Friday, August 08, 2014

On to Bulgaria

The train pulled into Gorna Oryahovitsa, Bulgaria shortly after 6 P.M. I dragged my bag along behind me off the train and onto the platform, down the stairs, under the tracks, and up the other stairs into the station. I got Bulgarian money from the ATM, found the toilets, and then, for a while, I waited for the bus to Veliko Tarnovo to fill up and leave. I got bored eventually and once I realized I'd still need a taxi from the bus stop once I got there, I hired a taxi to take me the 12 km or so instead.

The driver was marvelous. He wanted to point out the highlights as we drove, and I was grateful for this, but of course, I couldn't speak a word of Bulgarian. He pointed and talked to me, and I nodded and cooed appreciatively. I had no idea what he was saying but his enthusiasm was obvious.

We went down a mountain and then up a hill and suddenly, the sun was brilliantly lighting up the walls of the fortress of Veliko Tarnovo.

"Whoa..." I said. The driver smiled. He didn't need to speak to me in a common language. The light on the fortress walls needed no translation.


I checked into Lucky Hotel, walked down the road to a restaurant, and later that evening, back at my hotel, I was able to see a part of the light show on the fortress.

What a nice town this was.

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