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Bulgaria

Entrance to the Danube River and the Black Sea

What an honor to be invited to sit at the Captain's table the first evening of the river cruise.

Ruse is in the northeastern part of the country, on the right bank of the Danube It is the most significant Bulgarian river port, serving an important part of the international trade of the country.

The Captain of the River Concerto tieing up the river boat at the docking facility in Ruse.

Ruse attracts many tourists. It is often called the Little Vienna. The Ruse-Giurgiu Friendship Bridge, until 14 June 2013 the only one in the shared Bulgarian-Romanian section of the Danube, crosses the river here.

In the early 1980s, Ruse entered a dark period. The Verachim factory was built in Giurgiu, which polluted the air between 1980 and 1991, impacting the city's development. Population decreased, and 15,000 people moved out between 1985 and 1992. The first informal organization in Bulgaria under the communist regime was established here - The Public Committee for Environmental Protection of Ruse, which provoked the first nationwide demonstrations and strongly influenced the change to democracy. In 1991, the Romanian factory ceased the pollution, after the fall of the communist regime in Romania. .

A favorite area to sit on the top deck of the River Concerto . Great location to rest and relax seeing the sights along the river as we cruised.

Looking over the bow area on the top deck.

Deck hand getting to through a line to tie up at the dock along the river Danube.

Bulgaria is a Balkan nation with diverse terrain encompassing Black Sea coastline, a mountainous interior and rivers, including the Danube. A cultural melting pot with Greek, Slavic, Ottoman, and Persian influences, it has a rich heritage of traditional dance, music, costumes, and crafts. At the foot of domed Vitosha mountain is its capital city, Sofia, dating to the 5th century B.C.

We are secured... lets go!

Our river ship tied up along a dock.

Another River cruise ship passing us on the Danube as we are tied up in Ruse.

Ruse early morning in the city.

Bulgarian countryside

Highway from Ruse inland to Veliko Tarnovo and ARbanassi.

Local cemetery among scattered homes and fields.

Veliko Tarnovo is a city in north central Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Veliko Tarnovo Province. Often referred to as the "City of the Tsars", Veliko Tarnovo is located on the Yantra River and is famously known as the historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, attracting many tourists with its unique architecture. The old part of the city is situated on the three hills Tsarevets, Trapezitsa, and Sveta Gora, rising amidst the meanders of the river Yantra.

Reflections in the river

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