Anevsko kale and in Starosel again – TOUR 90/November 2015

Anevsko kale – Kopsis fortress, Hisarya and Starosel 

‘All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them’

Walt Disney

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Beklemeto Pass.

On the following morning the wind had subsided but everything was covered by fir needles and cones. The car was where we had left it at least.

The sky was dull and the weather forecast predicted rain. It was raining in most parts of the country.

It was a very important day to us or to the aim we had set – Anevsko kale (Anevo village) near Sopot, a place I had been dreaming about for many years. The rain would ruin everything.

So we were on our way realizing another dream and competing with the rain.

Early in the morning there wasn’t much traffic through Troyan pass. However, there were scenic views.

At last the moment came when the stone tower was standing tall on the edge of the rocks waiting for us.

Kopsis or known also as Anevsko kale.

We started climbing.

A strong wind was blowing again. In the beginning the steep path went through an oak forest where it was under shelter. The track was so polished that it was hard to walk on. Moving a few steps, slipping and you are where you were a while ago. We left the forest more or less. Looking around one can’t stop gazing.

We kept on walking pushed by the strong wind.

I was thinking that the route would be awful in the summer heat.

We went along the narrow paths, straight through the ruins and got that lovely feeling of being alive (the blood is racing, you are panting, your heart is pounding and sometimes your legs are trembling) but you know it is worth it … just by looking at the area! So majestic!

And today it is a day – a generous destiny gift …

On the way back we weren’t in a hurry. The contentment was obvious.

At the beginning of the track there was a river with a small waterfall. I was able to give it the necessary time.

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We were off to Hisarya. We had to meet friends of ours and to continue our journey together.

Before meeting them we had some more time, so we strolled along the familiar alleys and streets.

Current photos of the baths ....

By travelling to Starosel we visited Staro Zhelezare to see ‘Kromlehat’ at last. This time it was dry and one could reach the place normally. Besides, the road to Novo Zhelezare where the object was situated was paved with new asphalt. As I had mentioned in previous travel notes – Tour 88, we were totally disappointed. There might not be a trace left from this interesting creation soon ….

The next morning, already in Starosel, met us fresh after the rain. While we were getting ready for breakfast, we could hear the raindrops falling on the ground. When we went out the sun was fighting for its place and thus at some point a huge, bright, double rainbow turned up. The rainbow disappeared until we started moving and thinking of the camera that wasn’t with us. The sun kept on racing with the clouds persistently getting stronger and made us follow if not the tracks (we had planned to), at least the asphalt road.

Almost all morning it was drizzling and the shining and the light game created incredible landscapes.

We left for ‘Chetinyovska mogila’.

We found out it was open again. We happened to be the first visitors on that day. Here is the renovated dome because of which the object was closed.

Our preliminary idea didn’t include rain but a walk up to those stones-sanctuaries,

 similar to ‘Garvanov kamak’, which I saw from ‘Chetinyovska mogila’.

A photo – Roshava mogila on the left and Garvanov kamak on the  right

A photo – Roshava mogila on the left and Garvanov kamak on the  right

We stopped by to see the familiar ‘Horizont’ mound.

The meadow, the surrounding area and even the path were mined by cows that couldn’t be seen anywhere.

On leaving the temple, engrossed in twaddling, I stepped on the single mine on the road. ‘Who if not me?’ All the others entered ‘Sv. Spas’ temple and I stayed outside going round the meadow, rubbing my shoe sole in the wet grass bitterly and looking round not to tread on another surprise. It began raining as well and my soles had big grippers – ‘They can’t be cleaned!!’

When the others showed up Nikola took the shoe and started looking for a way to take away the heaped stench.

The rain was diminishing and suddenly a beautiful, colourful, double rainbow appeared in the sky. If someone was standing nearby they would see a shoe flying in the air and me running towards a more suitable place, where I could catch the most wonderful rainbow, which I had seen so far.

Although I was in a hurry, I was looking round not to tread on something again.

Already pleased with the photos and my clean shoe sole where there was no trace of what had happened, I was ready for feats.

We hadn’t planned other visit destinations during the day, so the boys decided to look for a mound that they saw on the map before ‘Chetinyovska’. 

The search turned into an off road track passing by fields. I relied on the landscapes.

Well, we found a mound but not the one we had been looking for. And there were plenty of mounds in the area ….

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Shabla afternoon - TOUR 35/ 25.05.2013

I wasn’t thinking of writing about that day at all. I was just going to add a current photo but the afternoon was a unique experience. So it is worth sharing it.

On the early May afternoon we set out for the Northern Black Sea Coast and the final target Durankulak. We planned to return and on our way back to see whatever we could. We didn’t have a specific route; we just wanted to breathe some fresh air and to have a delightful afternoon in the open.

The road wasn’t busy and we travelled calmly despite the holidays. The only annoying thing was the chasing dark, stormy clouds. I wanted to take photos of the sunset and only to enjoy the walk.

So we reached Durankulak. We were off to the lake island where the ancient, well …the most ancient ruins were situated – an evidence of life in Europe. Unfortunately, that year the water level was too high and was flooding the narrow road.

Stormy clouds reached us again. The wind was getting stronger which wasn’t a good sign.

The sun was turning up and then hiding and its rays reflected the lake like searchlights.

A bird was flying from time to time and the noises of the lake resembled a symphony orchestra.

We didn’t stay there long. The weather was going bad and it was going to rain

We stopped  in Shabla. The sky looked in such a way as if it had already rained or the rain had simply skipped it. The afternoon sunshine was soft and one could enjoy looking at the landscape. 

Some fishermen had occupied the area and waved their fishing-rods in synchronization. Their movements resembled: ‘One, two, three, pull, pause, relax!!! One, two, three, pull, pause, relax!’

All of a sudden my attention was attracted by something deeper in the sea. Those were the dolphins. ‘It isn’t possible!!’ I saw free dolphins for the first time. ‘This is amazing!’ They dipped into the water with grace and came up to the surface. However, I wasn’t prepared to take photos of them. :)

Many times when Shabla is mentioned, Bay Pesho and his pub are mentioned as well. That time we decided to see what ‘At Bay Pesho’s’ actually was and why it had always been a symbol of Shabla. Following the sign boards we went to the shore itself.

A metal construction and steep stairs were leading to the door. It turned out that we were at the right place but we had entered through the back entrance. It was marked immediately that we were there for the first time. There was nothing else apart from fish and chips. However, it was supposed to be like that. The fish soup and caviar that had been homemade were praised. We tried them – and definitely they deserved the praise. And Bay Pesho’s homemade white wine was muscat – exquisite. Bay Pesho looked like a real seaman who came from a novel – the typical marine T-shirt, the curled up eyebrows, the beard and the tan. As if he would take his seaman’s hat from the hanger next to the door, get on the boat and go deep into the sea. He was more interested in finding a not so expensive, small, two doors jeep than going to the mountains on winter holidays ‘for a fur cap and a dress’, he meant his wife and him. 

The idea of going to the modest pub was quite appropriate in regards to the spot for taking photos.

Suddenly I happened to be on the other side of the lighthouse in a bay where the sea had thrown away a lot of seaweed and there were some ‘parked’ boats, the water, the waves, the stones and me.

I went out a few times to take photographs as dark clouds started coming up and at some point lightnings began flashing.

Well, there wasn’t a sunset or at least the one I was expecting. Even the whole orientation went wrong somehow. My vision was that sun had to be somewhere behind the lighthouse but Shabla was located at a definite curve of the coast, and the sun turned out to be behind my back. It was strange. The feeling was as if the sun was eastwards. We even took out the compass. At the last minute, the sunshine lit the clouds. It was very beautiful.

After a while the sky became almost black.

The lighthouse began giving lights and performing its role as a reference point for those who were deep at sea. The lightnings struck around it and soon after that thunders roared in the area.

It was time to go.

Bay Pesho and his wife were hospitable and funny. We had a great time there.

We were just about to leave and the first raindrops started falling down on the windscreen. Lightnings split up the area and exclamations such as ‘wooooow’, ‘ohhhh’ and ‘did you see that?’ were heard in our car. There was always someone who missed an interesting scene. There was vapour going up from the asphalt. The car lights were lighting it and we were like in a horror movie. Shortly afterwards the rain stopped and a huge full moon goggled at us. Lightnings kept on cutting the sky around it. The red lights of the wind generators sparkled in the dark. The whole picture was inspiring. We tried to take photos but the darkness said its word.

The usual afternoon turned into an extraordinary outing.

Sometimes it is nice when man flows naturally with the current. Who knows what man can come upon?!
Shabla and its area may fall into the favourite places category …

The theory was confirmed again that no matter how many times you visit a place, the spot itself and the experience are always different!

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