Philosophy of Travel

Why to travel, Ladies and Gentlemen?

What can we and what we will reach, get to know during traveling? Will we change, will we change the world by traveling?

Before answering all these questions, we should define the expression 'traveling'. Instead of giving a single definition, I'd like to give two, in many ways different definitions.

First: Traveling inside ourselves. Getting to know ourselves.
Second: Traveling in the outer world. Getting to know the world.

In my opinion the the ways correspond. Let's imagine a situation. A person who lives the whole life within four walls, without any social or intellectual contacts. What kind of chance does he have to get to know the outer world? None. Simple.
But let's look further - what chance does this person have to get to know himself/herself? Slim. Not more, we can agree on that.
Regarding one important aspect of human life - is being social. Less or more - we are who we are seen to be (recommended reading: Kurt Vonnegut - Mother Night). Many times the only way having some information about ourselves is to look upon ourselves by other's eyes. Our antihero within the four walls will never have the feeling that something he does or thinks is good or bad. Well, if we are courageous enough to try - during traveling in different places - we will realize who we are from a way bigger aspect than we would have ever expected. Reconsider is the key word of traveling. We will have to reconsider our financial status, our social contact's acting, our norm system, our values and if we had - our ways of thinking about good and evil.

My recommendation - be brave. Be courageous. Step up, and look down to yourself. Disillusion is followed by clear head clear view and strong hand that helps you to act.

Pantheon

Pantheon entrance

Nimes - french city with roman spirit

Nimes is a city situated in south-east France, found by Celts and led by the Roman Empire from 120 B.C. Interesting story is connected with city's emblem. Roman's emperors who were fighting in Egypt many times after fight settled in Nimes, from there come sign of crocodile and palm (crocodile and palm were associated to Egypt of course, beside that palm symbolizes also victory). Inscription "COLNEM" from emblem was meant for Colonia Nemausus, meaning the 'colony' of  'Nemausus'. In one of city square we can find lovely fountain with a crocodile (if You try a little You can jump in and ride on a crocodile:). Roman control was ended by the Visigoths in 473 AD. Nimes is the capital of the Gard department in the Languedoc-Roussilon region. Through the city leads the railway of TGV line to Paris and Lyon.

Nimes Amphitheatrum (fot. Przemysław Sakrajda)

One of the biggest attraction of a city is amphitheater. The best preserved roman arena in France, the biggest amphitheater in Roman Province - Gallia, built at the end of the first century, makes a really big impression. Nowadays inside are concerts and bull fighting. It's 133 meters long and 101 meters wide and contains place for 20 000 people.

Nimes , Roman Temple Maison Carrée (fot. ChrisO) nowadays after renovation

Roman temple - The Maison Carrée
Small Roman Temple also built in the first century, dedicated to sons of Agrippa. Nowadays inside there is a little cinema where You can see story-of-history of Nimes in 3D. Personally i think that it's a fail, we couldn't visit temple from inside without buying ticket to cinema. In XVI century people started to call this temple "Maison Carrée" which in french language means "Square House". In the roman times it was placed in the middle of forum.

Besides these remains in Nimes You can see also:
-La Temple De Diane (dedicated to Octawian August and his family)
-Tour Magne (roman tower to observe)
-Ancient Gate to city (the Porta Augusta and the Porte de France)
-Castellum Divisorium (remains of aqueduct)
-Pont du Gard - ancient aqueduct situated 20 kilometers away from the city (really worth to see) nowadays used as a bridge.
-Catedra Notre Dame et Saint Castor built in 1096
-Beffroi (tower from 15th-century)
- Jardins de la Fontaine (Gardens of the Fountain) from 18th-century

Roman Empire at present

Present countries of the former Roman Empire

(from 117 AD, when the Emire had the largest territory ever)

Albania (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Algeria
Andorra (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belgium
Bosnia and Herzegovina (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)

Bulgaria (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Croatia (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)

Cyprus (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Egypt
France (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Georgia
Germany
Greece (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Hungary
Iraq
Israel (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Italy (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Jordan
Kosovo (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Lebanon
Libya
Liechtenstein (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Luxembourg (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Macedonia (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Malta (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Moldova
Monaco (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Montenegro (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Morocco
Netherlands
Palestinian National Authority
Portugal
Romania
San Marino
Saudi Arabia
Serbia (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Slovakia
Slovenia (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Spain (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Switzerland
Syria
Tunisia
Turkey (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)
Ukraine
United Kingdom
Vatican City (100% of territory was part of the Roman Emire)

Rila monastery

Rila monastery [Рилски манастир, Rilszki Manasztir] is -surprisingly- located in the Rila mountains, in the South-East part of Bulgaria at the height of 1147 m (3763 feet) and it's surrounded by the two highest peaks of Bulgaria, the 2729 m (8953 ft) Maljovitza is reachable in 4 hours, and the 2925 m (9596 ft) Musala is in 8 hours on foot.

If you find yourself in the Rila monastery, our recommendation is to pay attention to the mural paintings, and among them mostly to the "Hell" part.

A scene of the outside Hell-sequence on the main church

Свети Иван Рилски - Saint John of Rila

According to the legend/tradition a guy called Saint John of Rila (Свети Иван Рилски, Sveti Ivan Rilski) worked as a shepherd until he became 25 years old. Then he went to monastery, then became a monk. In order to continue his life in solitude and prayer he became a hermit. As we can read on the gate of Rila monastery, "rocks were his bed and sky was his ceiling", or something similar. He lived around 876-946. And after his death his successors built Rila monastery in the 10th century.
And the facts: "St. Ivan of Rila is considered the patron saint of Bulgaria and Bulgarian people, in his native country and among Bulgarian diaspora abroad.
The Sofia University of Mining and Geology got its name after him.

One of Chicago's two Bulgarian Orthodox churches St. Ivan of Rila Church is dedicated to him.




Mini-history of the Rila monastery:

After the building of it finished in the 10th century, the monastery became a religious center of the area and was led by the patriarch of Tarnovo (Тъ̀рново, Tirnovo, Turnovo) for centuries.

In the 14th century they were turned into a fortress by Hrelyo Dragovol, a feudal lord. Part of the walls and the tower today still remind of that period.

In the middle of 15th century was burned down, and the religious life started again in 1469 when Saint John's remains were brought back from the destroyed capital, Veliko Tarnovo. [these remains even took a short travel in Esztergom, the former Hungarian Capital]

Although sultans officially let the monastery function, the buildings were destroyed many times during the Ottoman authority.

In the end of 18th and beginning of 19th century the monastery was the symbol of Bulgarian national life and Slavic national conscience.

In 1833, a fire broke out and destroyed almost all (wooden) residential quarters.

In 1983 became the part of UNESCO World Heritage.



Personal experiences:

When I arrived, felt like I could stay for days there, but after 2 hours, walking around the place (we didn't want to pay the foreigner entry fee [as I remember it was 4 times more than the one for Bulgarians] for the little museum and my Bulgarian knowledge wasn't convincing enough - so, after 2 hours we tried to go back with a great experience behind us. I can just recommend to travel here for everyone... Probably the most impressing monastery in the Balkans...
And if you would like to stay in the neighborhood, hike a little - or much on the tourist roads around...

Title of picture: View towards 4 of the Seven Rila Lakes in Bulgaria, author: Ivelin Minkov

To get to the Seven (glacial) Lakes we recommend to try another way if you are not an extreme hiker. A (dutch? australian? french?) couple hiked 8 hours from the lakes to the monastery and they told they were coming downwards. They told us that they went upwards by some kind of little tourist train, but I found no information about it...

We haven't been there so I can't take responsibility for the facts below but this is everything I found on Internet:
The Seven Lakes Chalet where you can sleep under roof near the lakes is located in the height of 2196 m (7204 ft). Since Rila monastery lies on 1147 m (3763 feet) you can understand that it won't be a one hour easy walking. You can read a small summary from backpackers who walked up, but for sure not from Rila monastery.
If you would like to spend 839 euro without flight ticket for a 7-day horse-riding in Bulgaria (Rila monastery and Seven Lakes included) in August or September, check out the following page.
In the following, Seven lakes describing page is written that tourists usually take the roads from Sapareva Banya [Сапарева Баня] or from Rila monastery.

We heard that there's possibility to go to the the cave where Ivan Rilski was living according to the legend/tradition but unfortunately we didn't find the way. If anyone knows any information about it, we are delightful to hear (or read) it.


Arriving to Rila monastery (under construction):


- easy way with normal price - taxi: around ?? leva (euro, dollar) from Sofia (cirillic); ?? leva (euro, dollar) from Blagoevgrad (cirillic), around ?? leva (euro, dollar) cirillic from Dupnitsa [return?!]
- harder way, cheap - buses (from Sofia [information desk], Dupnica, Blagoevgrad, even if they don't say, nothing goes back on Sunday)
- not secure, but free - hitchhiking

-> the sure part -> we took a bus between 6 and 7 am from Dupnitsa [Ду̀пницa], the ticket cost 5 leva for person (2,5 euro, 3,5 dollar). Near the monastery gate it was written that a bus goes back between 10 and 11 am but there was no bus... So, the hiking couple and us began to walk down and we could reach Dupnitsa in an hour, the other (French) tourist couple called a taxi, they had to wait much and pay some amount... There are more buses from the close village called Rila (10-20 kms from the monastery)

Thanks for the pictures for Biso, Ivelin Minkov, and yeah, also for ourselves :)

Veliko Tarnovo attractions

The Patriarchate on Tsarevets hill in February

Veliko Tarnovo

Population: 71.251

Elevation: 325 m (1066 ft)
Located: Central-Bulgaria

Short opinion: An extraordinary pearl in the Balkans, in our opinion the greatest place to visit in Bulgaria ... To visit the town attractions and museums, at least 2 days staying is recommended.

Veliko Tarnovo maps: http://www.trapezitca1902.com/Maps.htm

Bulgaria posts

General information about Bulgaria:

Population: around 7 million [less than half of the New York agglomeration, similar to Israel]

Area: around 111.000 km² [almost 13 times more than the New York urban area, similar to Cuba]

History: There was something like Bulgaria from 681 DC to 1018 DC, than from between 1185-1396. After a bigger jump, from 1878 some kind of independence, and from 1908 real Bulgaria. Although was part of the Eastern Block, never was part of the Soviet Union, and part of the European Union from 2007.

Cities:
- 71% of Bulgarian population lives in urban areas
- 18,5% lives in the capital, Sofia (which has a population of 1.404.929)
- 23,5% lives in the are 9 other cities that has the population over 100.000 - Plovdiv, Varna, Burgas, Rousse, Stara Zagora, Pleven, Sliven, Dobrich, Shumen


Currency:
- Bulgarian Lev (plural form: leva), which has a constant value of 0,97 (?) euro.




We recommend places to visit in Bulgaria:
No. 1. Veliko Tarnovo (ARTICLE; ARTICLE)
No. 2. Rila monastery (ARTICLE)
No. 3. Nessebar (ARTICLE)
No. 3. Varna (ARTICLE)
No. 4. Kaliakra (near Kavarna) (no article yet)
No. 5. Sofia (no article yet)

Places we've been to but we won't write long articles about them: (click for little information and/or for pictures)
Dupnitsa, Golna Oryahovitsa, Pleven, Dobrich, Burgas, Shumen, Ruse, Lom, Vidin, Kyustendil, Lom

More:
Bulgaria UNESCO heritage sites (Wikipedia)