Tuesday, April 3
It was another fine day and it was to be our last in Plovdiv. The first order of business was to purchase train tickets for our impending departure. This transaction was much easier than the last one. We now know the Bulgarian word for “tomorrow” and we knew enough to enquire about first class passage. The difference in price between first and second class was just a couple of dollars so we decided to live high on the hog. I hope our income tax refund comes in soon.
After leaving the train station we headed over to Croatoan for one last cappuccino. It was as good as ever. We told the baristas that we were leaving the next day. They had no recommendations for coffee houses in Burgas so I guess we’ll just have to wing it.
We decided to use the rest of the day to climb the tallest hill in the city: Youth Hill. It is more than 100 feet taller than the hill that Alyosha sits on but the climb was much easier. The path was a wide road paved with cobblestones that wound back and forth across the hill. The slope was rather steep at times but we had no trouble at all.
(The Path up Youth Hill)
The way was lined with trees but at the start of each switchback there was a clearing that afforded a view of the surrounding area. Flowers were blooming all over the hill and we could see that Spring was just around the corner. When we finally got to the top we were amazed at the sights. On one side we had an unobstructed view of the snow capped Balkan Mountains and on the other side was the Rhodope Mountains. In between we could see a huge swatch of the Thracian Valley where most of the city of Plovdiv is located. It was fun to see all of the sites that we had visited from a new perspective. Alyosha looked so small from our new vantage point. This was definitely the best view in the city.
(Panoramic View from the Summit of Youth Hill)
We had a late lunch at one of our favorite places in the Kapana District (Pavaj) and returned home to pack for the next day’s trip. We tried to schedule a taxi pickup but they told us to call back in the morning.
Distance walked: 9.9 miles
Wednesday, April 4
At 7:30 am we called the taxi company to request an 8:00 am pickup. We were told to callback five minutes before we were ready to leave. At 7:45 am our AirBNB host dropped by to retrieve our keys. We had a pleasant conversation and told her all about our plans. Everyone in Bulgaria seems to think we’re nuts for spending so much time in their country. Maybe they know something that we don’t. We called the taxi company a third time. This time we were told a taxi would be there within 5-6 minutes. We headed downstairs to meet them.
A few minutes later a cab arrived. The driver stopped in the middle of the street, gesticulated wildly at us, said something in Bulgarian and drove away. This prompted a fourth call to the taxi company. They said that the cab driver didn’t think our luggage would fit in his car and, here’s the best part, they didn’t have ANY cars that would be able to transport our luggage! We each have one medium sized suitcase and one carry on. What do most people bring when they travel? It’s a good thing we decided against a steamer trunk. 😉
We had an hour until our train was due and it was a two mile walk. We headed in that direction and kept our eyes open for a passing cab. We spotted three cabs at a taxi stand two blocks away and veered in that direction. The first cab driver didn’t think our luggage would fit in his car but this time we had a plan. We would take TWO taxis – one for each of us. The second taxi driver seemed reluctant to take any fares at all. Finally, he got out of his cab and opened his trunk. It was huge. He put one suitcase inside and seemed puzzled as to how to accommodate the second one. We’d had enough of this. We walked over and put the first suitcase on its side and slid the second one next to it. There was plenty of room. We both got into the second cab and left the first driver at the stand.
After all that our driver pulled out of the stand and went the wrong way! We exchanged puzzled looks. For some reason he went around the corner the long way but he finally managed to find the appropriate route. We arrived at the station with 40 minutes to spare.
We inquired at the information desk for the track number for the train to Burgas (BOOR-gus). Track one was the answer. Would you believe us if we told you that none of the tracks were labeled? Well, they weren’t. We talked to several people and used our best broken Bulgarian to confirm the correct track. Just before boarding I confirmed our destination once again with a nearby conductor who suddenly appeared. We found our seats and settled in for a comfortable ride. We knew from experience that we couldn’t depend on any announcements to find out when we were getting close so we set our alarm just in case we fell asleep.
(On the Train to Burgas)
We’ve had terrible luck with mass transit since we hit Bulgaria. At first we thought is was because we didn’t speak the language but we no longer think that. The subway in Sofia was easy to use and very efficient. The busses, taxis and trains have been much more challenging. It’s been more than a little frustrating. We never had issues like this in Rome or any other country we visited. Amusing fact: every bus stop in Plovdiv is just labeled “Plovdiv”. How anyone gets around is a real mystery to us.
We were happy to see that the train arrived on time. A very pleasant taxi driver, who had no trouble with our luggage, brought us to our next apartment where our host was waiting to let us in. The apartment is bright with large windows in the living area. There is a separate bedroom down the hall. We hope to eat some of our meals out on the terrace. We’ll be very comfortable here for the next two weeks.
We spent the rest of the day walking around the waterfront. There is a large park that extends the length of the city with jogging paths that continue on even further. The Black Sea is actually blue/green. The sand is dark and dense. This time of year the water is still too cold for swimming. We’ll have a lot more to say about the city in our upcoming posts. Stay tuned.
Distance walked: 4.8 miles