2007 年七月，在行經義大利東北部，阿爾巴尼亞 (Albania)，馬其頓 (Former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia)，及科索沃(Kosovo)之後，我終於進入了保加利亞。先到靠近國土西界的首都索菲亞
(Sofia)，然後，朝著我從未拜訪國的黑海海岸前進。
其實，這並不是我第一次拜訪保加利亞。
不到一年前，
2006年八月中，我就已經拜訪了保加利亞一次。那一次因為行程拖了太久，進入保加利亞後只待了三天，就得趕到雅典，搭機返台了。那三天，在中北部的保國
古都 維力可塔諾弗 (Veliko
Tarnovo)住了兩夜，抵達索非亞後，只住了一夜。那短短三夜兩天在保加利亞的停留，對這個國家的印象非常地好。因此一直很希望能夠重訪。於是，
2007年重訪巴爾幹半島，特別把保加利亞排為重點拜訪國家。
由馬其頓的邊境進入保加利亞後，還得兩，三個小時，才會抵達索菲亞。山路一
路行著，感覺很高興，我終於又重新回到了保加利亞。不覺又想起了前一年，首度拜訪保加利亞的回憶。去年在維力可塔諾弗的回憶。因相機被偷，心情處於低潮的
我，儘管在羅馬尼亞拜訪了很多的名勝古蹟，卻還是掃不走心頭的陰霾。一直到進了保加利亞，也許是它地中海式的陽光，一整片的向日葵花海，以及特別友善的青
年旅舍，終於讓我重拾自助旅遊的樂趣，在整段旅程終將結束前，找回了自己對旅行的信心。
去年在保加利亞的停留，竟有療傷止痛的作用。在 維力可塔諾弗的停留，以因此顯得彌足珍貴。 The following is what happened the year before in Veliko Tarnovo...
《註：本想寫中文版的，後來實在因為沒力氣，時間也不夠，還是決定把英文的放上來。不然一篇文章寫兩次，感覺好像在作虛功
》
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When I stepped into my compartment on the train D499, it was nearly
full. There were already 4 people in the 6-person compartment.
Later a small Japanese girl with a nosering came in. I found that I
was the only person headed to Bulgaria. All other passengers would
terminate their trip in Istanbul, Turkey. Bulgaria was a merely a
transit country for them.
It takes nearly 19 hours to reach Istanbul from Bucharest, so this
train wouldn't be in Istanbul until the next morning. Fortunately for me
(a person no longer willing to take any overnight train in Eastern
Europe), I would reach my destination, Veliko Tarnovo, by 8 pm. It
should be just in time for dinner.
Except for a Turkish woman from Ankara, all other passengers in my
compartment are backpackers from outside the Balkan Region. The Kiwi
(New Zealand) woman sat across from me had been to Turkey before and
this was her second trip. She loves Turkey quite a lot. Two British guys
traveled all over Europe for their first "grand Eurotrip" like many
other Western Europeans I ran into; the Japanese girl was quiet most of
the time. When she spoke, we found out she actually lived in Denmark and
also came down for her "grand Eurotrip." The Turkish woman did not
speak much English but it was interesting to find out her mother is
Romanian, and thus she speaks Romanian fluently and traveled between two
countries regularly. Strangely, none of them really planned to spend
much time in Bulgaria, a country sandwiched between Romania and Turkey.
Wow! After the unfortunate D341, at least the fun of train trip in
Europe temporarily retuned (This would also be my last rain ride in this
European trip): meeting fellow backpackers and exchange travel tips,
talking about what we have seen in the world and what we love most. The
Kiwi woman even had a bottle of red wine and a lot of vegetarian snacks
(I seemed to be the only one enjoying those snacks). She talked about
her experience in Eastern Turkey and Republic of Georgia (no, don't
expect there is any sign in English); while one of the Brits is
history-major and used to travel on an overland trip (but not with
Dragoman) across Africa, all the way from London to Cape Town (something
I may do in the future). This was a nice group of people to spend a
night with in a tight train compartment, but I had to get off somewhere
in the midway.
After crossing the Danube and entering Bulgaria, the sky seemed to be
bluer. There are few houses along the rail tracks after we left Ruse.
Bulgaria is a less populous country than Romania. With those Cyrillic
alphabets, it feels exotic again. We passed by many sunflower fields.
Like those sunflower fields I remember when traveling in Spain, I
started to feel I was back to the Mediterranean region again. Indeed,
compared to other Eastern European countries, Bulgaria feels more of
Mediterranean than Continental.
The train was one hour late when it arrived in Veliko Tarnovo (Delay
seems a norm in this part of the world and I hope they would arrive in
Istanbul by lunch time. :\). As I requested on Hiker's Hostel website (
http://www.hikers-hostel.org/vt/),
a driver did show up at the station to pick me up. Though it took me a
little while (after listening to too many scary stories in Romania) to
believe in him that he was really the representative sent by the Hostel.
(Since he kept saying he came to pick up a traveler from Australia,
well, now even I think I look like an Aussi!)
Veliko Tarnovo (“Велико Търново” in Bulgarian) was the ancient
capital of Bulgaria (from 1185 to 1393). When Bulgaria finally declared
independence from Turkey in 1879, they chose to write their first
constitution here. Though no longer a major city like current capital
Sofia, V. Tarnovo still holds a special place in Bulgarians' heart.
Perched on the slopes above the crooked Yantra River Valley, there are
many winding hilly streets with hundred-years old buildings. Though not
very far from the town thoroughfare, Hikers Hostel is hidden in a hilly
back alley. It is very difficult to locate for a first visitor.
Fortunately there was the driver taking me all the way up there from the
station.
Just as what "Let's East Europe" introduces, the terrace outside has a
great panoramic view of the Tsarevets Fortress across the valley and
mountains nearby. By the time Andrea, the driver, and I reached the
Hostel, it was almost dark.
"You are lucky today." Andrea told me, "They have a free barbecue tonight."
I was assigned to a 12-bed room on the second floor. The space is
quite tight and there is no locker. But the room is clean. Again, like
other youth hostels in Eastern Europe, breakfast is included and
Internet is free (there are two terminals). All this cost 10 Euro, a
little less than the ones in Romania. There are also local beers for
sale at the reception. Each cost 0.5 Euro.
View of the nearby mountains from the second floor terrace in at Hiker's Hostel
上圖：Hiker's Hostel的陽台看出去的山景。其實山谷的對面就是Tsarevets碉堡了。
View of Tsarrevets Fortress from Hiker's Hostel. Look closer, the building on top of the hill is the Church of the Ascension.
上圖：Hiker's Hostel的陽台看出去的Tsarevets碉堡。雖然不是很清楚，但還是看得到碉堡山頂的聖母升天教堂。
Just like the barbeque I had back in my first night in Krakow, the
atmosphere was great. I had opportunities to sample Bulgarian sausages
and meatcakes and talking to travelers from all over the world. Aside
from beer we purchased, the staff also brought out some Bulgarian red
wine. Again, there were four Dutch guys traveling together, though less
drunk than those four I ran into in Krakow (Do Dutch guys like to travel
in the group of four? A good number to Ma-Jong!). Again, there are some
Australians and Brits (and one Americans). And again, I was the only
"yellow" person there (though one Australian guy seems to be half
Asian)!
In many ways, Bulgaria was a welcome change from Romania. The weather
was nicer and the hostel more comfortable. People seem to be more
polite, speak better English, and (surprisingly) things are even
cheaper. Veliko Tarnovo is a small place and there may not be many
things to see. However, sensing that it is difficult to find such a
comfy hostel with a good view and layback atmosphere , I decided to
delay my trip to Sofia and stay in Veliko for another night.
The next days, all the Aussis and Dutches were gone and the hostel
became very quiet. The breakfast was amazingly sumptuous, with a lot of
cold cut meats and two types of juice. I spent quite a lot of time
enjoying my breakfast and did not head out until after 11 am.
My first stop is the ancient Tsarevets Fortress (Хълмът Царевец, check
this website
if you CAN read Bulgarian! at least they have good pictures of the
Fortress), former home to many former Bulgarian tsars (沙皇). Most of the
citadel was destroyed in the Turkish invasion, but a long stretch of the
wall survived and several towers still stand til' this day. At the top
of hill stand a beautiful church, Church of the Ascension, with a lot of
beautiful Orthodox style frescoes (painted in 1981 when Bulgaria
celebrated its 1300th birthday). From the Church, there is a great
paranomic view of Yantra River Valley down below.
Later I walked along the curved streets of Veliko and reached the
National Revival Museum. I guess there were not too many visitors since
the staff so happy to see me dropping in (entrance fee: 4 lv or 2 Euro).
It houses items from Bulgarian National Revival Movement (in late 19th
century when they fought for independence from Turkey). It even has the
chamber where the first Bulgarian Parliament held it meeting and its
constitution. However, with most documents only in Bulgarian, it didn't
help too much for me to understand this country's struggle to gain its
independence. However, pictures of some old stone houses all over
Bulgaria are interesting to me.
After having a late lunch on the main street, I went to buy a new,
disposable camera. After feeling miserable for more than a week after I
lost my cherished camera, I finally decided I really needed to start
taking pictures again. Now I am in such a lovely country, I should not
leave my photo album blank.
This hilly street leads all the way up to the Hiker's Hostel. Some of the buildings look very historic.
上圖：Veliko Tarnovo 是個和台灣九份很像的山坡城，很多建築物的窄窄舊舊的，石板山路彎彎曲曲，很有歷史感。這條路最後可通到建在半山腰的 Hiker's Hostel。
A view from the main street.
上圖：Veliko Tarnovo 的主要商店街之一。
