Many travels through Bulgaria start in Sofia. Prior to arriving, I hadn't read much on the capital city, yet I was entirely optimistic knowing only three things. First, it was home to the St. George Rotunda, a fourth century church built during the reign of Roman Emperor Constantine. Second, it boasted one of the largest Orthodox churches in the Balkans, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, and third, the signs were written in Cyrillic, a script foreign to me, therefore holding a great deal of romance.
And these three things were wonderful indeed! We met up with our friends from Italy, Walter and Serena, and their beautiful girls, Goia and Beatrice. They were to be travel companions our first week in Bulgaria, and our excitement over the reunion knew no bounds.
In the morning, we made our way to the St. George Rotunda. Originally erected as a Roman public building, it was soon converted to a baptistry after the Edict of Milan, a decree issued by Constantine which ended the persecution of Christians - returning to believers their confiscated property, and securing their position in the Roman empire.
The rotunda sits amid a small grid of Roman ruins and is open to the public at no charge. Walter entered the building first. He must have melted into the shadows of the place, for his presence was overlooked and he was locked alone inside, a feisty, elderly woman barring the door. We tried to explain our friend's predicament, but she only shooed us away with her mop, grumbling in Bulgarian about dirty shoes and impatient tourists. We waited outside the gate, giggling like naughty children.
Once Walter was free, we headed to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, imposing and ornate, its golden domes glinting in the sun. Our Western eyes devoured the Byzantine architecture with much appreciation, and our interest grew as we learned of its history. Adam shares with us below.
How about the Cyrillic? Well, it was exciting to see at first...but as we found we couldn't read a single street sign, resulting in many an incorrect turn, the romance quickly wore off. Even Google's Alexa capitulated, prompting us with a "Turn right at..." followed by an embarrassing silence. We managed, however, so certainly don't let a foreign script keep you from your travels!
Was I disappointed after leaving Sofia in less than twenty-four hours? No, I think our time there was sufficient. I am hesitant to urge this, but move on, and move on somewhat quickly. Bulgaria is full of places to explore, but Sofia is not its foremost.
Prior to leaving, I saw a sight far more beautiful than Alexander Nevsky's golden domes, and one I will fondly recall whenever I think on my time there. As we stood on the street corner awaiting the arrival of our car, a host of pigeons caught my attention. They were cooing excitedly, flying about in a rather spasmodic manner. As they settled to the ground, a woman came into view, seated amongst them. She was grinning in deep pleasure as they perched on every available inch of her. She brought them one by one to her lips, dropping delicate kisses upon their heads while murmuring words of affection. For a full ten minutes I watched, her smile never faltering as she periodically scattered seed before her feet. They were her children, and she their doting mother.
We took the northern route from Sofia to the sea, allowing time to stop at several points of interests over the course of two days.
Bulgaria boasts many spectacular caves, and so we knew our time in the country must consist of visits to several of these wonders. Prohodna Cave is near the small village of Karlukovo, and is dubbed "The Eyes of God." It does not take long to explore, but the orifices in the ceiling most certainly do resemble eyes, swathing the cave in interesting pockets of light and shadow. The road there is dirt for a small portion, so be prepared to drive slowly and carefully. The normal tourist conveniences are not present at the entrance, so plan accordingly.
Our next stop was Krushuna Waterfalls. These small falls consist of travertine cascades of mineral water, with only a short hiking connecting them all. They can be well explored within an hour, unless you plan to soak in their therapeutic properties. They pair well with a visit to nearby Devetashka Cave.
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| Enjoying the Waterfalls With My Italian Bestie |
Devetashaka Cave. It's rather fun to say, isn't it? Some people are impressed when they hear it was a filming location for Expendables 2, but I was for reasons altogether different. The cave was inhabited as far back as the Paleolithic era, plus it is home to quite a few varieties of bats. I explain more in my video below.
There was one more stop on our way to Varna, The Transfiguration Monastery. Established in the 13th-14th century, it was later razed by the Ottoman Turks. The current monastery was rebuilt in 1825, with frescoes painted by the century's famous Bulgarian icon painter, Zahari Zograf. It is still currently in use for religious purposes, and so I was a bit surprised at its deserted air. The colors on the interior and exterior are really breathtaking, though, and quite make up for the the deterioration elsewhere. Perhaps if it were pristine it would garner too much interest, and it was rather nice to have the place almost to ourselves. Again, the northern area of Bulgaria is not highly touristed, so be prepared for a lack of services on site.
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