Blogs from Bulgaria, Europe
April 10th 2012
Once again, it seems, I have gotten very behind in my blogging. For our Easter trip this year, we decided to be brave and adventurous and attempt traveling using only public transportation to visit Bulgaria and Romania. So on Good Friday, we boarded a bus headed for Skopje, spent the night there, and were up early the next morning for another six hour bus ride to Sofia, Bulgaria. Unfortunately, Sofia was not our final destination, so we hopped a train in a decidedly Eastern Block era trains station and continued on to Plovdiv. Completely exhausted when we reached Plovdiv, we found a taxi and discovered that our hotel - though wonderful - was neither near the train station nor the old town. Per the staff's recommendation, we headed to a Greek restaurant for dinner where we ... read more
March 26th 2012
Well it's something like 10 PM, and I'm hard at work trying to avoid writing a research paper that really needs starting. Still, when something's a week a way, it is so, very, hard to care. Ah well, I'm sure I'll think of some way to make the-company-which-must-not-be-named exciting. Let's back up a bit though shall we? Bulgaria for a start really was awesome, Romania maybe just a tad less so, but we'll get there. The trip was done with three others, a first for me, Robbie, Aubrey, and my old roomate Matus. For Bulgaria I think I can say this. Welcome to Eastern Europe: As Matus occasionally commented, Bulgaria resembled more of central Europe ten years ago, it’s just a little further east (duh). Orthodox churches dot the area, though with not as much frequency ... read more
February 28th 2012
Unfortunately meta's son was sent to prison for minor offences for 5 months.So the first visiting day (last Sunday) I went down.I was informed we needed to be outside at 8am,which meant an early start at 6 to get all pets done (both houses) grab a coffee and leave by 7,since we had to take the longer route owing to heavy-icy melt water on the back road. This i accomplished by 8.02 after a diversion,in Varna, when M misremembered the instructions. We parked up within sight of the prison and carried the bags to meet his wife and other friends. Some delay ensued as people tried to sort/organise how to get everything in, and I was dispatched to find bread.Basically the only place available was far away so I returned without but was glad to find ... read more
Just let me hear some of that rock and roll music...
Published: January 19th 2012Europe » Bulgaria » Sofia City » Sofia
January 19th 2012
For those about to rock, Bulgaria salutes you! As a boy who loves rock and roll I think I've just about died and gone to heaven in Sofia. The country has a rich history stretching back many centuries but one thing is clear as soon as you arrrive ... they love to rock! From the first taxi ride, and in the hostel, and on to the clubs; it's 100% ear splitting, bone jarring, head banging rock and roll that's guaranteed to get the blood pumping. Everyone seems to know the words to the classics, and it's like being in the middle of a neverending rock concert. My first night started with stimulating conversation in the company of a group of young travellers. As the evening progressed they went out for a meal, but I decided to ... read more
January 13th 2012
Alexander’s ability to bond with the five million stray cats in Eastern Europe has not been useful to the four of us on this trip, to be honest it has been tiresome. His degree in journalism is useful, as we have decided to put our feet up and sit this blog out forcing Alex to pull his weight. Here is what our guest blogger has to say about the Bulgarian part of our mini trip from Istanbul to Romania. ... Sofia is the capital city of Bulgaria - that was the complete sum of our collective knowledge on the place as we climbed down from the steps of another all-night Balkan bus. Sixty-two hours later, we’re only slightly wiser and just as tired. So, what have we learned? 1) Bulgarians are exceedingly polite drivers. After ... read more
Sneeuwwandelen in het Rila Gebergte
Published: January 8th 2012Europe » Bulgaria » Kyustendil Province » Rila Mountains
January 8th 2012
Terwijl de Nederlandse winter storm en wateroverlast met zich meebracht, vertrokken Baukje, Marjolein en ik richting Bulgarije voor een weekje wandelen in de sneeuw en de zon! In Sofia stonden onze gidsen Kantjil (schrijf je dat zo?) en Vasko klaar met onze goedlachse buschauffeur! Met een stop bij een echte supermarkt onderweg, reden we binnen twee uur naar ons gastvrije pension ten noorden van het Rilagebergte. Hier verbleven we met 16 personen in sjieke tweepersoonskamers, die uitgebreid bij elkaar bewonderd werden. Vooral de kleuren van menig kamer/badkamer vielen erg in de smaak. De volgende dag stond in het teken van oefenen met de sneeuwschoenen en lekker genieten van de verse sneeuw die naar beneden kwam en alles om ons heen inclusief ons zelf mooi wit kleurde. Een mooi tochtje door het bos met nog een spannende ... read more
January 2nd 2012
I had to double check that Sept entry was indeed the last. Much has happened in Boyana but more especially on this the latest return to UK. I set off on the 1st of December to head again for Dunkirk to catch a ferry early am on the 3rd. I had reduced the time to accomodate the new route thru Serbia which cut nearly 3/4's of a day off the romanian route. I hoped that, car trouble not withstanding, it would still allow sufficient time for completing the drive. This was proven when 38 hrs after leaving Boyana I was in the last French services just outside Dunkirk,with a further 10 hrs till the ferry !! I had not stinted on sleep or comfort stops so it would seem that there is time indeed for unforseen ... read more
December 25th 2011
Rapp Ranieri (LAPLAGNE) directly into the actual ski haven Bus journey in the foot from the Alps to snowboarding, automobile exposed, all eyes around the compacted snow. Jogging inside the imposing hills from the Alps Think that finding yourself in a massive image inside the breathtaking.cheap wedding dresses Distant hilltop snowfall lights bright sunlight, mild had been dazzling. Oh within the cold Seoul BC hill environment, you'll find here air free from dust, clean and comfortable; the actual snowfall here's special, not only the fullness regarding To be able to fifty percent the meter, and feel of delicate very. Seize a handful of compacted snow powdered in hand, under the sun may nearly view it plainly that the very dolphin. There exists a huge resort The actual broad skiing within strong snowfall is pressed on, sleek ... read more
October 17th 2011
Off to sofia on a 11 am train. The cart I was in had a broken heater so I was crammed into another cart for 6 hours of a boring train ride to Sofia Bulgaria, the capitol. I am only going here to catch a flight tomorrow that I haven't even booked yet. ha. Got into sofia around 7 pm and started to walk to my hostel. Tad chilly outside but I managed. I get to the right area but the directions started to be a little weird and I asked to Americans where it was and they pointed me in the right direction. Well I thought they did.... I went they way they told me and I looked for about 20 minutes and then I hear two guys calling out DALLAS. I realized it was ... read more
