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!