Well, it is hard to believe, but the year as president of SCSC is coming to a close. I have truly enjoyed working with everyone on the executive committee and board of directors to make this a positive and fun year for all. I sincerely hope that we have achieved that goal and you have participated in many of the activities and trips over the last year and have made great new friends. I would like to thank the members of the excomm and board as well as the many volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this a successful year.

I encourage each of you to consider volunteering for either an activity or ski trip. Our club needs the experience, talents and ideas of its members. Find an activity or resort location that you love and volunteer to coordinate the activity or run a trip. I think you will have fun!! Just contact any officer to find out how.

May also marks the time for membership renewals. Early renewals ends May 31st, so be sure to act before the end of the month and save $5.00. Membership forms are available on line. Simply download the form and send it in along with your check. You can also renew your membership via PayPal. Log into My SCSC for the link to renew your membership online. While there, be sure to update your membership profile which will help ‘keep you connected’ to what’s going on at the club. Our website is www.spacecityskiclub.org.

May will also be our last general meeting until September so I hope to see you all there. During the summer months, we will continue to have monthly happy hours to reminisce over the fabulous snow in 2008. I hope next season will be so blessed.

A final thank you to all who supported me throughout the past year. Your friendship and kind words were, and are, greatly appreciated.

The TSC Welcome Ceremony began with us displaying our SCSC banner as we marched in a parade into the Main Square. We were greeted by the Mayor of Bansko and the Bulgarians entertained us with their local folk dances and music. Thousands of locals, perhaps one quarter of the town population came to the celebration.

We were treated to a east of Bulgarian food and hot gluhwein. This event, which was announced in their local news, marked the first time in history that an organized group of American tourists traveled to Bansko and joined in a celebration with the Bulgarians.

There was an excursion on Tuesday to the ruins of the ancient Macedonian city of Philipi. Sarah Granbery, Stan Broniak, Pam Smith, Marsha Lutz, David Eichoff, Tom Huzzey and Luz Marquez were among those that explored the remains of two early Christian basilicas, the grand Roman forum, the acropolis, and the theatre. The tour continued to Kavala, one of the most picturesque towns in Greece, rising from the beautiful harbor up to a huge Byzantine fortress. After a walking tour of the city, Darrell Kohler, Opal Kohler, Jeff Hanrahan and Sandra McCunis sat at a sidewalk cafe and ate traditional Greek salads and sipped on Ouzo.

On Tuesday evening, Brenda Soileau invited the group to her suite for a Happy Hour so that we could drink the bottles of wine given to us by the Pirin Hotel. Among those at the party were Ross Baker, Diane Baker, Tor Lileng, Gloria Lopez, Robert Reidenbach, Paula Gilmore and  miBansko, lan Yovanovic. As we drank the wine, the group shared jokes that are not suitable for publication in the Sitzmarke! Everyone laughed and had a great time until the hotel management complained that we were too noisy and were disturbing other guests. A few people continued the party at the hotel bar.

The skiers enjoyed a great week in Bansko. The mountain featured a variety of interesting terrain with a 5200 vertical drop and a 10 mile run. Sarah and Luz were enjoying the scenery while riding up the gondola when Sarah was mooned by two young men in a car going down the gondola. It appears that Sarah saw a little more scenery than she expected!

The hotel staff at the Hotel Pirin were very nice and friendly, but verbal communication was somewhat difficult. Allan failed to use a language understood by the pretty front desk clerk in his request for more toilet paper. He relied on a somewhat graphic, yet universal gesture to successfully procure the items. Throughout the week they continued to exchange amusing smiles, even when they encountered each other away the hotel. It makes you wonder what she was thinking when she smiled at Allan!

On Saturday, our last night in Bansko, some of the participants met in Brenda’s suite to mingle and drink their remaining liquor. It would be a shame to waste good liquor! When the liquor was gone, a group moved to the bar in the hotel lobby. A tired group said goodnight around midnight after Gloria fell asleep in Bernie’s lap and Tor fell asleep sitting on the couch.

After a great week in Bansko, the group prepared for their departure on Sunday. One group led by Sandy Perry boarded the first bus to the Sofia airport for their return to Houston with an overnight stay in Paris. The remaining 27 participants boarded a second bus to Sofia to catch a flight on Turkish Air for the post-trip to Istanbul.

Istanbul was a fascinating place to visit. Our first day included a guided tour of the city which began in the Sultanahmet district, the heart of old Istanbul. We visited the Blue Mosque, dating from the 17th century and the Basilica Cistern founded in the Byzantine Empire. The tour continued with a visit to the Topkapi Palace, the residence of the Ottoman Sultans from the 15th to the 19th century. Ross, Diane, Stan and Pam visited The Harem, the private quarters where the Sultans and their families lived.

The tour ended with a presentation on Persian rugs at the Grand Bazaar. When Sandra admired a rug, a salesman approached her wanting to know her budget for a rug. Although she told him she didn’t have a budget for a rug, he persisted and followed her down three flights of stairs trying to sell her a rug. However, Marsha Lutz, after looking at numerous rugs, did decide to purchase two fabulous rugs for her home.

Our visit to Istanbul ended too quickly.

With so many interesting sites to visit, it would have been nice to have had a longer stay. On Wednesday morning, we checked out of the Hotel Antik and headed to the Istanbul airport for our return flight to Houston. It was a long day of traveling, but we returned home with great memories. Bansko, Sofia and Istanbul were exciting new destinations for SCSC and places that should be considered for future trips.