Then I look down and see this:
Clearly it is a Rorschach of a headless woman. Is this a sign? Am I doing to die up here from anaphylactic shock? The next thing I know, THIS appears:
It just sits there, staring at me. For a good ten minutes. Just sitting and staring. I am so going to die up here oh my god.
FINALLY people start showing up. I feel better knowing that there is someone around to call 911 (or whatever the number is in Bulgaria) should I lose my head, go into anaphylactic shock, or get my eyes gouged out by a black cat.
At 9:01, the ticket booth isn’t open yet. But this is Bulgaria, where the people are the nicest people on planet earth. I am told by someone who works at the booth next to the ticket booth that I can go in and then just pay when I am done. Honor system.
I walk in and take the same picture every person who has ever been here has taken.
While hiking to the top, it worked well for me to spend every moment gripped with fear that I was going to fall and die. I was so focused on that, that I didn’t even really feel the physical part. When I actually got to the top, I was surprised that I was there already.
At the halfway point, you have to choose to continue up stone steps that are all uneven and scary as fuck. Or you can choose the metal steps, which seem too narrow. I pick the metal steps. As I walk up to them, the four workers that had been sitting there say something to me. I don’t understand Bulgarian. I point to the steps and do sort of sign language asking if it is okay for me to go up. I get two head nods and two head back-and-forths. You know, because in Bulgaria, they move their heads up and down for no, and then right to left for yes. But to make it more confusing, Bulgarians will also change and do it the “correct” way for foreigners. So when I ask if it is okay for me to go up and I get the different reactions, I still don’t know the answer. I just turned and went back to walk up and this time, no one said anything.
Once at the top, I took 832473298467329874 pictures and admired the insane beauty of the world. I had so looking forward to being RIGHT HERE and now I am. It was just completely exhilarating.
Goats and cats and bees, oh my!!! I kept expecting a random pug to wander by and make everything all better. Cats suck, btw.
How, exactly does the squat toilet work. I assume you were wearing some sort of pants and not a skirt. But I am not sure how that would be used by a lady without entirely removing pants. Are you sure you didn’t accidentally walk into the Men’s room?
The way a squat toilet works is that you line your feet up on the foot thingies and squat and go! All my teenaged years of drinking beer in the woods and peeing in the woods really trained me for this.
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Hahaha! This post had me laughing all the way to its end. You have a great attitude while traveling and I applaud you for your curiosity and willingness to experience new things and places. I am sure that Bulgaria loved having you!
Aw, thank you!!!
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I really enjoyed this article! I have so many fond memories of my visit to Belogradchik, and I featured the fortress in my novel. And yes, I took the same photo at the entrance that you did. But, unlike you, I have a huge affection for cats. On my blog describing my Bulgarian adventures I had an ongoing series of photos of “Cats in Bulgaria”. Luckily, I never had any reason to consider a post about “Bees in Bulgaria”. I’m glad you weren’t stung!
I’m glad too! I also wish I had the idea of doing a “Dogs in Bulgaria” series. There’s so many!
Great post, and lovely pictures too. I’d love to visit sometime.
Cheers.
Haha! Great post! Based on your photos, I’d say it was worth it to stick it out through the bees and the cats, freaky as they are. Looks like a gorgeous spot!