BULGARIA

Bulgaria

Sofia

Aleksanar Nevski Cathedral in Sofia

The statue of Tsar Osvoboditel in Sofia

The National Theater Ivan Vazov in Sofia

My grandmother lives about 200 meters to the right from this Palace of Culture. In the background you can see the Vitosha mountain, where I used to go skiing every weekend.

A monument in the park around the Palace of Culture

I learned skiing in Pamporovo. I think Pamporovo is the best place for skiing in Bulgaria. It is situated in the Rhodopi mountain near the town of Smoljan in south Bulgaria.

Pamporovo during the summer

Another excellent place for skiing is Borovets in the Rila mountain.







Rila Monastery lies also in the Rila mountain. It was founded by John of Rila in the 10th century as a colony for hermits. Later it became one of the centers of early mediaeval culture. Its location has been changed on several occasions. It has been destroyed by fire and abondoned by the monks. Its presentday place, 119 km south of Sofia, is the one in which it stood during the 14th century.







Rila Monastery is one of the most beautiful places in Bulgaria.







Don't you agree with me ?







Bachkovo Monastery was found by Georgian Grigorii Bakuriani in 1083. It ranks second after the Rila Monastery both with regards to size and to architectural, artistic and litery significance.







You can also go skiing in Bansko, which lies in the Pirin mountain. I have never been there, but I have heard that this is one of the best skiing resorts in Europe.







Pirin mountain







Lets look at the warm Black sea (Nessebar).







Nessebar







Nessebar is a small town by the sea with lot of ruins left from the old times.







Nessebar is connected to Sunny Beach by a tiny peninsula.







Sunny Beach streches along one of the finest beaches on the soutern Black Sea coast. The averge air temperature in summer soar to 29'C, water temperature to 24'C, after all you are at Sunny Beach.







The warm shallow sea and dazzling sun add a unique atmosphere to the resort.







The vast beach seems boundless.







This is the village of Bozhentsi, which we used to pass through on the way to the seaside.







This is Victoria Falls (the smoke that thunders) that everybody should visit. Let's go, I was there 7 years ago and I'd love to visit the place again.







That is the tree that grows upside down.