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Published: October 19th 2008
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Border control in the Bulgarian side was the easiest in the EU I have experienced, very quick processing the border guard did not even get up the bus to check each one of us, the driver has the passports and it got stamped quite quickly, i am the only backpacker, all are Serbians or Bulgarians. Arrived just past 9am in Sofia, asked info for Skopje buses and also to Veriko Tarnovo, then looked for the kiosk to buy tram tickets, I asked the lady where to get tram 12 and she said NO SPEAKING ENGLISH twice yelling at me, i got ticked off and said to her well you just did and in English you bi-ch and walked off. Looked for it myself thankfully found it and got on, I counted the stops as it was said 6th stop you get off to Slavaykov Sq. Good thing I asked a preety young lady if that is my stop showing her the note i have, she said one more stop,(7th on my count but did not protest). It was said between McDonalds and a book store but could not find an arch to go to the hostel building, so I asked a
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ETHNOGRAPGHIC MUSEUM street sweeper, A Roma woman, she is so kind she flagged another person to show me the place, he walked with me and made sure I got inside the building and left, me shaking his hand full of gratitude. Met Boyan, friendly reception staff, maybe he owns this place as well did not asked, Nightingale Hostel is the name. Nice big beds, was the only one there!! He said a few others British people are staying there too.
He was very nice and we had a great conversation on his views about the Yugoslav conflict, very bright guy. Did my laundry, booked accomodation in Veliko and off to walk the city. The map is quite easy to follow and seen all the highlights in a half day. Not the most splendid city, quite simple not too hectic looking. Places i have seen were: The president palace where i also saw the changing of the guards, Parliament and cabinet buildings, all soviet style big blocks and boring. There is a Roman ruins within the Palace compounds, Ethnographic museum, Russian church, Alexander Nevski cathedral, Opera house and a few other nice looking buildings. Having done everything touristy went to internet at
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CABINET BUILDING a cafe next to KFC to print my booking for Veliko then chilled at the hostel. Updated my blog then off to bed.
Woke up and took my time then Boyan told me my bus leaves in 15 minutes I panicked I forgot to change my watch one hour ahead, so have to take the next one. The tram stop cant find have to walk down to KFC and so the stop so waited ten minutes then off I go. Went to the information desk again and bought my ticket, and inquired again about Skopje but the guy said hurry the bus leaves in 10 minutes so i ran.
Took 3 hours to get there.
The bus station is next to the road, it's called Yugo bus station, there's 2 here in Veliko and when i called for pick up from Hostel Mostel I could not tell which one but somehow they figured it out, Ray from Portland, Oregon picked me up he is staying in the hostel, he said he does not work for them so i guess just doing them a favor. Got settled quickly, nice hostel really cool, veranda and all, free internet breakfast and
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CHANGING GUARDS, PRESIDENTIAL PALACE dinner!
had a walk into the new part of town, cobbled stones uphill and down, took my time, bought some things at the supermarket and back to hostel. Socialized with the other backpackers, one Aussie guy told me of this great hike to a town called Arbanassi, Iva the receptionist gave me a map and showed me where the trail is, it is about 2 hours trek. Dinner was spaghetti with a tomato sauce, free beer, but not enough food for me, the Japanese dude Mizuki beat me to the second helping so I have to contend to be only partly full tonight. Met a couple living in Brisbane, the guy from Malaysia and the lady from Singapore, they are in their 50s it seems and still enjoy travelling backpacker style, learned heaps of tips for the rest of Yugoslavia.
9:30am got woken up by a good morning greeting from Mizuki, he woke me up because he wants to come with me hiking into the Arbanassi trail, may as well get up as it is late, had my breakfast then made our sandwiches for the trip then off we go, at first the map seems easy then got complicated
soon as we passed the 2nd bridge and we cant find the trail, luckily it runs almost parallel to the main road so we followed it, beautiful colors of autumn in the hills, tough climb up but scenic, then at the crossroads we saw a map, asked a local which way but he insisted we follow the main road to the right so we did and an hour later we made it to Arbanassi without going to a trail, soon as we entered the town we saw sat Vince, Karen and Hamish sat having a drink, they got lost as well but were ahead of us by an hour, they clambered up a trail that lead to nowhere but a few rock faces. Somehow they managed to find the town. If you follow the main road you'd be fine just longer so we all tried to follow a trail but failed miserably. Walked around town, nothing much really to see, the churches are disguised as houses, the nativity church has some impressive frescoes other than that nothing really interesting in this town and hardly anyone around, houses are made of stones and with high walls surrounding them, as if trying
to ward off invaders. After getting bored and tired walking we had lunch then back to Veliko where we finally found the trail going down a bit steep but going through forests and it was quite nice. back in town i hurried to get to Tsarevets castle before it closes at 6pm, one hour later am back in the hostel. Mizuki and I went to town to buy additional food to supplement the meager free dinner, we found the green market by accident and bought some veggies.
Over dinner met another japanese guy who gave me useful tips for macedonia and Kosovo and Albania, hostels to stay, where to go what to avoid etc.
After finishing the 2 liter beer i bought in town went to bed. Next morning spent time packing my things and with Karen and Hamish and Vince we all took the 12:15pm bus from Yugo, we went to the one behind the hotel first but were told wrong station so we hurried as the bus leaves in ten minutes, we made it and off to Sofia. Said my goodbyes to them as they stay in Sofia while i kill time waiting for the 7pm bus
to Ohrid via Skopje in Macedonia, wanted to use the net so asked the lady in the call shop at the bus station but wont entertain me, she cant speak English but rather saying it nicely, just waved her index finger vigorously as if to say no! leave me alone, so i did after a few kind words which am sure she did not understand.
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