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Veliko Tarnovo

I start tonights missive on the rooftop terrace of my hotel in Veliko Tarnovo overlooking the massive fortress of the town called Tsarevets Fortress for those of you who have been here.

In answer to your first question…yes I did make it to V.T. Against all odds…the ticket (little bit of paper) got me onto an ancient, rickety old mini-bus affair with another dour Bulgarian bus driver who didn’t acknowledge me at all. I just hoped I was on the right bus.
Even more worrying, when I got to V.T I went to get my next bus ticket to Burgas while I was at the station. Talk about hilarious. ‘Do you speak any English??’, ‘NO’, with that we just look at each other, not a word spoken. So I take a deep breath and start again writing a date down etc. Well I got a piece of paper and I paid some money but to be honest I have little idea if I have the right ticket. I’m going to have to ask the hotel to look at it for me.

It was a lovely bus ride through the mountains..Sunflowers harvested, fresh apples being sold on the roadside, snow in the mountains (I’m told very unusually early).

Arrived in V.T. and got in a taxi, again no words spoken, very glum really but I have discovered that a tip works wonders, a couple of Lv and there is a marked increase in helpfulness.

This hotel is much, much nicer and the staff really sweet. But again I’m early and have to leave my case and trot off to start seeing the town. Only staying here 2 nights, as in Plovdiv, I can’t waste the half day I have when I arrive. So I trotted into the old town…gorgeous really. I like this town even more than Plovdiv, it is friendlier. I had a nice lunch somewhere in town and then I headed back for check in. My room is on the 3rd floor and there is no lift!! A young girl and I had to get my massive cases up which we did!! I’ll be glad not to have to take the big case everywhere again which will happen once I reach Bucharest(which is a complication in itself…how to get there).

So a minutes rest and then I figure if I’m going to be efficient I have to spend the rest of the afternoon exploring Tsarevets Fortress. So off I set. It is amazing and i did enjoy walking around it and right up to the top with the massive Cathedral. I’m a bit bushed now but food will probably get me going again. Amongst all of this I did manage to get my wine. Now I’m sitting on the roof looking over the fortress and writing this.

Two night here and then on to Burgas (if that’s where I’ve got a ticket to) but there is a complication in that I can’t easily get from Burgas to Bucharest and will probably have to spend a night elsewhere like Rose to get myself up into Romania. Still, I guess it will all be managed in the long run.

This is really quite adventurous travel…just wish I was 40 years younger but still am coping well for an old girl. My knees are playing their part in a manner that is little short of miraculous!!

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Plovdiv – Day 2

This might be a shorter, more to the point missive tonight. Firstly, I keep remembering things I want to tell you and have forgotten.

  1. My room in this hotel is on floor -2. i.e. not above ground and there are no windows. It feels as if I am in Coober Pedy and is a weird feeling. No light at all, not idea what the weather looks like in the morning and every now and again I feel like panicking!!
  2. the weather has improved vastly in the last couple of days and the sun is shining again. Not hot but nicely autumnal.
  3. Bulgaria has to be the cheapest country I’ve travelled in for many a year. I can’t believe how cheap it is. Not accommodation but meals, coffee, wine etc are just so cheap!

So, that is the leftovers, now to today. Just really walked all over Plovdiv, again got to know it like all these cities, it takes a day or two but you soon get a handle on it. Ate a lot today as I wandered around!! Visited the unique Plovdiv houses, the museums that were open (Monday is Museum free day in both Turkey and Bulgaria)…really a gorgeous town.

My ticket to Veliko Turnova for tomorrow has been the saga I expected. When I asked the manager of the hotel about it this morning he had clearly forgotten, as expected. But assured me he would get it!

Got back from my wanderings this afternoon and there was a problem..it was at a different bus station (which I knew) and he hadn’t been able to get it but his friend was going to get it tonight. Well I now have a skimpy bit of paper that is apparently my bus ticket though you wouldn’t know it!!

Oh well we’ll see how things go tomorrow, Hopefully I’ll get there!!

Taxi at 8 in the morning…wish me luck!

More tomorrow!!

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Plovdiv

I’m successfully in Plovdiv but again I say it aint easy in Bulgaria compared to Turkey that is.

So…set off at 8 am from the worlds least helpful hotel in Sofia, not that I left feeling negative about Sofia, there were more than enough positive experiences to make me feel as if I got a lot out of it.

Taxi to the bus station. This time I didn’t have a ticket so the first chore was to work out which buses were going to Plovdiv. Easy you are probably thinking. But in fact this is the scenario…nothing is even in roman letters. You can’t recognise any place names and no-one wants to be helpful. Eventually I find someone who directs me to the right window and I’m able to get myself a ticket for a bus leaving in half an hour. Next trick…find the right bus. This I do by braille really. It’s an old run down bus. I ask the driver if it goes to Plovdiv and he grunts at me with a cigarette hanging out his mouth. Found someone else who confirmed that the bus was going to Plovdiv. Take my massive case and my ordinary case to check in and lovely driver labels it but refuses to put it on the bus. I note everyone has to get their own luggage on bus so I follow suit…thinking I want to go back to Turkey!!! Anyway, all was OK, I was on the bus and off we went to Plovdiv.
Got myself a taxi knowing I was too early for check in at the hotel but plan to leave cases and go out and about. The man at the hotel just barked 2 O’Clock at me. O…K!!!

Anyway left my luggage and found a tourist office to supply me with a map and off I went with very heavy bag over the shoulder. All Ok, fossicked about and got back to hotel after 2pm. Walked in and he said ‘passport’, I said it would be nice to feel welcome!! He started to tell me all his guests were welcome and I said it didn’t feel like that (clearly I was over it!!).

The long and the short of it is that he has been charming ever since and can’t do enough for me. Think I might do a bit more challenging!! I told him I had to get to the ‘other’ bus station to get a ticket to Velika Tarnovo and he said it was a long way, don’t worry he will get the ticket for me. I was exceedingly grateful and will wait to see how that works out!!

The afternoon has been spent getting a handle on Plovdiv and visiting the Roman Amphitheatre and Roman Stadium and walking the streets. It is a lovely town as those of you who have been here know but very hard on the feet with the very uneven cobble stones. Me being paranoid about falling has to stop frequently to look up and ensure I’m not missing anything as it is eyes down while walking.
I had dinner in the hotel restaurant and again my “NBF’ couldn’t do enough to help me.

I know this sounds negative and it isn’t as negative at all, just to give you some insight into the difficulties I face every step of the way but in equal proportions there are people who are charming, friendly and helpful. Libby said that they are learning to come out from the Iron Curtain and be open to strangers and I think that is a very true observation…that is exactly what it feels like. From what I hear from other travellers Rumania is even harder so can’t wait for that!!

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Sofia – Day 2

So you’re all absorbed in the GF and I daresay not a thought for the ‘Explorer of Bulgaria’. I, on the other hand, told everyone I could that it was Grand Final Day in Melbourne…for some reason they all looked totally blank.

Well now it’s to me. I know you will all be sleeping off hangovers, no matter what time zone you’re in but eventually, sometime next week you’ll get to read this!!

Last night I embarked out on an epic journey to find the ‘Top Choice’ (LPG) Bulgarian food restaurant. And it was epic as I walked bloody miles to find it (the doctor always said I could eat well as long as I walked for it). And it really was worth it. It was one of those fantastic eating experiences that happen from time to time. Firstly though, you have to get over the fact that you are the proverbial shag on the rock…this single woman that you can can tackle one of many ways and this restaurant took the ‘overwhelm with kindness’ approach…an approach I actually quite appreciate and it is probably the most common one. I could go on and on about this place but they source all their recipes from the local monasteries and it is really heaven food. I put myself entirely in the hands of my lovely waiter who produced firstly fried Bulgarian White Cheese with honey and walnut…to die for. Then a sensational lamb ‘hotpot’ type thing cooked in nettles and god knows what else but it was amazing, with a selection of sides that were a bit of a mystery but contained rice, yoghurt, kind of mash…god knows. Then of course he persuaded me to have a Bulgarian dessert that really was divine. Good thing it was a long walk back to hotel…I waddled!!!!

Then today…my trek to Rila Monastry and Boyana Church. World Heritage sites both.
Picked up by my shuttle bus at designated point. Others with me for the day…a mother and daughter from Iran, lovely and a Gay American/ Philippino who was a bit of a hoot….you couldn’t shut him up!! 2.5 hr drive to Rila Monastry. Got out of the bus to absolutely freezing weather around 0, snow on the mountain above the monastery and a kind of sleety drizzle. Bloody hell the transition of climates within 24 hrs is doing my head in and I FROZE, so ill- prepared was I. Anyway, 100s of photos later back in the bus. It was actually a really special place by the way, quite extraordinary really. Lunch in the mountains. I had trout, the local special, due to all the gorgeous trout streams flowing through the mountains. Then off we chuffed for the next stop Boyana Church…by all accounts totally amazing.

Then Guess what?…flat tyre…driver (lovely guy) with no idea. Bolts stuck on like glue…spanners broken, no idea how to jack the bus, couldn’t find the jack etc etc. A very long time passed and we knew we were losing the opportunity to see Boyana that closed at 5pm. I wandered off and watched women picking apples and vegetables…lovely women…locals came with their tools to try to help. All to no avail. We kept saying he should get help i.e. serious help!! Anyway to cut a long story short he eventually got in a car and went to a garage fairly close by and came back with 2 serious operators who got out all the right equipment and had the tyre changed in 2 seconds flat.

Well…then the race was on! They’d phoned ahead and told Boyana we were on the way. We flew through the hills like madmen and got to the church with minutes to spare. Thank God because it was the highlight of the day…totally amazing ancient frescoes covered this C12 Church. It is UNESCO World Heritage listed, only 8 people allowed in at a time for only 10 minutes and absolutely no photos so it’s all in my head and I hope it stays there because it was probably the most impressive of the trip so far.

Back to the hotel and no key card to room…obviously left on bus. Man on desk gleefully said that would cost me but got me in to the room. Ho Hum. Have decided to eat in tonight, can’t bear the thought of being cold again so got a pizza Bulgarian style.

But just to restore faith in human nature and the lovely driver of today…the desk just rang up to say he had dropped off off my keycard…how lovely is that!!

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Sofia

Well there is no doubt that on the laptop emails will only send from the hotmail address. I will just live with that until I meet up with Hammy and get him to sort me out!

Well Sofia…I’m reeling from the change compared to Turkey and it’s taking a bit of adjusting I have to tell you.

Firstly I wake up and it’s grey and raining, and has rained steadily all the bloody day. A sort of drenching persistent rain. I set out this morning in my Tshirt as per usual! A bit slow at adjusting to change, I know! About 10 mins in I was freezing and wet and had to head back to the hotel for the Merrill jacket, which actually failed to keep me entirely dry but was an improvement. Tomorrow I think it’s jumper and Merrill jacket!! This is not to mention wet shoes and wet socks but all this is minor.

Setting out this morning was completely overwhelming. I had no idea where I was and how I needed to proceed. The hotel is completely unhelpful…annoyingly so and I was a bit at sea. I decided I had to find the Tourist Information place…not something I had to do even once in Turkey(they are all tourist information offices). The difference here is that people don’t try to help they just say ‘NO” if they don’t know what you’re talking about! Anyway ages later and with considerable difficulty I found the tourist office. Best thing I could have done because when you find the right people they are incredibly helpful. I walked in looking like a drowned rat but walked out with a plan.
So they set me straight and suggested I go on a 2 hour walking tour with volunteers. I could just make it if I got on the subway…oh shit another challenge to work out but with her clear instruction I managed to work out the ticket, which train to get on etc and made it in time for the tour.

The other thing she did was tell me about a shuttle bus service that goes to Rila Monastry and Boyana Church both of which I really wanted to do but thought I wouldn’t be able to given that there was so little information available about how to get there. That was exciting and that is tomorrows adventure.

So today, 2 hours of walking this city to start with. The highlight was the story that Del had given me about his grandfather and how he had saved the king, Boris, from an assassination attempt. He died in the attempt and the king went to his funeral. He was therefore late for another funeral and the cathedral it was being held in was blown up by communists killing over a hundred people but the king again survived as he was late. Well the guide was telling this story, or just part of it because she didn’t know, or didn’t relay, as much as I knew…it absolutely sent shivers up my spine. It was amazing, honestly, to feel so connected to it across both time and distance.
Anyway, the tour really oriented my and after it I retraced my steps and went into all the places we had walked by. It took me all day but at the end of it I know my round the city and feel much happier.

Tomorrow my activity is locked in as above and then the next day(is that Sunday??) I’m off to Plovdiv for a couple of nights. My plan at the moment is to go from Plovdiv to Veliko Tarnovo then over to Burgas so I can visit Sokopol and maybe Nesebir. From Burgas I’m hoping I can directly to Bucharest. From what I can see the transport from the coast is fairly easy.

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On the Road Again!

So said my farewells earlyish this morning and off to another bus station. This time a 9.5hr trek up to Sofia. I’m late getting on to this because I’ve been overwhelmed by comments and ‘likes’ on Facebook. I can’t work out how to see them all so it takes me forever. I’m also still in the process of working out my computer so technology is taking up an inordinate amount of time suddenly.

The bus ride was fairly gruelling, mainly because not a word of English was spoken and I had to concentrate madly to work out what to do at the border crossing.That was a real performance. With the bus even stopping between the countries so everyone could do their bloody duty free shopping. I was cross with myself for not being more on the ball cos I had some TLs left and should have bought a nice bottle of French wine.

Anyway all went smoothly until the customs people started going through the cases on the bus. There was a very brusque call foe seat 5 (ME). Id locked my case as I’m in the habit of doing for the first time in my traveling life. This obviously meant I was hiding something!!! I unlocked it for them and out came everything. Knickers on the top with everyone peering into my case. Lesson 101: DO NOT lock case at next bus trip crossing a border.

Over the border and suddenly I know nothing! Its one thing to have a language problem, quite another when everything is in Cryllic (or whatever its called) and you don’t even recognise where you are.

First impressions on the road: Roads! They deteriorated badly. The Russians have got a very good deal to answer for architecturally speaking. Lovely ancient old farmhouses collapsing and ugly grey concrete buildings everywhere. Many of them derilict and ugly ugly. Very depressing. Sunflowers!! If I was here 2 months ago I think it would have been an amazing sight. Now it is fields and fields of black, dead flowers. Animals, I didn’t realise how little animal farming there is in Turkey. I was struck by cows again! Anyway…..

Eventually got to Sofia. Got myself some money (always an anxiety for me) and a taxi to the hotel. Very basic place but it will do…they won’t be much help sorting myself out though in terms of getting where I want to go. I’ve actually decided I may have to give up on Rila Monastry unless I can work it out all very quickly. Asked the hotel where to find food…did I want Bulgarian food?…of course. They gave me instructions and of course I didn’t find it. So ended up getting a pizza thing and a bottle of wine and coming back to the hotel. I then had another saga. Asked for a bottle opener (the Turks always opened my wine for me when I bought it but they wouldn’t do that here)..after much foraging around they gave me one. Got up to my room to find that it actually didn’t have the screw part at all!!
Being the resourceful Aussie girl I am I eventually found a way to push the cork in but it was a real bloody effort.

No idea where I am in relation to what I need to see so tomorrow is another day and I’ll get myself sorted one way or another.

This has been one of those nights when company would have made life easier!!!

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Last day in Istanbul

Last day in Istanbul, sadly! There is always a bit of trepidation as I launch into a new country, wondering what it will bring. Wondering how I’ll manage it all. But today was nice. Istanbul is now so familiar and easy to get around. So I set out and made my way back to my favourite haunts…Up to Istikial Cadassi, through the fish markets just pottering. Then to a couple of Museums Id missed last time and wanted to see. One of them has a terrific exhibition of Street art that was rather wonderful. Then back to my favourite restaurant for lunch and had my yummy goats cheese salad with pomegranate dressing…delicious. Then i sauntered back down the massive hill to the tram and back to Sultanahmet. Then I decided to have one last wander through the Grand Bazaar. The first day I saw some earrings I really liked and have tried to find the place again each time I’ve walked through the Bazaar. Thought Id have one last try but once again couldn’t find the place for love or money. Every time I go to the Bazaar I get lost and have to walk around endlessly working out how to get where I’m going…but all enjoyable.

I came back to the hotel about 4 and spent the next couple of hours trying to figure out my photos and how to get a few up on Facebook. I think I finally achieved this but rather indiscriminately I fear.

Anyhow then I took off back to my favourite restaurant for tea and had stuffed mussels (the best thing in all the world), followed by fried anchovies…yummy.

Chris told me about this restaurant, it is fabulous but in a bit of a dodgy area for an after dark solo walk, not that Ive ever felt in the least bit threatened. Showered now and getting myself organised for fairly early departure tomorrow.

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Back in Istanbul

Sorry i didn’t post last night but to be honest was feeling a bit down at the end of a long day yesterday. Went out to forage for food and when I got it I couldn’t eat a bite, felt sick for some reason and a bit blue. No reason for this, just tired and getting back to Istanbul kind of let me just collapse for a brief moment. i also felt overwhelmed by the thought of reorganising myself to move on, catching up on all the things i needed to do, including making decisions about where to go next, sorting out a ticket etc etc….no blowouts for the last 3 weeks so basically I decided to have one!!

But…having said that yesterday wasn’t a bad day at all and i was really excited to get back to Istanbul, god I love this city!! One of the things I’ve done since getting back is to get my brand new macair out and it so much easier to type etc. I’m very glad I’ve got it though I haven’t fully worked things out yet!

9 hrs on the bus yesterday but surrounded by people looking after me all the way. The surprise of that trip is that I had no idea that the bus took the ferry across the Bay of Marmaris. That was a surprise and a treat that i loved.

The bus company have a servis bus that is supposed to take you into town. However this ’servos’ bus man wasn’t so customer focussed and dropped me and another guy way away and said get on the ‘bus’! The other guy was a gorgeous young man from Lebanon…a banker!!!!….so together we muddled through. Fortunately I knew about the tram and had my ‘Istanbulkart’ so I was able to work us out, get us on the tram and walk to my hotel (after I ditched the poor lovely young man from Lebanon).

I arrived back at Levni which was so nice, they are such lovely people and greater me like a long lost friend. That was so nice and Istanbul feels so comfortable.

As I said I was in a bit of a state as I had no idea what I was going to do next. But as I’ve put in things in place I’ve settled. My big dilemmas was where to next…stop in Plovdiv or go through to Sofia…had to sort ticket and accommodation so decisions needed to be made. As I lay awake last night it occurred to me that my dilemma was about a place I could leave my case etc. Bulgaria doesn’t lend itself to this so once I’d worked that out the rest fell in to place. I’m off to the furthest point first i.e. Sofia and then I’ll take all my luggage when I head off to Plovdiv etc, making my way up to Bucharest without going back to Sofia.

So…have a bus ticket…10 hours but get it over in one day I say and have now sorted accommodation. 3 nights in Sofia which will somehow have to include Rila Monastry and Boyana Church….hopefully it will become clear how I’m going to manage that when I’m there. Any insights gratefully received!!!

Having sorted all that out i was free to enjoy some more of Istanbul. Intermittent rain today so didn’t get too adventurous. I really wanted to go to Kariye Church/ Museum. The only way to get there was by taxi so a hugely expensive day but it really was amazing. You know my favourite thing in all the worls is mosaics and this was mosaic heaven…mosaic and fresco heaven actually. only about 150 photos!!! My next trick now that I’ve got the computer going is to download my photos!!

Then I went and had fun exploring the Grand Bazaar, hadn’t really given it much attention so I enjoyed that. Back hotel early to get my IT sorted as best I can. Have tried to Skype but can’t get it right time wise so have to rely on Hammy for my touch base family member being in the same hemisphere!!

The Meuzzin is in full flight as I type…I just love it, so reliable!!

This missive more than makes up for none last night.

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Day 2 in Izmir

Another missive from me. A nice and very pleasant day in Izmir today. I set off this morning to see the ‘other side’ of my virtual division of Izmir into 2. This side sort of suits me better, it contains the bazaar and a smattering of history.

After a coffee at a nearby patisserie ( and I won’t mention the little treat that went with the coffee), I set off a lovely ‘square’ with a lovely little mosque and a magnificent clock tower. It had a lovely feel, full of characters including gypsies selling feed for the masses of pigeons. So sat there for a while and watched the world go by.

Then I wandered off through the bazaar, to see the Agora. I was a bit unenthusiastic about this because I didn’t think it was that exciting…..wrong!!! It was really fantastic. You could just feel the bazaar of Roman times, it was amazing and beautiful ruins. I wandered around there for ages.

By then it was time to forage for food so back down to the bazaar. It is such a nice, friendly bazaar, without any hassle really. I struck gold here. When I was walking up I went through the fish area which looked fabulous. On the way back they were cooking!! So, for lunch beautiful little sardine kebabs. Literally sardines cooked freshly on skewers. You will remember how much I love a good sardine so I was very contented. They took delight in introducing me to a local drink Salgam something. Tasted like vinegar but I persisted to their delight!! I was joined at my table by some lovely Turkish women so it became quite a nice social little lunch break.

Couldn’t resist another visit to a Mosque, they are lovely!!

Then took my book out to the foreshore and just read for a while, that was nice and relaxing.
Off to Istanbul tomorrow, I’m really looking forward to getting back there, it is such a great city. Will arrange my transport to Sofia or Plovdiv as soon as I get there. Can’t believe that the Turkey sojourn is nearly over….what a truly wonderful country.

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Izmir – Day 2

You’ll probably be relieved to know this will be a brief one tonight.

I really like Izmir but it is mainly new and in many ways reminds me of Melbourne. Walking along the waterfront on a Saturday is a bit like St Kilda. Promenade packed with people and cyclists. Cafés all along it. So today I just walked. I walked in the trendy shopping and cafe area mixed in with busy chaotic areas. Tree lined streets, some parts cooler than cool, other parts busy and very Turkish. Even had a cappuccino today!!

Nice lunch…sea bass cooked with thistle…delicious. Back to the hotel for a shortish break then out again tonight to forage for food once again.

Tomorrow I’ll do the other side of town. I’m looking forward to getting back to Istanbul. Monday is a 9 hr bus trip, that won’t be too much fun.

More word tomorrow.