Many people have told me I am crazy to go this way without knowing exactly where I am going, where I would stay, what I would do… The only certain thing was Black sea. But that craziness is pretty old information – about 40 years old, so it couldn’t impress me at all. I am packing my new backpack for its first trip and myself for the new adventure and… Let’s do it!
(Not to overload the post with pictures, most of the photos you can find at the end of it divided into galleries.)
First stop towards Black sea – Lyaskovets
Short break with mom and dad. A little bureaucracy and paperwork. A leisurely stroll through sunny Tarnovo, climbing up to the monastery above Lyaskovets and rediscovering the beauty and tranquillity of the small town.
Isn’t it time to leave the big one in the past?! Just one of the many questions passing around without slowing down enough to be caught and destroyed.
Pleasant meetings, some of them surprising, with old school friends, which brings you back to the past and wake some of that passing in the mind things…
Next – right at Black sea and Varna
The train delivered me to the sleeping Varna around 5:30 am.
I love watching the sea sunrise, so backpack on my back and straight to the Sea Garden. Although it is a tourist season, the streets are deserted, and at the park’s alleys there are only a few early-morning enthusiasts busy with their morning jogging. Beauty, tranquillity, smell of a sea, a cup of coffee and… sunrise above the waves! What more does a man need!
I have good friends in Varna who literally adopted me during the three days I spent there. The fallen restaurant on Cape Galata – I don’t know its history, but apparently at some point it got tired to carry the eternally hungry and drunk tourists and it just crashed into the abyss.
The fortress of Petrich Kale near Razdelna. There isn’t much of a fortress left, but the view is worth climbing the plateau in the midday heat. Aladzha Monastery – the photos (or the photographer) fail to convey the impressive image of the rocky monks cells, so the experience should probably be repeated. 😉
Three amazing days with a pleasant company filled with many emotions, walks and impressions! Thank you friends, I love you two!!! And it’s time to move on towards Nessebar.
Hello Nesebar
Nessebar! Beauty! But until I got to the beauty it was interesting…
It has already been proven that I am crazy and, of course, I showed up downtown at noon, sat in the shade under a tree to eat my walnuts and to think – and now where to? I asked some people, dug in the internet, made several phone calls…
Everyone were saying – absurd, for 1-2 nights, single person, no chance! Well, as a last resort, maybe at the price of almost five!
Ahhh, let’s get it straight, I may look double to someone, but five? Nah, the other three needs to deal on their own! 😆
I toured downtown three times until I found out that there were two hotels with the same name, but the one I was looking for was a “slightly” out of the town… Nope!
An old lady invited me for a modest 15 lv. per night and I went with her. Uhh, this turned out to be a 1/2 persons room, for when I entered the converted closet, I had to get on the bed to close the door… Nope, again!
A gentleman decided to act as a mediator and took me to some kind of basement, gave me the key and we squeezed our hands – it wasn’t any good, but I decided that for one night could survive.
Yes but no, the lady owner came and we strongly disagree at some points important to me. And except that I’m crazy I don’t let anyone to try to scare me with crap of the sort that I have no place to sleep! Come oooon!
Well, yes, but there is no place to sleep… 🙉
So, I’m back on the bench under the tree – it’s past 6pm, and I’m still with the rucksack on the street instead of having a rest on the beach, for example! From that moment is the photo above – slightly worried, no? But how much stubbornity hidden in the backpack… 😆
Beautiful Nesebar
Well, in the end of the afternoon I had a lovely room for one night (and stayed 3) at a decent price and with nice hosts! A quick shower and a meeting with good old buddy for a beer or two.
So, at the end of the day, I spent 3 beautiful, leisurely days exploring the place – mostly the Old town and 3 wonderful evening with my old pal. Thank you, Krasi!
Burgas or more accurate – St. Anastasia Island
I arrived in Burgas around noon.
The trip should be interesting, so the journey, which ordinary takes 40 minutes by bus, took me about 3 hours, but the important thing is to have fun! 😁 Just can’t stop to wonder what makes people become such asholes at times like that? Okay, you’re late, but we’re all late – traffic is terrible all the way to Burgas, and unfortunately we got on a bus without an airplane fin (or however you say it in English)! I don’t understand… Fortunately I have a headphones! 😉
Another old friend is waiting for me at the Train Station. Thanks, Svetleto! We are tossing the bag pack at the station storage and hurrying up to the Marine Station to catch the boat to St. Anastasia Island. No tickets…
Well, okay, we are no longer in a hurry to get anywhere, so we could wait – some of the people that has reserved tickets may not come. Mhmmm, someone didn’t come… 😊
The island is small, viewed in 10 minutes walk, but it is fascinatingly beautiful and with an interesting and dramatic story.
In the past it has changed its name and purpose several times. It was first built a monastery there in the Middle Ages, which was repeatedly burned and plundered. During the Russo-Turkish Liberation War, the island became a strategic base for Turkish artillery. At the beginning of the last century it was transformed into a camp for political prisoners. Nowadays it became a museum.
A wonderful walk and my first voyage (except one ferry) by sea. Even a modest 7 km was enough to make me feel like I could fly!
Time to go home
A journey full of emotions and impressions. The journey was surprising and challenging, revealing to me every step of the way – an experiment without preparation and a plan.
Although it was short and mainly safe, this mini journey marked the beginning of the end of my old life. Many questions, that I wasn’t even able to formulate, had their answers at the time, especially after meeting Aimen and Ricardo a week later. And how many more then…
I can fly now! 😊
Woooooooo me gusta mucho en la forma e n que viajas!!!