Fast & Furious to Istanbul

Turkey
Istanbul
 

Our chariot (taxi) driver rather liked history

Now, if I said it was raining in Istanbul, would you believe me?  The overnight bus from Plovdiv and associated stops at border points meant we had little sleep.  Jumping a taxi at the huge downtown bus terminal in the bleak early hours meant a fast ride into the city centre.  Zooming along at 130kph (“Put your seatbelts on”, yelled George as we left.), this ride was better than caffeine.  Still, unlike last time, we actually made it to the front door of our hotel.  No time to spare though….quick, I need a bathroom!

We had organised a few days to recover in Istanbul and used the time to re-visit (perhaps for the last time) our favourite city.  Well, actually they’re all our favourites but there’s just something about Istanbul.  Even Mark Twain would agree! 

Cavalry Bazaar - clearly one of us doesn't like shopping...

Old timber cottages behind the Blue Mosque

So, it's goodbye to Hagia Sophia then

Of course, Wednesday was Republic Day, so as if in a dream, we walked around town from the Cavalry Bazar to the Spice Bazar amongst a huge crowd enjoying their public holiday.  The next day we took shelter from heavier rain in the Grand Bazaar until overwhelmed, then took to the quieter corridors of the Archaeological Museum.  With wet shoes and a certain lack of enthusiasm, we then spent a day at the hotel enjoying a late breakfast and a bit of doing nothing much.  We discovered though, that the Museum of Turkish Arts is well on the way with its renovation plans and finding an Economist magazine in English is a bit of a challenge. 

Finally it was time to catch the tram to Atatürk Airport and check out of Turkey.  No more muezzins’ calls, no more carpets and no more cats’ meows. 

 

So ends our seventh season, which started with a visit to Troy & Gallipoli, then continued on in leisurely boating style:

• a memorable cruise up Turkey's west coast,
• a quick sail through the Greek Aegean Islands,
• taking a red panda to explore ruin-strewn Peloponnese, 
• a lingering sail round the Ionians before
• dashing to Albania to explore this little visited (by sail boats) country. 

Pre-haul out in Preveza Marina - washing sails

Finally, it was back to Preveza for haul out.  Windjammer has settled into a yard shared with donkeys, goats and friendly dogs.  She won't be missing us at all.  With WJ3 safely in her cradle, we took off to visit George & Annette in Vienna before taking our Intrepid trip to Eastern Europe. 

 

We'll be back next year for some more slow boating, the general plan to make it to Italy. More or less. Watch this space for plans as they evolve...

 

Slow boating

 

(A reminder of our happy watery trails (the map & tracker) can be found here.)

Exploring Greece (Meteora Monasteries)

Going all Bulgarian

 

Following Ancient Lives

Plovdiv

Come on guys, you'll miss the train to Plovdiv

Armed with a couple of litres of melnik courtesy of our host, we made for the train station in Bankso and anticipated a snowy adventure through steep mountains.  The trains were warm, platforms not, so we had a wee wait for a connecting train at a town with a rather difficult name.  Correct pronunciation it seems was based on quantities of melnik.  We knew it would come in handy for something!

Train Waiting at What_Name Station?

 

Plovdiv was our last fling – last for Bulgaria and essentially the end of our trip.  The old town, Stari Grad, was charming, an easy place to lose yourself and explore.  Be warned, the hills are steep and the cobbles life-threatening.  Seriously, the old town is said to predate Athens, Rome and Constantinople (Istanbul) with its Thracian fort ruins (5000 BC Eumolpias), scattering of Roman relics, Ottoman mosques, medieval structures and baroque timber mansions.  Angelina led us on a breathless “stream of consciousness” tour around the main sites before we were let loose to discover according to our own whims.

 

Nebet Tepe (Prayer Hill) with walls from Eumolpias, 5000 BC

Reconstructed Roman Amphitheatre (discovered 1970)
built during reign of Emperor Trajan

Hisar Kaplya, medieval eastern gate
11th c reconstruction of Roman walls

Bulgarian Revival - Lamartine House (1829)

One of many fixer-upper mansions in the old district

 

GS took in the Ethnographic Museum (1847) set in an elegant baroque mansion and beautiful gardens, made a B-line for an antiques shop with textiles, and finally meditated over artworks in the City Art Gallery.  The Cap’n, seizing an opportunity for self-determination, made for the Archaeological Museum though spent his time next door reflecting over Bulgaria’s National Revival (modern history).  There was a little time left to shop in Kapana (judiciously called The Trap) and have a hot chocolate in pedestrianised Knyaz Aleksandar Street before making for the bus station and our midnight border rendezvous.

Ethnographic Museum - as interesting for the building as its collection

Interior - a life for the privileged

Antique Textiles - oh yes, please!



Art in the making _ near the City Art Gallery

Bears in the Woods

Bankso

The fencing was substantial (& electric)

We were off on a hot date!  Mercifully, the weather held and even sleepy bears managed to stay awake for our visit.  Our host had organised a trip up into the hills to visit the Belitsa Bear Sanctuary, home in a natural forested area for some badly mistreated ex-dancing bears.  Thankfully, training of dancing bears was prohibited in 1998 and now some 27 rescued bears have found a home in this peaceful sanctuary. 

The track up into the hills was quite muddy and farmers were clearly well into preparations for winter lock-down but the scenery was just stunning.  After some heroic driving, we arrived at the base of the sanctuary.  Yes, base.  There were just a few steps (did someone say 300 or so) to get to the top of the park.  Oh well, we did really need to walk off a few calories…

 

 

The bears were there!  They were waiting for us, although some looked a little sleepy.  Clearly these once mistreated bears were happy in their new homes, with spacious accommodations, plenty to eat and trained staff to take care of them.  They have access to vet services and an ambulance is even on hand.  It is wonderful so see them offered a chance at a new life.  This park is funded by the Four Paws and the Brigitte Bardot Foundations.

A measure of the success of this park is that most bears are hibernating without assistance.  Even so, they’re not likely to ever be released into the wild as they just couldn’t cope. 

 

Now, meet some of our gorgeous friends:

 

Nobody Told Me

Bankso

Well now, just who wouldn't want this hat?

Next morning, the weather played havoc with out plans and said cart ride in Gorno Draglishte did not eventuate (sometimes 60+’s can have dreadful tantrums).  After a very short bus ride though, we arrived in Bankso.  It was still drizzling.  Our accommodation was surrounded by vast craters.  (They clearly take roadwork very seriously.)  What are we doing here?  And for two nights! 

Nobody told me: Bankso is the largest ski resort in Bulgaria.  Recent news was that Tiger Woods’ girlfriend was coming to town.  Perhaps we’d better get dressed up.  Whoops, forgot to pack the snow bunny outfit (again!).  Our hosts in Bankso were quite delightful.  We were plied with homemade cakes, pastries and a glass or two of home-brewed red wine (melnik).  Don’t think the snow bunny outfit would have quite zipped up after all that lot…

Yes, still in our sailing gear!

Nobody told me: It had snowed all night (yeah!).  Roads were closed, trees fallen and lots of lovely, powdery snow!  The serious trek (or bush walk) up into the Pirin Mountains, around clear cold lakes, through pine forests and close to jagged peaks was off then. (Oh dear, such a pity!)  For those lacking in snow exposure, our host organised a short trip up into the hills for a few snowball fights, snowman (& woman) building and a “plastic bag” toboggan ride.  Others were left behind to seriously suffer…more red wine, stimulating card games and a cosy fire.

Toboggan run on green garbage bags just has to hurt!

Nobody told me: Bankso has quite a history.  There are a number of historically significant landmarks and associated museums in town.  We explored a little of the town, but mostly the inside of a few interesting mehanes (taverns).  (Yes, it was still raining.)  All that cold weather brings on a healthy appetite and we were doing our best to sample provincial Bulgarian fare.  Not to mention finding the best Bulgarian hot chocolate.  As one must.

Sou Pa!

Gorno Draglishte

Autumn colours in the Pirin Mountains

Our hotel in Sofia was luxury!  We had a working lift (20kg bags now feeling like 40), the rooms were warm, the bathrooms posh and breakfast offered the best choice we’d had so far.  We left reluctantly, and only on the promise of a private minibus.  Off we headed, up into the hills for some stunning autumn colours and a short break at the Rila Monastery.  Our appetites had returned – it was freezing; so the promise of bean soup & monastery bread meant we ate first and explored later. 

Rila Monastery - note snow on mountains behind

Painted, painted & painted

If you have to be fond of a devil then this dancing one's for me!

The Monastery is quite beautiful and those who showed more restraint and took the time to see the little museum were well rewarded (though perhaps just a little hungry)…  Back on the bus, we set off for the tiny and very friendly village of Gorno Draglishte where we were accommodated in a seriously split level guest house.  Had it been Aus, it would have defied all planning rules (and maybe even those of gravity) for sure. 

Our afternoon walk ended in a pub crawl ensuring we met almost all local families and made friends with all manner of two & four footed creatures.  The Cap’n earned a reputation for horse whispering (twin foals – inquisitive and up for mischief); goats & their goatherd considered we were decidedly “sillier” for tramping in all that mud; and a quick lesson in the basics of agricultural life (meaning home brewed life-threatening liquors).  Oh, but that first beer (a Zagorka) by a warming fire in the pub was really good!

We were looking forward to dinner and having inspected the dining rooms and found a loom (plus various other crafty knick-knacks) hoped to enjoy a little after-dinner recreation.  Well, we did, courtesy of Baba Yana & Baba Lena – only these two (having already tippled on a little home brew me thinks) knew how to par tay!  What can I say – we toasted once or twice too often (with rakia), sang songs with gusto (in Bulgarian – or was it braille?), dressed up in costumes and danced like revellers at a Trinidad Mas, then quietened down for the gentle art of making pompoms.  Rakia flowed, wine flowed and conversation flowed – though not always in the direction you thought it was heading!  With the promise of a cart ride in the morning (if it stopped raining), we finally escaped this den of a “wickedly good time” for our warm, comfortable beds.  No-one offered to help the Babas with the dishes….

This "party" was a complete surprise and probably one of the best “cultural” experiences we’ve had….and we’ve had a few.  I want to warn future guests to WJ3 – I have the Baba’s very own music CD and the Cap’n has been busy assembling supplies for brewing his own fruit rakia!

Interactive Amusements

Sofia

We left by public bus early next morning.  Great, it was raining….  We managed to find a breakfast of sorts on the way but coffee was in short supply.  The Cap’n, realising this situation had the capacity to be life changing, managed to find two very short, strong expresso shots just before we left.  No loo on board and no stops – for 3 hours was it?  That’s almost illegal….  The rain continued; it was belting down in Sofia too.

Rotunda of St George

Determined to ignore the weather, we forged ahead with a “wwg” discovery tour of Sofia - only because we were promised warm and nourishing food at the nearby large covered markets, Zhenski Pazar or Ladies Market. 

Our sense of humour had returned by the time we’d finished eating (& GS had discovered some rather nice local embroideries too) so off we traipsed, noting the elegant architecture and wide streets (not bad since it was heavily bombed in WW11) of Bulgaria’s capital. 

(Left: Saint Sophia Statue)

Hey, I can read Cyrillic!

During our orientation tour we had time to visit the Catholic Cathedral, Rotunda of St George and the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.  We were feeling virtuous, the rain had stopped, so from here we went in search of whatever cultural attractions (or otherwise) attracted us on this grey of grey days.  A few of us went over to the Saint Sofia Church (and nearly lost ourselves in the extensive underground tombs), escaping in time to catch the Art Gallery & National Ethnographic Museum where we amused ourselves with some rather interesting, interactive installations. The promised Michelangelo exhibition consisted of 3 (heavily guarded) drawings.  Disappointing, but we realised how lucky we were to have seen those in the Albertina, Vienna.

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Dinner is worth mentioning as we trekked back into town to “Buffet”, a trendy café decorated in a quirky “shabby chic/grandma’s collectables” theme for the young and hip (not old, grumpy & damp!).  But the meals were good; a nice introduction to modern Bulgarian fare.  It was a quick walk back to the hotel.  By this time we were regretting having left our thermals back on board WJ3. 
 

Trend Setting?

 

Street Art for all Reasons

Veliko Tarnovo

We confess to not knowing a great deal about street art but do enjoy it when it's really good.  Danika from Veliko Tarnovo was our first "formal" introduction, so it was interesting (as always) to hear the story behind the work, especially that of the artivists.  Do not fear - this will not be a run-down on every sidewalk spray paint job, just a collection of some of the more interesting pieces we saw during out Eastern Europe stay. 

(You should also be aware that in Veliko Tarnovo, artists ask permission before painting, so the result is a collaboration.)

(Danika works from the Tourist Information Office in Veliko Tarnovo.)