Program 776: Bulgarian Christmas; What's New in Istanbul; Eight Flavors in the Pantry

They take their holidays seriously in Bulgaria. On the next Travel with Rick Steves, hear about the old world Bulgarian traditions that make the Christmas season feel special.

A guide from Istanbul updates us on what's new and improved in the cultural capital of Turkey.

And culinary historian Sarah Lohman tells us about the eight spices and flavorings that people across America are likely to agree on, and have in their pantry.

• Stefan Bozadzhiev, tour guide based in Sofia, Bulgaria
• Lale Sürmen Aran, tour guide based in Istanbul, Turkey
• Culinary historian Sarah Lohman, author of "Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine" (Simon & Schuster)

• Stefan Bozadzhiev blogs about Bulgaria travel on Facebook, and offers tours of Bulgaria and neighboring countries through Lyuba Tours, based in Sofia.
• The late founder of Lyuba Tours, Lyuba Boyanin, shared her own look at Bulgarian Christmastime traditions with Rick in the middle of Travel with Rick Steves program #228c in 2014.
• Lale Sürmen Aran operates SRM Travel, which specializes in tours of Turkey and the Middle East region.
• Lale and her husband Tankut are co-authors of the Rick Steves Istanbul guidebook. They also operate a boutique hotel in Mustafapasa, called Cappadocia Estates.
• The Rick Steves online guide to Istanbul.
• Culinary historian Sarah Lohman is the author of "Eight Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine." Sarah's newest book is "Endangered Eating: America's Vanishing Foods." Her archived gastronomy food blog is at FourPoundsFlour.com.

• "I just finished a course on the art of Byzantium. Our professor said Hagia Sofia has been a museum for many decades, but the current government had turned it back into a mosque. Will the Byzantine mosaics be preserved?" (Lynn in Tamarac, Florida)
• "What would be the best area to stay for a single woman traveling by herself? Are there any new public transportation lines open?" (Carol in Belleair, Florida)

• Nina Postolovskaya, "The Twelve Days of Christmas," Christmas Celebration: 50 Classical and Traditional Holiday Favorites (collection) / BFM Digital
• Baba Zula, "Gerekli Sheylur," Duble Oryantal / Doublemoon (Turkey)
• Muziko Monda (world music ensemble at The Boston Conservatory), "Bulgaria Tantz (A Dance)," MuzikoMonda / (self-released)
• Philip Koutev Ensemble, "Suite from Northern Bulgaria," Philip Koutev Folk Ensemble / Gega (Bulgaria)
• Meteor, "Jingle Bells," Petersburger Schlittenfahrt / Bella Musica Editions
• SON_SAS_0108_00301_Oh_Balkan_Mountain_APM
• George Winston, "Carol of the Bells," December / Dancing Cat-Windham Hill-BMG
• Divna Ljubojevic and the Melodi Choir, "Vsi jazici," Lumieres du chant byzantin / Jade
• KPM_KPMWM_0056_00201_The_Golden_Horn_a_APM
• * Ellis Marsalis, "God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen," New Orleans Christmas (collection) / Putumayo
• Orient Expressions, "Intro," Divan / DoubleMoon (Turkey)
• Yesim Salkim, "Istanbul Yeditepe," Pop Turkish (collection) / Atoll Music (France)
• Fazil Say, "Alla turca jazz - fantasia on the rondo," 1001 Nights in the Harem / Naïve
• The Istanbul Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Timur Selçuk, "Nikriz Saz Semaisi," Istanbul Oda Orkestrasi / Imaj Muzik (Turkey)
• KPM_KPMWM_0056_00201_The_Golden_Horn_a_APM
• Yesim Salkim, "Istanbul Yeditepe," Pop Turkish (collection) / Atoll Music (France)
• * Baba Zula, "Gerekli Sheylur," Duble Oryantal / Doublemoon (Turkey)
• Paul Smith, "My Favorite Things," The Sound of Music / Verve
• Jack Costanzo, "Inchworm (from 'The Garden of Eden Ballet')," Cocktail Mix vol. 1 - the Bachelor's Guide to the Galaxy (collection) / Rhino
• KPM_KPMLP_1276_01201_Raggin_On_The_ Mississippi_APM
• SON_SAS_0083_00801_El_Cucaracho_APM
• OMI_OMN_0059_00301_Jamestown_Suite_Colonial_Life_APM
• SON_SCDV_1016_02101_A_New_Day_In_Asia_A_APM
• 2FM_2FM_0061_00101_State_Lines_APM
• SON_SCDV_0985_04801_Inspired_Thinking_C_APM
• CEZ_CEO_2044_02901_The_First_Beer_APM
• SOHO_SOHOA_0115_01201_Pina_Colada_APM
• The Pied Pipers, "Mairzy Doats," Small Fry: Capitol Sings Kids' Songs for Grownups (collection) / Capitol

* Indicates filler music used during internal breaks on the broadcast

• In this week's billboard, Rick mentions that Bulgarians traditionally adopt a vegan diet for 40 days prior to Christmas, and mentions the "new" cruise ship terminal in Istanbul.
• Rick opens segment A summarizing the customary Christmas season dates from Dec. 6 to Jan. 6 in most of Europe. He also sets up the Istanbul topic, saying that its citizens are excited about a number of recent improvements in their city.
• The segment A topic centers on Christmastime traditions in Bulgaria. The topics in segments B and C this week are not holiday-themed.
• At 17:30, Stefan reflects on his gratitude for celebrating the season this year with his loved ones in peace, while people in other countries are living in conflict "these days." Rick wishes him a Merry Christmas at the end of the interview.
• Rick and Lale note that the patriarch of 300 million Greek Orthodox believers resides in Istanbul, the historic seat of the Byzantine church, starting at 22:35. They then discuss the role model Turkey serves for the rest of the Turkic nations of southwest Asia and for much of the Arabic Middle East.
• The rest of the segment B interview focuses on "what's new" with historic sites and transportation infrastructure in Istanbul.
• Lale reassures caller Carol that Turkey is safe for single women to tour, thanks to minimal street crime, at 31:20.