learned about the culture and fell in love with the country. Thank you for making this possible for me. I will be on future tours with you, and my husband will come too.
Smiles
Brenda Benton
Dear Jim and Fellow Provata Counters,
What a tour indeed! How wonderful an experience! I enjoyed every moment of the journey. Greece is beyond my dreams and I know I will get back to re-visit some of the places we toured and the others we did not see this time.
Thank you all for memorable hours we spent together. I enjoyed your camaraderie, dancing, singing and making friends.
Special thanks to Jim and Lee for putting together and bringing to life this journey, teaching and shepherding (Guys, this would not be possible without you two! I hope to join you on some of your future tours.); To Maroula for guiding us, adding a touch of Greek xenophilia to our tour and educating us on the wonders of her marvelous country (Maroula, we missed you a lot on the cruise!); To the musicians for creating our private orchestra as yet another dimension of the journey; To Dick for leading Serendipity Tours of Santorini for some of us.
I hope our paths cross again soon.
Best regards,
Aida Bahtijarevic
Dear Jim,
Did that wonderful Greek trip really happen? Happily, we have the combined photos of all the "provata" to show that we were really there.
When I first met the group at J.F.K., my impression was that these weren't strangers at all, but instant friends, and that certainly proved to be the case. Then, the icing on this wonderful cake, was provided by the incomparable Maroula, who has to be the best on the planet at what she does. her beautiful voice, combined with her grand warmth, made for a perfect introduction into the cradle of Western Civilization.
Throughout the trip, you and Lee Otterholt worked tirelessly to see that we had the best trip possible, which I'm convinced, we did. You both provided us with wonderful teaching and delightful stories, not to mention handling seamlessly the many logistical issues that must pop up on tours like these. Thanks, guys!
This trip was a succession of wonderful memories, but three memories seem to want to step forward and be acknowledged as the defining memories of the trip, and they are:
Dancing at night, on the hotel rooftop, which was lit only by the ambient glow of the Parthenon.
Playing and "walking" at Epidaurus, especially seeing the line of ladies, coming down the steep coliseum steps, in a perfect exhibition of "stylized walking," because, as you recall, dancing was not allowed.
On the last night, seeing the lights surrounding the Santorini caldera, from a cliff top cafe, with several cruise ships, looking like small, delicate toys, far below. Thanks to all of you, for making a lifetime dream of a trip to Greece, happen far better than anything I could have imagined!
I hope that we can be together someday on a future trip.
All the best,
Patty McCollom
www.musicbypatty.com
Dear Jim,
We had a lovely time in Santorini, resting up and walking, painting, and touring. The first day we took the bus to Oia, it was a beautiful day. Then Tom rented an ATV to tour the beaches. I took a swim in the crystal clear water and painted the scene. The roads were fairly empty and we had no trouble driving the machine.
It was a trip to remember with fabulous sites, terrific folk dance leaders, a relaxed atmosphere, good company, and a gem of a tour guide. You really know how to plan a good trip. Thank you and have a wonderful season.
With love,
June and Tom Morse
Dear Jim
Thanks for a wonderful tour to Greece!!!! How about a re-entry workshop to help us deal with all the problems facing us when we return home?
Chuck and Kaye Roth
Hi, Jim,
I so much enjoyed the trip, and did find it transformational in a number of ways!
I read more of your book since I got back, and am inspired by your courage and willingness to explore the unknown...Hope I can do more of that with such lightness of spirit!
I wrote a poem about the trip if you want to post it on your website. Thanks so much for creating an experience for all of us that was so incredibly rich in both beauty and human connection!
Very best,
Judy Morgan
Dear Jim,
Such a great trip to Greece! It gave us a chance to see Greece and Ephesus in all its glory, with the added dimension of local dancing. We had four Greek and Turkish dance workshops and several international dance sessions in hotels and on our cruise ship with Lee. We now know the difference between a Kalamatianos and an island Syrto.
We were so fortunate that the Pontic dancers came to our hotel to perform for us, thanks to you. We’re looking forward to your next trip!
Pat Henderson and Bobby Quibodeaux,
Orlando International Folk Dance Club.
Jim,
This was a fabulous trip. From the visit to the Acropolis in Athens to the last day in Santorini, we enjoyed beauty, history, dancing, and food.
The two monasteries we visited in Meteora were awe inspiring. All in all it was fabulous
Willa Davidsohn |
