Rousse/Ruse, Bulgaria: no ruse here

Having not done a group tour with a travel agent, I did not give much thought to cities, except for a few of which I was already familiar with, that were on the itinerary. The briefing long before the travel date was mostly about the weather, our hotel stays, whether the credit card was accepted and some advice on keeping safe. It was all delivered business-like. Obviously the speaker wasn't the tour leader; he was simply delivering a set speech. (Our tour leader, on the other hand, turned out to be energetic, enthusiastic and responsible.) Even if I had done some reading, I would have thought that, after all, a tour can only accommodate so much and priorities lie elsewhere. 

Starting on a clean slate

Being in a city without any preconceived notions promises to be more adventurous and revelatory. So here we are in Ruse, Bulgaria. We do not have a local guide. It's lunch time. Our tour leader walks us to the main square. All around us are buildings that resemble those in Vienna. The park is well shaded, lined and dotted with trimmed colourful flower beds of various heights. Giant artificial blooms resembling the poppy shoot up from planter boxes. 

Look where you're going

Engrossed in wonder and simply following the others before me I trip and fall. Didn't see that one coming – a crack on the tiles! Immediately several hands reach out to me. A quick rise, an equally quick dust off, and off we go. Will check for bruises later!

Appreciate first, find out later

Our leader points out to the open-air restaurants and cafes to which almost everybody in the group goes for a taste of the local cuisine. But,as usual, we have sandwiches and so walk about the perimeter of the square before finding a cool spot to picnic.

Is that the Statue of Liberty?

A sculpture of a woman holding a laurel wreath ( not a torch as in NYC) dominates the park. This is  the Monument of Freedom/ Liberty symbolising the victory and honour of the Bulgarian people who staunchly stood against marauders and fought for independence through bloody wars typical of the Balkan nations. 

Profit yielding building, no kidding!

Indeed it is! That is exactly where the touristy eateries are lined up along. It is a huge long building housing the only toilet (paid) in the vicinity. Certainly with all those patrons ordering food and drinks it is a requirement. The building itself takes up a whole street. Within had been a theatre. The elaborate neo-baroque architectural monument was designed by a Viennese. 

Why the weird name?  Its initial purpose was to be a venue for artists and entrepreneurs. The revenue collected was passed on to the schools. The original plan also included shops and a casino. Now the building is one Bulgaria's architecturally historical monuments 

Clock tower

The building across the street has a working clock beneath a dome. It is more than a 100 years old. Amazingly, the clock's ancient wheels relentlessly keep accurate time. The building over which the clock sits used to be Girdap, the very first private bank in Bulgaria. The long pedestrian Alexandrovska Street it stands on is teeming with locals. If only they could converse in English!

Opera house

Across the Freedom Park stands a gloriously elegant red building fronted by fountains. The Opera House that was within the Profit yielding building now has a building of its own. There is no time to experience the opulence within. We are left to imagine the opera and philharmonic performances in its grand hall.

Through the copse of lush green trees just next to the red walls we get glimpses of St. Trinity Orthodox Church

Shouldn't there be a mosque near by

Apparently,  had we crossed the Intersection at Alexandrovska Street we would have sighted Mirza Said Paşa Cami 

Square after square

We have some time left and decide to walk along some of the streets that lead away from Freedom Square to what still looks Viennese. Sure enough each of the buildings is architecturally beautiful, the facades intricate and multifarious. 

We arrive at a small quiet square, with a fountain and benches. The statue of Alexander Battenberg, modern Bulgaria's first Prince stands at the centre. The square is named after him. Along it is the Regional  history museum which was meant to be a palace for Alexander Battenberg.

A celebrated school

As we sit there enjoying the shade there is a lot of activity at the building across from us. Through the doors uniformed school children pour out in batches. It looks as though the school caters to all levels of basic education for there were playful children, teens, and adolescents. They are the students of the reputed Hristov Botev School. It was  the first large-scale 19th century male gymnasium to introduce modern educational methods.

Conveniently close library

We decide to walk across on the other side. The door to the building is open and we find that it is a library. The wall along the stairs leading up to the 2nd level displays a collection of colorful artwork, likely created by young artists. They are varied in style and subject matter, including depictions of animals, landscapes, and human figures.

I would have loved to meet the librarians and explore the upper floors but we are a little lost and it's almost time to rejoin our group. 

As we leave we come across a lone blue statue of a young violin player standing in  the square as though he was playing a sad melody to bid us farewell; a parting shot at us to rue that we had not really experienced Ruse to the fullest.

The sentiment is valid

Had I known that we were very close to the Banks of the Danube we would have spent less time sitting around and seen more of what the city had to offer along the Danube that connects to other cities that we have visited  before, viz. Vienna (Austria), Bratislava (Slovakia), and Budapest(Hungary).

Unbeknownst:Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria

The name sounds Indian, but then streets in Helsinki sound like that too. Or, for that matter, place names in Eastern Europe as well. I hadn't even thought of this city. The excitement of discovery and vague familiarity makes me more agog than ever.

Diverse, geography, and culture of the Balkans carries on

As we leave rose valley we drive past more neat rose fields 

A brown horse stands in a grassy field. The tranquil rural setting is suddenly more forested. As we take a sharp bend I spy shiny domes rising through dense trees. A fairy tale castle as in The Sleeping Beauty? It's none other than the Shipka Memorial Church, also known as the Memorial Temple of the Birth of Christ. So we are now on the historic Shipka Pass. The church, built between 1885 and 1902,  commemorates the Russian and Bulgarian soldiers who died during the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878), particularly those who fell during the Battle of Shipka Pass. 

We resume the journey at a rest stop called Complex Balkan. There are more women than men in our group and so we always end up making a long line for the meagre number of stalls.we hardly have time to enjoy the scenery around us or even for a quick snack.

Staggered by the slant

When we pass an old building with the word Post on it we know we have arrived. Within a few minutes we are unloading at our hotel. This 15 floor hotel is one of a kind for. Some of us are assigned rooms from the 4th to the seventh, and others at -4, -6, etc. When we meet at the reception before taking a tour of the old town everybody is excitedly chattering about the negative levels, with those whose rooms have a view over the valley bring the object of envy.  The levels are tiered along a slope. We left the rose-filled amphitheatre of Rose Valley for another building that has its rooms staggered down to the Yantra River that loops just below us. The word Yantra also has an Indian feel for it means ‘machine/machine’ or a ‘religious‘ symbol which seems more apt in the context.

Will it be a let down?

We have an elderly guide who seems tired out even before she starts. She warns us that daylight is diminishing and so the tour will be a short one. We are prepared to give her the benefit of the doubt. We march out onto Samovodska Charshia Square. This is the historic part of Veliko-Tarnovo.

The first thing we see is  a large mural depicting medieval  knights on the side of a building. It probably represents the brothers  who founded the Second Bulgarian Empire in 1185 after leading an uprising against the Byzantines. Also, during the communist era, murals became a popular way to decorate buildings in Bulgaria. We have living proof of these artistic expressions as we pass by picturesque traditional buildings flanking cobble-stoned streets. Since we are half way up a hill there are several look outs onto the valley. We look over steep staircases with landings at each level onto which streets open out to the sides, with hidden courtyards, artisan workshops and attractive cafes.

Coexistence of cultures and religions 

Next we weave through streets that lead to important looking buildings of the historical and spiritual capital of Bulgaria.

The building with a curved wall is the  Administrative Court which handles administrative cases and disputes. 

The next building is as terraced as our hotel for it has four floors on the valley side and two on the square where we are. It is the old police office of the Ottoman Empire.The building is a cruciform and has an arched entrance. This is where the first session of the Constituent Assembly was held. It has now been converted into the Museum of Revival and Constituent Assembly. It's closed for renovation which doesn't bother us very much since it's already quite late in the day. Besides we've had our fill of Roman ruins and artefacts in Sofia. But this museum is certainly different since it showcases the development of Christian art during the Ottoman rule. Now that's something for modern day religious fanatics to chew on.  

Balconies painted bright,filled with potted flowers, some flying flags, a hotel with Bulgarian architecture and then a row of buildings that are characterized by  traditional Bulgarian National Revival period architecture follow. 

And then the showpiece

Our guide is showing signs of boredom as she leads us on to a broad tiled avenue with three huge pottery jars at theFortress gate. We are now at Tsarevets Fortress, overlooking the town. The buildings within the walls include the Royal and  patriarchal palaces. The central part is occupied by the Royal Palace Complex with the Throne Room,  Palace Church, and Royal Chambers.  The Patriarchal Cathedral is at the top of the hill. 18 churches and numerous houses were once in the vicinity as well.The lady at the ticket booths is a good friend of our guide. She allows us to enter the gates just to take pictures before we leave. 

The fortress is definitely very impressive; almost everything is well preserved. It is surrounded on three sides by the river Yantra, a natural moat! Only 3 sides and therefore not really a closed fortress. The fortress that served as the medieval stronghold  of the Second Bulgarian Empire has been around since the 12th century.

Interestingly Veliko Tarnovo is also called the “City of Tsars” since the fortress was the seat of the tsars.

Digging for details

Back at the hotel we enjoy the panoramic view of the river Yantra surrounded by  the terracotta roofs on houses tucked into the lush green hillsides. At the loop of the river way below our window is an interesting building that looks like a church. It has a large statue at the entrance. We look hard to find a way to get to the loop for we see traffic nearby. After dusk we walk into the streets in the direction of the monument. We pass by a market, which is now closed, a small monument and then a park which we think should lead us to the atypical building. It doesn't get us anywhere. So we simply take in the bustling night life before we return to our room

More research tells me that the lush green park with the monument is Park Sveta. The statue is a Monument to the Asen Dynasty, built in 1985, it features the then rulers, perched on their horses with their 33m swords. 

The building facing it is the State Art Museum. 

Just a little bit more

In the morning,  as we leave Veliko Tarnovo, we drive by the monument that we simply passed by the previous night. For an uncanny reason? It is the Monument to the Hanged on the historical site where the Ottoman built  a gallows to execute Bulgarian rebels.

Then the Floral Clock  inspired by the famous floral clock in Geneva, Switzerland  passes by.

The last notable building that flits by is the Town Hall

Rose valley, Bulgaria: Pervasive Fragrance

Clearly defined Balkan

Leaving Sofia quite early in the morning we drive about 3 hours to our next destination.  The term "Balkans" truly registers since our scenic route is along the Balkan mountain range that stretches through the whole of Bulgaria.  Against that backdrop are villages and clusters of houses nestled in a valley with green fields all around. A church stands out, its white bell tower piercing the clear blue sky. A railway line and brick houses fenced in with tile topped stone walls reflect how the  modern and traditional coexist. 

A historic pass

Later research tells me that we have driven through the Shipka Pass, a mountain pass in the Balkan Mountains. It being on a vital trade route Turkish troops made repeated attempts to recapture the vital pass. The five-day fight for the 4,500-foot-high pass became the turning point of the Russo-Turkish War. The church we passed by is in the village of Shipka.

Perceptible signs

That the area is ideal for flowering plants is clear as all around us are rose and sunflower fields. Just as in any rural area in Eastern Europe cattle graze contentedly on fresh fodder. Villages, whose red-tiled roofs contrast with the green surroundings and blue skies, are flanked by humble cemeteries.  Behind these modest structures are high rise buildings still modest enough to retain the tranquility of a natural setting. As we approach our destination, fields of roses, identified by the few that are on the acres of bushes, appear on both sides. Is that a bridge we see in the distance?   

 A complex that explains

Within a few moments we arrive at the “bridge”. We are in Rose Valley, famous for its roses which have been cultivated there for centuries. It produces 6 tons of rose oil – half of the world's total production. The sunshine and mild temperatures that we have experienced and enjoyed so far are ideal for rose cultivation.

The complex we are at is called Damascena Ethnographic Complex. It's a private family distillery and ethnographic museum dedicated to the art of rose oil production. Our guide for the day speaks good English. 

Tenderly does it

As we are being introduced to the very first equipment a van arrives. The driver slides open the door and therein are huge plastic bags of pink rose blossoms, carefully cut one by one from the bushes. The gathering process is  traditionally and understandably a woman's task, since it requires a gentle touch,dexterity and patience.  The driver deftly lifts the sacks and quickly but gently lays them close to the distillation area beside a stream. (You might want to find out how many tons of roses would be needed to produce one ton of the precious oil.) A good source of water is necessary for gently washing the petals. The stream that flows along the processing plant serves a practical purpose in being part of a vital process.

The distillation itself  is the simple process of  ‘water-distillation’. The flowers are soaked in water and are distilled in containers. Our guide points out to a vintage copper still once used in the distillation process.

We have been lucky. It's off season as proven by the scarcity of flowers we saw in the fields but the processing plant also has suppliers who own fields of the Damask rose, the rose that is best for oil production.

We get to take pictures with a statue of Queen Berenice. The statue is part of the grand art within the complex, whose aim is to preserve and showcase history. Parked by the side are two antique trabants

Attractions:

The complex features a park and gardens. One of the swans coyly entices us with her various poses.  Several stone and wood handcrafted sculptures blend in with the surroundings. 

An immersive experience

A pergola leads us to a traditional house made up of several sections displaying historical agricultural artifacts and tools

The Bridge Close up

We are then directed towards what looked like a bridge from afar. Surprise, surprise! We are standing on the rim of a concrete basket. It is an amphitheatre. The ‘bridge’ is the handle of the basket filled with tiers of at least 150 varieties of roses. It's stunning. 

We then move into the cooler building with marble floors,stairs and pillars, with frescoes on the walls and ceilings depicting historical events. Our noses lead us to the shop that enticingly displays all its rose oil products. The cashiers in their traditional costumes charm us. A 1gm ampule of rose oil (liquid gold)costs about €12. Most of the women from our group come away with armloads of these products. 

Our fellow travellers lunch on traditional Bulgarian cuisine at the adjoining restaurant and then we have a good view of the pebble-stoned river and the lush green trees and mountains afar that form a prelude to the next city, Ruse.

Yellow Brick Road: Sofia, Bulgaria

From Skopje towards Sofia.

Our drive takes us through verdant valleys and mountains. Crossing the border (we are crossing over from a non-shenzhen country into an EU country) is not as tedious as we thought it would be. The drive offers great views of the brilliant blue Lake Kalamantsi, an artificial lake created by a dam.

At a wayside restaurant we alight for lunch after which the group that opted for the UNESCO World Heritage Rila Monastery high up in the hills takes off. We have about 2 hours to kill. The restaurant looks over a small river that runs over a weir. It seems like a crude construction of a dam. We seek access to the river but find none. On the opposite side of the road is a flight of wood and stone stairs that looks as though it would lead to some old historic building. Maybe a monastery?There is no one save a dilapidated building. A hulking man appears from nowhere with a large can which he fills under a tap a few metres from us. We ask if the water is safe to drink. With gestures and guttural sounds he says it's  not. That being the only conversation possible we follow a well trodden path hoping it would lead to some copse or vista. Alas, it leads us back to the road. There's shade at the unassuming hotel beside the restaurant which is where we park ourselves. A lone man sits in the lounge with nary a word or a gesture of acknowledgement. As he walks out and drives away a small group of tourists arrive. There is a commotion in using the free washrooms and then, just like that, they disappear.

Worth the risk

We are getting restless and so we walk further up the road hoping to find access to the river. A dirt road leads us to it but on the way a gate warns us not to trespass. A few officers are slumped at the tiny little building. They look withered by the heat. We ask if we can go close to the river. A vehement ‘no’ arises. With hopes dashed we walk back to the restaurant where we use the washrooms and that's when we spot the stairs leading down to the waters edge. There's no holding us back. The officers had emphatically said it was out of bounds and there we are temptingly close. Yet, too far. The weir is well protected with barbed wire! 

First impressions of Sofia

Driving through the rolling hills patch quilted with various crops, we enter the outskirts of Sofia, where we are met with stark buildings, trams and a shopping mall. All trappings of the proverbial modern day city that reflect a humdrum life. Would the capital city be boring? 

Impressions do go wrong

And then we pass by buildings with an assortment of architecture. Ah! The unmistakable 2000 year history of the Balkans– Greek,  Roman,  Ottoman  and Soviet occupation –is reflected.

If only we had more time

Our local tour guide decides on a walking route that would take us to the major landmarks and attractions. The area is  designed to look like Vienna, especially the yellow brick road, thanks to the Austrian-Hungarian Emperor who questioned the durability of the original roads (I imagine they were muddy) when he visited Sofia. The ubiquitous yellow bricks were a gift from him.

Historical importance versus landmark.

As expected we are led to St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. It's iconic alright with its gold coated domes. A relatively new building  built to honour Russian soldiers who died in the Russian-Turkish  war of the 1800s,the stunning building is quite a contrast to the stark tenements of the Soviet era. Oddly the church actually remained open during the Communist regime in Bulgaria.

But more important, historically, is the 4th century St Nedelya Church at the end of the main historic street. It’s the oldest church in Sofia. 

Nearby is the 10th century Eastern Orthodox St Sophia Church with its prominent central dome. It has undergone several reconstructions, the most significant of which was after it was bombed in 1952. Obviously this is where Sofia gets its name. The name of a woman? Uh, uh. Interestingly, Sofia is revered as the female version of Christ. 

Repurposed

We trot along the streets with our guide pointing out the various buildings, the significance and purport of each all drowned in his droning voice. We have cursory glances of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, the art Gallery, the Bulgarian Parliament, etc. Some research afterwards puts things in better perspective.

Sofia has an abundance of mineral springs which gave rise to the Central Mineral Baths. What served as a public bathhouse is now a history museum. A fountain in front is mostly occupied by pigeons. I hear the area has unsavoury characters. Perhaps that's why we just pass by.

Central Sofia Market Hall, also known as Tsentralni Hal, is identified by the relief of the coat of arms of Sofia above the main entrance. Originally a covered market for various goods, it was renovated and reopened in 2001. The three storied building is now full of shops selling items like clothing, groceries, jewelry, and fast food besides restaurants. 

Fountains and gardens and a near miss

Close to the aforementioned churches is the city gardens. On this hot day we are all tempted to find reprieve in its green open cool spaces, and the impressive fountains. The iconic fountain in the square in front of the presidential office is also inviting. 

But wait, did we miss the National Theatre of Bulgaria  with its unique red walls, tall white columns and gold embellishments?

Did we also miss the synagogue?

A persistent gnawing  

A cluster of shiny, colourful onion domes have been in our peripheral vision for quite a while. Being shrouded in greenery it is mysterious and captivating thus creating gnawing questions that desperately need to be addressed. This is yet another Russian Church, officially known as the Church of St Nicholas the Miracle-Maker. Reason: it includes the crypt of an Archbishop widely considered a miracle- worker. The building itself is a unique artistic piece within and without, plastered with multicoloured tiles,  all topped with 5 sparkling gold coated domes.

Easily identified

The National Archaeological Museum looks archaic enough since many  artifacts lie around the building.This museum is housed in the former Koca Mahmut Paşa Camii, an Ottoman mosque built in the 15th century.

A revealing peek: Celts in Bulgaria

Our eyes are drawn to the stiff guards in ceremonial uniform. Undoubtedly it is the Presidency Building with a modern structure embellished by stone accents. But our attention is quickly drawn towards a rotunda which appears in one of the arched walkways that leads into a square. You'd never guess that this is considered one of the oldest buildings in Sofia.Built in the 4th century as Roman baths it was converted into an Early Christian church within the ancient city of Serdica ( explanation in the next section)

We are told the church is famous for its frescoes inside the central dome, dating from the 10th to the 14th century. Would you believe it? It was founded by local Celts

Fleeting memories

Drowsily we pass by notable buildings like The National Art Gallery located in the historic Royal Palace building. The architectural styles and the supposedly impressive collection  of arts are all lost to us.

All that I remember of  the National Assembly Building  (a landmark building) is that it serves as the meeting place for the Bulgarian Parliament. It was once used as the Communist Party House.

Accidental digging into layers of history

At a metro station we are led  down into a spectacular subterranean world. We are in an ancient amphitheater which is an open museum. It has been so carefully excavated and the artifacts so well preserved that it feels like we are back in time, in the 4th century to be exact. We are in the ancient city of Sardika during Roman times. Did I just hear the gladiator battles and the fighting animals?

The amphitheater was found by accident in 2004 during the construction of the  Serdica Hotel. More  sections were discovered in 2005 and  2006 while excavating the foundation of a nearby office building.

Overshadowed but singularly quaint

We climb back into the city on the other side to find ourselves parked in a little square with souvenir shops. Our group suddenly becomes more energetic. We browse a couple of shops enough to get a strong feel for the local artistry and cultural icons and then find a place to rest our legs and backs till the shoppers are done. Our guide bids farewell.

Looking up I see the statue of St Sophia towering up behind the metro station. I'm sitting atop the wall of a raised garden behind a stone building. Curious, I walk to the other side and also discover an underground entrance. A plaque in a strange language tells me nothing until some later research tells me that I'm at the Church of St Petka of the Saddlers. It's a one-naved underground church dedicated to the patron of tanners and saddlers. Well hidden between modern structures, this medieval Orthodox temple of significant historic value,one of the oldest of its kind in Sofia,  could easily be missed. 

Serenaded into more than a hearty meal

Tonight's dinner is at Hadjidraganovite. The decor is old-style Bulgarian rustic. The ceiling is adorned with wagon wheel chandeliers, hanging lamps and various traditional or antique items, including what appears to be dried peppers and other hanging decorations. The lighting is muted by the decor. Initially subdued by the ambience we perk up as soon as the walking band serenades us.

The food is traditional Bulgarian, plentiful and very agreeably grilled. The freshly baked warm bread just daintily pulls off in delicate aromatic chunks so delectable that we are addicted to it. We do have ravenous appetites but the gargantuan portions overwhelm. Who can eat a mountain of salad and meat? More than half our servings go to waste.  

Morning round up

It's always fulfilling to walk the streets of a historic city, or any city for that matter, to observe daily life devoid of tourists. It's only a short walk to the city from our hotel. We retrace the steps of the previous day. Except for the few commuters we have the city to ourselves.

We get a closer look at Banya Bashi mosque, the only functioning mosque in town. Its red brick minaret and walls, large dome and typical lattice work with Islamic motifs speak much of Ottoman architecture. In fact, this particular mosque is often referred to as Mini Haigh Sofia, referring to the landmark in Istanbul. The name "Banya Bashi" means "many baths", and it is built on natural mineral springs.

We pause by the glass railings that give us a view of the archaeological excavations. It seems as though we are in Rome.

The relatively new statue of St Sophia watches over the city centre. 

On our way back to the hotel we make sure to take a picture at Lions Bridge (Lavov Most). Our fellow travellers have been talking about it being featured in a Bollywood movie. It's a short arched bridge over the Vladaya River.  The name is derived from the symbolic bronze lions(4 of them) that are prominently featured. The bridge connects the city centre with the railway and bus stations.

Only in . . . 

Where else would you find ruins every time you dig?

Where else in the Balkans would you find layers of history that include the Celtic? Among the Greeks, Roman, Slavic warriors, Ottoman pashas and Cold War communists?

Where else would you find churches, mosques and synagogues all within a few steps of each other ?