BULGARIA: Balkan Touch

Travelers who visit the Balkans without losing a watch or wallet are regarded by Western Europeans as exceptions, by the Balkan peoples as geniuses. Balkan gentlemen even joke about the dexterity of their own restless fingers.

One of their stories recounts that during a diplomatic dinner in a Balkan capital the British Ambassador missed his watch and informed his host. Unembarrassed, the host announced: “During dinner someone took his neighbor’s watch. I shall place a silver platter on the table, the lights will be turned out for a minute, and I expect the watch to be placed on the platter.” When the lights came on, the platter contained six watches. According to another version, the platter was missing.

Colonel William Joseph (“Wild Bill”) Donovan, commander in World War I of New York’s “Fighting Sixty-Ninth” Regiment and in World War II Frank Knox’s unofficial military observer inspecting the equipment and resources of countries at war or approaching it, arrived last fortnight in the Balkans. He had already spent several weeks in London, several days with the British forces in Africa. His first Balkan stop was Sofia, where he straightened his tie and went to call on the King. Leaving the Royal Palace, he discovered that his wallet containing passport, money and letters of introduction was missing. A search began and an appeal was made for its return. As “Wild Bill’s” hour of de parture arrived, the Orient Express was kept waiting 20 minutes while the Royal Palace was ransacked. Finally, he departed for Yugoslavia, Greece, Albania, Turkey minus wallet and passport. He still had his watch.