Gypsies, Cathedrals, Monasteries and Suites in Bulgaria.
This is the first time I am posting a link to a photo album. Click on my photo it will take you to my photos of Bulgaria.
I got to Sofia Bulgaria at 7am in the morning and once again asking my self exactly why it is I travel with out making hotel reservations? Oh yeah for the adventure of diving into the unknown. Yeah that's it the Zen of not knowing is cool and all but at the moment I am sitting in the airport at 7am and there is no information desk or tourist office open to help me find a hotel room.
There is an unsecure internet connection in the airport. I do some checking and with in an hour I am in my hotel room at the Hotel Amethyst in Sofia, Bulgaria Room 302. I am happy cause I have internet in my room and a small refrigerator. Cost for the room 48 Lev around $32 American.
I am now dealing with a new language and a new currency and the fun part is most people here Don't speak much or any English. I am forced to learn Bulgarian. I make a lot of notes and practice.
The young Bulgarian Taxi driver that took me to my hotel from the Airport spoke no English...at that time I spoke no Bulgarian. Silence. He then asked me in Spanish if I spoke Spanish, 'why yes I do'. We communicated in Spanish. He even taught me some basis Bulgarian words while speaking Spanish. I gave him a nice tip of 5 Lev. He smiled. We said Adios.
The weather was a bit cool my first day in Bulgaria. I enjoyed it because it has been hot and Sunny every day of my travels. I went out walking the streets of Sofia just to get a feel of the City and it's people. Over a mile from the hotel it started to lightly rain then POUR and then Lightening and Thunder when I thought it could not do any thing more it started to throw big hail stones. Very nice. I was enjoying it all.
I stood under a metal and glass frame phone booth to stay dry. I didn't think it was the smartest thing I could do when the thunder and lightening got the heaviest. After 45 minutes it slowed and then stopped. It became Sunny and warm and has been that way every day I have been here in Bulgaria. Sunny. Hot.
Bulgaria has been a Good Mix of Experiences. I suppose I had gotten a little lax in my security efforts. I was walking in a nice area near the High priced Sheraton Hotel. I am walking on a street that is not very crowded. I hear my bag unzip. I quickly turn around with my fist cocked back to punch some one. I reach out and grab this girl. For a few seconds I thought about punching her as I held her arm. She was of course a Gypsy.
I held her arm but I did not punch her. I wondered for a brief second what to do with her. She fail to the ground and I fail on top of her. I let her go and I got up. She lay there and screamed. And then this guy comes up and screams at her. He was a gypsy too. I knew he was her accomplish. He politely handed me my sunglasses which I had dropped. I let them both go. I straighten my self up and regain my composer and continued my walk. As I walked away people looked at me knowingly like this was nothing usual.
Later I told a couple of people I met in a Vegetarian restaurant and before I could finish my story the woman of the couple said "Gypsies, We are all targets for them." My lesson from the experience has been to be more alert when carrying my bag and to be more aware of who is walking near me. It was a good lesson and a good reminder.
And I have been approached several times by friendly Gypsies and Yes I stay alert.
There is so much to say about Bulgaria in a positive light. Transportation is good for local or long distance. The American dollar is strong here and goes a long way. Lots of fresh fruit and Vegetables. And Yes there are a lot of Beautiful Churches and Mosque here. I have gone in to every one that I can. I take the time to pray in each one. St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral is Awesome and then some.
I had heard that the Rila Monastery was worth a visit and that it is possible to sleep there over night. So after four days enjoying Sofia I packed my bags and hopped on a bus for a 3 hour ride to the Rila Mountains.
Once I got to the Rila Monastery. I found the office to get a dungeon, I mean room. The Monastery is beautiful and the room was small. To call the room small may be too big a word to use to describe it. The room cost 20 lev for the night. A little over $13 U.S.
I wondered what I had gotten my self into? There was no heat in the room, no shower and the hole in the floor that was the toilet was down the hall a 150 feet away. The bed was so soft that when I sat on it I almost touched the floor. Funny thing about all this is I slept very well in this room in this bed. I have no doubt that I was a monk in several past lives.
I left the Rila Monastery and made a 5 hour bus ride to Plodiv. I found the Leipzig hotel but all they had left was Suites. I debated with my self over the price. The price was more in Lev than I wanted to pay.
I said yes and checked in. I went up to my Suite and believe me it is VERY SWEET. Room 1102 on the 11 floor next to the Presidential suite.
My room has Orange decor carpet and ceiling and all. My view is spectacular for Plodiv.
I have an Orange leather sofa
and a High speed internet connection plus a refrigerator a large bath tub and big bathroom. I guess $53 American is not too much to pay after staying at the Monastery it all balances out.
There is an unsecure internet connection in the airport. I do some checking and with in an hour I am in my hotel room at the Hotel Amethyst in Sofia, Bulgaria Room 302. I am happy cause I have internet in my room and a small refrigerator. Cost for the room 48 Lev around $32 American.
I am now dealing with a new language and a new currency and the fun part is most people here Don't speak much or any English. I am forced to learn Bulgarian. I make a lot of notes and practice.
The young Bulgarian Taxi driver that took me to my hotel from the Airport spoke no English...at that time I spoke no Bulgarian. Silence. He then asked me in Spanish if I spoke Spanish, 'why yes I do'. We communicated in Spanish. He even taught me some basis Bulgarian words while speaking Spanish. I gave him a nice tip of 5 Lev. He smiled. We said Adios.
The weather was a bit cool my first day in Bulgaria. I enjoyed it because it has been hot and Sunny every day of my travels. I went out walking the streets of Sofia just to get a feel of the City and it's people. Over a mile from the hotel it started to lightly rain then POUR and then Lightening and Thunder when I thought it could not do any thing more it started to throw big hail stones. Very nice. I was enjoying it all.
I stood under a metal and glass frame phone booth to stay dry. I didn't think it was the smartest thing I could do when the thunder and lightening got the heaviest. After 45 minutes it slowed and then stopped. It became Sunny and warm and has been that way every day I have been here in Bulgaria. Sunny. Hot.
Bulgaria has been a Good Mix of Experiences. I suppose I had gotten a little lax in my security efforts. I was walking in a nice area near the High priced Sheraton Hotel. I am walking on a street that is not very crowded. I hear my bag unzip. I quickly turn around with my fist cocked back to punch some one. I reach out and grab this girl. For a few seconds I thought about punching her as I held her arm. She was of course a Gypsy.
I held her arm but I did not punch her. I wondered for a brief second what to do with her. She fail to the ground and I fail on top of her. I let her go and I got up. She lay there and screamed. And then this guy comes up and screams at her. He was a gypsy too. I knew he was her accomplish. He politely handed me my sunglasses which I had dropped. I let them both go. I straighten my self up and regain my composer and continued my walk. As I walked away people looked at me knowingly like this was nothing usual.
Later I told a couple of people I met in a Vegetarian restaurant and before I could finish my story the woman of the couple said "Gypsies, We are all targets for them." My lesson from the experience has been to be more alert when carrying my bag and to be more aware of who is walking near me. It was a good lesson and a good reminder.
And I have been approached several times by friendly Gypsies and Yes I stay alert.
There is so much to say about Bulgaria in a positive light. Transportation is good for local or long distance. The American dollar is strong here and goes a long way. Lots of fresh fruit and Vegetables. And Yes there are a lot of Beautiful Churches and Mosque here. I have gone in to every one that I can. I take the time to pray in each one. St. Alexander Nevski Cathedral is Awesome and then some.
I had heard that the Rila Monastery was worth a visit and that it is possible to sleep there over night. So after four days enjoying Sofia I packed my bags and hopped on a bus for a 3 hour ride to the Rila Mountains.
Once I got to the Rila Monastery. I found the office to get a dungeon, I mean room. The Monastery is beautiful and the room was small. To call the room small may be too big a word to use to describe it. The room cost 20 lev for the night. A little over $13 U.S.
I wondered what I had gotten my self into? There was no heat in the room, no shower and the hole in the floor that was the toilet was down the hall a 150 feet away. The bed was so soft that when I sat on it I almost touched the floor. Funny thing about all this is I slept very well in this room in this bed. I have no doubt that I was a monk in several past lives.
I left the Rila Monastery and made a 5 hour bus ride to Plodiv. I found the Leipzig hotel but all they had left was Suites. I debated with my self over the price. The price was more in Lev than I wanted to pay.
I said yes and checked in. I went up to my Suite and believe me it is VERY SWEET. Room 1102 on the 11 floor next to the Presidential suite.My room has Orange decor carpet and ceiling and all. My view is spectacular for Plodiv.
I have an Orange leather sofa
and a High speed internet connection plus a refrigerator a large bath tub and big bathroom. I guess $53 American is not too much to pay after staying at the Monastery it all balances out.
I love the dungeon description, Monk Michael!
ReplyDeleteBTW, it is no joke; I carry your wisdom and insights with me always!
When I was in Kenya, my toilet was a hole in the ground, more than a hundred yards from my sleeping area, up the side of a mountain. I got very strong legs from the running and squatting for 4 weeks!
I am glad to see that you had nice, comfortable accommodations the next night!
Love it. Really fun and gives a taste of your experience. I liked the cab driver story and already told it to a friend, who thought it was cool. And yeah, gypsies. Have I told you my stories? Also, have you tried to bargain for hotel prices? Worth a try, no? And I also believe in splurging sometimes, especially when you've been good for a while (sometimes staying in what I call a cell, makes you appreciate contrasting choices). Great post.
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