There was a waterfall in a town close to the Bulgarian border. If I had not been able to read cyrillic then I would have not found it. It was a nice little waterfall, nobody around.
I still had some Macedonian money that I needed to get rid of so I pulled in at a petrol stop and went to buy a drink. I still had 22 macedonian denar and according to the label on the box, this could get me a bounty bar. Not according to the shopkeeper, an old man who pointed at his computer screen that indicated 28. We are talking pennies or cents here folks, but the fact was that 22 was all I had left. I pointed at the label at the box but he would not budge…at first. After he figured out I had nothing else he let me have it for 22. Woohoow, I just got rid of all my little change!
My wallet is becoming quite the coin collection so you can understand my excitement.
Bulgarian border officers were more interested in my bike than anything else. I was back on European soil. But I would still have to deal with a new currency as Bulgaria does not have the euro. Crap, more coins to get rid of.
First views in Bulgaria
The first destination was Melnik, a little historic town which lies in a hilly region with strangely eroded hilltops. Before I actually got there I had stopped for a photo somewhere and when I wanted to take my picture a sheep herder showed up from behind some tall grass.
His flock of sheep in the distance
The man himself
I didn’t see him and I am sure he was surprised to see me there as well. I think he was taking a nap. I tried communicating but he just smiled and kept quiet. Perhaps he had just smoked a doobey.
Melnik then, pretty touristy, I actuay didn’t stop, all I was interested at was the surrounding landscape, the erosion on the hills.
I was looking for a good place to take a picture. I took a little side road and got some better vantage points. Mission accomplished.
I wanted to follow the rest of my gps track but the road was closed. I just could not continue. So I just followed a dirt road leading to somewhere. Where I didn’t really know but I was in an exploring mood. What can go wrong…right. Well, I didn’t have my gps to rely on, it did not have the dirt road on the map. So I was driving blind. First settlement after 7km. I continue. Several junctions. No signs. I pick what seems to be a dirt road that will get me back to something my gps knows about. No luck. Finally a junction with some home made signs. Again I am glad I can decipher cyrillic. I can read Prilev, and try to look it up on my gps. It exists, hooray. This is the road I take. But that was the last sign I saw and I came accross many junctions, each time just playing Bulgarian roulette and hoping I would not reach a dead end somewhere. It was a pretty challenging dirt road as well. Many rocks, boulders etc, but hey, I have enough fuel to get me back to civilization or to return to where I came from…if I remember the junctions and the turnoffs I took.
Finally after what seemed like ages I reach a settlement and after zooming out on my gps, I see a main road. Saved again. I decide to turn off my exploring mode for now, back to ‘stick to the main roads’ mode.
This road takes me over a mountaintop and slowly I regain my confidence in my tires. It is definitely cooler now so the rubber is stiffer.
I fill up in the next town and continue. The road takes me through a valley and I spend the night in a hotel/spa near a ski mountain. I’m already impressed by Bulgaria’s landscape. Now just the food. The restaurant at the hotel will have to do. I can’t say its the best I have eaten, but it filled my stumach. Ready for my first Bulgarian bed.
Goodbye working holiday visas, Europe here I come 