Lyulin mountain and “Bonsovi” meadows (14 June 2014)

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Lyulin mountain and Bonsovi meadows

This is one of the most underestimated mountains around Sofia. You simply need to see it.

When you have good guide (like me) to show you the area at least once – you will fall in love.

There are plenty of herbs laying around for gathering and many beautiful places to take photos. Rarely anyone is seen walking. Serenity and peace.

Part of the day was rainy and foggy, but we managed to get the maximum from both weather and terrain.

The friendly dog followed us and took some of the food scraps 🙂 we didn’t mind him at all.

The meadow is accessible via car as well, but the walking there is much better and rewarding.

Люлинска планина и бонсови поляни.

Това е една много подценявана планина, която просто трябва да се види.

Ако имате добър водач през пътеките (като мен, хехе) – елате и я вижте поне веднъж. Ще се влюбите.

Има куп билки за събиране, ако това ви харесва. Множество интересни гледки за снимане към Перник, София, Витоша (копитото се вижда като на длан). Рядко срещате повече от двама души по цялата пътека. Мир и спокойствие.

Част от деня беше мъглива и дъждовна, но това не ни отказа. Грабихме с шепи и от деня и от гледките.

Дружелюбният пес на снимките ни изпрати през целият път и си хапна остатъци от сандвичи. Нямахме нищо против 🙂

Самата поляна около хижа “Бонсови поляни” е достъпна и с автомобил от Горна Баня, но препоръчвам да се доберете до нея пеш.

Много по-добро усещане в края на деня, когато седнете на биричка с картофки.


From Svogue town to Thompson station via Ceria peak (08 June 2014)

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Even if it is the middle of June, the plateau above Svogue is still in the beginning of the Spring season.

I managed to shoot a lot of flora and fauna in this small 5-hour trip. Including Horse, stray Siamese cat, very brave Lizard sitting next to the train line, lonely Hawk, 2 resting goats, brave centipede who wanted to drink from my water and plenty of bugs.

Wild violas are currently still starting to bloom in the plateau and I got just 1-2 frames, but there was plenty of Thyme just laying around for the picking (excellent herbal tea) and many wild strawberries just laying near the roads.

I found also a dozen of Giant puffballs (mushroom named Calvatia gigantea) but only 1 of them was still edible, the others were already in a gestational phase (sporing out) so I discarded it (did not pick it up).

The water in the “Botev” memorial fountain was dry, there was only some left in the basin, so we poured water from the nearby village and left towards the peak.

20 minutes walk from the Ceria peak, there is excellent wooden gazebo for resting, so we opened a galon of beer and had a rest before we got down to Thompson train station, following the path of 2 enthusiast bikers.

Excellent 1-day mountain trip. Drop me a message if you want details how to do it yourself.

The 7 Rila lakes – 12 August 2012.

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The Seven Rila lakes is undoubtedly one of the most impressive natural mountain lakes in the Balkans. A place of fable you should see at least once. Their beauty attract all Bulgarians and many foreigners who loved it just by seeing pictures.The seven lakes are huddled in the northwest slope of Rila mountain. They are formed by glacial melting of the circus. The lakes are filled by water siphoned from the peaks “Dry chal”, “Otovishki” and “Charamiya”.All lakes are named for their form. Their ordinary names are:

  • The eye (deepest one – 37.5 metres ~ 12 store building)
  • The kidney.
  • The tear (2535 metres Above Sea Level)
  • The twin (looks more like a hourglass, but in dry months it divides into 2 lakes – hence the name)
  • Three-leaved lake
  • The fish lake (near the hut) and
  • The down lake (“only” 2095 metres above sea level)

Most of the lakes are having small fishes. Trout and minnow. But they grow really tiny due to the lack of food and chilly winter.

The Universal White Brotherhood (a New Age-oriented religious movement) are coming here each year on August 19 to celebrate their Paneurhythmy (new-year’s celebration according to them). They gather in huge human circles, everyone dressed in white and dance slowly while the sun raises.

The legend about the 7 lakes tells the following story: “Thousands of years ago, when the earth was still not inhabited by humans, in the mountain of Rila – 2 giants lived. Man and woman. They were loving each-other without merits, without conditions.

They loved their home. So sunny, warm and cozy – no being can remain uncharmed.

Unfortunately, one day, the elements got jealous of their love and comfort and sent them dark clouds and strong winds. Strong quakes started to tremble below their abode.

Male giant protected viciously each and every critter, each and every blade of grass, each and every stream of water.

This only made the elements more determined to destroy the love of the giants.

In the battle against the elements, the giant withered and eventually fell.

Satisfied, the elements left the devastation and the mourning wife.

She was so sad and shriven – her tears never stopped flowing. From her tears flowing on the mountain slopes, 7 lakes were formed with such purity that can strike even the dark hearted.

There is a big rock before the “Kidney” lake with forms of the 2 giants. The mountain guides claim those are the giants, petrified in the stone to remain in silent vigil for their lost home.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Rila_Lakes

Tzari Mali Grad. 20 July 2013.

Storks

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Storks

Golden tap

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Boletus luridus

Holy water spring

Holy water spring

Holy water spring

Holy water spring

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Bee hives

Macrolepiota procera

Macrolepiota procera

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Church bells.

Church bells.

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Stoill Barzakov

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Tzari Mali Grad

Tzari Mali Grad

Romans

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Romans

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Roman

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Funicular train

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Funicular train

Tzari Mali Grad area map.

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Tzari Mali Grad area map.

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Tzari Mali Grad area map.

Tzari Mali Grad area map.

Tzari Mali Grad area map.

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Tzari Mali Grad area map.

Tzari Mali Grad area map.

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Bad Engrish

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Small airplane





 

Tzari Mali Grad

We saw an advertisement and decided to come and see what is done on the ancient castle.

The funicular tram car was not operational and we had to climb. Not bad but the descending later was a bit extreme.

The ancient roman city is rebuilt in an interesting fashion, but some of the buildings have a bit plastic finish.

It was much more interesting around the castle, where we gathered edible mushrooms and waded in healing waters of local holy spring 🙂

Цари Мали град.

Видяхме рекламата и решихме да дойдем да видим, как са го реставрирали.

Фуникуляра не работеше и имаше зле преведен надпис 🙂 на изкачване не е толкова зле, но на слизане е доста екстремно.

Самият град е добре реставриран, но част от него има много пластмасов завършек и не ни допадна изобщо.

По-интересно беше около самият град. Намерихме интересна пътека в клисурата с лековито аязмо и много диви гъби които хапнахме после.

Eco-pathway Bankya. 30 March 2014.

Cultivated strawberries DSCF0158 Forest path Dog house in a pond? Thorn DSCF0163 DSCF0164 DSCF0165 Ducks in a pond. White cock. White ponny. Ponny Ducks in a pond. Ducks in a pond. Ducks in a pond. Fishing rod Ducks in a pond. Ducks in a pond. Ducks in a pond. Ducks in a pond. Ducks in a pond. Ducks in a pond. Pond French fries French fries Ducks in a pond. Ducks in a pond. Grilled trout DSCF0190 Ducks in a pond. Ducks in a pond. Curious dog DSCF0195 DSCF0196 DSCF0197 DSCF0198 DSCF0199 Sun loving kitten. Sun loving kitten. DSCF0203 DSCF0204
Curious dog

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Weathercat :)

Weathercat :)

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Yellow violet ;)

Bankya Eco-path

A small park near the city of Bankya with a golf club and small lake full of fish.

There is a small pub near the lake – If you want, they will cook fresh fish for you.

The path is very easy and full of nice views.

Definitely a good place to visit in your spare time if you go to Bankya town.

Here is a link to the aerial map:

Еко пътека на здравето.

(гр. Банкя)

Това е малък парк в края на град Банкя, близо до кварталите Градоман и Михайлово.

Има малко езерце с риба по пътя и прилежаща кръчма, в която има прясно приготвена от същата.

Пътеката е много лесна за разходка, почти няма денивелация.

Определено много добро място за губене на време, ако сте в Банкя.

Ето връзка към карта на района с детаили:

http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=42.696536&lon=23.137851&z=15&m=b

Urvich – Zheleznica. 16 Feb 2014.

DSCF0001 Urvich, gazebo DSCF0004 DSCF0005 Villa Urvich DSCF0009 DSCF0010 DSCF0011 DSCF0012 DSCF0013 DSCF0018 DSCF0019 DSCF0020 DSCF0021 DSCF0022 DSCF0023 DSCF0024 DSCF0025 DSCF0026 DSCF0027 DSCF0028 Trudovaka Trudovaka Trudovaka DSCF9965 DSCF9966 Curious cat Curious cat Curious cat Curious cat Orthodox monastery church Orthodox monastery church Orthodox monastery Orthodox monastery church Orthodox monastery church Orthodox monastery church Metal "Klepalo" Metal "Klepalo" Metal "Klepalo" Bee hives Young tree moss DSCF9989 Villa Urvich DSCF9991 DSCF9992 DSCF9993 DSCF9994 DSCF9995 DSCF9996 DSCF9997 DSCF9998 DSCF9999

Urvich castle

This is one new excavation of the old Urvich castle.

It is claimed the grandson of Todor Jivkov owns it.

It is not true. The actual owner is a bulgarian business man with the same family name who is not direct descendant of the old communist leader.

Vladimir Jivkov owns the nearby villa with medieval motives and small art exhibition placed inside, not the whole castle.

Крепостта “Урвич”

Това са новите разкопки на крепостта “Урвич”.

Има непроверен слух, че крепостта е частна собственост на внука на Тодор Живков.

Това е градска легенда. Собственикът е български бизнесмен, чието фамилно име съвпада с това на бившият соц. лидер.

Владимир Живков не притежава цялата крепост а близката вила издържана в средновековен български стил и има малка художествена галерия вътре.

Vladaya – Rudarci. 13 April 2013.

Rock face

It’s probably a troll 🙂

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One good spring trip.

I’ve found many interesting things for shooting but not all of them are worthy of showing.

We were accompanied by a friendly dog and named him “Pesho Vladayski”.

I found a woodpecker and his favorite tree, a brick with the form of a face and many plants I don’t recognize.

Една много приятна пролетна разходка.

Срещнах доста неща за снимане, но не всички са достойни за показване.

През цялото време ни ескортираше един пес, който кръстихме “Пешо Владайски”.

Срещнах един кълвач и любимото му дърво за лов на корояди и термити, както и доста растения, които не разпознавам.