Nov 4, 2018 - Goodbye Bulgaria

@@@@@@@ KAPOORS ON THE ROAD We’d spent our first ten days in Sofia and then travelled by train to Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s ‘second city’. The two places couldn’t have been more different, and we were happy that we’d made the effort to see more than just the capital. We stayed six nights in Plovdiv and then returned for a couple nights to the same AirBnB apartment. We were fortunate that our host agreed to let us leave our main suitcases with him, so that we could travel with only our carry-on luggage to weigh us down. The trains are so reliable...

Nov 3, 2018 - Revival Buildings

@@@@@@@ BACKGROUND Here’s some of what the Lonely Planet – Bulgaria and Romania has to say about Plovdiv’s revival buildings and the Ethnological Museum: Pupulden, or (Philippopolis as the Byzantines called it), was controlled by Constantinople, Bulgars and even Latin Crusaders over the following centuries. After various skirmishes, the Ottomans conquered it in 1365, renaming the city Filibe. The city thrived and its merchants grew wealthy. Some of Bulgaria’s finest and most lavish townhouses were built during the Bulgarian National...

Nov 2, 2018 - Plovdiv's Religious Buildings

@@@@@@@ BACKGROUND Here’s some of what the Lonely Planet – Bulgaria and Romania has to say about Plovdiv’s religious buildings: Church of Sveti Konstantin & Elena This is Plovdiv’s oldest church and one of its most beloved. Dedicated to Emperor Constantine the Great and his mother, Helena, it was built on the spot where two Christian martyrs were be- headed in the year 304. Admire marvellous frescoes and a colourful carved ceiling in the exterior colonnade, and a baroque-style Viennese iconostasis and religious art spanning the 15th to 18th...

Oct 31, 2018 - Ancient Plovdiv

@@@@@@@ BACKGROUND Here’s some of what the Lonely Planet – Romania & Bulgaria has to say about ancient Plovdiv: “Like Rome, Plovdiv straddles seven hills; but as Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited city, it’s far more ancient. The neighbourhood boasts Thracian, Roman, Byzantine and Bulgarian antiquities, the most impressive being the Roman amphitheatre. The modern centre features a shop-lined pedestrian mall, ul Knyaz Aleksandâr, which passes over the Roman Stadium to a square with fountains. The remains of settlements dating to 7,000 BC...

Oct 30, 2018 - Hanging Out In Plovdiv

@@@@@@@ BACKGROUND Here’s some of what the Lonely Planet – Bulgaria and Romania has to say about modern Plovdiv: “Bulgaria’s second city, Plovdiv, is reason enough to explore. Its Roman ruins and revitalized arts scene combine to make it arguably the country’s most interesting city. With an easy grace, Plovdiv mingles invigorating nightlife among millennia-old ruins. It is best loved for its romantic old town, packed with colourful and creaky 19th-century mansions that are now house-museums, galleries and guesthouses. But cobblestoned...

Oct 29, 2018 - By Train To Plovdiv

@@@@@@@ BACKGROUND Here’s some of what the Lonely Planet – Romania & Bulgaria has to say about Plovdiv: “Why come? With an easy grace, Plovdiv mingles invigorating nightlife among millennia-old ruins. Like Rome, Plovdiv straddles seven hills; but as Europe’s oldest continuously inhabited city, it’s far more ancient. It is best loved for its romantic old town, packed with colourful and creaky 19th-century mansions that are now house-museums, galleries and guesthouses. But cobblestoned lanes and National Revival–era nostalgia are only part...

Oct 27, 2018 - Vitosha Gondola And Chairlift

@@@@@@@ BACKGROUND Here’s some of what the Lonely Planet – Romania & Bulgaria has to say about Vitosha Nature Park: “The Mt Vitosha range, 23km long and 13km wide, lies just south of Sofia; it’s sometimes referred to as the ‘lungs of Sofia’ for the refreshing breezes it deflects onto the capital. The mountain is part of the 22,726 hectare Vitosha Nature Park, the oldest of its kind in Bulgaria (created in 1934). The highest point is Mt Cherni Vrâh (Black Peak; 2290m), the fourth-highest peak in Bulgaria, where temperatures in January can...

Oct 25, 2018 - Sofia's Religious Buildings

@@@@@@@ BACKGROUND Here’s some of what the Lonely Planet – Romania & Bulgaria has to say about Sofia houses of worship: “Sveti Georgi Rotunda Built in the 4th century AD, this tiny red brick church is Sofia’s oldest preserved building. The murals inside were painted between the 10th and 14th centuries. It’s a busy, working church, but visitors are welcome. Sveta Petka Samardzhilska Church This tiny church, located in the centre of the Serdika metro complex, was built during the early years of Ottoman rule (late 14th century), which explains...

Oct 22, 2018 - Central Sofia

@@@@@@@ BACKGROUND Here’s some of what the Lonely Planet – Romania & Bulgaria has to say about central Sofia: “Ancient Serdica Complex This remarkable, partly covered excavation site, situated just above the Serdika metro station, displays the remains of the Roman city, Serdica, that once occupied this area. The remains were unearthed from 2010 to 2012 during construction of the metro. There are fragments of eight streets, an early Christian basilica, baths and houses dating from the 4th to 6th centuries. Sofia Monument Erected in 2001 on...

Oct 19, 2018 - Sofia, Bulgaria

@@@@@@@ BACKGROUND Here’s some of what the Lonely Planet – Romania & Bulgaria has to say about Sofia: “Bulgaria’s pleasingly laid-back capital is often overlooked by visitors heading straight to the coast or the ski resorts, but they’re missing something special. Sofia is no grand metropolis, but it’s a largely modern, youthful city, with a scattering of onion-domed churches, Ottoman mosques and stubborn Red Army monuments that lend an eclectic, exotic feel. Recent excavation work carried out during construction of the city’s metro...

Aug 5, 2018 - 27/28th July

Dear all, As you know the titled date is the date we visited these places and the other date is the actual date on which I am writing. I say this because we have just arrived at Belgrade and the wifi is working well. The photos are from our time in Sofia in Belgrave. All the towns we visit have lots of large churches, mostly Christian Orthodox. Sofia has Roman ruins which have been found during the repair and rebuild from damage caused during the 2nd World War and the revolutions when the former Yugoslavia states broke up and the communist...

Aug 4, 2018 - 26th July

Dear all, Well at last wifi has reached out room. The day the photos were taken we were travelling from Romania into Bulgaria. We passed 3 shepherds with their dogs and sheep but as the sheep grazed one shepherd was busy on the mobile phone. The scenery continues to be beautiful and changing. When we arrived at Velikio Tarnovo we climbed to the Tsanevitis Fortress. It was very hot and steep cobblestone road and slippery steps. Finally made it to the top. The views from the top were lovely. I have included a photo of the fortress from the...