Veliko Turnovo

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Winter in Bulgaria

Veliko Turnovo

December 2005

Text and Photos by Melissa Enderle

Veliko Turnovo
The next morning we caught the 8:30 bus to Veliko Turnovo for 12 lv ($7). Although only slightly farther in distance than between Sofia and Plovdiv, we knew that the roads going through some mountainous areas would take a longer time. A train was also available, but we were advised that the bus system was much faster, safer, and more reliable. Thankfully, the roads were clear and free of snowdrifts. Following a brief layover at a roadside café, the bus headed onwards to Veliko Turnover, playing the video “Maid in Manhattan” on the two TV’s. The snow level began to visibly decrease. After dropping our luggage at the hotel, we reserved our bus tickets to Sofia for the next day. We were dismayed to see that the bus left at 6am, but knew it was our only option to arrive in Sofia in time to catch the bus to Belgrade. The town had a prominent information center (something missing from Sofia and Plovdiv), but it was closed for Christmas Day. We stopped at a nearby restaurant for a late lunch. I had a moussaka type meal consisting of potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes, pork, and cheese. The large portion was served in a traditional terra cotta bowl.

Tsaravets Fortress With full stomachs, we then walked towards our main destination – the Tsarevets Fortress. Signs (the best we found so far) helped point out the path to this and other items of interest. This hill was originally settled by the Thracians and then by the Romans, and later the Byzantines who built the first significant fortress in the 5th through 7th centuries AD. Further rebuilding and refortification was done by the Slavs and Bulgars between the 8th and 10th centuries, and again by the Byzantines in the early 12th century. Remains of over 400 houses and 18 churches have so far been uncovered, as have numerous monasteries, dwellings, shops, gates, and towers. A church dominated the top of the hill, easily seen along with a fortress and fortified walls, even from a distance. At the first gate, we paid the 4lv admission fee. Taking the stone bridge over the river, we walked through the second gate where we were met by a man with his animated medieval figures. The figures, gave the history of the fortress in the French language; as we left the fortress, the English track was being played. For a small fee children could have their photos taken wearing knight costumes. We headed up the many steps to the church. Colored ceramic pieces accented the stone structure. Inside, all remnants of its original purpose had been stripped, with more modern murals of largely grey and red colors. We then headed over to the fortress structure with the large Bulgarian flag. Along the way we passed by remains of lots of small buildings, typically with only a meter or so of walls standing. Slushy snow and some ice covered the area, obscuring the view. A few columns, marble sections, and plaques with Roman writing were seen. Comparing with what I had seen in Tunisia, I was less than impressed. Some of the areas had signs, but they were written in the Cyrillic languages of Bulgarian and Russian, along with German. Olja presumed that these signs were older, dating back to Communist times.
Tsaravets fortress and gates						The Bulgarian flag proudly waved over the remains of a fort

An old man uses an axe to walk up the street		Car dealership and church				In the old part of the city, buildings hug each other above the stone façade and tunnel

Old Town We now headed back to the main town, passing through the older section. Some buildings dated back to the Bulgarian Revivalist period, but we didn’t find it as visually appealing as that in Plovdiv. Many were in need of a great deal of repair. As it was Christmas Day, all museums were closed. As we walked along the cobblestone streets, melted snow water poured from rooftop spouts, almost necessitating an umbrella in certain places. Below, a car dealership was housed in an old stone arched structure; above was a large church. An old man walked up a steep cobblestone street, using an axe like a cane. Now in the modern section, we were surprised at how many people were out and how many stores were open. As the light was fading, some stores were now closing. We began to look for a café, but were shocked to find so few along the busy, main streets. The few we found were either closed or filled with cigarette smoke. We settled for the one right next to our hotel, where we were served a cappuccino in a flimsy plastic disposable cup. So much for atmosphere!

Back to Belgrade The next morning we received a wakeup call at 5:07 am. We checked out of the 2-star hotel (I think we were the only guests that night) and were instructed to go to the adjoining café for breakfast (the hotel restaurant was closed). It wasn’t the breakfast spread to which we had grown accustomed, but it was better than nothing. We boarded the bus right outside of the café and arrived in Sofia several hours later. In the Sofia bus station, a Santa Claus went around greeting kids and pulling out a hard candy from his plastic bag sack. I joked to Olja that he should come and visit her, which he later did. After a lengthy wait, we then boarded the bus to Belgrade, transferring in Nis. A holdup in a series of mountain tunnels caused us to be late, but the bus driver asked the bus in Nis to wait, as there were several English-speaking people on board. Sometimes being a foreigner has its advantages! As we neared Belgrade, it began to rain. The snow was all gone. Finally around 11pm we arrived in Belgrade. Our bus journey to Bulgaria had now drawn to a closure.

Copyright © 2006 Melissa Enderle