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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

How do you like these directions while driving?

A local Brewery

The old city is situated on three hills, Tsarevets, Trapezitsa and Sveta Gora raising amidst the meanders of the Yantra. Tsarevets housed the palaces of the Bulgarian Emperors and the Patriarchate, as well as a number of administrative and residential edifices surrounded by thick walls. Trapezitsa was known for its many churches and as the main residence of the nobility. In the Middle Ages it was among the main European centres of culture and gave its name to the Tarnovo Artistic School of architecture, painting and literature.

Church of Arch Angels Michael and Gabriel

The church is one of the most beautiful churches, built in the village of Arbanasi in XVII-XVIII c. According to its plan it is with an altar, naos, narthex and gallery. There is a small chapel dedicated to St. Paraskevi. The church is very modest from outside but it impresses with the splendid wall-paintings. Very particular are the images of the females- saints painted against starry sky.

It was built in 17 c. and its frescoes were painted in 1761 by two artists – Mikhail from Thessaloniki and Georgi from Bucharest.

It is located in the southeastern part of the village. The present-day cult building stands over the foundations of an ancient medieval church. Similar to other Arbanassi churches, Sts. Archangels Michael and Gabriel is opulently painted, a proof of the robust finances of Arbanassi residents and of their refined aesthetic taste. The church mirrors the masonry traditions of the Second

Its frescoes were painted in 1761 by two artists – Mikhail from Thessaloniki and Georgi from Bucharest. The present-day cult building stands over the foundations of an ancient medieval church

Similar to other Arbanassi churches, Saints. Archangels Michael and Gabriel is opulently painted, a proof of the robust finances of Arbanassi residents and of their refined aesthetic taste. Very particular are the images of the females- saints painted against starry sky. The wood

We were treated while visiting the Orthodox Church by some local religious members sang for us while we sat in the old wooden seats. Spell binding. the history of the church is amazing too as it had to be unchurch like from outside as churches were banned.

Everywhere you look is beauty

It was built in the 13th or 14th century and forms part of the Ancient Nesebar UNESCO World Heritage Site. A single-nave church with three apses, in the past it was topped by a dome and a bell tower. Its rich external decoration was done in Nesebar's characteristic style.

Looking from the church entrance to the gardens

Another side view

Tsarevets is a medieval stronghold, Tsarevets fortress from 12th century, is located on a hill with the same name in Veliko Tarnovo in northern Bulgaria

Imposing walk way to the fortress.

Veliko Tarnovo walking areas

Jim meeting three new friends

Tourist area for shopping and restaurants

Enjoy a walk on Samovodene Artisans Street packed with workshops of locals were you can find a copper smith, silversmith, an icon painter and many more. Many of the workshops are there for 3-4 generations

Iconic statues just below the street where the artisans and shops are.

Samovodska Charshya Street

View of the fortress across the hillsides

Last look at the hillsides of homes in Veliko Tarnovo

Returning to Ruse after a day in the countryside of Bulgaria

Ruse is the fifth largest city in Bulgaria. Ruse is in the northeastern part of the country, on the right bank of the Danube, opposite the Romanian city of Giurgiu, approximately 75 km south of Bucharest,

Freedom Square Gardens

Ruse is a city of imposing architecture and neatly trimmed leafy squares, as if a little chunk of Vienna had broken off and floated down the Danube. Its past is abundantly displayed in several museums and in its ruined Roman fortress, standing guard high over the Danube.

Liberty Square. The monument depicts a female figure with a sword in her left hand while pointing with her right hand to the direction from which the liberators arrived. The lions are tearing off the chains of slavery and standing guard of Bulgaria’s liberty.

Walking around town of Ruse you have the small town feeling that has a beautiful main square and pedestrian area. Outdoor restaurants, families walking together enjoying the day., the gardens, the fountain, the flowers. Yet it is a large city.

Last chance to grab and ice cream cone and walk back to the ship waiting to depart for Serbia.

Vidin is a port town on the southern bank of the Danube in north-western Bulgaria. It is close to the borders with Romania and Serbia, and is also the administrative center of Vidin Province, as well as of the Metropolitan of Vidin.

The population of Vadin hit a peak around 1991 at 48,000. Today 2018 the popoulation would be around 42,000. The population has slowly been decreasing.

Here you see a man mowing grass with a small power lawnmower in a public park. Unfortunately the economy has been declining for a number of years. There are few funds for anything today. Even fewer jobs. The average income I was told is around the equivalent of $300 US a month.

Baba Vida is a medieval fortress in Vidin in northwestern Bulgaria and the town's primary landmark.

It consists of two concentric curtain walls and about nine towers of which three are preserved to their full medieval height, including the original battlements, and is said to be the only entirely preserved medieval castle in the country.

The name of the Fortress we are visiting Baba Vida Fortress.

The construction of the fortress began in the 10th century at the place of the Ancient Roman castle Bononia. The building of Baba Vida is tied to a legend, according to which a Danubian Bulgarian king who ruled at Vidin had three daughters. Vida, Kula and Gamza. Prior to his death, he divided his realm among the three. Vida, the eldest, was given Vidin and the lands north to the Carpathians, Kula was awarded Zaječar and the Timok Valley, and Gamza was to rule the lands west up to the Morava. Although Gamza and Kula married to drunkard and warlike nobles, Vida remained unmarried and built the fortress in her city. The name of the castle means "Granny Vida".

Map of the Fortress

Baba Vida served as Vidin's main defensive installation during the course of the Middle Ages and acted as the most important fortress of northwestern Bulgaria. Here we have a person selling his carvings on each of the stands. They were very nice.

A long-awaited new bridge across the River Danube opened several years ago between Vidin, Bulgaria, and Calafat, Romania. The desire was that it would bring new business into Bulgaria and create more jobs with tourism and industry. So far that has not happened.

One crazy tourist Me.. Jim

Despite being in ruins, the synagogue in Vidin, Bulgaria is still famous for being the second-largest Jewish temple in Bulgaria. Built in 1894, it fell into disuse after the majority of the local Jews left Bulgaria during and soon after World War II.

The synagogue was then seized by the communist government, and during the 1970’s, the Ministry of Culture and the National Institute of Monuments developed a plan to restore the building. However, when the communist regime collapsed in 1989, the project was abandoned, leaving the synagogue roofless and exposed to the elements. Restoration efforts have been talked for years, but nothing has been attempted yet, and it still remains an empty shell.

These statues were at the top of the Fort. Could find nothing as to their importance. They were impressive.

The building you see in the photo is supported by Grand Circle Foundation , the travel company for this trip. They have been very generous in helping the students of Vidi. It is a very poor community in Bulgaria today.

We visited a Mosque in Vidin and met with the Imam,worship leader of a mosque, for a few minutes. Interesting for a small town. We see the inside of the Mosque.

The front entrance of the Mosque.

We were given a tour of the school

A hand made map of the world teaching the students about world geography.

Walking through the local park.

my locally. They do the best they can on very little.

Vidin is currently the poorest city in the EU, but it is a beautiful town with many historic and cultural landmarks. Tourism has experienced a decline except for groups that come along the Danube on cruises, but a visit to Vidin is definitely worth a visit. The people tend to be more hospitable here than in larger cities like Sofia. This is a main sidewalk/street in Vidin. There were few people anywhere that you could see.

Many residents work on farms in nearby villages, raise domestic animals, and sow plants, and so this region is famous for its production of food.

Monument of 3rd Battalion infantry regiment in the central square of the town of Vidin. The Bulgarian sate started to build many military memorials after the WW1, mainly in the 1920’s and the 1930’s.

Vidin was formerly surrounded by the Ottoman fortress of Kaleto, of which many of the ornate gates have been preserved. The elaborate defensive system dates to the 17th-18th century . the Istanbul Gate is perhaps the best-known because of its impressive architecture and the beautiful fountain in front. Conveniently, it also lies on the edge of the main town square, so you have no excuse to miss it!

The statue of the Three Sisters, the legend of the founding of Vidin. According to legends the town and the fortress were named after Vida who was the daughter of a wealthy ruler. After her father’s death Vida and her two younger sisters inherited the lands. The two sister married foolishly and lost everything. The third sister Vida declined all marriage proposals. She chose to stay single and dedicated her life to her nationals. She built an inaccessible fortress and a castle where she lived to a ripe old age. Vida was a powerful and just ruler. After her death, people named the fortress after her- Baba (Granny) Vida, also known as the Towers of Baba Vida.

Unfortunately, because of its economic issues, Vidin has many problems. Lack of funds has caused the sidewalks and streets to fall into disrepair, and many buildings are vacant and crumbling. There is no university in the northwest region, so young people mostly move to other cities or countries.

As typical for mid-sized Bulgarian towns, Vidin’s central streets are an eclectic mix of fine Viennese-inspired town houses and mildly brutalist public buildings from the communist era.

Before departing Vidin on the Danube River a last look at the New Europe Bridge connecting the countries of Romania and Bulgaria.

After our tour and leisure time walking around Vidin we were treated to some local folkloric music and singing from The Talja Folklore group from Vidin. They put on a fantastic musical show for us on board the Concerto.

After the performance the children walking among with a game. They gave us hints of an item and we had to guess it. A great way for them to practice their English and for us to meet them.

You can see that we were enjoying it as much as they were.

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© 2025 Jim Schroder