![](bulgaria_small1.jpg)
We went via Sofia to Vitosha National Park to Rila,
to Bansko and to
near Pamporovo in
Rhodope Mountains. See red underline. |
![](Bg_HuntingL_small1.jpg)
Ex Communist Party Hunting Lodge now the Hotel Studena, in the
Vitosha
National Park
for two nights stay.
|
![](Bg_Path_small2.jpg) The last few yards to the
Hotel Studena after walking round the lake.
|
![](Bg_RoadW_small1.jpg)
The coach picks its way through road works |
![](Bg_YellowBlackB_small.jpg)
Owl Fly |
![](Bg_BlueRedBeet_small.jpg)
Blue and Red Chafer |
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Fritillaries on "Saltlick" |
![](Bg_CowW_small.jpg)
Cow wheat |
![](Bg_OrangeBeet_small.jpg)
Soldier
Beetle |
![](Bg_View_small.jpg) The morning view from the
terrace |
![](Bg_DiningR_small.jpg)
The Dining Room, there cannot
be many stags left around!
|
![](Bg_lake_small.jpg) The walk round the
Sudena Lake
seems much longer than 4 miles! |
![](Bg_lizard_small.jpg)
Embarrassed Lizard |
![](Bg_2Burnets_small.jpg)
Two Burnet Moths |
![](Bg_GreenBeet2_small.jpg)
Rose Chafer |
![](Bg_GreenBeet_small1.jpg)
Green Chafer on Hawkweed |
![](Bg_Aorchid_small.jpg)
Bee Orchid |
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On the hills and we found just one orchid left |
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Marbled White |
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The Driver lunching on cherries |
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Painted Archway Rila Monastery |
![](Bg_Toalet_small.jpg)
The "Toalet"
(misspelt) entrance at Rila Monastery |
![](Bg_RilaL_small.jpg)
Monks accommodation, I think, plus our coach. |
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Stairway |
![](BG_Rila%20Keep_small.jpg)
Rila Monastery defensive tower |
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The Monastery Church |
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Rila Monastery Courtyard |
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Lunch was in Restaurant behind the Umbrellas
|
![](240_small.jpg)
The Courtyard |
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Covered balconies |
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A short stop for marsh flowers
|
![](Bg_SmallH_small.jpg) A Small Holding |
![](Bg_Village%20and%20Mosque_small.jpg)
Village and Mosque through coach window |
![](Bg_Snail_small.jpg)
Edible snail, about 4inches
across |
![](Bg_Hill%20village_small.jpg)
Hill Village
|
![](P1070194_small.jpg)
Another ruin |
![](Bg_House2_small.jpg)
Photo stop for viewing storks, the village centre |
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A derelict house used by storks. |
![](Bg_House3_small.jpg)
This house has become used as a barn |
![](P1070615_small1.jpg)
The outer wall has gone |
![](P1070192_small.jpg)
Stork's nest |
![](Bg_Boy_small.jpg)
Village Lad wanting a tip. |
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Little Blue |
![](P1070623_small.jpg)
Local Stones plus Icons |
![](Bg_Damsel_small.jpg)
Black winged Damsel Fly |
![](Bg_Pattern_small.jpg)
Closed Fritillary Butterfly |
![](Bg_Cricket_small.jpg)
A Cricket on Daisy |
![](592_small.jpg)
Local Hero |
![](Bg_Lunch_small1.jpg) Lunch Break
by the meadows
|
![](Bg_Meadow_small.jpg)
Flower Meadow |
![](Bg_Grasshop_small.jpg)
Roesel's Bush Cricket
|
![](Bg_frit_small1.jpg)
Fritillary Butterfly |
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Spring fed drinking trough |
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Uncultivated Flower Meadows |
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War Memorial in the
countryside
|
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Botanising in the Meadows |
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Pirin Mountains from Bansko
Spa Hotel where
we stayed for three nights |
![](Bg_CopOnMauve_small.jpg)
Copper & Emerald Butterflies on Vicia varia |
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Bansko Street in Pirin Mountains National
Park |
![](279_small.jpg)
The gardens were for grapes or vegetables |
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Dreaming of a balcony? |
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Garden Goats in Bansko, some people grew
corn or vegetables and many have grapes shading a terrace. |
![](Bg_%20MountView_small.jpg)
Bansko Street towards the Pirin mountains |
![](P1070205_small1.jpg)
From our Window |
![](Bg_Mum_small.jpg)
Mum off to work early |
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Grandma sunning herself |
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A Roma scouting around. We failed to find the
Post Office, it looked just like a new bank! There were no post boxes |
![](591_small.jpg)
Off to work early |
![](Bg_Cafe_small.jpg)
Workers' Cafe was open at 7am |
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Roma sorting rubbish |
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Road to Bansko Spa Hotel |
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The view from our Bansko Spa Hotel window |
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Pirin Mountain and ski runs |
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These goats lived opposite our bedroom |
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Bansko Church Tower and Stork |
![](Bg_Asda_small.jpg)
Pub aimed at British Skiers "Asda Prices" |
![](Bg_Pub_small.jpg)
Pub in "local" style |
![](P1070717_small.jpg)
Resting? |
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Local roof style |
![](P1070444_small1.jpg)
Menu for the British Ski-ers |
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Urban Tractor Park |
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The friendly local dogs who accompanied us
around Bansko
|
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Another local |
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Old Factory |
![](Bg_SL3_small.jpg)
Shiroka Loka |
![](Bg_SL2_small.jpg)
Roses grow well in Bulgaria, wild or
cultivated. |
![](Bg_SL4_small.jpg)
Shiroka Loka Town Centre |
![](573_small1.jpg)
Shiroka Loka back street inspected by Helen
etc |
![](Bg_R2_small.jpg)
Wild Rose |
![](Bg_R1_small.jpg) |
![](Bg_R3_small.jpg)
Wild Rose |
![](Bg_SL5_small.jpg)
A drunk addressing the bus queue |
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Political Discussion? |
![](Bg_SL7_small.jpg)
We have most things you might want |
![](Bg_P6_small.jpg)
Spring Gentian |
![](Bg_P5_small.jpg)
Campanula |
![](Bg_P4_small.jpg)
Orchid |
![](Bg_Morning_small.jpg)
Dawn from our room in the Elitza, note Suicides'
Cliff to the right |
![](Bg_Elitza_small.jpg)
The Israeli owned ski lodge, Hotel Elitza,
near Pamporovo in the Rhodope Mountains for two nights |
![](Bg_Skirun_small.jpg)
Looking down a ski run, without the snow
Roma women had been clearing stones. |
![](Bg_SL9_small.jpg)
Roadside Cafe |
![](Bg_Moth_small.jpg) |
![](Bg_%20Shiroka%20Laka_small.jpg)
Rhodope Mountains Tourist Centre |
![](Bg_F5_small.jpg)
Chafer with copper false face |
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Chimney Sweep Butterfly |
![](Bg_Pink%20Orch_small.jpg)
Orchid Meadow |
![](Bg_F6_small.jpg)
Frog |
![](Bg_PinkGer_small.jpg)
Geranium |
![](Bg_pink_small.jpg)
Dianthus |
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Snow Melt near which we found crocus, gentians, squills, iris etc. |
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Snow Glacier, forest and a glimpse of the
Mountain
Refuge |
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A mountain stream, pretty wet to cross! |
![](Bg_Geums_small.jpg)
Geums |
![](Bg_Crocus_small.jpg)
Crocus |
![](Bg_ButterW_small.jpg)
Butterwort |
![](Bg_MetalBlue_small.jpg) |
![](Bg_Pirin_small.jpg)
Pirin Mountains |
![](Bg_Squill_small.jpg)
Spring Squill |
![](Bg_Mountain%20Hut_small.jpg)
Mountain Refuge |
![](Bg_SL11_small.jpg)
Mountain Farm, can you see the old ladies? |
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Laundry Line |
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Lunch out of the bad weather in the Refuge.
It was very cold and wet. |
![](Bg_PE3_small.jpg)
Mitko, botanist, and our singer/driver
warming themselves up. |
![](Bg_Pe2_small.jpg)
And the rest drinking mountain tea for 1/2 lev |
![](Bg_P2_small.jpg)
Pink and White Dianthus Microlepsis |
![](Bg_P1_small.jpg)
Birdsfoot Trefoil |
![](Bg_P3_small.jpg) |
![](Bg_F2_small.jpg)
Peacock |
![](Bg_F1_small.jpg)
Large Copper |
![](Bg_F3_small.jpg)
Marbled White |
![](Bg_Pe5_small.jpg)
Where is that man? |
![](Bg_Pe6_small.jpg)
What is he doing with that camera? |
![](Bg_Pe4_small.jpg)
Old mates |
![](Bg_Campula_small.jpg)
Campanula |
![](Bg_Orchid_small1.jpg)
Orchid |
![](Bg_Haberlea_small.jpg)
Haberlea, remnant from before the ice age. |
![](Bg_Gorge1_small.jpg)
Trigrad Gorge & our group |
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Trigrad River before going underground for a while |
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Bear tours hut. |
![](P1070693_small.jpg)
A cave |
![](Bg_Cricket2_small.jpg)
Bush Cricket, Poecilimon thoracicus |
![](Bg_Sunflowers_small.jpg)
Acres of Sunflowers on the Central Plain on
our way back to Sofia |
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Black Veined White |
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Farm Cart |
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Happy Bar & Grill Comfort stop |
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Iskar River near to Sofia |
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Sofia Cathedral |
![Sofia](button643.jpg) |