Bulgaria

Bulgaria is one of Eastern Europe’s least densely populated nations and one of its poorest.the only country in Europe that has had more citizens leave looking for a better life elsewhere is Syria so that speaks to the issues that this country has..  The people that we met were all fiercely patriotic and loved sharing the stories of their homeland.  We learned so much about what it was like to live under communist rule and the hardships that ensued when the rule changed.  It is certainly not black and white and they could see some benefits to both sides.

We visited Veliko Tărnovo which is one of Bulgaria’s ancient capitals where after tasting some traditional Bulgarian liquor we visited a couple of old churches.  At one we were treated to a choral presentation and at the other an explanation of how religion was practiced during Saxon times.

We also visited the port city of Vidin where we visited the Baba Vida Fortress which was built in Medieval times and is very well preserved.  A highlight was a visit to  the Belogradchik Fortress which is built on the top of a rock formation which have eroded into fantastic formations.  The climb to the top awarded us with fantastic panoramic views.  The ride to the Fortress was an hour each way but taking different routes we wound through farmland and tiny villages which was really interesting.  One of the outstanding features in Bulgaria was the numerous very large factories standing empty and in disrepair.  These were all active during the communist regime but were no longer sustainable with the fall of communism.  They are everywhere in the country.  Just as an example of salaries a doctor in Bulgaria makes 400 Euro a month.  No wonder they have a very large brain drain.

Choral group inside an ancient church.  The sound was amazing 

This church was built to look like a barn so Christians could worship without any repercussions 

Traditional in Bulgaria to be offered bread dipped in spice as you enter a place to dine

Veliko Tărnovo with the fortress in the background 

Very colourful market street

The fortress 

This par of Bulgaria is definitely rebounding 

In the villages lots of people were just sitting outside near the street

Ruins of the Jewish temple in Vidin. Most all Jewish people were removed from Bulgaria in WWII

Baba Vidin Fortress

The people themselves call these commie condos as they were built during the communist era to house workers

Empty factories were everywhere 

Belogradchik

An ancient window

Not the first donkey and cart we came upon

Nice background for wedding photos

Beautiful climb to the top of the fortress

Steps steep at times but the views were more than worth it

Rock formations were fabulous 

City sat nestled in the rocks



Entertaining group of young dancers

Peles Castle , Brasov and Bran

We left Bucharest and travelled to Transylvania for a couple of days to take in some of the major sights of this region.  Unlike the flat lands of Bucharest, Transylvania is surrounded by the arc of the Carpatian mountain chain and is know for its scenic beauty and rich history.

Our first stop was at Peles Castle which is nestled at the foot of the Bucegi Mountains in the picturesque town of Sinaia and is a masterpiece of Neo-Renaissance architecture,considered one of the most stunning castles in Europe.  It was commissioned by King Carol 1 in 1873 and completed ten years later, serving as the summer residence for the royal family until 1947.  Its 160 rooms are adorned with the finest examples of European art, Murano crystal chandeliers and German stained glass windows.  It was the first European castle entirely lit by electrical current, produced by its own plant.  The treasures and rooms in the castle were definitely worth the trip to see them.

Brasov was established in 1211by the Teutonic Knights sent from Hungary and it quickly became an important commercial centre. The old town has retained its beautiful architectural heritage and buildings dating from the 1400s are well preserved today.  The city square in the middle of old town is the heart of the city and has a very vibrant cell to it.  The square is dominated by the black church, thus named due to the gigantic fire that destroyed part of the city in 1689 and blackened its walls.  After a tour of old town and spending some time wandering we went to our hotel which was ultra modern and a sharp contrast to the rest of the day.

This morning we paid a visit to the Bran Castle which is associated with Dracula.  Perched atop a 200 foot high rock it gives an aura of mystery and legend.  The castle was constructed towards the end of the 14th century to control the trade route to Transylvania.  The spooky looking stronghold has been dubbed Dracula’s Castle although there is no evidence to show that Prince Vlad Tepes, the figure behind the vampire myth ever passed through its walls.  Bram Stoker who created Dracula never visited Transylvania, he relied on his research and vivid imagination to creat his stories.  The castle from the outside is imposing situated up on the rock but the inside tour was like being a sardine in a can.it was totally unorganized and way too many people.  Would recommend passing on this one.

As I write this we our headed back to Bucharest to board the Amacerto and we are looking forward to more adventures.

Approaching Peles Castle 

The stage of the theatre inside the castle 

Incredible woodwork 

Beautifully carved statues of royalty 

The library was stunning and holds a very valuable collection of books 

The kings drawing room 

The murano glass chandelier throughout the castle were incredible 

This was the smoking room where opium was often the drug of choice

The royal dining room 

Glass flowers on the hall mirrors 

I felt that this fellow was actually looking at me

Peles Castle from the front

Entrance to the old town of Brasov 

Canada was hardly thought of when these buildings were built 

Old town square 

Every building was a picture 

Selling flowers on a stairway

Cater to the taste buds

This looked to me like a scene from Harry Potter

Climbing the hill to Bram Castle

Turret of the castle. Beautiful hills in the background 

Fireplace with cozy sitting 

Steep narrow staircases all through the castle 

Looking up the rock face

Sitting high


A final farewell to “Dracula’s Castle “

Bucharest, Romania

After a long flight via Frankfurt, Germany we arrived in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, the afternoon after we left Victoria.  Bucharest is a sprawling mass of concrete apartment buildings,busy streets and a jumble of monumental buildings,some never finished.  The traffic is incredible and cars park where ever they can find an empty space even if that is on the sidewalk.  On our first day we walked down to the old town to stretch our legs and wander the pedestrian only streets lined with small shops, massage parlours and dozens of restaurants with pleasant outside seating.  We sat and enjoyed our first Romanian meal, heavy on the pork which was delicious and the polenta which is not a favourite while sipping some Romanian wine.

The next morning after nursing a sore mouth all night I decided it was necessary to seek ou a dentist.  In all our travels we have been very lucky not to need any medical attention and I was a little apprehensive about seeking care in a foreign country.  The concierge set up an appointment and off we went.  The outside of the building looked a little sketchy but once inside we were pleasantly surprised.  The office was very modern and welcoming.  The dentist himself was young and spoke very good English and very professionally dellt with my periodontal abscess.  I was in the chair for 30 minutes and the cost was 30 dollars!  It is almost worth travelling here for dental care.  He even escorted us out to the taxi that he himself called.  Could not have had better service.

We found a little restaurant near our hotel where we had perhaps the best octopus we have ever had which is saying a lot considering I have it wherever I can.  The meal was so good the once Steve and Tina arrive from France later that day we went back for dinner.

We visited the Palace of the Parliament which is also know as the house that Ceausescu built, though he never got to live there as he and Elena were executed in 1989 before it was completed.  To clear the area for its construction he displaced 57,000 inhabitants and destroyed one fifth of the old town, including 19 churches.  The building is a fantasy of marble and guild and is the second largest building in the world second to the Pentagon.  It has 1100 rooms and is riddled with secret passages and anti-atomic shelters.  There was some controversy as to what to do with the partially finished building after his death but after a few years it was decided to finish it and it is now the home of the Senate and the Parliament as well as the National Contemporary Art Museum.  We had a delicious lunch in a restaurant in old town in a restaurant that used to be a church.  The entrance the the washroom was through the confessional door.  That was certainly unique.

We visited the National Village Museum which is an outdoor museum that covers 25 acres in central Bucharest.  It is dotted with examples of Romanian rural architecture which provides a comprehensive picture of the style of building used in the traditional rural houses and churches throughout Romania.

The four of us had a magnificent dinner at a Michelin star restaurant called the Artistwhere the tasting menu was presented on spoons.  The presentation and flavours were spectacular and the four hour meal was a wonderful way to spend our last evening in Bucharest.

Restaurants line the busy pedestrian streets of old town

The interior of the orthodox churches are very ornate

Beautiful old buildings are mixed in with much newer architecture 

The theatre inside the palace

Magnificent marble staircases

Beautiful room where the senate holds meetings

The Parliament Palace

Pedestrian streets of old town

Restaurant inside an old church

Hub of old town

Oldest church in Bucharest 

Old wooden church at the outdoor museum 

Example of typical wooden house from the countryside 

Wooden houses with wonderful woven fence

Hand painted Romanian wooden traditional eggs

Tourists hanging out at the museum 

The start of a wonderful dinner

Appetizers 

Soup in a test tube 

Main course spoons

Chef making manic

Dessert spoons