Gordon:  Today we climbed almost 900 metres to pass the ski resorts of Chepelare and Pamporovo, before coasting down to the traditional village of Shiroka Laka.  The ski resorts were unappealing out of season, but Shiroka Laka is delightful.  The village rises on the valley... Read More

Gordon:  Years ago I was looking at a map of this part of the world and I was struck by the Rhodope mountains.  Here was a large sweep of rugged country with few roads and towns, separating Bulgaria and Greece.  It seemed like the kind... Read More

Ruth: Plovdiv won the competition for the European Capital of Culture for 2019 and as a result much activity is in process fixing sidewalks and making last minute repairs to the centre of town.  Like Istanbul or Rome the layers of history are deep here.... Read More

Gordon:  To break up the ride from Kazanlak to Plovdiv we spent a night in the town of Karlovo.  This turned out to be a pleasant surprise.  Karlovo is located at the base of the Stara Planina Mountains, so close that an hour’s walk from... Read More

Gordon:  We spent a pleasant night at a hotel in the Shipka Pass.  Located at an altitude of 1200 metres, it was cooler than the temperatures we have become accustomed to, with a high of about 24 degrees and a low of 13.  The air... Read More

Ruth: I must be getting stronger because after climbing 1050 meters to the top of the Shipka Pass I found the strength to climb up 1000 more steps to see the panoramic view from the top of the Shipka war memorial.