One Man in Bulgaria

My trip to Rila, which should include Pirin as this mountain range surrounds the end of the line, terminated in Dobrinishte where I stayed for a few days. Most people refer to Bansko about 6km away but I found that Dobrinishte had more character and I was pleased that I chose it as my base for the visit. I was fortunate to meet a young student who was studying English and she gave me a tour around the town on the afternoon of the 29th September 2016. This gave me many insights into the history and customs of the town and introduced me to many local people. We would renew our friendship at the Pomorie Folk Dance Festival in June 2017 which I have also posted here.

We emerge from the car park and turn right? Ah, petrol is required for our journey. Pulling in to the modern service station about 500 metres down the road I observe the transfer of logs from a small lorry suitable for accessing the forest to a large road transporter which may whisk its load across the highways of the European Union. The disused flatbeds scattered along the once busy and prosperous narrow gauge railway reflect this change. It also goes to show that, whereas the logs would have been collected from local halts then transferred at the end of the line which kept the smaller stations and local support alive, the logs still have to be handled multiple times and many more trucks poured onto the roads. I hope that the tide is turning throughout the world, that rail and water will re-emerge as the sensible option. But onward to find our bears....

... or should I say "Where are the bears?" When I was young such TV programs as Lancelot, William Tell and similar movies along with a hit by Alan Price, funnily enough a member of the "Animals" pop group when not performing solo, titled "Simon Smith and his Amazing Dancing Bear" (see him perform it on YouTube)  released in 1968 glorified the life of the "dancing bear". In reality the truth was somewhat different in the majority of cases. Whilst perusing my DK travel guide on the journey from Septemvri to Dobrinishte I came across a reference to the "Dancing Bear Sanctuary". Accessible by taxi from the Relitsa station, all else left my thoughts, this was a "must see" journey, my first in the area. Relitsa is incorrect it is Belitsa, Relitsa is on the other side of the country.

The next stations we pass through reflect the former glory of the railway. Smolevo is the next halt along the line after departing Avramovo. The station sign has been removed as it is now a private house.  After a brief halt we journey on to Cherna Mesta, the old graffiti covered building here looks very sad indeed. I have the impression that it is a shelter for the railway staff rather than a thriving station. Non of this diminishes the journey itself, to my mind this second stage is even more picturesque than the first.

Back in England, stored in my brother's loft lies an N gauge model railway. The track is 9mm (slightly less that 3/8ths or 0.354") wide. It is 1:160 scale. The rolling stock is 1:148 scale so my largest engine is about 300mm long. This N gauge which we are now riding on has track which is 760mm wide and the engine is somewhat larger but what a marvellous train set which someone gets to control and others to work on. Yes; this is a Narrow Gauge railway and we are on our way from Septemvri to Dobrinishte exploring the full length of this 125 km run. To this end I have booked an hotel in Dobrinishte rather than the rather more popular Bansko summer and ski resort. Unfortunately the branch from Varvara to Pzardzik is now closed.

Breakfast over it was time for me to depart Cob Camp in time to purchase a ticket and catch the 10:53 train from Belovo back to Septemvri, arriving there at 11:05. Dessy was kind enough to drop me there and assist with the purchase of my ticket. You will be pleased to know that the UK railways are not the only ones who rely on buses. Issued with my rail ticket I was ushered outside and back onto the car park. A coach was waiting there. "Yes, give the driver my case and board." "No, wait there are two more coaches coming."  After a few minutes said coaches arrived. After much discussion between the drivers and railway staff I boarded the original coach which I had been directed to. The train might not be running but the guard would travel with us. Ten or so minutes later we turned of the A8 down the road into Septemvri. I couldn't help but noticed a huge car graveyard, there are lots of accidents in Bulgaria. The photo was, in fact taken later from the train bu...

I hopped off the train at Belovo, crossed the tracks and departed this quaint railway station. As I walked down the side of the building which contains the ticket office, waiting room and offices I observed a hearty meal in progress under cosy lamp light. As there was no indication of an integral restaurant I concluded that the station master and his family live on site. I could be wrong, perhaps the staff eat extremely well. I wondered who the statue was but never managed to pursue this question. The line to Sofia was completed in 1888. A phone call to Cob Camp from the train after leaving Septemvri station guaranteed a lift to the camp.

Varna Summer was ending on the 24th September and my thoughts turned to another trip into the Bulgarian hinterland. Autumn approaching, I decided that I would not make a tentatively planned trip back to Veliko Tarnovo but would venture further afield. I had previously booked my return journeys on line where tickets are issued for the outward and return journeys. This service is not available for all journeys which is why I found myself at the ticket office in Varna Railway Station on the 21st prior to the public holiday. My plan was to depart the following Monday.

Ending with "Trumpet Extravaganza - A Journey into the Italian Baroque" Varna certainly blew it's own trumpet this year and well did it have cause. The finale of "Varna Summer", the 90th anniversary of the first Bulgarian Music Festival took pace in the modern theatre attached to the historic University of Economics, its self celebrating 100 years of academic achievement. "Varna Summer" commenced in June with international competition for young musicians, taking the public through opera, musicals, classical, cross-over, folk, rock, blues and jazz to end on the theme of the 'Baroque' this weekend. Venues have included the City Art Gallery, the Archaeological Museum, the Sea Garden and the Summer Theatre. Varna Day itself included an open air concert by the Band of the Bulgarian Navy. You cannot get more diverse than this.

We had Unification Day earlier in the month, now we have, in theory, a four day holiday celebrating Bulgarian Independence. Bulgarians have had to work the previous two Saturdays to make up for this extended holiday however I was to discover that most shops and service outlets remained open because they need the income. Indeed the low wage economy took this post in a direction which I had not intended when I set out this morning. The Varna website was sadly lacking in information so I went down into the town centre in search of parades or events to mark the occasion. I was either in the wrong place at the right time or the right place at the wrong time. Inevitably I found myself in the Sea Garden as this is where many of the monuments are. The sun was shining with a temperature in the low to mid 20s, a pleasant day to stroll around and the same thought had occurred to most of the population here in Varna. Those not working that is.  Instead of a photo album of parades and other f...

I have lamented many times as to how far behind I am with my blogs and here is the reason why. I set off after lunch to find a sports superstore I had been told about. My brother needs some new hockey skates. I decided to follow my nose from Candles restaurant heading in the general direction of Kaufland, the shop I wanted was some distance beyond. It would appear that I took a wrong fork in the road as I ended up the hill in the northern industrial area of Varna. Resorting to Google Maps on my phone I laid a new course. But here is the rub. I have many events and places to write about but then, looking over a fence I spy this hive of activity...

This morning I rose early, well 9ish, dressed and caught the number 14 bus into the centre. I was lucky in my decision as I passed the parade I was looking for otherwise I would have ended up at the wrong monument. I thought that my destination was the monument in the Sea Garden but here we are at the square next to the Municipal Offices.  Why are we here? On this day 131 years ago the reunification of Bulgaria took place and a ceremony is held each year to commemorate the event. I missed this last year after my arrival in Bulgaria but I am now learning how to discover events before they take place. The commemoration ceremony takes place at the monument to the soldiers who died in the Serbo-Bulgarian war. Bulgaria had been divided into Eastern Roumelia, ruled by the Ottoman Empire with partial autonomy in 1878 under the Treaty of Berlin. This was thought unfair and a peaceful protest began.