Bulgaria, June 2013. Part 4, Varna

I do not have much to say about Varna. I got there at night, and then the next day I had my bus back to Ukraine. Actually, I was also tired of nice emotions and impressions.

This time I had a hostel instead of hotel, and it appeared to be a great time. My neighbors were a lady from Germany and a father and a son from England. Next time I will book hostels without doubts. And will also take ear plugs.

Varna is a typical city near the sea, nice enough, friendly enough, crowded enough and distant enough.

When I went to the city center - I got lost immediately, in spite of buying a map. Indeed reading maps is not among my accomplishments. But then I had managed to find the way, and went right to the remains of ancient Roman Odessus and thermae.

 


Nice city. Friendly dogs

and other inhabitants

Nice architecture

Tasty food

What can I say more about the trip? Maybe this funny story, which took place at the last night in Varna. 
We were at approximately 11 p.m. at the bus station, and, since, as I have already mentioned, shopping in Bulgaria was great, I had only 12 leva left. It would be enough for taxi in Sofia. But it was of course not enough for the same in Varna (taxi drivers are like ones in Odessa or any other sea resort, who knows them, will understand). They told me 18 leva, and I said I had 10, otherwise I would go by walk. As I had a map and knew it was maximum 30 minutes walking, I was sure and categorical. Surprisingly, one of them agreed to that, and, maybe, that was that very great luck, which I got in Plovdiv, because getting into the car, I remembered that I had one extra package with two pairs of shoes and an umbrella on the way to Varna and that I did not have it then - so, obviously, it was in the bus. Just in time to say goodbye to the package, because the bus was leaving the station and I saw it's back. Maybe my face and my convulsive movement towards the bus told the driver more than I could tell him with my Bulgarian or even Russian, which he understood very well. We had caught the bus up, and I got my belongings back... After what he told me I owed him already 15 leva. Unfortunately I did not have such amount to grant him for rescuing my shoes and umbrella. But I was really thankful and gave all money I had.
The next day first of all I got some cash with the credit card and swore never take buses without cash on me.
Thank you chimney-sweep - at least, I have not sent my package to the Country of Lost Belongings :)

Bulgaria, June 2013. Part 3, Plovdiv

I had only one day in Plovdiv, I was there at the midday, and had a bus to Varna at about 3 p.m. the next day. Since I was somehow already a bit tired, I did almost nothing - just walked and looked around, made some pictures and bought some presents.
The main street is very nice, cute old buildings, a lot of small shops

The remains of the The Ancient Stadium

It is so strange feeling - to sit there at the stages, where the ancient people sat

There are three big hills in Plovdiv, one of them is situated right in the center, and you can see tidy red roofs of the old buildings and whiteness of the new parts of the city. And mountains :)

Cute Bulgarian cats

And one more, with intelligent eyes, patiently waiting for something life can probably send her through this strange girl with a camera, making pictures of cats with the unknown purpose

Unfortunately for the cat, I got this treasure long after we had met

In the evening I went to Alyosha - a giant sculpture of a soviet soldier, devoted to those who died in the Second World War.

There were cold and windy there, and going back I had the feeling that I was leaving him there - the one on the hill, withstanding the wind and coldness, alone in his sad greatness, and he will remain there for ever, he will not return, and many others, who died far away of everything and everybody they loved and lived for

Then once more on the first hill - this time to see night view (I have mentioned, I am a great fan of night views)

Plovdiv at night becomes deserted

I could not choose the best - so there are three fountains here

and one more nice fountain

and a bit more of ancient Rome noways

Leaving Plovdiv, I have seen one more picture from the past (at least, I've seen it for the first time)

Preparing for the trip, I have read about  Plovdiv chimney-sweep - some kind of a legend person, who appears  seldom and seeing whom can be considered as a sign that you are going to have a great luck in future. I forgot about it till the moment when I indeed saw him walking in the center, all in black, dancing gait, slight smile on his lips. I stared at him maybe a bit like an idiot, so that he winked and smiled widely.

Yohoo! I'm moving in a right direction! 

Bulgaria, June 2013. Part 2, Rila Monastery

Again, there was much information about Rila Monastery in Internet. I decided to go and have a look – at I was right. It is a very nice trip from Sofia for one day, you can take a tram from the city center to the West bus station, in three hours you are there – at approximately 13, and then at 15 – back. I thought two hours would be not enough – but it was. Plus, during the trip to the monastery you enjoy marvelous views from the bus window :) Founded in the 10th century, the Rila Monastery is regarded as one of Bulgaria's most important cultural, historical and architectural monuments

It is not big, but if you walk along the road further to the mountains – there are spectacular views, wide spaces, river, trees, green and peace

That is how the road to the sky looks like

Me and the Travelers :) What I like about traveling – meeting people

Listening to the stories about other people's lives, places they have been to, beauties of nature they have seen always inspires me and makes me optimistic – it means,  there are so many things to do, so many places to see, so many feelings to feel. It means life is not limited only to a flat I live in, a job I work at, street I walk on. Guys stayed in the mountains, and I was going back to Sofia and thinking – why people and places that happens to us just for a little moment while traveling make us feel life deeper than what happens to us every day… Or, hm… Maybe, even otherwise – why things that make us feel life deeper happens to us so rarely.

Bulgaria, June 2013. Part 1, Sofia

I took a bus to get from Odessa to Varna, and in Bulgaria I also travelled by bus, which is the most suitable, fast and cheap kind of transport in this country. Tickets cost not much and roads are really nice. From Varna I bought a ticket to Sofia (by the way, Bulgarians put stress on the first part of the word, so it is sOfia, not like we in Russian – we say it with the stress on “i”), and I was there at about 2-3 p.m. Metro is situated just near the bus station, but, since reading maps and getting the right direction cannot be listed among my strongest suits, I asked locals. I discovered that Bulgarian was also not the language I was especially good at, when they either smiled and shrugged shoulders, or asked me “Do you speak English?” Since I am a bit better in English as in Bulgarian – it was easy. They do not understand Russian and it is not easy to understand them, even if the words are familiar – Bulgarian people talk 2-3 times faster than we.

I have read a lot about Bulgaria and Bulgarians before the trip, and they are indeed as friendly as they are told to be. When I asked the way to my hotel – I was led there almost by the hand, when I asked for a map – I was presented with a beautiful map, surely made for a special occasion, with nice pictures and some descriptions in English. But, I’d say the Bulgarians have their personal line which they will not allow to be crossed by a stranger. It gives them a feeling of consolidation and it is one of the most national-oriented and united nation I have ever met. I have also read an opinion, that those who have moved to Bulgaria as adults will forever remain strangers, even if they would speak and think Bulgarian. Maybe I can agree with it, it seems quite probable. I am not going to move there at least in the nearest future, but I have really enjoyed the time as a tourist there.

So, Sofia! Again it was told in Internet that Sofia was not very interesting city and 2-3 days were quite enough for it. I can dispute over the first point, since IMHO there are not that much places on Earth which are not worth seeing, but I can admit the second one – I had three and a half days there, and even with Rila Monastery and shopping it was more than enough.

So was Sofia at the very first view

And I liked it :) though this sky cannot be named friendlyI was wandering around the city without any special plan, just with the google map, printed beforehand. At the end I think it was the best strategy, because if I have made the plan – I would have managed to see everything within one day :)
But the city is really very nice and cute – each next step leads to some sight or antiquitie. For example The Church of St George is an Early Christian red brick rotunda that is considered the oldest building in Sofia, built by the Romans in the 4th century, it is believed that it was built on the site of a pagan temple – situated right inside the President‘s residence.

Or the Church of St Petka of the Saddlers, a small one-naved building partially dug into the ground located in the very centre of both the modern and the antique city

And I was also very impressed by the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
And by University of Sofia

And also by the main street from where mountains are being seen…
And by a sad and simple-hearted social ad – “Take me home”…


And this is also one of my favorite places

And somehow – this one (maybe because I like great spaces)

Bulgarians do not look for a royal road to get coffee or drink

These shops are for real fighters

But fast food is so tasty here! And not expensive at all, magic words PIZZA and DUNER shine from every corner

1-2.5 Leva – and you get it...

...and you also get a company

And this wonderful salad…



They eat on the street - literally


And what I also have mentioned here – Bulgarians are great protesters, they have protests and rallies very often and on every occasion. This time it was against mafia in government (oh, brothers, comrades – could you please kindly consider the possibility to come to Ukraine and have your meetings here – there are a lot of stuff to manage too!!!). I can consider the usual day of the citizen of Sofia as following – he gets up quite early, dresses quite warm (trousers, or jeans, a jacket), gets his morning coffee at the street walking to work, he starts his working day at 8-9 a.m., then he finishes at 5, gets his pizza on a cardboard plate, then changes his cloths for more casual outfit – and goes to a meeting. The most enthusiastic ones remain there till 12-1 at night, talking and laughing loudly

This famous bridge was not impressive at all, and I could not even manage to get a picture of these lions looking straight at me

Bulgarian advertising looks a bit plain (especially after Ukraine where you have it on each step)

But shopping was worth time

Especially on this street  :) (Граф Игнатиев)

On Sundays the city becomes quiet and deserted, everybody is sitting at home and there are only some tourists on the streets. It is so nice just to walk around the city, to look, to breath and to smile

Sofia reminded me of Odessa – but wider, in Europe and no sea