Plovdiv
In all of my 5 trips to Bulgaria, I have not yet experienced its capital city Sofia. But I have had the privilege of seeing much of its second city and cultural capital, Plovdiv, also where my friends Genka and Petar happen to live.
A city of great energy and contrasts, Plovidiv is both a modern city with all the amenities one can expect, and at the same time one of Europe's oldest continuously inhabited cities. Its history dates back some 6000 years, and since becoming a Roman city has retained many of its old Roman structures and buildings, including its famous amphitheatre. To this day many events and festivals are held within the amphitheatre. And just outside the city is a 2 mile long Olympic rowing canal that is a beautifully serene place.
Overlooking the city on one of the seven hills surrounding it, at a place called Alosha, is a statue of a Russian soldier, from where the views of the city are spectacular.
I have posted photos from several of my visits, and yet they only scratch the surface of what is an fascinating and wondrous city.
Roman Amphitheatre.
View from the Amphitheatre.
The water fountain outside City Hall at twilight....
....and at dusk.
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The Red Bull outside City Hall.
Main Street at twilight, where all the girls walk.
Part of the Old Town.
Me in front of the Roman Arch in the Old Town.
Monument to Tzanko Lavrenov outside the Plovdiv Music and Dance Academy in the Old Town.
Statue of a Violinist overlooking the amphitheatre (I forget his name!)
View at night from Alosha.
Sunset over the Olympic Rowing Canal.
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Water feature outside the M-Tel building.
One of many of Plovdiv's beautiful eateries.
Always time for a game of pool! Genka shows us how it's done.