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14. the road to Ruse

Blog entries

bust decorating the Profit Yielding building in Ruse

Thousands of years of history are exposed on the way to Ruse, from Roman settlement and Middle Age rock churches to 19th Century and Soviet-style architecture.

a really small amphitheatre, Nikopolis-ad-Istrum

The Bulgaria part of our trip – the shorter half of the trip – is coming to an end. We are heading to Ruse, on the Danube, to cross back into Romania.

arch at one of the entries of Nikopolis-ad-Istrum

Roman pilar in Nikopolis-ad-Istrum

On the way, north of Veliko Tarnovo, are the ruins of an old Roman settlement, Nikopolis-ad-Istrum. Nothing like the impressive complexes of theatres and temples along the Turkish coast or Lebanon or Jordan, no, just a small, well laid-out settlement, well explained, too, as to get a good overview of how a Roman town looked like. Tasteful, not over-restored, the pieces of wall remaining are clearly original pieces of wall. Very peaceful, too, this site. Worthwhile the detour.

one of the distant rock churches in the Rusenski Lom Nature Park

Another interesting feature towards Ruse are the rock churches, established in the karstified thick limestone formation that forms the basis of the Rusenski Lom Nature Park. These churches have not been hewn out of the rock, I think – not like the rock churches of Ethiopia, for instance – but have probably used existing caves, perhaps a little adjusted. Apparently, there are some 40 churches like these, of which the Mother Church near the village of Ivanovo is one of the most famous, sporting frescoes dating back to the 14^th century – amazingly clear and bright, still, and according to the caretaker not restored, but ‘maintained’ over time, whatever that may mean. The church is an easy 10-15 minute stumble-uphill from the parking lot, but what is more, a little further is Panorama Rock, providing a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains from high up, and providing an equally spectacular picnic spot.

roof frescos inside the Mother Church

more frescos, quite bright for 14th C origin

entrance of the Sveta Troitsa church

leading to the underground church area

the Profit Yielding building

attractive facade of a Ruse turn-of-the-century house

another window and balcony

Ruse itself is a laid-back town, at the Danube. The centre is formed by a huge square, from which no less than 18 streets radiate out. One of them leads to the red-coloured Opera House, and the Sveta Troitsa church, remarkable because it has been largely built below ground level. An Ottoman rule in the 17^th Century determined that churches should be as inconspicuous as possible – but at least they still allowed churches to be built. The square itself, and nearby streets, are lined with fairly attractive houses from end 19^th Century, including the Profit Yielding building, occupying a full side of the square. This structure was designed by a Viennese architect to hold a theatre as well as several other rooms and halls, meant to be rented out to earn money, with which local schools could be funded – which explains the rather unique name (I wonder whether the name was maintained throughout the communist era, and whether the principle is maintained today: from the fancy restaurant terraces that now operate from the building quite some education could be supported). The other ominously-present building on the square, housing the municipality, is quite a bit newer, one of those Soviet-style 1960s constructions built with little fantasy – in itself a gem.

the Grand Hotel Riga in Ruse

And so is the local hotel where we booked a room, the Grand Riga, another one of those 1960s monstrosities, overlooking the Danube river. However, we receive an upgrade, and are put in a really nice, recently refurbished room on the 10^th floor, with great modern furnishing, and even greater views – it is just that not all of the hotel has been reconstructed, yet, the water of the shower and the bath is lukewarm, and the breakfast the next morning meagre, to say the least, with as absolute lowlight an impressive-looking expresso coffee machine that dispatches instant coffee of the more horrid quality.

the view from the hotel roof, over the Danube

and the view in the other direction

Time to move on, perhaps?

Next: reflecting a little, in the Bulgaria experience

you know my love for palatis, by now

13. Koprivshtitsa

Blog entries

sweeping views over the Balkans, from one of the passes

decorated National Revival house in Koprivsthitsa

Perhaps the most touristic village in Bulgaria, yet worthwhile thanks to its superbly restored National Revival houses; and getting there is equally interesting

Firmly on the Bulgarian tourist circuit is the unpronounceable Koprivshtitsa, for its fabulous National Revival houses along cobbles streets, and for its significance as the village where another revolutionary, Todor Kableshkov, declared the rebellion against the Ottoman Turks, in 1876 – never mind that this uprising was only successful after the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, in which so many Russians died that a church the size of the Alexander Nevsky Church in Sofia was built to remember them.

another National Revival house

the house of Todor Kableshkov, the most famous citizen of Koprivsthitsa

in the sun, with flower pots: they are beautiful, these houses

these are no tourists, I think, but present-day villagers, who have seen it all

But Koprivshtitsa obviously has a nationalistic connotation for many Bulgarians, and its shows, even at the end of an afternoon on a weekday late in August there are still quite a lot of people around, wandering through the village, admiring the houses, many of which are ‘museum-houses’, open to the public and displaying information about historical people and happenings. Including Todor’s house, who, apart from revolutionary, must have been a well-to-do businessman, judging from the size of this mansion (described locally as “a veritable pearl of the Bulgarian genius of architecture”, no less!).

the usual transport in Bulgaria

derelict factory

more parts of the same factory

and palatis, look how almost all of the apartments have a different balcony

Almost as interesting as the village itself, is getting there. The drive to Koprivshtitsa does two things: it takes us through the Balkan Mountains, across the Shipka Pass, perhaps slightly disappointing, not the spectacular scenery as we had hoped for (partly because much of the way is through forest, obscuring any sweeping views, and partly that when we finally get the views, they are actually not that sweeping). And it takes us through several non-descript villages, not blessed with cobbled streets and patched-up houses, but with palatis and decrepit industries. Which are a sight in itself – I am fascinated by these palatis, especially where people have made individual adjustments that bring some form of life to the otherwise monotonous building fronts. And I am equally fascinated by the total destruction of factories, broken windows, crumbling walls, anything of value ripped out.

Even though palatis and factories are not, officially, on the tourist trail.

Next: to Ruse, on the Danube

school bus, perhaps?

12. around Veliko Tarnovo

Blog entries

parts of Lovech, near Veloki Tarnovo, are very colourful

parts of Lovech, near Veliko Tarnovo, are very colourful

Several towns in the Balkan Mountains around Veliko Ranovo have their own attractions, of a widely varying nature

The mountains around Veliko Tarnovo – technically, these are the real Balkan Mountains, a range that runs from Serbia in an East-West direction to the Black Sea, ie a much smaller area that what is often referred to as the Balkans -, the mountains around Veliko Tarnovo contain a number of other attractive towns.

Saint Arhangel Michail Church in Tryavna, fairly new, probably

an interesting Bulgarian practice: posters of the deceased next to the church

National Revival on its best

To the south is Tryavna, a small town with a great collection of what is termed National Revival houses, from the time that Bulgarians started to develop feelings of nationalism again, after centuries of Ottoman occupation. At the beginning of the 19^th Century this National Revival was joined by economic prosperity, and rich Bulgarian merchants started to build large private houses.

revived balcony

but not all houses have had their latest revival

Over the years, many of these houses have fallen in disrepair, but thanks to lots of European Union money, restoration is underway, and Tryavna clearly has been on the beneficiary end of this. And the patching up has been done tastefully, retaining a feeling of authenticity not necessarily always respected with restorations of this kind. The houses, mostly white-stuccoed, contain lots of wood finishing, in balconies, doors and windows, very nice. Beside the houses, the town has a fine little church, with fabulous wood-carved iconostasis inside – where taking pictures is forbidden, unfortunately -, a clock tower, and cobbled streets and bridges. Lovely for an hour or two strolling around.

example of a tall palati in Gabrovo

palati with great variety of assets (satelite dish, airconditioner, parasol)

Close to Tryavna is Gabrovo, also a nice town with tourist attractions like National Revival houses, a church in the same style, and cobbled streets. Apparently, this town is also an internationally renowned capital of humour and satire: there is even a House of Humour. We should have explored this further, of course, especially because humour has, so far, not been something we would immediately associate with Bulgarians, but we didn’t, due to lack of time. What we did see, however, was an impressive collection of what we used to call palatis, years ago, when we lived in Albania: efficiently constructed half-high apartment buildings, probably one- or two-room only apartments, no more than five or six floors, so that there was no need for an expensive elevator. Some are higher, presumably with a lift, and presumably even cheaper on a per unit basis. All across the former east-bloc you will find these constructions, but Gabrovo had a particularly good selection of them. Which is kind of funny, too, no?

turn-of-the-century houses in Lovech’ new town

To the west of Veliko Tarnovo is Lovech, like Gabrovo and Tryavna a town that first prospered during the Second Bulgarian Empire, and later revived, so to speak, with Bulgarian nationalism and the struggle against the Ottoman oppressor. Lovech particularly so, because it was the headquarters of the Revolutionary Organisation, led by Vasil Levski, the closest Bulgaria has to a national hero. Levski was a revolutionary who wanted to liberate Bulgaria from Ottoman rule, and worked to create a national movement and establish guerilla-type units, often with the help of the monasteries. Unfortunately, he was captured and hanged by the Turks in 1873, just a few years before independence was achieved – this, no doubt, has helped to advance his hero-status. Which is, in turn, now being exploited by Lovech, which is breathing Vasil Levski around every corner, with a museum, and with a massive statue high above town.

inside the covered wooden bridge

the covered wooden bridge, unique in this part of the world

The statue is next to an old fortress, which used to be a nice, unpretentious affair, but is now comprehensively being messed up by European Union funds to achieve the ugliest possible restoration. Complete waste of time: brand-new tiles have been laid in the ruins of a church, fortress walls have been rebuild with new stones, and everywhere lights are being installed along newly-created walking paths in between the remnants of the castle not yet rebuilt. Luckily, the rest of Lovech is very nice, with cobbled streets and well-restored National Revival houses in the old town, late 19^th/early 20^th Century houses in what is called the new town, and a covered wooden bridge connecting the two. Once again, an excellent place for a few hours strolling around.

What nobody ever tells you, of course, is that strolling around in those lovely cobbled streets, whether in Tryavna, Gabrovo or Lovech, is a particularly nasty attack on the soles of your feet, a very rough form of reflexology. Painful!

Next: the museum village Koprivshtitsa, equally painful on the soles

group of Lovech residents on a terrace

couple of tourists, same terrace

graffiti art in Lovech, reflected in the river

11. Veliko Tarnovo

Blog entries

colourful addition to the streets of Veliko Tarnovo

An old capital town with a lot of atmosphere, and Bulgaria’s most revered fortress

One of the curious things about Bulgaria is that it is full of former capital cities. Every major event in Bulgarian history seems to have called for a new capital. The First Bulgarian Empire was established in the 7^th Century, after Bulgar tribes, most likely with a Central Asian nomadic background, landed somehow in the area west of the Black Sea, and the first Khans settled in a place called Pliska, near present-day Shuman in NE Bulgaria. From here they expanded their territory to include most of southeastern Europe, battling Byzantium in the meantime. Over time, the Byzantines proved stronger than the Bulgarians, forcing them to relocate their capitals to Preslav, and later to Ohrid, deep in present-day Macedonia, until Bulgaria was finally beaten and incorporated in the Byzantium in 1018.

However, with Byzantine power in decline, a Second Bulgarian Empire was established in 1185, which had Veliko Tarnovo as its capital. There had been a fortress here since Roman times, perhaps even earlier, and it is easy to see why. The Tsarevets hilltop sports a commanding view over the Yantra River – in itself not a particularly important river, I think, that connects with the Danube. With the increasing success of the Empire, Veliko Tarnovo, or Tarnovgrad, as it may have been called at the time, grew ever more important, according to some Bulgarian sources even rivaling Constantinople. Right!

what is left of the Fortress, restored or rebuilt

It doesn’t now, anymore – rivaling Constantinople. In fact, it was destroyed by the Ottomans, in 1393, and that was the end of Veliko Tarnovo as a capital city. Yet, it is alive and kicking again, now home to Bulgaria’s prime university, and it is a nice place to spend a few days, located as it is in the mountains, somewhat cooler than at the Black Sea Coast.

entrance to the Tsarevets Fortress

the Patriarch’s Church

one of the strikingly modern frescos in the Patriarch’s Church

Execution Rock, not a particularly inviting place

The main tourist attraction – mainly Bulgarian tourists, once again – is the Tsaravets fortress, which has been restored. Well, “restored” is a big word. Apart from the Patriarch’s Complex, a cathedral reconstructed in 1981 and, for a change, painted with strikingly modern frescos inside, instead of the usual effort to recreate the traditional Orthodox fresco style, there is little to recognize. Apparently, the fortress contains the remains of 400 houses, 22 churches, 4 monasteries and a royal palace, but to the uninitiated eye it only contains ruins, and so here and there an obviously recently build tower or wall. But the hilltop is a nice-enough area to stroll around for a while, trees providing shadow and the fortress walls providing striking views of the surrounding mountains and the town below. Just be careful not fall off Execution Rock, indeed, the place where people, in olden times, were executed by being pushed over the edge.

Veliko Tarnovo, built against the steep river valley

row of houses in the main street of Veliko Tarnovo

cobbled street in the old town

a wooden balcony

roofs and chimneys, solar panels and a satelite dish

flower pots with a twist: these are inverted helmets!

In fact, the real gem is the town itself. Built against the steep river valley, Veliko Tarnovo is a green city, lots of small parks, and lots of trees along the roads, big and small. The old part of town is a pleasure to explore, for a few hours; wandering through narrow cobbled streets, lined with white-and-wooden houses, with balconies overgrown with grapevines; turning onto stairs uphill, and discovering hidden court yards, and small churches; and being surprised at times by the sweeping views across the river valley, of vertically stacked houses or most horrendous monuments.

the Saint Nicolas Church from the outside

the Saint Nicolas Church, outside

unused entrance to the church

just to get an idea, these are outside frescos above the entrance

The one place that won’t let itself illustrate by photos, is the Saint Nicolas church, a hidden treasure in the higher regions – geographically speaking – of Veliko Tarnovo, which we stumbled upon whilst deviating from the official, Tourist Information-prescribed walking tour. A rather small church, built in 1836, this is a most amazing place: on the one hand as original and authentic as they come, with a fabulous iconostasis – a delicately wood-carved screen with many, different-size icons painted inside -, several antique chandeliers, dark frescoed walls and ceiling, a beautifully curved balcony for the choir, carpets on the floor, wooden seating along the side, and on the other hand pragmatic, with cheap-looking metal heaters, complete with metal-pipe chimneys, for the winter, and electric aircos installed in the windows, for the summer. I would have loved to take pictures, but the grumpy caretaker, an stern unsmiling woman, wouldn’t let me. And when she realized that I was making notes, and was going to write about this little gem, she was even more offended. “No photos, no writing!”. The last thing she wanted, is to have any more tourists visiting the place then the two of us.

And perhaps she is right. Tourists would definitely erode the unique authenticity of this little church.

Next: we explore the towns around Veliko Tarnovo

rubbish bins lined up

10. the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast

Blog entries

colourful drinks for sale in Sozopol. at the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast

Rapidly developing Sozopol and Nesabar, on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, contrast with stuck-in-the-past areas further inland

Driving back from Turkey to Bulgaria, we were once again confronted with the differences between these two countries. Heading for the Black Sea Coast, we chose a different border crossing, this time, going north via Kirklaredi and the first Bulgarian village, Aziziye . A much smaller affair than the crossing at Edirme, to be sure, just one cubicle on each side, and nobody is really interested in you, or your car. A few formalities, forms, stamps, and in five minutes we are through. On the Turkish side, an excellent two- to four-lane road climbs up into the mountains, good quality tarmac, and there are even signposts to “Bulgaristan”. On the Bulgarian side – back in the EU, after all – a narrow, potholed road winds down to the first villages and towns, which are probably some of the most depressive we have seen so far. This is how things must have looked 25 years ago, communism at its best, only further run down, by now. The revolution hasn’t reached here, yet, that’s for sure.

For the next hour, or so, nothing changes. Communism still at its best. Desperate villages, decrepit houses, apartment buildings falling apart, nobody on the streets. But then we get closer to what I will call the Bulgarian Riviera, Bulgaria’s hot property zone, and center of international tourism. They didn’t go to Sofia, no, they come straight away to the Black Sea. And forget about loud Spanish-speaking groups, here the Russians rule.

this helps to better understand the Cyrilic alphabet

small boats in the fishing port of Sozopol

Sozopol has quite some attractive, authentic-looking wooden houses

although the tourist trade has invaded them

traditional houses come with modern facilities, these days

although not all facilities are new

Our first stop is Sozopol, ancient Apollonia, apparently, and a few ruins testify to the early presence of Greeks colonists and Roman occupationists. Nowadays, the invaders are the Russians, who have come not with weapons but with money – which is, perhaps, why there are billboards advertising guns. The old town, on a small peninsula, still has some authentic feel over it, the small fishing port still contains some fishing boats, and along the cobbled the streets the largely wooden houses have been tastefully restored. Although the hotel and restaurant trade is taking over, and tourist shops line some of the streets, one can still get away from it all by turning into the smaller alleys. The new town? We didn’t check, from a distance the resort hotels and condominiums didn’t look very promising, at least to us. And outside the fishing harbor? The Marina, with yachts in every size and prize, but mostly big and expensive: Sozopol, Saint Tropez of the Bulgarian Riviera.

boats in the harbour of Nesebar

in Nesebar, too, wooden houses have been patched up, many now owned by foreigners

The presumed highlight of the Bulgarian Riviera is Nesabar, another peninsular town, also with a Greek and Roman history. Yet, the Greco-Roman connection is somewhat more difficult to imagine, with heavily restored ruins that look landscaped, manicured, and picture-perfect: good if you have no idea about Roman ruins – and what would the Russians know about Roman ruins, after all, that was one place the Romans didn’t go, no? Luckily, there are several Byzantine churches around town, most of them equally restored, but giving a slightly more original impression. And that is it, for the rest, Nesebar could be anywhere, really, it is not different from your average coastal resort, whether in Spain or Turkey, Tunisia or Thailand. Terraces, ice cream parlours, every street plastered with tourist trinkets, every house an art gallery, a fashion outlet or a jewelry shop. The wooden houses that were so enchanting in Sozopol, are here just a bit too restored, just a bit too modernized, and have lost the feel of authenticity. Bali in the Balkans.

one of the Byzantine churches in Nesebar

heavily restored, too

Across the bay is Sunny Beach – that is also how the Bulgarians call it -, apparently the most beautiful stretch of sand along the Bulgarian Riviera. From the distance, we got sufficient feel for how it must look like, all-inclusive resort hotel after all-inclusive resort hotel, the bigger the better. Likewise, we avoided Pomorie, we didn’t even get out of the highway, from where we could see the development underway, high rise apartment buildings and mega-resorts being constructed as we speak. Obviously, the fruits of progress are about to be eaten.

the Black Sea Coast, not everywhere a smooth beach

air conditioners on the side of the Hotel Bulgaria in Burgas

hotpants are in fashion, in Bulgaria

the old men are watching it, all the changes

Burgas is the larger town in the area, with a reasonable public beach, and an extensive pedestrian zone lined with decent shops – no tourist rubbish – and cafes and restaurants. Pleasant enough to spend an evening, and observe the local and foreign population, complete with current fashion: Bulgarians with the shortest possible hotpants, Russians with even less cloths on, the highlight being a woman with a strapless dress that was hanging from her nipples, or so it seemed. Still, expensive cloths, expensive shops, expensive latte-macchiatos. Obviously, lots of money available, lots of money being spent.

One cannot help but think back at that border area, a little further south, a little further inland, no more than an hour’s drive, or so -, and how little has changed there in the past 25 years. And how big the contrasts are, not only with Turkey, but equally so with the fast-paced Bulgarian Riviera.

Next: away from the coast, to Veliko Tarnovo

09. Istanbul

Blog entries, Locations

the old tourist tram from Tunel to Taksim

A brief visit to Istanbul, captured in 25 photos, some predictable, others less so. Without any claim to give a complete overview of this enormous city.

Istanbul doesn’t really fit in this blog. We know it fairly well, from several earlier visits, and we enjoy it every time again. This time, we stayed in Taksim; we did some shopping, walked to the Grand Bazaar in the old town and took a boat ride on the Bosphorus, nothing else. Photos suffice.

entry to a traditional courtyard in Taksim

Cicek Pasaji in Taksim, tourist trap but oh, so nice

Taksim has lots of old buildings, many well-maintained, or patched up; and even though it is a little touristic, sometimes, it is nice to see.

one of the many mosques along the Halic

a rubbish bin (really)

Istanbul is also the city of mosques, a familiar sight; but bins are less so.

roof terraces along Taksim Square

Red parasols of the roof terraces line Taksim Square.

balloons in the Bosphorus

fresh fruit in Taksim

there are kebaps, and there are kebaps

There is no lack of food in the streets of Taksim, fresh fruits as well as the biggest kebaps you’ll ever see.

castle along the Bosphorus

food stall in Taksim

Big and small: a big castle along the Bosphorus and a small food stall in Taksim; funny, how red is the dominating colour in both.

and another corridor, also Grand Bazaar

one of the corridors in the Grand Bazaar

The Grand Bazaar, a huge labyrinth of corridors and passages, where I could easily spend a day looking people and merchandise.

and colourful lamps, Grand Bazaar

tea and coffee cups, Grand Bazaar

Not surprisingly, the Grand Bazaar is home to all sorts of retail, glistering and colourful.

Turkish Delight, everywhere really

bridge of the Bosphorus

small mosque along the Bosphorus

another bridge across the Bosphorus

It is kind of incredible that the first bridge across the Bosphorus was only completed in 1973. This one, the second, was opened 15 years later, much later than the small mosque right underneath.

same mansion, same bridge

one of the mansions along the Bosphorus

there is even some bird life, on the Bosphorus

container giant passing through, with the minerets of the old town in the back

The Bosphorus is lined with mansions and palaces, built long before they got overshadowed by enormous bridges.

Big and small: huge container ships negotiate their way through the narrow Bosphorus, guided by bouys that provide space for the occasional cormorant.

one of the many palaces along the Bosphorus

Along the Bosphorus, there are many 19th Century palaces, the one even bigger and more elaborate than the other.

Next: the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast

to liven up the town, stairs have been painted

08. detour to Istanbul

Blog entries

Honey being sold in Southern Bulgaria, on the way to Turkey

Although the objective of this journey, and thus this blog, is Romania and Bulgaria, we couldn’t resist the temptation to cross into Turkey for a long weekend Istanbul, a temptation generated by some private arrangements with old friends and acquaintances. After all, Istanbul is so close, no?

In fact, Istanbul proved to be quite a lot further still, a good day’s drive from Plovdiv. And it includes a non-EU border crossing, along the main highway at Edirne – it is at these moments that one starts to appreciate the EU again. Leaving Bulgaria is a piece of cake, a few customs officers wave everybody through from a small window in a cubicle along the road. Only to arrive, 500 meters on, at the Turkish border, a vast array of cubicles, 10-15 next to each other – of which only one is open. When we finally get to the cubicle, the border policeman casually asks us for our visa. Visa? Do we need a visa? Of course we need a visa, every Turk entering the EU also needs a visa, no? He then casually directs us to a visa office, where we buy our visas, and off we go… , only to be called back, and sent to the next cubicle, to check car details. Not that any of that was announced, or signposted. All in order with the car, and off we go…, only to be sent back again at the next barrier, because we are still missing a little sticker, which we need to obtain from customs. Not that any of that is signposted. A customs officer casually looks in the back, and gives me a sticker with bar code from a huge sheet, seemingly at random – yet, the next guy, the one who initially sent us back, casually reads the bar code, asks me whether I am Bruno (how on earth does he know? Or is all that casual perhaps less casual than it looks, and in fact extremely well organized?), and off we go. Really.

on the way, local people selling honey, homemade jam, and fruit conserves

one of the sellers

Where the road from Plovdiv to the border was still mildly interesting, not in the least because of local people selling their locally produced honey, homemade jams and fruit conserves, the one from the border to Istanbul is positively boring, until one nears the city itself. “Nears” means anywhere within 20-30 kms, I guess, when the first suburbs appear – colonies of new, all-similar houses, in the middle of fields, or stacks of brand-new apartment buildings, alternating with shopping malls. Having seen some of the Romanian and Bulgarian cities, Turkey is a different ball game all together. And Istanbul is a massively impressive city, that becomes abundantly clear whilst driving into such a megalopolis.

typically Bulgarian faces….

There is not much I want to write about Istanbul, the link with Romania and Bulgaria is a tenacious one, at best. The former oppressor’s capital, perhaps (or one of the former oppressors, whichever way you prefer Balkan history). There is, however, one striking observation that I don’t want to leave unmentioned. After a few days of Bulgaria we just about got used to the Bulgarian way. Bulgarians are not very forthcoming people, they are at best indifferent. They won’t get out of their way to help you voluntarily, and most wont, even if you ask – if you manage to ask, because Bulgarian is not the easiest of languages, and not helped by the fact that the script is Cyrillic. The contrast with Turkey couldn’t be bigger, from the first border policeman onwards, to the local sweeper, all the other – completely relaxed – customs officers, the fuel station attendant, and anybody else we met over the next three days. Everybody smiles, everybody tries to help, everybody just wants to talk to you. I don’t know of many borders where the difference between people’s attitude is so enormous as the Bulgarian-Turkish one.

In three days, we will have to head back…

But first, Istanbul

and the honey

07. the Bulgarian Monasteries

Blog entries

one of the inside frescos in Bachkovo

entrance to the Rila Monastery

One of the most respected institutions in Bulgaria are its Orthodox Christian monasteries, and some of the nicest are south of Sofia and Plovdiv

Bulgarians overwhelmingly adhere to Orthodox Christianity. You’ll find the occasional synagogue, or Roman Catholic church, there are quite a few mosques, too – from the time Bulgarians converted to Islam under the Ottoman Empire, to enjoy tax breaks -, but mostly, Bulgarians follow the Orthodox church. And throughout Bulgarian history an important element of the church has been the monasteries. Not only thrived these institutions under the First Bulgarian Empire, which dominated the Balkans from 680 until defeat at the hands of Byzantium in 1014 AD – a time during which the monasteries were centres of scholarship, where, amongst other things, the Cyrillic alphabet was developed -, they also managed to maintain and protect Bulgarian culture and tradition during 500 years of Ottoman domination. They also played an important role in what is generally known as National Revival in Bulgaria, the emerging sense of nationhood in the 18^th and 19^th century, and they even became shelters for early guerilla fighters battling the Turks. As such, the monasteries in Bulgaria are held in high esteem, and many Bulgarians will, whenever they have the opportunity, visit a monastery as a sort of pilgrimage.

Two of the most important monasteries are located in the south of the country, in Rila and in Bachkovo.

the church, centre piece of the Rila Monastery

inside the church, the ceiling

outside the church, equally nicely decorated, but more visible

the wooden stairs, connecting several floors with accomodation

Rila Monastery, monk’s accomodation

Rila Monastery is in the mountains south of Sofia. We drive up through narrow and winding river valley, in a long line of mostly Bulgarian cars. I said earlier that Bulgaria was not very touristic, but local tourists do come up to the monasteries (as do the occasional loud Spanish-speaking group). Traffic and parking is remarkably well organized, and entry to the monastery is free, as long as you are decently dressed (which is not very firmly enforced, anyhow). Lots of people, lots of photo opportunities, lots of selfies, and lots of candle lighting in the monastic church. But the whole experience is very impressive, a large compound, obviously with many resident monks – although we didn’t see that many – and frescos inside and outside the church. In fact, the monastery in its present form, and thus its present frescos, date from the 1830’s, after a fire had destroyed almost the entire structure; only a small stone tower in the middle apparently survived the flames.

an outside fresco of Rila Monastery, depicting hell

Bachkovo Monastery church

another decorated outside corridor

one of the monks in Bachkovo

another depiction of hell, in Bachkovo

Bachkovo is south of Plovdiv, further to the east. Smaller than Rila, it is nevertheless impressive in its own right, with a 17^th century church and extensive murals. Perhaps because it is easier accessible than Rila, the local tourist industry is better developed here, the access road to the monastery lined with stalls selling everything from traditional Bulgarian plates to tacky pigs, garden mushrooms and dwarfs. Once again, mostly Bulgarian visitors, and not even a loud Spanish-speaking group this time. Inside one of the two churches a child is being baptized – I didn’t know the Orthodox Christians did this, too – but t goes to show that the churches are still very much active, in Bulgaria.

typical architecture in Plovdiv

houses along the wall in Plovdiv

another Plovdiv house

Nearby Plovdiv is a picturesque town, with cobbled streets and some nice, old houses, with a significant quantity of Roman ruins, and with a relatively modern center full of shops and terraces – a bit more relaxed than Sofia, perhaps, but also more provincial. Not a bad place to stop for the night, as we did, but don’t get your hopes up too high. The story goes that Plovdiv missed out on becoming Bulgaria’s capital city because the surrounding Eastern Rumelia province remained under Ottoman influence longer than the rest of the country, and when it finally joined in 1885, the rise and rise of Sofia was already unstoppable.

Next: from Plovdiv we make a detour to Istanbul

the Plovdiv Roman amphi-theatre preparing for a concert

06. Sofia

Blog entries

the sculpture of Saint Sofia towering over the city

Bulgaria’s unpretentious and unhurried capital has lots to offer, not in the least an almost complete lack of tourists – which is unjustified

It took us a while before we realized that there was something missing in Sofia (just to be clear, we are talking about the capital of Bulgaria, here). It is a fairly large city, not like Timisoara where you get to the center before you know it. It has plenty of historic attractions, it has a shopping neighbourhood full of upmarket boutiques, with a pedestrian street lined with terraces serving coffee, ice cream and everything else. Right in the centre of town are several leafy parks providing benches in the shade, from where to observe sculptures and monuments. But there are no tourists! It is middle of August, and there are no tourists! – well, except for a loud Spanish-speaking group, but all Spanish-speakers talk loudly when in groups. And it looks like Sofia never gets many tourists, either, because we are not once being approached with offers for tours, shows or tacky souvenirs. That in itself would have been reason enough to come here.

the old Roman church, Sveti Georgi Rotunda

the minaret of Sofia’s mosque, one of the traces of past Ottoman rule

the Alexander Nevsky church, an imposing building

one of the side doors, and windows, of the Alexander Nevsky church

There is a score of churches in Sofia, of which the Sveti Georgi Rotunda is perhaps the oldest one, dating back to Roman times. Some Bulgarian historians try to make you believe that Constantine the Great, he who established the Eastern Roman Empire, with Constantinople – present day Istanbul – as its capital, in fact would have preferred Serdica – present day Sofia – as its capital, but was forced to choose the location Constantinople on the Bosphorus instead, for strategic reasons. Just imagine!

in the parks, lots of modern sculptures, too, and quite attractive

in the vicinity of the icon museum local artists add to the collection, for sale

the haman, a fabulous building – being refurbished

The Alexander Nevski Memorial Church is the by far the most impressive church in town. This large, golden-domed Russian church was built around the turn of the one-but-last Century, in memory of some 200,000 Russian soldiers who died in the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-1878, when thanks to Russian help Bulgaria regained its independence from the Ottoman Empire, after 500 years of occupation. (What it also did, this war, was triggering political instability, with various powers competing for influence, German princes – Alexander von Battenberg, Ferdinand Saxe-Coburg – ascending the Bulgarian throne and abdicating again, and multiple territorial wars, first against the Turks – the First Balkan War – and then amongst the nascent nations – the Second Balkan War, which Bulgaria lost.)

near the haman is also a public water supply, lots of people collect their water from here, in plastic bottles

Sofia window

street view of old Sofia, including public transport option

town houses, with balconies

chess player waiting for an opponent

a more modern version of Saint Sofia, perhaps? In the fountain, in front of the theatre

But I am drifting away from Sofia. Apart from the churches, and the exquisite icon museum in the crypt of the Alexandaer Nevsky church, there is some 19^th Century architecture remaining, in between post-WW II Soviet-style rebuilding – much of Sofia was badly bombed. There is the Royal Palace, now housing several museums, there is an old Ottoman haman, or bath house, and there are several other attractive facades. Away from the main, broad avenues, many of the smaller streets are cobbled, and some are still lined with trees. And then the other characteristic of Sofia hits us: there are not only no tourists, but there is also nothing light-hearted happening in the city. Everything seems to be serious, solemn. No street artists, no roller skates, no people making fun. Bulgarians don’t seem to laugh. Only late in the afternoon we come upon a square where people, mostly older men, are playing chess against each other, and that is as fun as its gets, on Sofias’s streets.

peppers in the market

Serious, solemn Sofia (Quite unlike the other Sofia).

Next are the Bulgarian Monasteries

olives, seeds and nuts, sold in the market

05. into Bulgaria

Blog entries

the newest bridge over the Danube, connecting Romania with Bulgaria

Our entry into Bulgaria, in the northwest corner, is both confronting and rewarding: a traffic reality check and castles and mountains

Bulgaria started with a huge disappointment. The ferry across the Danube, from Calafat to Vidin, is no more. This is what European money does to traveling romance: it builds enormous bridges over rivers, crossed before you even realize it, and does away with the ferries, even in a distant corner of the EU like the Romanian-Bulgarian border.

What is also does, it puts the traveler, in this case the independent traveler with his own car, totally on the wrong footing. The tarmac on the bridge was smooth, road quality excellent. Which is not at all what the Bulgarian reality is, of course. As soon as we got off the bridge, into the small town of Vidin, we were confronted with the real road conditions, cobbled streets with every so often a manhole cover missing. Perhaps they were airing the sewerage, I don’t know, but it was rather tricky, swerving across the road to try to avoid these enormous holes. Especially because drivers from the opposite direction were trying to do the same, I thought. It took me a while to realize that drivers from the opposite direction were not necessarily avoiding missing manhole covers, this is just the way they drive here, pothole or not.

the Danube beach, between fortress and river, with in the distance the new bridge

Whilst on the subject of Bulgarian driving: total disaster. Not all of them, of course, but quite a few drivers have too much testosterone – even some Bulgarian female drivers seem to suffer from this condition -, and combined with ostentatiously large and powerful cars: total disaster, danger code red. Add that to the concept of random parking frequently practiced here – which can mean, in the middle of the street, perpendicular to the street, or in any other unpredictable place, preferrably with doors open – and you get an idea about how it is to negotiate Bulgarian roads, inside and outside the towns. No illustrative pictures, I am afraid, I need both my hands on the wheel.

the entrance of the fortress

fortress Bada Vida, a real castle in Vidin

The reason we got off the main highway in Vidin, was to visit the local fortress. A huge castle, nicely located overseeing the Danube – overseeing being a modern word for extracting toll from river traffic, which was the castle’s business, at the time. Nowadays, the Vidin municipality has created a little artificial beach in between the castle and the river, where locals sunbathe, and occasionally dip into the water. The castle walls, once again, provide an excellent overview.

irregularly weathered rocks at Belogradchik, used as the base for another fortress

the view from high up in the fortress shows many more potential fortresses…

Further towards Sofia, a small detour leads to the village of Belogradchik, where huge rocks of conglomeratic sandstone have, over time, eroded by wind and rain into massive, irregular forms – which has, over much less time, tempted the imagination of men, allocating all sorts of names to individual spikes. Nevertheless, an impressive sight, and impressive enough for several rulers to use the rocks as basis for a fortress.

impressive Balkan mountain, probably Vracanska Planina

vertical limestones crossing the road in the Starin Planina mountains

Our chosen road to Sofia led via the Starin Planina mountains, one of the Balkan Ranges, around the town of Vratsa. Stunning landscape, initially with an isolated mountain, and further down the gorge a fabulous series of vertical white limestones crossing the valley, the river and the road.

Next: Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia

railway equipment occasionally provides nice subject matter for photos

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first-hand travel experiences and impressions of travel destinations

14. the road to Ruse

Thousands of years of history are exposed on the way to Ruse, from Roman settlement and Middle Age rock churches to 19th Century and Soviet-style architecture.

13. Koprivshtitsa

Perhaps the most touristic village in Bulgaria, yet worthwhile thanks to its superbly restored National Revival houses; and getting there is equally interesting

12. around Veliko Tarnovo

Several towns in the Balkan Mountains around Veliko Ranovo have their own attractions, of a widely varying nature

11. Veliko Tarnovo

An old capital town with a lot of atmosphere, and Bulgaria’s most revered fortress

10. the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast

Rapidly developing Sozopol and Nesabar, on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, contrast with stuck-in-the-past areas further inland

09. Istanbul

A brief visit to Istanbul, captured in 25 photos, some predictable, others less so. Without any claim to give a complete overview of this enormous city.

08. detour to Istanbul

07. the Bulgarian Monasteries

One of the most respected institutions in Bulgaria are its Orthodox Christian monasteries, and some of the nicest are south of Sofia and Plovdiv

06. Sofia

Bulgaria’s unpretentious and unhurried capital has lots to offer, not in the least an almost complete lack of tourists – which is unjustified

05. into Bulgaria

Our entry into Bulgaria, in the northwest corner, is both confronting and rewarding: a traffic reality check and castles and mountains

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Thousands of years of history are exposed on the way to Ruse, from Roman settlement and Middle Age rock churches to 19th Century and Soviet-style architecture.

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Perhaps the most touristic village in Bulgaria, yet worthwhile thanks to its superbly restored National Revival houses; and getting there is equally interesting

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Several towns in the Balkan Mountains around Veliko Ranovo have their own attractions, of a widely varying nature

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An old capital town with a lot of atmosphere, and Bulgaria’s most revered fortress

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Rapidly developing Sozopol and Nesabar, on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, contrast with stuck-in-the-past areas further inland

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A brief visit to Istanbul, captured in 25 photos, some predictable, others less so. Without any claim to give a complete overview of this enormous city.

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One of the most respected institutions in Bulgaria are its Orthodox Christian monasteries, and some of the nicest are south of Sofia and Plovdiv

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Bulgaria’s unpretentious and unhurried capital has lots to offer, not in the least an almost complete lack of tourists – which is unjustified

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Our entry into Bulgaria, in the northwest corner, is both confronting and rewarding: a traffic reality check and castles and mountains

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