Bansko to Bucharest via Rila Monastery and Sofia

Posted by on Jan 14, 2013 in Bulgaria, Romania | 3 comments We decided to use the services of a private driver for the move from Bansko to Sofia, not only for the convenience of a door to door transfer but also because we wanted to stop off and see the Rila Monastery which is a short detour midway between the two cities. We had spent the previous day packing and were ready for the 9am pickup on the morning of our departure. With our ever enlarging...
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Skiing, Eating, Christmas and New Year

Posted by on Jan 12, 2013 in Bulgaria | 1 comment Our first five days in Bansko were spent settling into our new apartment. Normally by this time at home the tree and decorations would have been up for some weeks, so we had some work to do to make our apartment ready and looking like Christmas inside to match the scene outside.  I had romantic notions of getting a ‘real’ pine tree – knowing that Bansko is surrounded by pine forests. But...
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Bamboozling Bulgaria

Posted by on Dec 24, 2012 in Bulgaria | 2 comments “If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home.”  James Michener There are a few things that we will remember about Bulgaria: the women are very fashion (and make-up) conscious, Bulgarians enjoy eating (almost anything – tripe and liver are especially popular) and they enjoy listening to ‘80’s music …preferably...
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Our Christmas message …

Posted by on Dec 23, 2012 in Bulgaria | 34 comments (previously posted as Minus nine is a little chilly) but as I have been going back adding posts so they appear in the right order (as to when we went there) it sounds like my previous  posts have slipped by unread. You can go to the menu bar on the right side down the bottom and click on country by country and remember the newest is always at the top! Merry Christmas everyone ! We have arrived...
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Пловдив до Банско…..Plovdiv to Bansko

Posted by on Dec 18, 2012 in Bulgaria | 2 comments We had planned to stay in Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s second largest city, for two nights in order to do some grocery shopping, before heading to the ski village of Bansko by train early the following morning. However, after reading some brochures we learned there was a free afternoon walking tour (donations gladly accepted and given though) around the old city and Roman ruins. The tour is conducted by...
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Buses, Borders and the Balkans begin…

Posted by on Dec 17, 2012 in Bulgaria, Turkey | 2 comments David continues…. Our trip today would be in two parts with two different bus companies. The first leg of our journey is from Eceabat to to the border town of Edirne in Turkey,  and then another company from Edirne to Plovdiv, Bulgaria with an hour connection in between. The bus from Eceabat on the Gallipoli Peninsula to Edirne was scheduled to take 3.5 hours and departed right on time at...
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