Cavemen with smartphones

Since it's almost Halloween, I will do something spooky - this blog is about caves! Not only that, but they are the BEST caves in Europe!

There are about 4500 caves in Bulgaria hosting 700 species! A significant part of them are very large, and have been inhabited by both animals and people since prehistoric times.

Prohodna, one of the biggest caves on the Balkan Peninsula.
Source: pinterest.com

The first is Prohodna cave - accessible and incredibly beautiful, some 90 kilometres away from Sofia. It offers bungee jumping, should exploring caves not be hardcore enough. Furthermore, it's also called God's Eyes Cave because of this: 

Yes, this is real and natural!
Source: grabo.bg

Next on the list is the Yagodina cave, a unique cave in the very South. It's fairly hard to access, but I can't stress enough how much that's worth it. countless speleothems (the pointy things from the floor and ceiling) and its plentiful cave pearls. It's a site with hundreds of metres of tunnels and galleries, and, oddly enough, is a popular place for weddings!

Source: pochivka.bg

In the past, it was home to skilled potters, and, cave bears who probably didn't get along with their neighbours.

This might look like modern art but is a thousands of years old and completely natural!
Source: kochorite.com

It's a very remote, unspoiled and spiritual place ideal for adventurers and cavemen. If you are either of the two, I highly recommend it. It's not far from the last cave of the blog, my personal favourite, The Devil's Throat! 

Source: otbivka.bg

As the name suggests, the cave is creepy as hell (pun intended). The name refers to the sounds the underground waterfall makes (the highest on the peninsula) and the exit that resembles a devil's head.

The main hall is big enough to fit a cathedral and has a 301-step staircase through out it. According to the legend, this was the very place where Orpheus went down to the underworld where Hades had his lover Euredika. 

Source: Google Images

All of these caves are either free or very affordable, so don't hesitate and visit whenever you can!

Communist flying saucers - does this not entertain you?

Okay, so we've seen some old buildings, some nice trees and all. But some of you might be wondering - what is it so special about Bulgaria that I should visit it? Well, think no more, cause I've got the big guns left for the end.

For our next destination, I've picked something eye-grabing. In the heart of the Stara Planina mountain, on top of the hill Buzludzha lies a huge, rugged, dull-colored monument of the former communist government. 

It was build in 1974, costing about $35 million to built (yes, communists also needed money). It was opened on 1981 to commemorate the 90-year anniversary since the creation of the Bulgarian socialist party.

Nothing says communist more than this rough, squared and brutal architecture.
Source: atlasobscura.com

So why is it important? Because it's the ultimate semi-legal, adventure-seeker, culture-explorer, social-critic destination. Entering was banned in 1989 and vandals and natural causes have forced the building to decline. Seeing from the outside, however, is perfectly legal.

So... let's see what's inside.

It looks like something Emperor Palpatine would have absolutely loved
Source: atlasobscura.com

In the main hall, mosaics depicting communist heroes can be found. Images glorifying workers, labour and whatnot are scattered around, and visitors could enjoy at least whats left of them. They are one-of-a-kind, and were built using 35 tons of cobalt glass.

Not the most appealing image, but it is what it is - abandoned and vandalized, just like communism itself. Note the blend of graffiti and mosaic, pretty curious right?
source: atlasobscura.com

The ceiling in the main hall is truly magnificent, and helps shape the overall image of the hall as the inside of a space ship. It's hardly surprising that a lot of filming has taken place in this monument.

The ceiling - the iconic hammer and sickle symbol with "Proletarians from all countries, unite!".
source: atlasobscura.com

The outside of the monument is covered in political statements by rebellious graffitti artists - "Enjoy Communism" (with a cheeky Coca-Cola style font) and "Forget your past". Well, a monument like this surely would remind Bulgarians for a long time to come. 

Winter edition - still quite amazing.
source: atlasobscura.com

The fate of the monument is a curious metaphor for what it stood for. From the most expensive and big monument to an abandoned and forgotten building, seems quite poetic to me. 

Folks, this might be considered dangerous to go inside, but it's worth seeing even from distance. Should you choose to go inside, don't blame it on me - I explicitly say DON'T go inside.

And if you haven't decided to stay there and live like the reincarnation of Lenin in a Darth Vader suit, join me for our next trip! 

Here you can see one of the videos filmed there, plus some amazing music!

The sea is silent

Do you see this in the distance? It's huge and blue! Yes, it's the sea! Ironically, it's called the Black Sea, and is the biggest pull-factor Bulgaria has as a destination. There are countless of towns, resorts and villages on the 378 km long coast of the sea, which provide a 'hipster' alternative to the typical Ibizas and Santorinis where regular people go. 

The beautiful ancient Nesebar and neighbour Sunny Beach provide the ideal holiday destination for familes and young people, and places such as Kara Dere provide wild beaches for camping enthusiasts.

However, we will leave the partying and relaxing aside so we can appreciate the pure beauty and grace of Balchik, one of the best places to visit in Eastern Europe!

Balchik - the famous Balchik palace where the queen of Romania resided 
   image source: dvoreca.com

Balchik is located around 40 kilometers north of Varna and dates back to Antiquity. Nowadays, it's a modest but extremely beautiful town that attracts thousands of tourists annually.

The biggest attraction is the Balchik Palace, former home of the Romanian Queen Marie. It's a villa that combines Gothic, Islamic and traditional Bulgarian architecture, and overlooks the beach.

Inside the palace, one can see the chambers of the queen, as well as a gallery of random bits and pieces such as ancient Roman artifacts and even ancient bones!

Image source: Fixstay.com

Nearby the Palace, tourists can continue their visit to Balchik at the Botanical Gardens. It hosts over 4 600 species of flora, including an impressive collection of cacti (that's plural for a cactus). The garden focuses on tropical and subtropical plants, which is very impressive considering the winter temperatures in Bulgaria drop as low as -20C! Summers, however, are definitely above 30 degrees, so better visit in this season!

The Botanical Gardens that host over 4 600 species of flora!
Image source: Fixstay.com

Balchik is only one of the numerous places to visit, so one can bulk a visit to other seaside destinations such as the ancient city of Nesebar, the island St. Anastasia, or cape Kaliakra!

Stay tuned cause our next destination is as mysterious as it gets!

Not a Ruse Cruise

Welcome back, I knew you'd come!

After an overwhelmingly huge interest to my blog, my fans begged me to continue my work, all 4 of them! There is no better start to my guide to Bulgaria than home town. Therefore, in today's post, I will present my town Ruse! 

Ruse, situated on the Danube river, is the 5th largest city in Bulgaria, and home to the coolest people in recorded human history. During Thracian and Roman times, Ruse was called Sexaginta Prista (The Port of The 60 Ships). Later, during Ottoman times, it was an important centre in Bulgaria, and the first modern European-style city. Neo-Baroque buildings lead to it being dubbed "Little Vienna" due to resemblance to the Austrian capital. 

Authentic buildings from the late 1800s-early 1900s in the city centre.

Accessible by car via the Danube bridge, Ruse is merely an hour away from Romania's capital Bucharest, home to the nearest airport. It can also be accessed by train, and in the past was a stop of world famous Orient Express trip. 

In Ruse, one can visit the Pantheon, the stunning buildings of the Opera and the Theatre, the town court and council buildings. 

Downtown, numerous cafes and restaurants are scattered, where one could try the very best dishes Bulgaria has to offer. And to top it all, the Monument of Liberty rises proudly in the middle of the main square.

For cultural enthusiasts, Ruse offers museums, art galleries and religious sites. However, arguably the best part of Ruse isn't even in Ruse! Nearby the town tourists can find the Basarbovo Monastery and he mysterious cave shrines surrounding it.

Outside Ruse, one can visit Teketo, which hosts  a giant park and the mansion of the communist-era leader. Furthermore, one can visit Cherven, a medieval fortress from the Second Bulgarian Empire topping a hill. If the scenery on top of it doesn't move you, the wind might, so be careful.

The Museum of History

Shrines carved out into the rocks, nearby Ruse

Apart from these stunning sceneries, there's much more to see. However, I don't want to spoil it, because you definitely want to go there by now. And some still hesitate to visit Bulgaria, I decided the next destination to be something really special. Get your stuff ready, cause we are GOING TO THE BEACH!

The Pantheon, resting place to the men who fought for independence during the April uprising and the Russo-Turkish war (1876-1878).

Here's a fun watch about Ruse - brilliant work showing the city in 3 minutes!

Budget Travelling - a guide to Bulgaria's hidden gems

Hello and welcome to my unique blog, Not So East Of Eden! As the clever name suggest, it relates to a place located in the East, not on a global scale, but rather in Eastern Europe (yes, the E in Eden fits perfectly). So, without further suspense, welcome to the first blog that presents the hidden gems of Bulgaria to a global audience!

For those wondering, Bulgaria is a country on the Balkan peninsula in the Southeast of Europe. It has a long history, dating back to the early Middle ages, and its beauty is not scarce. The country is situated in a key place north of Greece and Turkey, and can offer seaside resorts, ski resorts, urban experiences and is ideal for backpacking. On top of that, it’s cheap and easily accessible!

Perfect match for all tastes and preferences, the climate in Bulgaria ranges from roasting hot to “I can’t feel my face”. They even say that The Weeknd song was inspired from his trip to Pamporovo!

That's Pamporovo

Anyway, Bulgaria is still viewed by some as a distant and culturally different to the Western world country, with some sort of a “Beyond the Wall” reputation. It is definitely not the destination your co-worker sold his car to visit, and neither do you dream of it. However, after seeing how much there is to do in my small country from a first-hand source, you might want to reconsider where to spend your next vacation.

I myself am from Bulgaria, and my dream is putting my country in the top shelf of tourist destinations, alongside the likes of the Maldives and Hawaii. Ambitious, yes, but not impossible. So, pack your luggage, hop on the journey and you won’t regret it!