a few more pics at http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/findthebinghams/32BulgariaBlogpix
Nobody was interested in us leaving Romania and entering Bulgaria, but they did want the €14 to cross the only bridge over the Danube….
We drove through lovely countryside to get to Zahari Stoyanovo, where our friend Paul now lives. (He helped us build our house when he was a student and lived in a Commer van in our front garden). It was so great to see him and he looks really happy and contented, now that he’s ‘retired’ and left England for good, fulfilling his dream to own a piece of land, and become self-sufficient.
Later next year,
he’ll start to build a straw-bale house on the footings of this old building. Would you be surprised to know Rick plans to go back to give him a hand?
He still has his dog, Ben, and now a puppy has successfully adopted him – Briony.
Apparently, many villages in Bulgaria are stuck in a timewarp, and Paul’s is noted for being 17th
Century……. our walk round was quite an eye-opener. Rather like a farmyard with 100 houses in it. Sadly, many are now empty, as young people leave to get work in the cities. Each household produces enough for themselves, from growing food to distilling liquor.
At the moment he’s living in and renovating his sister’s house next door. There’s a lot to be done! Most of the work is basically re-building. Rick was intrigued by the wiring –as done by the electricity board!!
I’m dead impressed with his progress with learning Bulgarian after only 3 months – he’s determined to master it. We now known as POCE and RИK.
The local people seem quite intrigued by him, and they’ve made him very welcome (e.g. invitations to pig slaughtering). We were inevitably a topic of conversation in the ‘bar’. It’s like someone’s front room, with a few tables and a couple of fridges of beer. During winter, there seems to be a lot of drinking done, as the hard work outside comes to an end (at least for the men!). Puzzling, as this is predominantly a Muslim community….
Paul’s area is just beautiful (even in the snow) and the climate sounds just right (about 10 months sun and 2 of winter) – we’ll be going back to visit again!
We made our way to the Black Sea Coastal area – aka the Bulgarian Riviera. Whilst the sand and sea where lovely, the holiday villages and new apartments for foreigners seem incongruent with the poverty of some local towns.
Nessebar was used by the Byzantines as a base from which to attack Bulgaria. It’s a lovely fishing port now, with lots of well preserved 13th Century churches 
Greece next – should we go via Turkey or not?
Nobody was interested in us leaving Romania and entering Bulgaria, but they did want the €14 to cross the only bridge over the Danube….
We drove through lovely countryside to get to Zahari Stoyanovo, where our friend Paul now lives. (He helped us build our house when he was a student and lived in a Commer van in our front garden). It was so great to see him and he looks really happy and contented, now that he’s ‘retired’ and left England for good, fulfilling his dream to own a piece of land, and become self-sufficient.Later next year,
he’ll start to build a straw-bale house on the footings of this old building. Would you be surprised to know Rick plans to go back to give him a hand?
He still has his dog, Ben, and now a puppy has successfully adopted him – Briony.
Apparently, many villages in Bulgaria are stuck in a timewarp, and Paul’s is noted for being 17th
Century……. our walk round was quite an eye-opener. Rather like a farmyard with 100 houses in it. Sadly, many are now empty, as young people leave to get work in the cities. Each household produces enough for themselves, from growing food to distilling liquor.
At the moment he’s living in and renovating his sister’s house next door. There’s a lot to be done! Most of the work is basically re-building. Rick was intrigued by the wiring –as done by the electricity board!!
I’m dead impressed with his progress with learning Bulgarian after only 3 months – he’s determined to master it. We now known as POCE and RИK.
The local people seem quite intrigued by him, and they’ve made him very welcome (e.g. invitations to pig slaughtering). We were inevitably a topic of conversation in the ‘bar’. It’s like someone’s front room, with a few tables and a couple of fridges of beer. During winter, there seems to be a lot of drinking done, as the hard work outside comes to an end (at least for the men!). Puzzling, as this is predominantly a Muslim community….
Paul’s area is just beautiful (even in the snow) and the climate sounds just right (about 10 months sun and 2 of winter) – we’ll be going back to visit again!
We made our way to the Black Sea Coastal area – aka the Bulgarian Riviera. Whilst the sand and sea where lovely, the holiday villages and new apartments for foreigners seem incongruent with the poverty of some local towns.
Nessebar was used by the Byzantines as a base from which to attack Bulgaria. It’s a lovely fishing port now, with lots of well preserved 13th Century churches 
Greece next – should we go via Turkey or not?
4 comments:
Hello, J here, it's been a while since I caught up with your blog and it seems that you have really been flying round eastern europe - so many countries, so little time.
It looks as if you are having fun and it must be lovely to meet so many friends on your way round.
If you are looking for an island to visit on the way to Athens there is a small one just off the northern Greek coast called Thassos - It used to be pretty nice.
Have fun if you go to Istanbul and watch out for the hairy driving - although you are probably used to that by now.
See you soon.
xx
Wow, those pictures are great. It is interesting to see how such countries are changing with modernisation/the EU. You wonder if at some point there will be a rural revival, with people who have been living in the cities moving back to the country and investing more money there.
Hi there
Eastern Europe has been really interesting and deserves more time- so we'll be back! WE've a good idea of where we want to return. I hope the EU changes work out for some countries - it may not be an easy transition...
In the meatime, Greece is warm adn sunny!
r&r
Ric,
We are going on the works Christmas walk on 21st December - the others said I should invite you, so I am.
Oh, they were joking, what do you mean they were joking? So, you're not coming all the way back to Sheffield to come on the walk then? Please yourself
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