Just visited Bankya (In Bulgarian: Банкя), small town around 15 km from the Capital of Bulgaria, Sofia. Honestly, this place doesn't have any exceptional natural formation or anything like that, nor it has any cultural objects of significant note. Relatively interesting are the natural hot mineral water springs and public fountains and baths built on them, but that's about all.
Nonetheless, due to its geographical proximity to Sofia, it was popular destination for weekend trips during the second half of 20th century for many of the inhabitants of the Capital and seems it continues to be popular choice for holidays and city-breaks.
Below I'll post a few pictures from this town.
And below a few more pictures with views from another village in the vicinity - Gradoman
This natural formation is a bridge like arch situated in the western parts of the Balkan Mountains, not far from the village Lilyache, from where is easy to be reached by car or foot. Also there are ruins of old stone walls and several well marked routes suitable for walking.
With couple of words this place is pretty interesting, but not well known and often overlooked as touristic attraction, but regardless Ill recommend it highly to any visitor in that part of the country.
Bellow Ill post also short video from the nearby village from which The Gods Bridge can reached easily by car or foot.
The path leading to the arch
One of the side routes which leads to the brook below
Small shaded table for a moment of rest
Some of the mini-caves around the arch
Detail from the arch Bozhiyat Most (The God's Bridge)
Under The God's Bridge (Bozhi Most)
Small fountain in the centre of the nearby village Lilyache
Old school (still in use) in Lilyache
Another view from the centre of Lilyache
Cute small lake-like pool with toy bridge in the centre of Lilyache
While I've been wandering around these days, happened that I visited Ledenika, a cave in the Northwestern parts of Bulgaria, which can be reached from town called Vratsa. The place itself is impressive natural formation with some endemic species of insects living in it like the beetle "Svetlomrazets", which translates as "light-heater". This cave was never inhabited during the human history, but it was used as kind of natural fridge during the Ottoman rule over the country, because of the low temperatures just above zero Celsius maintained during the whole year.
The cave is locked and visits are allowed only with guide for 5 levs (2 pound) per person. Along with the natural curiosities there was light show too. While thing like that is not necessary bad, I don't think it contributes much to this place in particular. I'll go as far to say that I'll even like it, but only in a proper ambient, like night club, which that cave obviously is not.
As is alreday well known I like tortoises, so while I've been in North-West Bulgaria I decided to look for some of them in the area, because in this place live only Hermann's tortoises and in particular the Eastern subspecies T. h. boettgeri. This subspecies is somewhat endemic for the teritory of Bulgaria and the areas around the country.
The animal is relatively easy to be found if one follow few simple rules. First look for places with mix pf trees, bushes and open areas covered with grass. Second, be very quiet, the tortoise is much easier to be heard then seen, and third best time is in the morning before the hottest hours in the summer, because these animals will look for cover in the afternoon and is going to be nearly impossible to be seen or found.
So, after short search I found two of them. Note when I comment the unusual patern on the shell of the second, happen that after imspection I discovered that most of the it was damaged and without the usual annual growt circles, so I assume it was victim of fire or other injury.
Krivodol is very small town in Bulgaria, where I'll spent few days. I had a look around and surprisingly found some things like the town library, which many of the locals don't even know exists.
The library itself is mix between old books and things from the times of the communism and new and modern. Looks like that regulary new books are supplied here and the ambient is very pleasant and comfortable for reading and work. Also to note, the internet is very fast.
Other then that linrary I'll do a few more videos for other things from the area.
This area, just like most of the country has a lot of ruins and remains of ancient dwelings, spaning from early Neolit to modern times. These particular walls I believe were part of Roman baths and are probably younger then most of the other ruins.
I found the pieces shown in this video laying in the corn and sunflower fields around and sadly many times broken by the agricultural machines. It took me no more then half an hour to gather all that. Also its rarer but there still can be found laying on the ground early iron age spear heads and other weapons, but coins and other objects of collector's interest are nearly gone after the diligent browsing with metal detercors by all kind of dark balkan subjects in the last 30 years.
I plan in some of the next days to have a better look and who knows may be find something really interesting.
I had to interrupt my walk along the Black Sea coast and wait for something, but while I am doing so I can make some videos about other stuff, like the freshwater fishing in a river, which I practiced today. I had some moderate luck and the target were some small species of freshwater fish, which are exeptionally tasty. I calculated that if one wants to feed himself with fishing with rod in these rivers, hast to do so for about 3 hours a day, best in early morning, when seems the fishes are feeding. Also some of these fishes are very good for a cold water aquarium, because they have nice looks and don't grow more then 10-15 cm.
Note that the freshwater fishing in Bulgaria is regulated by specific laws and first a licence for fishing has to be adquiered. This licence cost 10-15 pounds per year. Then the fishing is permitd only in certain periods of the year and only with fishing rods and line. All kind of fishing with nets, chemicals and others is illegal. Also each dpecies of fish has a minimal size allowed for catch, which by the way shows gross lack of knowledge of the fish biology and ecology and makes inmense damage to the fish populations and creates evolutionary pression for reducing the overall size of the fish species in general.
After spending the previous night in the open field I went to see Cape Kaliakra. Once again I had to follow the car's road for something like 6-7 km until I reached the cape. At first I thought that is going to be a bit dull day, but the cape itself proved to be interesting place. Once I've got close the ancient ruins of the Kaliakra Castle appeared. Inside can be seen many interesting ruins of houses, churches, fortifications, wells and so on. There is even a small free entry museum, where can be seen reconstruction of the castle and exponates from the centuries past. Another interesting thing was the small chapel at the very end of the cape. That chapel and the terace next to it can be seen on the video, where I am a bit surprised, because I passed by the small door but didn't realise its a chapel and working at that. I took a lot of pictures from the place which I'll post when I have faster internet.
After spending an hour on the cape, I decided to visit the small secluded beach called Golata, which is not shown in this video, but nonetheless was nice place with a lot of visitors with cars, because the road is not really designed for pedestrians.
After that in the afternoon I headed to the next point on my route, a village called Kavarna.
In conclusion, Cape Kaliakra is one of these places that one should see and spend some time, but it has mostly historical value and the area is not the best choice for a wild camping. One interesting point is that this was the very first point where I found water fontain from where I could get free potable water since the begining of my trip, which is a big disapointment for me, because I thought the drinking water is not going to be issue in this country, but alas, I had to buy all water I needed for drinking.
