Magnificent Bulgaria More Balkans
“See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories. “- Ray Bradbury
Bulgaria, steeped in history, rich in scenery is a country on the move. Information Technology has given the country wings and signs of prosperity are everywhere.
As we explored the cities and towns and gawked at all manner of ruins, we were introduced to all the various tribes and people who had once had a hand in shaping this country. Thracians, Goths, Persians, Celts, Macedonians were all names from history that have made their way to this country including the oh so familiar Atilla the Hun.
Despite the indelible footprint of all who came through the annals of history, the deepest footprint does seem to come from the country’s time as one of the Eastern Bloc communist countries.
Unlike its neighbor Romania, thanks to the impact of Information Technology and the who’s who of the high-tech world who have operations here the country has made a remarkable recovery. Now it only they could do something about the raging corruption, Bulgaria would be one of the strongest of these Balkan countries that we visited on this trip.
Beautiful vistas appeared through our coach windows as we journeyed from Bucharest through the mountains all be it the weather was cloudy with occasional bursts of rain. Our first stop of the morning was the quaint town of Veliko Tarnovo, once the ancient capital of the country.
Despite the rain, we walked through the quaint town, window-shopping, resisting all calls for beer, and enjoying the ambiance as we headed towards the Tsarevets Hill and the Medieval Fortress that dominates the town which we viewed only from a scenic outlook.
We then stopped at the nearby ancient church where we were treated to the sounds of an evangelical choir. As the pure sound rose into the gray afternoon, we were enchanted and transported to another universe.
As we drove into the city of Plovdiv, the sun was making a valiant attempt to chase away the rain. We sure were in for a treat as we were greeted by this double rainbow. Definitely a wonderful omen for our first night in this wonderful country.
Plovdiv is steeped in history, which we got well acquainted with; listening to our passionate local expert as we walked the old town and visited some of the key sites.
I don’t know if it was a school holiday but there were a lot of school children milling around and visiting the sights. I think it is so fantastic that they start building the passion for history in the young.
There were beautifully decorated Easter Eggs in the park which gave us glimpses of everyday life outside of the history. Interestingly enough we walked by the pride of local cuisine, McDonalds with its signage in local language, a billboard that depicted a beautiful ballerina advertising this wondrous local fare. That’s right Dorothy! you are not in Kansas anymore.
While the weather remained tricky, Spring really was in the air as we walked along the cobblestoned streets perfumed with the sight and smell of the flowers growing in arbors and gardens.
This whimsical cartoon on the side of a building in the old town full of restaurants, bars and shops brought a smile to my face and memories of my grandchildren to mind.
The city of Sofia has its own changing of the guards. Nothing as elaborate as what you are used to seeing at Buckingham Palace and of course nowhere near as crowded.
Sofia is an interesting city. From a vantage point we could see the roofs of a mosque, church and a synagogue all in close proximity. On the town square there was an initiative to recycle plastic and overall, the city with snowcapped mountains in the distance and a mix of old and new architecture and not to be missed excavated ruins and beautiful fountains sparking in the sunlight was captivating.
Remains of the Roman road that once ran through what is now Sofia. It always gives me goosebumps when I close my eyes and imagine Roman legions marching down these paths once upon a time. Ahh! the timelessness of history.
While we saw many beautiful buildings, fountains, its these moments that remind us that while this country has come a long way it still has a ways to go.
St Nicholas Church was closed to visitors due to the fact that services were underway. Surrounded by a beautiful garden, blooming with flowers we contented ourselves with pictures of the beautiful outside with its domes and minarets.
As we made our way from St. Nicholas to the mighty Alexandra Nevsky cathedral, we walked through statues erected to commemorate different historical events in Bulgarian history. Also blooming in this field of flowers are Japanese Sakura trees presented by Japan to Bulgaria.
The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is one of the ten largest of Eastern Orthodox Churches in the World and the largest in the Balkans. It can hold 5000 people inside and since we visited on a Sunday while the service was still ongoing, we got to see it pretty full to capacity.
set amidst the breathtaking Rila Mountains is the largest of the Eastern Orthodox monasteries, dedicated to St. John of Rila. The complex is still in use as an active monastery.
The river flows by it bringing with it the icy cold snow melt from the mountains still covered with a dusting of snow. There are fountains inside the monastery complex which bring the same water for drinking, but our guide warned us that the water is pure and safe to drink but so cold that we could not drink it without getting sick from it. Go figure!
Beautiful colorful murals decorate the church both outside and inside telling biblical tales and celebrating saints.
Bulgaria was like a complex but refreshing drink. This whole trip was eye opening in so many ways. Stay tuned as we continue to travel along the footsteps of the great in these magnificent Balkans.