Rachev Hotel Bolyarski Veliko Turnovo

... chip leaders with 4 players left . .
I took my mate down and was in "heads up" poker with a Bugarian fella.
My cards weren't the best . . but I finished a strong second place . . I felt like Arnold Schwarznegger in "Twins" when he read the manual for how to drive a car and then did it!
Needless to say we celebrated after the big win . .
The language barrier is rough . . but after its said and done what reigns when you travel alone is the fast friendships you ...

... fort ses ricains)
;)
(c'est affreux le marketing me suit de partout)

Armée d'une seule et même carte depuis sarajevo, une american express qui ne nous permet pas de retirer d'argent mais juste de payer nos courses, nous continuons notre trip balkan.
Vous comprendrez donc que nous vivons depuis quelque semaine sans liquidité, ce qui n'est pas pour nous déplaire!

les vacances sont finies et c'est bien malheureux.
Sofia Region, Bulgaria billboquet

Après avoir quitté cette charmante ville qu'est donc Sofia, 

 Nous avons pris la direction des 7 lacs, ces fameux lacs sont perchés en haut d'une des plus haute montagne des Balkan, un endroit fantastique que nous ont conseillé tous les Bulgares que nous connaissons.

Malheureusement, un endroit que nous n'avons pas pu visiter: 
-après être parti de Sofia en début d'après midi, nous arrivons donc au pied de ces montagnes ...

... battles and knights with tons of skulls at their feet. And no huge cross either. They also played some interesting mood music while you walked around inside. The really amazing thing about the fort though was the light show that played at night. All around the fort are huge multi colored lights that if enough tourist pay for it they play a light and sound show. We couldn't hear the music from our hostel but we could watch the lights for free. Supposedly the show ...

... br>
The pharmacist looked a little puzzled at first, but then suggested it could be an allergic reaction, possibly to mold consumed in a food. She gave us some Claritin, which Sebastian downed right away...and...!...a couple hours later, the redness, itchiness, fluidness, ugliness, and general freakishness began to subside! The blisters would take a little longer, but it was a very very happy and relief-filled beginning of an ending to a dodgy scare, in the middle of eastern Europe!

... it public holiday?We hadbeeb walking for aorund 30 odd mins now with our backpacks and just wanted to get somewhere, when luckily we managed to find a really nice hostel called Hostel Mostel which is actually the best backpackers in Bulgaria and free dinner and breakfast and loads of nice travellers so all good. Anyway not much to write just a full day of sitting on a train really all good though!

Saturday we crossed over the Danube and into Bulgaria. I hadn't realised they used a different alphabet to English, but it somehow marked our first real change.



We visited a beautiful Bulgarian town called Veliko Tarnovo in the afternoon. Wandered around and had a lovely lunch of a big pizza and drinks (all for about £3!) ate some ice cream and did a spot of shopping. We spent the night in the Dayonovo monastery. It was a little weird and the ...

VT is my last stop on this trip. I arrived only about half an hour late and had a pick up by the hostel from the train station. That didn't stop me from getting accosted from hostel/private room touts at the station, including one scary one who looked like your stereotypical mugshot of a rapist and wouldn't take no for an answer. I just kept saying 'Ne, ne Hostel Mostel' until he went away and then I mercifully saw the Hostel Mostel guy ...

... we followed. Once in the room, Virg pointed out that we'd both left her to struggle with her rucksack (men eh?). Meanwhile Jenny, the receptionist, rushed off to make us an omelette. This was as welcome as the free beer. We were going to like it here me thinks!! Veliko Turnovo was Bulgaria's medieval capital and this was only transferred to Sofia when it became clear that the town was unable to grow any further. It is ...

... the last time. One more comment about European children...I just have to say that 2-year old European bebes, when they are talking, must be the cutest things in the world!!! I think my obsession with these children began with the Little Prince when he says, "Excusez-moi, monsieur, dessine-moi un mouton" and grew with the little boy in A Beautiful Life...I find their voices the most irresistable sound in the world. I have discovered that I must be the world's worst charade ...