The crossing back into Bulgaria is our longest drive for a while and whilst we are not visiting Sofia its capital we will be staying there tonight. But Serbia has one more surprise, some more atrocious roads, seemingly better than some two weeks go when they removed but even after an early start it takes us some time to get to the border. There has been some anxiety from Graeme in returning back into the EU with the dog and her mounting pile of paperwork, in reality we have everything we need but this is unchartered territory since we left the EU and whilst every crossing she has just been waived through all with an air of disinterest, his concern is just it takes just that one time where they deem it incorrect. But again we neednt of worried we get back in again with very little difficulty and collect yet another stamp in our passports, Poppys,well as yet to be looked at.
Tonights stop is at Bobbys a Bulgarian motorhomer and his storage yard, we are the only ones in and we are locked in after 6pm but we are not alone The Royal family are right
next door in their rather more salubrious surroundings, their guards keep an eye on them and us as well.
Our plan changed as we have moved into the winter months and we have decided to head south through Bulgaria and into Greece, hopefully grabbing a few more beach days. The morning takes us out of Sofia on a short drive to a hill top park area and a large grass plateau with hills and trees above us, great for us and Pops. We have two idyllic days here just enjoying the peace and quiet, joined during the day by families using the park and childrens playground. The second night we are joined by a Bulgarian motorhomer who tells us that this place is popular with Bulgarian motorhomers from Sofia and will probably fill up at the weekend as the weather is set to be fine.
Our decision is made to leave it to them and with some advice on some camping spots further on means we leave well rested and informed. Our next stop is to visit the seven Rila Lakes which are a group of glacial Lakes in surprisingly, the Rila mountain range. The drive up is
via another twisting road to the ski station and chair lift which transports you to the lakes at a height of between 2,100 and 2,500 m above sea level. Poppy has to stay behind for this venture as the ski lift is as basic as you can get and takes us some 20 mins to get to the start of the walks. To visit all the Lakes is an 4 1/2 hr walk and too long to leave Poppy so we head off on one of the signposted routes, of course not in English but hope it will take us somewhere. We are well rewarded for our efforts and get great vistas into the beautiful surrounding countryside, it will be our overwhelming impression of the country is the space. There clearly is a lot more to experience and some day we will return to give it more time, but autumn colours are ceasing and winter is on its way.
The following morning we again take to the hills to visit Rila Monestery as we approach, people are spilling out from this sacred sight, its a Sunday so to day we drive past and head to the top of valley
on an almost single track with fallen leafs hiding the edge of the road. At the top is a parking meadow, a tip from our Bulgarian tells us we can park here and we do for some walking and have a meal in the local restaurant, for me ‘nervous meatballs I turned down the ‘crapey man. Rila Monestery is a beautiful and most significant Monestery in Bulgaria named after the first Hermit of Bulgaria called St Ivan of Rila and now Patron Saint of Bulgaria. Born in Skrino, at the foot of the Osogovo mountain, John Rilski came from humble origins. A shepherd in his early days until a monk in the monastery of Saint Demetrius on the slopes of the Ruen mountain, seeking a life of isolation and prayer, he left the monastery, moving from one place to another until settling himself on the Rila mountains.
