Hello again everyone! Danielle and I have shifted our attention quite suddenly to Eastern Europe -- Bulgaria, specifically. Here is the play by play...
After Ankara we took a high speed train to nearby Eskisehir, an anomoly of a city by Turkey standards... bike paths and light rail, riverfront esplanades, extensive gardens beautifully manicured by armies of city employees, and a Disneyland-like park for the kiddos (complete with massive plastic castle and pirate ship). Onward, we visited the small town of Iznik and strolled along the shores of its lovely lake. Iznik was once called Nicaea -- birthplace of the Nicaean creed, an early Christian tenent.
Then we traveled to the farm I previously mentioned, high up above a somewhat remote little village. The cramped village bus was hilarious, with the teenage girls and old women gossiping and laughing loudly, and the men arguing. The volume rose to a level I haven't heard since elementary school! We spent a week helping out in the garden, re-potting plants and harvesting seeds. We quickly realized my allergies would be a problem there -- cats, dust, mold and large Anatolian sheep dogs -- but we thoroughly enjoyed the company of the other travelers. They hailed from New Zealand, Japan and Portugal. Our real education occured in the kitchen, as we all contributed to massive meals. Homemade breads and cheeses, roasted chestnuts, wild boar stew, indian food, eggplant salad... we took full advantage of the ample local produce.
We also listened carefully to their travel advice, and that is how we find ourselves on a bus, ferry, subway and short flight to Sofia, Bulgaria! Despite the mass exodus of Bulgarians searching for better economic opportunities, this country has certainly experienced a cultural renaissance since the fall of Communism. Sofia was charming with beautiful public squares and art installations. Throughout the country, it is a fact of life that grafitti -- periodically remarkably artistic -- covers ever available surface. Thanks to the super cheap train system, we are now in Plovdiv, the second largest city, and an ancient one at that. No one here likes Sofia, but they are very proud of their Thracian and Bulgarian heritage.
Tomorrow we will head into the hinterlands, south into the Rhodope mountains to the village of Shiroka Laka, and eventually northeast to the clifftop citadel of Veliko Tarnovo, the national parks on the Lower Danube River, and the airport in Bucharest, Romania. Take care!
Micah
After Ankara we took a high speed train to nearby Eskisehir, an anomoly of a city by Turkey standards... bike paths and light rail, riverfront esplanades, extensive gardens beautifully manicured by armies of city employees, and a Disneyland-like park for the kiddos (complete with massive plastic castle and pirate ship). Onward, we visited the small town of Iznik and strolled along the shores of its lovely lake. Iznik was once called Nicaea -- birthplace of the Nicaean creed, an early Christian tenent.
We also listened carefully to their travel advice, and that is how we find ourselves on a bus, ferry, subway and short flight to Sofia, Bulgaria! Despite the mass exodus of Bulgarians searching for better economic opportunities, this country has certainly experienced a cultural renaissance since the fall of Communism. Sofia was charming with beautiful public squares and art installations. Throughout the country, it is a fact of life that grafitti -- periodically remarkably artistic -- covers ever available surface. Thanks to the super cheap train system, we are now in Plovdiv, the second largest city, and an ancient one at that. No one here likes Sofia, but they are very proud of their Thracian and Bulgarian heritage.
Tomorrow we will head into the hinterlands, south into the Rhodope mountains to the village of Shiroka Laka, and eventually northeast to the clifftop citadel of Veliko Tarnovo, the national parks on the Lower Danube River, and the airport in Bucharest, Romania. Take care!
Micah
You guys had me at bread and cheeses, miss you and love you both!
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