"Democracy has deprived us of many things."

Kornelia Ninova, leader of the BSP

London has Camden Passage (Portobello is so upmarket nowadays), Paris has the Marché aux Puces de St-Ouen, Rome has Porta Portese, Athens has Monastiraki and Tbilisi has the Dry Bridge Flea Market: local flea markets are one of the most delightful experiences in capitals across Europe. Once they were the haunt of those who did not have enough disposable income to buy new stuff. They also attracted collectors, fringe cultures, and optimists believing that they would find a lost Rembrandt among all the knick-knacks. With the advent of cheap, disposable fashion (thanks, China), mass travel and mass hipsterisation, however, those with little cash moved to the malls, and the joy of finding some vintage clothing, or a 1960s piece of furniture that would look great in the living room went mainstream. This trend ruined Portobello, and put all the other flea markets solidly on the tourist map.

Tucked in the midst of the Sredna Gora, or Middle Forest mountain, this town used to be a major settlement during the 19th century when the Ottoman Empire, to which Bulgaria belonged, was crumbling and Bulgarians were starting their national revival. Rich merchants and intellectuals lived in the town which boasted some of this country's finest Revival Period architecture.

The men's voices appeared suddenly from the darkness that had fallen over Mestia, the most accessible town of the Upper Svaneti region, in northwestern Georgia (the country, not the US state). Their song was strange, three different voices weaved into a single melody that sounded as if from another time – and its effect was hardly due to the strong homemade Chacha, or brandy, guests are treated to here.

This current issue presents a text by the 2016 Sozopol Fiction Seminars fellow and CapitaLiterature participant Christina Nichol

"We shape our buildings, therefore they shape us," said Winston Churchill and although he was a politician and not an architect, we only have to look around to realise that he was right. The cities are full with examples for planning and architecture that are a true document of the period of their creation: the scale of Roman construction imposes the might of the empire, and the light proportions of the Renaissance convey the idea of man as the measure of everything. Today, experiment with shape and materials combines with clear understanding of the environment's functionality and energy efficiency, in accordance with the public opinion towards greener living, comfort and interest in bold architectural solutions.

It could be an important part of the work of your company. It could be an important moment in your personal life. It could be key for the cause you are engaged with. The modern man or woman can hardly escape organisation of a small or large event, be it a conference, presentation, wedding, concert or something that has to attract the public attention to an important problem and the options for its solution.

Sight is the most developed human sense – according to research, about 2/3 of cerebral cortex are engaged in processing visual information. Sadly, we usually forget how important healthy eyes are, until the moment when the first problems appear.

Authentic traditional food is one of the strongest impressions a country and a culture leave to the visitor. Bulgarian culinary tradition is one of those who quickly win new fans. Created in the span of centuries, while absorbing foreign influences and building up its own traditions, it steps on the richness of the local land and produces an appetising, impressive result.

For the Bulgarians, going on a summer holiday in Greece has for long stopped being exotic. Everyone does it: the lovers of luxurious experiences, the adventure enthusiasts, the families preferring a quiet vacation, the camping aficionados, the water sports fans. Each of them has his or her reason to choose Greece, and all of these reasons are valid.