Having "done" Sofia on Day 1, today we planned to drive south to the Rila Monastery and then hopefully up to the Rila National Park and it's spectacular views of the 7 lakes.
Breakfast was OK, not fantastic but enough to eat and a mix of hot and cold. Very strong smoked salmon (as it was in StP) and cream cheese so I was happy and Ian found something not too difficult for his still painful tooth hole.
It was a Saturday morning and the traffic was considerably lighter and with the aid of my phone, navigation was easy. The road south was a two lane motorway for about 100kms and then onto a smaller road towards the town of Rila.
We stopped for a leg stretch after 90 mins or so in very much a wine growing region (actually the Bulgarian wine we've tried is very nice).
Unfortunately I cannot find out who this statue is (and yes he does look like he's falling over, but at least the horizon is straight !)
We stopped for a leg stretch after 90 mins or so in very much a wine growing region (actually the Bulgarian wine we've tried is very nice).
Unfortunately I cannot find out who this statue is (and yes he does look like he's falling over, but at least the horizon is straight !)
En route to Rila we'd be passing close to the Stob Pyramids; weirdly shaped natural red rock formations and as our guidebook said they were well signposted and easily accessible we thought we'd detour and have a look.
We found the start of the trail quite easily and there were a couple of locals collecting the entrance fee (c.£0.50p) and in very broken English the lady told us it would take about an hour to walk to the pyramids and back. The trail was very easy, just a gentle slope with benches at frequent intervals.
After about 10 mins we came to a sign for church and looked forward to having a look around.
We followed the arrow and turned a corner; the church wasn't quite what we were expecting.
We carried on up the trail and shortly came to another sign, giving the legend of the Stob Pyramids.
"Well that was a really easy walk, we must be very fit compared to the average Bulgarian - never mind an hour, we'll be there and back in half that time" we commented to each other, rather smugly.
Thinking we'd arrived at the site, we walked up through the woods but then the climb got harder and harder, the terrain was loose shale and very steep, with nothing to hang onto (except a wobbly fence in a couple of seriously dangerous places). I'd worn a jacked as it had been quite cold when we set out and was now carrying this plus my camera.
After a short while we noticed that cars were parking on the side of the road and presumed the occupants were just going to walk in the woods. The parking got denser and then we saw a policeman controlling where people parked and we began to wonder if in fact they were parking here for the monastery. Someone left a space just in front of us and I quickly pulled in just in case it was the only spot. We checked with the policeman that we were OK to park "I will no give you ticket" were his actual words.
The autumn colour of the woods was glorious.
About a 5 min walk up the hill and into the complex - it was heaving. The buildings and design reminded me very much of the Bhutan Dzongs
We had a wander around but the place was just rammed - people were sitting eating packed lunches, buying religious icons and books. Inside the church (again no photos) there was a massive queue to kiss a case containing a relic (St Ivan's hand) and receive a blessing.
We walked back out of the complex in the hope of getting some lunch or at least a cup of coffee in one of the nearby, small cafes, but they were all completely full.
Ian had a look at some of the religious books on sale and got talking to the vendor - it transpired that October 19 is the day St Ivan's dormition (assumption) is celebrated, hence the huge crowds. Incidentally St Ivan is also the patron saint of pies!
Ian also asked the bookseller about us driving up to the lakes and was recommended that we didn't. Apparently it would be close to freezing up there (about 15°C at the monastery) and the road as very difficult. Snow tyres are mandatory in Bulgaria from 1 November, so we could well believe what he was telling us and decided it would be safer not to go on.
We then had to find something else to do/see in the area and unfortunately there wasn't a great deal. It is mostly agriculture/viticulture and although the scenery is quite pleasant, it's not worth photographing.
We stopped in a small town and had a plate of chips and a drink in a roadside park. Bulgaria is noted for its large population of stray dogs (some of which apparently carry rabies) but these two waiting for some scraps off the cyclists were the only ones we saw.
We drove to Blagoevgrad, the largest town in the SW, hoping it might be of some interest, but unfortunately it wasn't. However we did pass this delightful edifice on the outskirts of a rather nice village.
Although we hadn't travelled vast distances (c 150kms), driving abroad is always more tiring as you have to be so totally focused all the time, so we decided to head back to Sofia.
Apart from nearly falling asleep a couple of times - open windows, talk, sing - the journey was fine and having left Minty in the secure hotel car park (€10 per day) we walked back to Vitosha Boulevard for some dinner and another massive dose of second-hand cigarette smoke.
All in all a good day but not quite what we'd hoped for (crowded monastery and no lakes).
"Well that was a really easy walk, we must be very fit compared to the average Bulgarian - never mind an hour, we'll be there and back in half that time" we commented to each other, rather smugly.
Thinking we'd arrived at the site, we walked up through the woods but then the climb got harder and harder, the terrain was loose shale and very steep, with nothing to hang onto (except a wobbly fence in a couple of seriously dangerous places). I'd worn a jacked as it had been quite cold when we set out and was now carrying this plus my camera.
But eventually we got to the top and formations were quite impressive.
Going down was considerably harder and we seemed to slip and slide most of the way, but luckily neither of us fell. It took us 1 hour 15 mins in total.
Minty and some old bird.
We then drove back to the main road and through the town of Rila and headed up into the mountains. The monastery, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a few miles out of town and was founded in the 10th century by St Ivan of Rila, a hermit canonized by the Orthodox Church. His ascetic dwelling and tomb became a holy site and were transformed into a monastic complex which played an important role in the spiritual and social life of medieval Bulgaria. Destroyed by fire at the beginning of the 19th century, the complex was rebuilt between 1834 and 1862. A characteristic example of the Bulgarian Renaissance (18th–19th centuries), the monument symbolizes the awareness of a Slavic cultural identity following centuries of occupation. St Ivan is considered the Patron Saint of Bulgaria and the Rila Monastery is of the most revered of all religious sites in Bulgaria.
Going down was considerably harder and we seemed to slip and slide most of the way, but luckily neither of us fell. It took us 1 hour 15 mins in total.
Minty and some old bird.
We then drove back to the main road and through the town of Rila and headed up into the mountains. The monastery, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a few miles out of town and was founded in the 10th century by St Ivan of Rila, a hermit canonized by the Orthodox Church. His ascetic dwelling and tomb became a holy site and were transformed into a monastic complex which played an important role in the spiritual and social life of medieval Bulgaria. Destroyed by fire at the beginning of the 19th century, the complex was rebuilt between 1834 and 1862. A characteristic example of the Bulgarian Renaissance (18th–19th centuries), the monument symbolizes the awareness of a Slavic cultural identity following centuries of occupation. St Ivan is considered the Patron Saint of Bulgaria and the Rila Monastery is of the most revered of all religious sites in Bulgaria.
After a short while we noticed that cars were parking on the side of the road and presumed the occupants were just going to walk in the woods. The parking got denser and then we saw a policeman controlling where people parked and we began to wonder if in fact they were parking here for the monastery. Someone left a space just in front of us and I quickly pulled in just in case it was the only spot. We checked with the policeman that we were OK to park "I will no give you ticket" were his actual words.
The autumn colour of the woods was glorious.
About a 5 min walk up the hill and into the complex - it was heaving. The buildings and design reminded me very much of the Bhutan Dzongs
We had a wander around but the place was just rammed - people were sitting eating packed lunches, buying religious icons and books. Inside the church (again no photos) there was a massive queue to kiss a case containing a relic (St Ivan's hand) and receive a blessing.
We walked back out of the complex in the hope of getting some lunch or at least a cup of coffee in one of the nearby, small cafes, but they were all completely full.
Ian had a look at some of the religious books on sale and got talking to the vendor - it transpired that October 19 is the day St Ivan's dormition (assumption) is celebrated, hence the huge crowds. Incidentally St Ivan is also the patron saint of pies!
Ian also asked the bookseller about us driving up to the lakes and was recommended that we didn't. Apparently it would be close to freezing up there (about 15°C at the monastery) and the road as very difficult. Snow tyres are mandatory in Bulgaria from 1 November, so we could well believe what he was telling us and decided it would be safer not to go on.
We then had to find something else to do/see in the area and unfortunately there wasn't a great deal. It is mostly agriculture/viticulture and although the scenery is quite pleasant, it's not worth photographing.
We stopped in a small town and had a plate of chips and a drink in a roadside park. Bulgaria is noted for its large population of stray dogs (some of which apparently carry rabies) but these two waiting for some scraps off the cyclists were the only ones we saw.
We drove to Blagoevgrad, the largest town in the SW, hoping it might be of some interest, but unfortunately it wasn't. However we did pass this delightful edifice on the outskirts of a rather nice village.
Although we hadn't travelled vast distances (c 150kms), driving abroad is always more tiring as you have to be so totally focused all the time, so we decided to head back to Sofia.
Apart from nearly falling asleep a couple of times - open windows, talk, sing - the journey was fine and having left Minty in the secure hotel car park (€10 per day) we walked back to Vitosha Boulevard for some dinner and another massive dose of second-hand cigarette smoke.
All in all a good day but not quite what we'd hoped for (crowded monastery and no lakes).