The God's Eyes (Prohodna) is a strange cave formation found in Bulgaria, which were used as a place for religious rituals from several thousand years. The thing is pretty big and still instills mystical feelings in the visitors. This one time I'm not going to talk or give explanations, because I think this is something that has to be simply seen.
God's Eyes (Prohodna Cave) Bulgaria, with the Sun through one of the "eyes"
I found a colony of these colourful birds, called Bee-eaters (Merops apiaster) at small river's bank in Bulgaria. They are very common around the whole country and small colonies can be found around most of the rivers, where they dig holes for their nests in the banks. The only problem with them is that they are very timid and don't leave people to get close.
From Wikipedia:
As the name suggests, bee-eaters predominantly eat insects, especially bees, wasps, and hornets. They catch insects in flight, in sorties from an open perch. Before eating a bee, the European bee-eater removes the sting by repeatedly hitting the insect on a hard surface. It can eat around 250 bees a day.
I recorded a night landing at Sofia, Bulgaria. The city's landmarks can be seen clearly and its also noticeable that its darker than most of the other European cities.
That is one very small monastery, which I found not very far from the town of Vratsa (Vraca) in Bulgaria. It's by far the smallest one I've ever seen and one of the most overlooked and unheeded. Its name means something like St John of the Desert (or may be the "abandoned" Monastery of St John) and the legend says that it's named after St John of Rila, who lived for some time in the small cave-like place near the building. Also the legends say that it was the l place of a Thracian sanctuary, which is more than likely considering the Bulgarian territory overlaps most of the old Thracian kingdoms. Some of the paintings were dated to be from XI century.
The way to the Monastery St Ivan Pusti, Bulgaria
The way to the Monastery St Ivan Pusti, Bulgaria
The way to the Monastery St Ivan Pusti, Bulgaria
Monastery St Ivan Pusti, Bulgaria
The bell of the Monastery St Ivan Pusti, Bulgaria
Monastery St Ivan Pusti, Bulgaria
Fountain in the yard of the Monastery St Ivan Pusti, Bulgaria
Fountain in the yard of the Monastery St Ivan Pusti, Bulgaria and the caretaker
Fountain in the yard of the Monastery St Ivan Pusti, Bulgaria
Entrance of the Monastery St Ivan Pusti, Bulgaria
Painting of St John of Rila above the entrance of the Monastery St Ivan Pusti, Bulgaria
Cross on the Monastery St Ivan Pusti, Bulgaria
Monastery St Ivan Pusti, Bulgaria
View from the Monastery St Ivan Pusti, Bulgaria
View from the Monastery St Ivan Pusti, Bulgaria
The road out of the Monastery St Ivan Pusti, Bulgaria
This is one interesting monastery, founded in the second half of 14th century during the reign of the last Bulgarian kings, Ivan Shishman. When the country is finally conquered by the Turks, the monastery is destroyed, too. The name "Cherepishki" convey meaning as "Of Skulls" and the legend says that it came from the covered with white bones of the Ivan Shishman's fallen soldiers surrounding area.
Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Kostnica (Bone Chapel) of Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Kostnica (Bone Chapel) of Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Kostnica (Bone Chapel) of Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Panorama of the Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery) with the river Iskar behind, Bulgaria
Magernica (Canteen/Kitchen) of the Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
House with stone tiles roof in the Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
House with stone tiles roof in the Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria.
Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Bells in the Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Cementery in the Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
River Iskar next to Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
River Iskar next to Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Cherepishki Manastir (Cherepish Monastery), Bulgaria
Serapion's cave is suited in the west part of the Balkan Mountain and is known as the place where a monk called Serapion lived. It is 129 m long and has 32 m denivelation. There are series of drops and it is called chasm-like cave, as the first one is 13 m and is close to the entrance. Nowadays there are no more monks living inside but rather it is a breeding ground for several types of bats and other animals and during the breeding season entry is prohibited. I made mistake and the cave is not the first one that I focused, but rather the second two openings, which where close to each other.
Also there is the so called "New Cave", which I am not sure which one is exactly, but it was closed until 1962, when some shepherd noted that the snow melts around the area and shortly after that opening was made with the use of explosives. That cave is 69 m long with 15 m denivelation.