The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2017

78 JULY-AUGUST 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL LOCAL LENS BY JENNY COBBLE n PERNIK, BULGARIA Please submit your favorite, recent photograph to be considered for Local Lens. Images must be high resolution (at least 300 dpi at 8” x 10”, or 1 MB or larger) and must not be in print elsewhere. Please include a short description of the scene/ event, as well as your name, brief biodata and the type of camera used, to locallens@afsa.org. A s we stepped out of our car, we heard the bells. The air was filled with excitement and the smell of homemade Bulgarian banitsa, donuts and grilling meat! There is nothing quite like a Kukeri Festival, and the most famous of all is the Surva Festival of Masquerade Games in Pernik. More than 5,000 performers from all over Bulgaria and a dozen other countries gather together yearly for this colorful, fearsome display of Bulgarian folklore intended to dispel spirits that might otherwise bring loshotiya , or ill fortune, to a community. Their performances and costumes can also win them coveted awards and prizes. n Jenny Cobble is the spouse of Terry Cobble, RSO Sofia. Bulgaria is an amazing place for photographers, she says. There is no other beauty like it! With four seasons, pristine lakes, endless forests, the Black Sea, majestic mountains and strik- ing historical sights to visit, the choices are endless for photography trips. She took this photo with a Nikon D810.