US LEGIONS TRAVEL TO BULGARIA IN JUNE

[Titus Martius]

Avete,
we've just returned from Svishtov and I must say that it was one big disappointment. There were only few groups (on Roman side only LEG I ITALICA and our LEG X GPF from Czech Republic) and organization was poor. We didn´t even received all money for travel expenditures and food was not provided, too. Our centurio will provide full statement on this event soon...

[Ulfwin]

Well, now I am home again. It is right, that there was a lot of chaos in organizing and many things, that could be done better next time. But all in all my group enjoyed the event very much.

The financial aspect, well, we'll see how much of our costs will be refunded. The point is, that with the vanishing of Mr. Cologni everything changed. No one knows of the deals he made, or of the sponsors he said he had. The guys from Svishtov who were there, are not the ones to blame. They did everthing they could and were always at hand when needed. That they could not afford to prepare the free meals for everyone - promised by Cologni, not by them - is just true. The average Bulgarian earns about 250 Euro per month and prizes are about half up to the same as in central europe, so I would never expect that they just go to the next bank and pay our expenses and free food out of their own pockets. But they tried to!

However, the event's organization managed to make the most of it, and these persons are not to blame because of the criminal behaviour of a single person from another country. Of course it was naive to leave all the engagements and financial contracts to one person, a lesson that we all have learned now.
But really, stop blaming the wrong ones. It is not the present Svishtov organizers who have given us too little money, it is a great thing that they have given us at least a part of the money someone else had promised.

What they have done for us was great: We arrived in Romania, Bukarest airport on Wednesday evening. There where already two vehicles waiting, with drivers and translators, who welcomed us and brought us from Bukarest to Svishtov (8 hours, imagine, for 180 km). There they helped us unloading the truck of the Italian Legio, provided food, were available until three o'clock in the morning, brought breakfast on the next day, showed us all facilities, showers, bathrooms, banks where to change money, everything. When my container arrived by spedition, there was a forklift at hand as soon as needed.
During the event, which took place in several locations, they provided shuttle buses and always cool water (temperatures between 35° and 40° Celsius). When an Italian friend of mine broke his leg, it was three minutes till the ambulance was there. So, the altogether 4 persons (!) who did the work were at hand five days 24 hours and I am not the man to blame them. On the way back our shuttle bus to Bukarest was exactly in time and everything worked. When you see the state of the ex-socialist buildings and streets, you'd better call that organization a wonderful miracle. That they could not do more, is understandable, and that they couldn't afford to give us free food but we had to pay for the kephte and kebabchi like the visitors, one meal costing about 0,60 euros and a beer at 0,50 euros, well, my thanklessness has limits.
In my own group there were also persons who sat in their tents two days, whining because they were hungry and no one brought them the promised food. Man, what kindergarden! There are shops nearby, for central europeans the prizes are supercheap, so what. We are grown up men, posing warriors, and cannot survive without someone who feeds us? Because we feel affronted by a broken promise? But targetting our anger at the wrong persons.

I have come there to see a different country and to run a show. Both worked.
The Bulgarians seemed to enjoy the event a lot, they are a friendly and decent people with good manners. If there is another event next year, I will be there, if needed on my own expenses. But as the the Italian ambassador promised to give his protection for the next event, I think the contracts will be more reliable than these of Mr. Cologni. Many details can be mended until then, and there is a great chance to make Svishtov II much better than this first try.

Cheers,

Stefan

[Ajantis]

Salve!
I would sign to every word Stefan has written. I had to pay all expencies by myself and I was the only member of my group from Russia because of that, still I see that is is only Andrea to blame, and bulgarians did their best to save the festival.
Next year we were promised that organization will be much much better, and I plan to bring my group to the event.

P.S. Thanks a lot to fratres reenators who were at the festival, we all did a great job! Special thanks to Legio I Italica for warm welcoming and armor they gave me as I had no chance to bring my own this time.

Vale!

[Ajantis]

By the way! Five minutes ago I saw Andrea logged in on our Russian forum..!

[Praefectusclassis]

Good. He's got until Wednesday to provide an explanation on RAT.

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

My sympathy to all who were wronged in this event.
This had the makings of a great event, and hopefully next year it will be
organized by the correct people.
Those who were in Bulgaria sound like they had a good experience, and glad to hear that some of you made the best of it. I would have loved to have come myself, as there are never enough events like this...best of luck for next year!

Hope you are gathering a goodly collection of lion Jasper?

[Arahne]

I was also invited to this event as a participant in conference which took place on the beginning of the festival. What I want to write here about is the festival from my point of view. Also I'd like to note that I have information that Mr. Collogni's wife was very ill so he had to go abroad with here (I am just writing this as info not trying to comment the problem about organization in any way).
In my opinion the festival was not just successful but astonishing. For You who are used to such events maybe the this was nothing special but for me... I simply can not explain how these 3 days that I spent in Svishtov changed my view to observation of the past. Besides You have to bare in mind that in Novae was castra legionis I Italicae. The moment when guys of I Italicae stood in front of principia castris together with mr. Andrzej Biernacki who excavates Novae for decades and Mr. Peti Donevski was so emotional for me, and I will never forget it.
On the other side you have the professionalism of the groups who are not just the reenactors but the people who really represent the romans, gauls allamans. Being in different situations with these guys I was really feeling I am with people from the past. It is not just their equipment which is perfectly finished, but the people. 30 or 40 armed roman legionaries behave and act as group of armed man. In a moment I stood with few of them waiting for the bus, and armed as they were they blocked the road to stop the bus, or check the pedestrians who were passing by. The great thing are the faces of them which represent the veterans of the numerous battles. Every face I saw has a great character for itself. Also what I like to point is the great hospitality of the groups who had the time for talking pictures or explaining the story about their equipment. Different events took place mostly on 3 locations and that was also one of the good ideas, since that it was very interesting to see how people on the street of modern city react to selling of the slaves on the market and such small shows. For all of these guys I could only say they are authentic. I had the opportunity to speak more or less, with all of them, and I understood that they are not reenacting but having their modern life side and ancient life side. If a men dedicates his life to such a noble task there has to be the way to help these events, and I hope that I would be able to help such guys if not on international level then in my own country. Astonishing experience.

[Appius Solanius Pertinax]

Well, I'm one of those who went there, with Leg X GPF.

I'm not going to write long angry paragraphs about expenses and payments and so on. Others did it already, and I'm sure we'll hear even more on this topic. Having to pay for the "privilege" of working for others is not a pleasant experience, but the amount it cost me is not that high.

What made me angry, I dare say furious, is the way we've been lied to. I've been deceived, cheated, taken advantage of...

OK, some might say we've got ourselves to blame - I should've been more paranoid. I should've listened to those little voices in my head, telling me not to go. But that's merely a lesson I've learned. The fact that we've been lied to remains.

I could've accepted the fact that Mr Cologni deceived a lot of people, including his own legion. I could've accepted the fact that his machinations deceived me. I could've accepted the fact that I'd pay it all out of my own pocket. But the fact that the organizers and the members of Leg I Italica didn't have the decency to openly explain their situation to us when we arrived, and resorted to evasion and delays, made me mad.

I can accept honest admission of a problem. Poop happens, we all know that. Repeatedly telling me that the problems are just temporary snags that will be solved "real soon now" (in an hour, this evening, tomorrow morning, this evening...), and making me work hard to discover the real scope and impact of the problem at hand, is a sure strategy for sending my anger into stratosphere.

OK, the event was chaotic, the program often ignored us, we had to look after ourselves... No problem with that. I've been through worse. But the fact that the bulgarians and LEG I Italica worked in unison to mask the problem instead of finding the courage to admit that someone fscked up... Heck, I worked to *help* them. I *deserved* truth, didn't I?!?

So I packed my things and walked away. Not because of the problems. It was because of the way those who *were there*, who didn't find the time and courage to *explain* the situation openly, acted towards my comrades and me... I *do* have some self-respect. Next year, count me out.

Rant over.

~~~~~~


The sad thing is this could've been a really enjoyable event. Even with all the problems. It still had some potential. We had romans, we had barbarians, we had a fortress, a battering ram, three siege engines, a stadium big enough for all the battles one might wish for... I got to sleep like a legionary, with my subarmalis underneath me and my paenula covering me... There were all those ruins of actual roman buildings there... I got to taste Bulgarian sheep cheese...

But too many people got too angry, and it sort of fizzled out. It was not a total failure, but it sure was a whole lot less than it could've been...

I hope I'll meet those I've met there during other, less trouble-haunted events, and we'll sit down and talk and find out we *can* work along each other. I hope I'll confirm my hope that all those who made me so angry were simply good people caught up in an unpleasant and difficult situation. We all make mistakes...

Oh - one more minor rant: why don't more members of LEG I Italica learn some English? I know, my own English is far from perfect, but come on, there were about three people in their *whole legion* willing to talk to us using English... And it is difficult to have a conversation when the two sides can't speak the same language.

[Arahne]

Some pics

[Gaius Julius Caesar]

Looks pretty good to me!

[Ajantis]

Appius Solanius Pertinax, it's a pitty it turned out like that, and sad that we will not meet next year on the event when all of my auxilia group will come. Well, I hope we will see each other on some other events. Vale!

Here are a few pictures of legioneers near great Danuba river.

[Opifex]

Ave!

This is my personal opinion. This is not something that my association would say. They say no words for that anymore.

There is no explanation for a inhuman creature like this andrea ...

To leave that many good people in situation like this...unbelievable. I think it is better for him if he will never ever appear on the scene of any Roman Reenacter. He got a lot of money from sponsors and he just diapperd with it. No question what it is... but leave this issue to the police, which obviously will not do anything with it.

Opifex

Upsss I just realized where I work... and how easy to get all his detailes. i know 4 phone numbers of him. I can track him down. And probably I will. So it is better if he sleeps with open eyes :twisted:

[Opifex]

Appius Solanius Pertinax, it's a pitty it turned out like that, and sad that we will not meet next year on the event when all of my auxilia group will come. Well, I hope we will see each other on some other events. Vale!

Hope to see each one of YOU in a good mood in a great festival. probably in Bulgaria.

[Ajantis]

Opifex, we will meet in Bulgaria next year for sure) As I'd like to come and bring my fratres with me. Hope next year's organization will be better as it was promissed to us.

[Appius Solanius Pertinax]

I'm not going next year. I'd like to visit the place again, but it won't be next year. You know the old saying: fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. I'm not taking that risk. I'll wait, see how the next year's festival turns out, and then I might decide to give it another try.