This little fellow attempted to hide from the camera. I’d say with a moderate success.
Find the cat
Malyovitsa
Malyovitsa is a 2729 meters tall peak in Rila, one of the prettiest in the country. It’s relatively accessible from Sofia by car. The ski zone Malyovitsa is about 1h 30 min away from Sofia. The road is renovated, almost nothing is left from the legendary potholes after Govedartsi.
We used to visit frequently when we were younger. However, over the years, rather than going to the peak, we started going to Mecha Polyana for kebapcheta and bean soup, and eventually stopped even that.
With our renewed interest in hiking, the peak is a possible next annual goal, after we managed to reach Vihren. The starting point would be Hotel Malyovitsa at around 1700 meters. The peak is supposed to be 4h away, and +1029 meters, a bit longer than Vihren but also easier because the path is less steep and not technically challenging. The main problem would be finding moderately cold weather with no snow.
Despite being very close to the Rila Monastery, the monastery is out of reach. It’s 9+ hours of walking. If you’re going to the Rila Monastery and saw that this is right next, it is only close if you’re an eagle. Not even close by car – you would need to circle around the mountain, which can be about 2h of driving.
The hotel is renovated, and the nearby hotel Alpinist, formerly known as ЦПШ, is also undergoing renovation. They are building an indoor pool and turning it into a spa center with a museum. The food is fine.
I’m glad they kept the wood works from before, keeping a bit of the old Malyovitsa spirit. We had a good weekend there. Didn’t attempt to go to the top but had some blueberries.
POS Terminals at the Traffic Police
I was pleasantly surprised to discover that the traffic police office now has POS terminals. There’s no longer a bank on site. Quick search revealed it happened 8 years ago, apparently I was lucky to not need to visit that place since then.
Previously, the process of getting a driver’s license required a visit to a separate bank desk just to pay a the service fee. The bank fee was high and annoying, and the back-and-forth between desks added lots of waiting time.
The former bank now look sad and lonely, a cash cow retired by modern technologies. Won’t be missed.
The Sword of Kaigen by M.L. Wang
Strange book.
On the one hand, it’s a straightforward epic fantasy in a pseudo-Japanese settings, similar to what I’ve recently read in Jade City and Shadow of the Fox. I can’t say there’s anything surprising—the avalanche of terminology was also expected.
On the other hand, it’s full of Winnetou-type scenes, more suited for children’s books, including endless sword fights. Epic drama-rama, the kind I usually prefer to avoid.
If I had to rate it based on just that, the book would get 2 stars, 3 at most. But there’s more to it—there’s a magical world just beginning to unfold, reminding me of a new series by Raymond Feist or Robin Hobb. There’s a sense of promise. And there’s an unusual structure, as if Maya Wang didn’t particularly care about how books are “supposed” to be written. I liked that part.
So in the end, I think I might eventually read a sequel—unlike with Jade City. I want to find out what these blood puppeteers are.
Lorna Shore Tour
This is like a concert by baby Metallica and baby Iron Maiden. Shadow of Intent are less known but still a great Deathcore band. I’ve encountered some of the other groups on the tour but not super familiar with them. They also make sounds that don’t sound like voices and have very fast drums.
Veselin.blog 