Bulgaria > From Amsterdam to Yagodina

Checking in with Bulgaria Air and passing through customs goes surprisingly smoothly. Within ten minutes, all formalities are completed. I sit down in one of the restaurants at Schiphol and order a coffee. Around half past ten in the morning, I walk to the gate. The Bulgaria Air stewardess welcomes me with “Dobar dan”—my first contact with Bulgaria. Just as the simple lunch is served, there is some turbulence, and seat belts have to be fastened again. Fortunately, the flight continues smoothly after that.

Bulgaria - But watch out for what

Below me, I watch the snow-covered peaks of the Alps pass by. I assume it is Austria. Around quarter to two local time, I approach Sofia Airport. In the arrivals hall, I quickly collect my luggage. As I pass through customs, I meet Svetoslava holding a sign reading “Sawadee.” While she attends to the other travelers, I withdraw some Bulgarian currency from an ATM. Estimating how much money I will need is a bit tricky since practically all meals are included. At the airport, I immediately notice that the Bulgarian script is difficult to read. It bears no recognizable resemblance to anything familiar, and English translations are not always available. This could prove quite challenging during the trip. When the bus arrives, the luggage is quickly loaded. Koman, the driver, apologizes for being slightly late. Soon, he merges the bus onto the road, and we leave Sofia via a wide highway. The landscape is strikingly green, with rolling hills visible in the distance. I had expected rougher roads and a wilder landscape. After two hours of driving, we make a short stop, and I order my first Bulgarian beer. It’s 27 degrees outside, and a cold drink is much needed. When we resume the journey, the driver turns off the main road, and the surface becomes bumpier. We gradually enter the mountainous region of the Rhodope Mountains. I see deep lakes reminiscent of Norwegian fjords. Some of the lakes are artificially created by dams. The bus now continues along a winding road at a slow pace, as oncoming traffic could appear at any time. The journey through the mountains therefore takes at least two hours. Overall, the first day has been quite a long travel day. As we get closer to Yagodina, the mountains become increasingly rugged. The final stretch of the route passes through a narrow gorge, just wide enough for a single car. Hopefully, we won’t meet oncoming vehicles here. Just before half past seven, I drive into the small mountain village of Yagodina. I see a group of men sitting at a café, while a family chats in front of their house. Dominating the center is a mosque. Svetoslava explains that the village was originally Islamic, but since the communist period, religious practices have largely ceased. She also assures me that the mosque will not call for prayer at half past four in the morning. Thankfully! On the terrace, I order a beer—a nice moment to get to know the other travelers. The group consists of fourteen people—a pleasant size. Dinner is also communal. When I arrive at the dining table, a large salad is already served for each person, followed by soup and a type of Bulgarian moussaka. For dessert, there are fresh local strawberries. A delicious meal, though the portions are very large. After dinner, Svetoslava explains the program for the next day. She warns about sudden weather changes and the risks posed by venomous snakes and brown bears.