books, magazines and papers (including the apocryphal Goose News) from his library. Knowing my interest in South Georgia, he had me visit his aunt Betty Biggs and her daughter Colleen, Grytviken or rather King Edward Point old-timers in whom I was happy to find fellow enthusiasts of that beautiful Antarctic country.
Particularly appreciated among my meetings in Stanley were those with the Falklands legislative councillors Jan Cheek, Mike Summers, Richard Cockwell, John Birmingham and Stephen Luxton. The time I spent on a few occasions with them was both pleasant and enlightening for me. Similarly for former Councillor Lewis Clifton (whose paper on the Falklands national identity was noteworthy) and Stuart Wallace.
Alexander Arhipkin, Chief Scientist of the Fisheries Department kindly explained to me certain peculiarities in the configuration of the Falklands maritime economic zone, and more. While still there at the floating port facility, I was glad to meet Chris Harris, whom I knew by correspondence from the Falklands-Malvinas web forum.
Inevitably the local media got involved too, with Corina Goss interviewing me for the Falklands radio, and Juanita Brock for her own electronic edition that published my lecture along with the Penguin News.
Let me proceed with some acknowledgements though, lest this preface grows into travel notes featuring also ship wrecks and hulks, gaucho corrals, war monuments and cemeteries, minefields, penguins and upland geese, motorcycle-shepherded sheep etc. etc.
Of the people to whom I am grateful, Robert naturally comes first. I extend cordial thanks to him and to all the Islanders I met during my stay in the Falklands, for their friendly hospitality as well as for the incredible experience of seeing a country in the making – something one might have probably felt if visiting the United States a couple of centuries ago.
Special thanks go to Boris Bekyarov and Robert Rowlands whose financial support has helped make this project possible.
I wish to express my thanks to Nusha for her company, despite the fact that she skipped my Stanley lecture, like she had skipped her Deception Island and Hannah Point landings in Antarctica before. I trust she enjoyed our time in the Falklands, judging from her enquiries about possible future trips down south.
Many thanks to my elder daughter Borislava and my wife Pepa for their encouragement and support.
