10:00 pm

BUUULgaria (with reguritating noises) - that's how we've heard this place described, but so far, we LOVE it! After a very scenic train ride from Brashov, we arrive in a place called Gorna just outside of Veliko Tarnovo at around 6pm. Thanks to email, I'm able to get a notice from the car hire company saying we have to be in VT by 6:30pm to get the rental or it's too late. So I flag two taxis to get us there pronto.

So with Bulgarian music cranked (very turkish sounding) we head into the incredibly scenic city of Veliko Tarnovo. Think beautiful river, warm summer evening, majestic walled fortress on a hill to the left. Our first taste of this place is definitely leaving an impression.

As with so many things on the trip, the car hire is not standard issue. Our host here looked high and low for a cheap rental and finds this little diesel van, just come out of the shop, for a song and a dance, from a local small businessman. They are kind enough to give us a map. The map is in the Bulgarian language, but as the country uses Cyrillic (same as Russia), I'm able to read it fairly well. And now we're off to the small southern town of Elena where our Villa is situated.

The drive to Elena (55km) is absolutely beautiful. It's kind of mountainous, and THICKLY forested - I think it's the closest I've come to a jungle. Later we discover this is the habitation of a healthy population of wild boar (think Asterix...).

Driving into Elena, we note right away that this is NOT a touristy place. Our villa host has told us to meet here at the water fountain, so we drive into the heart of this hamlet until we come to a homey little tiled square with a water fountain in the middle. I tell Sara we'll simply strap the camera on and walk around the square till our hosts, Carol and Paul, notice us. But there's really no need. As soon as we get out of the van, all eyes literally on us. It's a little awkward, but less so after three weeks out here ;-). We do a couple rounds in the square and no one comes running up to us. So we decide to have a bite to eat.

Sit down at a restaurant, ask for a menu, but it's only in Bulgarian (of course), so we can't read a thing. The waitress then calls over another patron - young guy about 25, who apparently knows a little English. He saunters over and tells us this a pizza joint. "Ok", I say, "order us four, whatever you think is best!". So he does and then asks us where we're from, when we say Canada, "What are you doing HERE?!" Standard response and everytime we hear this we know we're where we want to be. Ivan is a hunter as well and loves hunting wild boar. We swap hunting stories. He also blames every problem he's ever had on the Soviet Union and would love an invitation to come to Canada. I say if the pizza's good, I'll give you one!

As it turns out, he knows Paul and Carol and then spots them driving in on the other side of the square! Very uncanny, but very welcome. He walks over with me and we get introductions. Ivan, along with the Beckets, join us for pizza and you feel as if you're already well on your way to experiencing this unique culture.

The villa is in a small, small hamlet named Bebrovo, 2-3 km out of Elena, so we follow the Beckets out there. They have forewarned us about an old Roman bridge that needs to be crossed to get there. We crossed one narrow bridge and think, "that wasn't bad". Then we cross THE bridge...steep, barely wide enough for the van, no rails, and very old. As I go over it, everybody's like "whoah", just like a Disneyland ride.

The villa is a beautifully renovated Bulgarian...barn. But you wouldn't believe it unless you saw it. Stunning! We could stay here for weeks. Surrounding us within 10km on every side are small, very Bulgarian villages and monasteries, mountains, lakes, and waterfalls. We'll see what we can fit in over the next 72 hours.

The kids are thrilled to have their own beds, and after a late swim in the pool, we delightfully crash!