We said goodbye to Turkey and hello to Bulgaria! Our first outing was riding the bus for an hour and a half into the Rila mountains to the Monastery of Rila. Wow!!
St Ivan Rilski, the first hermit of Bulgaria, is also the Patron Saint of Bulgaria. He was born in the 9th century and lived to be 70 years old. He founded this monastery in the Rila mountains and it is still active today as a church, and as a huge tourist attraction. In the past there were hundreds of monks, but now there are only ten.
Some of the.monk’s rooms are available to rent overnight, but if you are a couple you have to show them your marriage certificate. No sinning allowed!
The church is VERY ornate and over the top with gold, gold and silver icons, frescoes and gorgeous stained glass.
You could buy a candle for 2,50 euros and light them in prayer. I did this and I have to admit it was very emotional. This place had a certain energy about it.
The museum held hundreds of gifts received from very generous donors, many of them foreign dignitaries, Kings, and Emperors. We weren’t allowed to take any photos, but I really enjoyed the tapestries woven with gold threads and the opulent shrouds
Lunch!
Lunch was a whole trout, head and tail included, but perfectly baked. Desert was scrumptious!
Driving back down the mountains through small towns was a sweet glimpse into the daily lives of Bulgarians in hillside towns.any of the houses had built out arbors over the sidewalk to grow grapes for winemaking.
Sofia and the ancient ruins
After a well-deserved night’s rest, we began a walking tour of Old Town Sofia. I especially liked the Byzantine St. George church.
The Church of St. George is the oldest surviving building in Sofia. It is a red-brick domed rotunda room with a circular plan on a square base with semicircular niches in the corners. Since the 4th century it has been used for baptismal ceremonies. It is surrounded by Roman baths and rooms.
We also visited a 19th century Orthodox temple that is the largest on the balkan peninsula. St Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. All the domes are covered in 18 carat gold. There was a long line of weddings scheduled here on the day we toured. This Cathedral is built over 1st century Roman tombs. I wish we had the time to down into the catacombs.
To be honest, time is flying by and some places are blending together! But Steve and I are having a blast and enjoying ourselves very very much.
Goodnight for now,
Xoxoxoxox
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