Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Shaken in Sofia!


Click on the video below to see what my night was like last night.  At 3 am we were jolted out of bed by a 5.8 earthquake!  It seemed to go on for ages, I think because there were immediate aftershocks.  We both jolted straight up in bed, out of a deeeeep sleep trying to figure out what was happening.  I guess I was saying "what do we do, what do we do?!?!"  and Matt was sort of pushed me back down in bed with his arm and was holding it there saying "Relax! Relax!"  Once I got my whits about me I was like "WHAT?!  NO!  This is an earthquake, we need to get in a doorway!!!"  So we jump out of bed get into a door way...with my precious older than dirt cat.  She just stood frozen...almost like she was riding it out.  Matt and I stood in the doorway, he was bear hugging me...trembling.  I remember having a moment to think "Wow, this is really happening!"  And then saying aloud "Please just make it stop!"  I remember it was more like we were swaying then actually shaking.  We live on the top two floors of our apartment bloc, so maybe that's why?  It finally stopped and we went outside onto our balcony.  EVERYONE across the city had their lights on, people were in the streets, people were getting in their cars and just driving.  At 4am there was a ping pong game going on in the park next to our house!  At 4:30 am we had another BIG aftershock.  We were awake, since there was NO sleeping after 3am last night.  This time it felt more shakey, like you see in the movies.  We had aftershocks all night long.  We maybe got another hour of sleep before we had to get up to head to work. 

Throughout the whole thing?  We never lost power, Internet, or cell phone service.  Unbelievable!  AND, there were no causalities and no big damage.  How is that possible??  Completely miraculous if you ask me!  I remember thinking, it's one thing to go through that in the US but in a foreign country that doesn't have nearly the infrastructure or capabilities that the us does?? scary stuff! 

When I went upstairs this morning I noticed all of the pictures had fallen off the walls, a decorative plate had fallen and shattered and another ceramic thing fell from a shelf.  Recently the embassy installed earthquake hinges on our bookshelves and luckily nothing on them moved!

This morning our housekeeper came in and I asked if she was OK.  She was, just shaken.  The first thing she asked me was how the cat was doing.  God bless that sweet woman!!

So now, we are all just a bit frightened. and feeling the aftershocks.  I want it to be over!!  It is so stressful wondering if another one is going to come...

Anyway, watch the video...the footage is not the impressive but listen to the dogs!!  The poor street dogs were going nuts last night...they had no idea what was going on!

Hopefully I'm off to a restful, uneventful nights sleep!!  I need it!


1 comment:

  1. WOW OH WOW! I saw it on Twitter and thought of you then saw your Facebook status!!
    I can't see the video at work but will check it out when I get home.

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