Veliko Turnovo Travel Blogs

“Miaow?” enquires my four-pawed interrogator.  “Miaow-miaow” I respond.  The cat looks at me blankly.  “Miaow” ( “Dumb-ass tourist!” ) it sighs.  Yep, I’ve hit yet another language barrier.  I don’t know how to communicate in Cat in Bulgarian.  I …

Svistov (artist quarter), Veliko Turnovo (ancient capital), and Arbanassi (16th cen. Village) Bulgaria   Today we’re still in Bulgaria, in Svistov which is just downriver from Ruse. . .  .not exactly a suburb but definitely a smaller town.  We’ll be traveling to the interior of…

My expectations of Bulgaria really were that it, probably, wouldn't be that different from Romania, given it proximity. Boy, was I wrong. The character of Bulgaria is as different as it's natural beauty. Equal to the beauty was the friendliness of the people. They were always glad to help out in any way they could. I was also wowed by the ancient monastaries, the mountain hamlets, castles, coastal villages, mosques, and so much more.

My train arrived in Veliko Turnova My dislike of city buses resulted in another LONG LONG walk to my hostel.  I mentioned my dislike of buses at least once before in my blogs, the Brasov entry I believe, and I guess now is as good as any time to explain why I dislike buses, especially city bus…

The last couple of days have been very lazy for me in anticipation of a busy next few months.  I walked about town, looking at the various shops and getting a little souvenir shopping done.  Yesterday all I did was buy my train ticket for tonight and then found a pretty park to read a boo…

VT was fantastic too. We stayed in a hostel owned by an Englsih guy, and there was noone else staying those nights, so we had the place to ourselves! He lived there though with his Bulgarian girlfriend, who clearly didn't approve of us going out and getting very pissed with him and his British …

At the Istanbul train station: Could I please get a ticket to Veliko Tarnovo? Oh no, the Bosfori Express line is being fixed, it is not going to Veliko Tarnovo for a month or so. It gets as far as Dimitrovgrad or Stara Zagora. Can I get to Veliko Tarnovo from there? *shr…

La ciudad real de Veliko Turnovo fue fundada en 1.185 y convertida en la capital del Segundo Reino Búlgaro (1187-1393). Geográficamente la ciudad esta situada sobre tres colinas rodeadas por el río Yantra. La colina Tsarevets es una fortaleza natural inaccesible donde se sitúo el palacio r…

Een reis door zuid-oost Europa

We spent an incredible two months travelling by train and bus through Eastern Europe, from Berin southward to Athens. We've seen some incredible sights and met some awesome people. Eastern Europe rocks my socks.

A last minute addition to the trip - my stay in Veliko Tarnovo was quite good.  The old capital of the Bulgaria, the city had plenty of history, and really captured that "middle-of-nowhere" Eastern European feel.  I met several travellers from all over:  Spain, Australia, Poland…

A trek through Eastern Europe I will never forget... good times.

I don't know whether to be excited, or scared.  On a train from Sofia to Gorna Orjahovica I was speaking with a Bulgarian girl who spoke excellent English (her mom teaches it), she told me that I was only the second American tourist she had ever met in Bulgaria.  She was a bit surprised t…

Our second and third fascinating meeting with local people. With Rosa, an old woman owning two rooms to rent (in her apartment almost fully dedicated to the guests !). She came directly to us to propose us a room while we were only visiting, then led us to Preobajenski monastery where she ga…

In small town just outside the ancient capital of Veliko, I spot a actually family of gypsies living out of an old wooden trailer near the train tracks.  To my disblief, they also have an honest-to-goodness pet bear chained to a tree.  Life imitating art?  A dirty kid …