Plovdiv Central Bulgaria

---

PLOVDIV AND CENTRAL BULGARIA

From a pleasant, but unremarkable camp on the banks of Lake Iskar, the road to the east toward Plovdiv improved. So also did the general outlook. Away from the feral looking south west, agriculture looks more productive with broad acre farming across a broad plain showing how well this land can produce. Now that Bulgaria is in the EU, those farmers who have recognised the opportunity are said to be doing very well. When we passed through we saw auto headers and other modern machinery reaping excellent looking yields of wheat while sunflowers decorated alternate paddocks. All this under a hot sun hardening seeds to a high quality.

What a different face we saw in Plovdiv. In the south west of Bulgaria people may have all but given up. In Plovdiv the mood is more go ahead.

We took a bus to the city centre and visited to Old Town. In the city centere there is a very upmarket shopping promenade. Its an easy walk up to the ancient pert of town which is pleasantly clear of come follow me tourist guides acting as goat herders or shepherds. The cobbled streets lead to a very well preserved Roman Amphitheatre.

Back near our campsite (which was sadly not well maintained like the rest of Plovdiv) I went to a very well stocked hardware store to get a few bits and pieces. As I entered the store there was a 4meter long counter with a glass showcase underneath. This particular showcase displayed an armoury. On display were hand guns from 50 Lev (1.95 Lev to the Euro) serious rifles and machine guns ( 200 Lev) etc .Behind the counter there was a display of knives and other stock, the purpose of which would be to kill or maim.

I was told that in Bulgaria anything can be purchased.

All I bought was a connector to join two pieces of hose together.

---