The "B" Trip, Part Two, Serbia and Bulgaria
Nov 1st, 2011 | 12:26 PM
#41
Original Poster
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,709
Likes: 1
<b>Sep 25-26 - On To Veliko Tarnovo</b>
We broke the drive from Varna to Veliko Tarnovo at a couple of popular tourist spots. I’m afraid that the first, the Madara Horse Rock Cliff, wasn’t as impressive as I’d expected from the descriptions. Of course, producing a large sculpture half-way up a cliff is a difficult feat, but time has not dealt too kindly with the horse, rider and accompanying dog. On the way up from the road to the view point we stopped to listen to a local bag piper. I’m sure any Scots reading this will accuse me of heresy, but I really don’t care for bag pipes. I’m virtually tone deaf, and bag pipes – and for that matter violins – are just rather unpleasant noises to me.
Since we weren’t due at our next stop, Arbanassi, until 13:30 I had fixed a sandwich from the breakfast buffet which I ate on the bus, but when we arrived I immediately headed for the nearest cafe with one of the other singles. We had a very nice meal, with a very interesting view. Arbanassi is on tourist itineraries for its old churches and houses, but clearly there’s been plenty of new building, and one traditional style house just below our terrace boasted a lovely big swimming pool.
Once again, we weren’t allowed to take photos of the frescoes in the churches, but no such restriction was in force at the house we visited. Traditional Ottoman rooms, furnished with low built-in benches along the walls, are chiefly distinguished by their carpets and the carving on the ceilings. Getting to see the kitchen as well as the main rooms was a definite plus here.
Veliko Tarnovo was everything I had hoped Nessebar and Varna would be. True, there were a number of tourist shops, but they were mostly confined to one street, and plenty of interesting buildings were scattered round the rest of the town. Our hotel, too, was more the kind of place I expected on a Rick Steves’ tour – small and cute and family run. My roommate and I even lucked into a suite, with two bathrooms and a balcony!
The town was built on hills, and its castle occupied the highest of them. The group was scheduled to visit the castle, but instead of starting the morning walk there, when the day was cooler and the light better, Lyuba started down on the souvenir street, with a pottery demo. Now, as with the winery tour, and several other demos that often show up tours, I put pottery demos firmly on the “don’t need to see that again” list. Eventually I got tired of hanging around, and checking out the other shops, and took off on my own.
I wandered off in the general direction of the castle, stopping in a church with an impressive chandelier on the way. Then I settled in with a cup of coffee to enjoy the excellent views from the foot of the path to the castle, expecting that the group would show up soon. When 11:15 came and went with no group, and I had finished my coffee, I looked at the sun, I looked at the steep path up to the castle, I reread Lonely Planet’s not very inspiring description of the renovated remnants up the hill, and I decided the view from below was good enough. (I later learned that the group didn’t get there until much later, having taken in several other demos, aka shopping previews, first. Bit of a surprise, as the tours are advertised as not for shoppers.)
The bus back to town showed up just as I was about to leave, and deposited me almost opposite the restaurant where I ate lunch. I spent part of the afternoon checking out the newer part of town, and part on the net. Dinner had to be early, as we left the hotel at 7:00 for a folk dance performance. As these things go, it was pretty good, although I would have preferred more dancing and less singing, especially as the singing was, naturally, not in English.
We had already had one birthday in the group, today there was another, and a beautifully decorated cake, complete with fizzing sparkler, was wheeled out on the stage after the performance – and after most of the group had been persuaded to go up and dance (assuming step-step-kick counts as dancing). Back at the hotel Lyuba demonstrated how to fix a noodle and syrup dish using noodles from one of the morning demonstrations, and we got to share the cake, which was almost too pretty to eat.
We broke the drive from Varna to Veliko Tarnovo at a couple of popular tourist spots. I’m afraid that the first, the Madara Horse Rock Cliff, wasn’t as impressive as I’d expected from the descriptions. Of course, producing a large sculpture half-way up a cliff is a difficult feat, but time has not dealt too kindly with the horse, rider and accompanying dog. On the way up from the road to the view point we stopped to listen to a local bag piper. I’m sure any Scots reading this will accuse me of heresy, but I really don’t care for bag pipes. I’m virtually tone deaf, and bag pipes – and for that matter violins – are just rather unpleasant noises to me.
Since we weren’t due at our next stop, Arbanassi, until 13:30 I had fixed a sandwich from the breakfast buffet which I ate on the bus, but when we arrived I immediately headed for the nearest cafe with one of the other singles. We had a very nice meal, with a very interesting view. Arbanassi is on tourist itineraries for its old churches and houses, but clearly there’s been plenty of new building, and one traditional style house just below our terrace boasted a lovely big swimming pool.
Once again, we weren’t allowed to take photos of the frescoes in the churches, but no such restriction was in force at the house we visited. Traditional Ottoman rooms, furnished with low built-in benches along the walls, are chiefly distinguished by their carpets and the carving on the ceilings. Getting to see the kitchen as well as the main rooms was a definite plus here.
Veliko Tarnovo was everything I had hoped Nessebar and Varna would be. True, there were a number of tourist shops, but they were mostly confined to one street, and plenty of interesting buildings were scattered round the rest of the town. Our hotel, too, was more the kind of place I expected on a Rick Steves’ tour – small and cute and family run. My roommate and I even lucked into a suite, with two bathrooms and a balcony!
The town was built on hills, and its castle occupied the highest of them. The group was scheduled to visit the castle, but instead of starting the morning walk there, when the day was cooler and the light better, Lyuba started down on the souvenir street, with a pottery demo. Now, as with the winery tour, and several other demos that often show up tours, I put pottery demos firmly on the “don’t need to see that again” list. Eventually I got tired of hanging around, and checking out the other shops, and took off on my own.
I wandered off in the general direction of the castle, stopping in a church with an impressive chandelier on the way. Then I settled in with a cup of coffee to enjoy the excellent views from the foot of the path to the castle, expecting that the group would show up soon. When 11:15 came and went with no group, and I had finished my coffee, I looked at the sun, I looked at the steep path up to the castle, I reread Lonely Planet’s not very inspiring description of the renovated remnants up the hill, and I decided the view from below was good enough. (I later learned that the group didn’t get there until much later, having taken in several other demos, aka shopping previews, first. Bit of a surprise, as the tours are advertised as not for shoppers.)
The bus back to town showed up just as I was about to leave, and deposited me almost opposite the restaurant where I ate lunch. I spent part of the afternoon checking out the newer part of town, and part on the net. Dinner had to be early, as we left the hotel at 7:00 for a folk dance performance. As these things go, it was pretty good, although I would have preferred more dancing and less singing, especially as the singing was, naturally, not in English.
We had already had one birthday in the group, today there was another, and a beautifully decorated cake, complete with fizzing sparkler, was wheeled out on the stage after the performance – and after most of the group had been persuaded to go up and dance (assuming step-step-kick counts as dancing). Back at the hotel Lyuba demonstrated how to fix a noodle and syrup dish using noodles from one of the morning demonstrations, and we got to share the cake, which was almost too pretty to eat.
Nov 1st, 2011 | 07:26 PM
#42
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 6,818
Likes: 0
KW...you sure are good at bringing back pleasant and fascinating memories. During Iron Curtain days, I traveled (with difficulty especially in finding petrol and food!) over a good chunk of Bulgaria and even more of Romania. You may be interested in knowing that VT (once known only as Tarnovo) has found it's way (c.1890's) into my newest historical novel.
At any rate....your TR is perfectly detailed and should give those interested an honest insight into the "new Bulgaria"..my most recent visit was in 2005. Thank you for taking the time, and a big wish for more happy travels.
Stu
At any rate....your TR is perfectly detailed and should give those interested an honest insight into the "new Bulgaria"..my most recent visit was in 2005. Thank you for taking the time, and a big wish for more happy travels.
Stu
Nov 2nd, 2011 | 09:03 AM
#43
Original Poster
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,709
Likes: 1
Hi Stu,
Glad you're enjoying the TR. Lots of Balkans coming up on the next thread.
Cool about the book - what's the title and when is it due out?
If you haven't been to southern Hungary lately you should put it on the list. Lots of good renovations, and brand new small hotels in Pecs and Szeged. I'm not liking Kecskemet quite as much, but the buildings are less my style and the town is bigger.
Glad you're enjoying the TR. Lots of Balkans coming up on the next thread.
Cool about the book - what's the title and when is it due out?
If you haven't been to southern Hungary lately you should put it on the list. Lots of good renovations, and brand new small hotels in Pecs and Szeged. I'm not liking Kecskemet quite as much, but the buildings are less my style and the town is bigger.
Nov 26th, 2011 | 01:42 PM
#44
Original Poster
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,709
Likes: 1
<b>Status:</b> Clearly, writing on the road did not go well on this trip. It proved difficult on the tour, and then I caught a bug of some kind in Albania, and even after the cold symptoms cleared up, the cough didn't, and I needed to devote any available energy to travel rather than writing. Now I'm home, and an antibiotic has improved matters some, so I'm going to try to finish up. And plan the next trip...
<b>Sept 27, 2011: Slowly Back to Sofia</b>
We left Veliko Tarnovo at 9:00, but we arrived in Sofia at 17:15, with no time for for any last minute activities. Fortunately, I had asked Lyuba on day one whether I would have time to buy a bus ticket when we got back to Sofia, and she had told me not to worry, one of her colleagues would take care of it. Well, I didn’t worry, until around the Black Sea stage, when I learned that a four day holiday might interfere. (The Rick Steves people seem oddly clueless when it comes to scheduling tours around holidays.) Luckily, the trainee guide who met us back in Sofia had been able to buy the ticket, that day.
So, what did we do on the way? Another village visit. I have to say, some of the group – the extroverts, perhaps – thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Others, not so much. My sympathies lay entirely with the young boy at the high school, giving us the evil eye as we filed past. In his place I’d have done the same, assuming I hadn’t managed to disappear entirely.
The kindergarten kids greeted us with a song, after which we toured their empty classrooms. The school had been built during the Communist era, and impressed us. The main rooms were bright and well-lit, and darker side rooms held rows of cots for naps. One of the teachers took at least as many photos of us as we did of the school. The high school seemed older and shabbier, with outdated equipment. (As an ex-techie I was interested to see the dual-alphabet keyboards in the computer room.)
After a Q and A session with the village secretary (the mayor had just stepped down to run for re-election), we settled in on benches behind one of the houses for lunch. We were served the foods usually prepared for wedding feasts: potato salad, beef soup and bean soup, with the local fire water, rakija, for those who wanted it. We were entertained by a trio of musicians and a young, award-winning singer, and they sounded pretty good even to me. After lunch Lyuba and one of the women in the group dressed up in local costume, an opportunity for cultural exchange I was happy to pass up.
When we finally arrived back in Sofia we heard that the area round the Parliament Building should be avoided as there had been demonstrations against the Roma, the Roma king’s son had apparently murdered someone (see http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/28/wo...aria.html?_r=1 )
Our farewell meal at the Architects’ Club round the corner from the Crystal Palace should have been a highlight, but we were separated into small groups and the food was surprisingly bad. Drinks afterwards in the hotel lobby, where we said goodbye to Lyuba and our charming driver with small gifts (wine for the driver and noise makers for Lyuba) went better.
Next morning I shared a final meal with a few of the group and said a fond farewell to my particular friends. But when my taxi eventually arrived, and I was driven off to the bus station to start the next leg of the trip, I experienced a rush of delight at my recovered freedom. On to Skopje!
<b>Sept 27, 2011: Slowly Back to Sofia</b>
We left Veliko Tarnovo at 9:00, but we arrived in Sofia at 17:15, with no time for for any last minute activities. Fortunately, I had asked Lyuba on day one whether I would have time to buy a bus ticket when we got back to Sofia, and she had told me not to worry, one of her colleagues would take care of it. Well, I didn’t worry, until around the Black Sea stage, when I learned that a four day holiday might interfere. (The Rick Steves people seem oddly clueless when it comes to scheduling tours around holidays.) Luckily, the trainee guide who met us back in Sofia had been able to buy the ticket, that day.
So, what did we do on the way? Another village visit. I have to say, some of the group – the extroverts, perhaps – thoroughly enjoyed themselves. Others, not so much. My sympathies lay entirely with the young boy at the high school, giving us the evil eye as we filed past. In his place I’d have done the same, assuming I hadn’t managed to disappear entirely.
The kindergarten kids greeted us with a song, after which we toured their empty classrooms. The school had been built during the Communist era, and impressed us. The main rooms were bright and well-lit, and darker side rooms held rows of cots for naps. One of the teachers took at least as many photos of us as we did of the school. The high school seemed older and shabbier, with outdated equipment. (As an ex-techie I was interested to see the dual-alphabet keyboards in the computer room.)
After a Q and A session with the village secretary (the mayor had just stepped down to run for re-election), we settled in on benches behind one of the houses for lunch. We were served the foods usually prepared for wedding feasts: potato salad, beef soup and bean soup, with the local fire water, rakija, for those who wanted it. We were entertained by a trio of musicians and a young, award-winning singer, and they sounded pretty good even to me. After lunch Lyuba and one of the women in the group dressed up in local costume, an opportunity for cultural exchange I was happy to pass up.
When we finally arrived back in Sofia we heard that the area round the Parliament Building should be avoided as there had been demonstrations against the Roma, the Roma king’s son had apparently murdered someone (see http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/28/wo...aria.html?_r=1 )
Our farewell meal at the Architects’ Club round the corner from the Crystal Palace should have been a highlight, but we were separated into small groups and the food was surprisingly bad. Drinks afterwards in the hotel lobby, where we said goodbye to Lyuba and our charming driver with small gifts (wine for the driver and noise makers for Lyuba) went better.
Next morning I shared a final meal with a few of the group and said a fond farewell to my particular friends. But when my taxi eventually arrived, and I was driven off to the bus station to start the next leg of the trip, I experienced a rush of delight at my recovered freedom. On to Skopje!
Nov 27th, 2011 | 05:11 AM
#46
Original Poster
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,709
Likes: 1
Hi julia_t - pleased you're still reading! The saga (including Bosnia) continues here: http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rn-balkans.cfm
Nov 27th, 2011 | 05:13 AM
#47
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 1,283
Likes: 9
Your honest description of the RS tour certainly doesn't inspire me to sign up for his or any other tour. While I realize the practicality for many travelers - especially in edgier locales, your exclamation: "I experienced a rush of delight at my recovered freedom." sure sums it up for me.
Ian
Ian
Nov 27th, 2011 | 05:59 AM
#48
Original Poster
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 27,709
Likes: 1
Ian - well, I am much more of an independent traveler, but tours do have their place. Especially for solo travelers who don't want the hassle and expense of driving themselves. I love public transport (outside the US, lol, although I am planning an Amtrak/VIA Rail trip), but there are places it doesn't work so well.
Unfortunately, I enjoyed my early RS tours more than my later ones, although the guide on this one was very good. The groups are bigger and the whole experience more mainstream. Back to Intrepid...
Unfortunately, I enjoyed my early RS tours more than my later ones, although the guide on this one was very good. The groups are bigger and the whole experience more mainstream. Back to Intrepid...
