Category: Walking

The Seven Saints (Sveti Sedmochislenitzi)

~ Veselin ~ 1 Comment

I used to have lunch in this garden – a pizza slice, doner kebab, or a sandwich. The pigeons would circle around, trying to grab a potato in a tight competition with the smart sparrows. There used to be a farmer’s market nearby where you could buy some fresh veggies on the way back home. We lost some of that with the tourists – markets generate trash and crowds of locals so we got rid of them. No farmer’s market nearby, no stray dogs, or sparrows. Maybe a pigeon or two left from the olden days.

On the other hand, what used to be a street with no restaurants is now full of choices. I had pizza that says it’s like in Rome (no), and a Japanese Crepe. If you’re in the area, try the Japanese Crepe. Nobody knows if people in Japan eat crepes filled with creme brûlée but it’s worth trying.

Rome

~ Veselin ~ Leave a comment

I visited Rome on a work trip last week. Couldn’t experience too much of it because the trip was brief and the schedule – tight.

I liked their inner gardens and pretty, well dressed people. The food outside of the tourist centre was superb.

I hated the car culture, the swarms of tourists. Almost got run by a motorcycle on the sidewalk. Didn’t see a single cat. The Sistine Chapel was so packed that I wandered if I’ll get out alive.

Had Gelato every day. It was fantastic 🍧

Bansko

~ Veselin ~ Leave a comment

Bansko is changing.

It used to be a small town with an old city. Then the ski zone came with thousands of new hotels, growing faster than the infrastructure. It had lots of people in the winter but was a muddy ghost town in the summer. Now the central area is expanding with paved walking streets that make it a summer resort as well.

The digital nomads and hipsters have found it. It has multiple co-working spaces. An abandoned hotel turned to a co-living space. The central square has daily events. People everywhere.

The success infected the nearby villages as well. Banya has multiple 4 and 5* hotels with mineral water.

I can see us going back with the goal to climb Vihren again. Not sure when. The summer season is over.

Vihren Hut

~ Veselin ~ 2 Comments

We tried and failed to go to Vihren peak this weekend. We got to the hut. The plan was to do Vihren hut – Vihren peak, which is 3.5h and +950 meters. However, the road to the hut is closed and there are frequent busses that go to it. We missed the bus and ended up doing Banderishka Polyana – Vihren Hut, which is +350 meters and 1-1.5h.

The attempts will continue but maybe next year. Vihren is no joke outside of the summer. The 24K steps we made were more than enough for us, and the thunderstorm that started at the end of the hike sealed the feeling that it wasn’t meant to be that day.

The storm washed our car perfectly well.