Middle-aged flash packers

Velingrad/Lake Batak/Dorkivo – days 9 and 10

we decided to take time out from our spa hotel to visit Lake Batak as we had driven past it last time we came to Bulgaria and it looked lovely – lots of sitting areas and a busy town. We thought we might be able to find a nice hike there too.

Things didn’t look quite right when we drove into the town, looking for the tourist information office. It seems it doesn’t have one but it does have a social security department and the ladies working there were very surprised to see us barge into their office by mistake. 

We stopped for a coffee in order to look a bit closer at the map and I was beginning to realise that somehow I’d got the wrong lake.

This was confirmed when we went for a drive around the lake and found no bustling town or any seating areas to enjoy the view. It was basically a  very big reservoir with very little else.  It was pretty though. After a short stroll across the dam bridge, we decided to return to our hotel and have a lazy afternoon at the spa. And very nice it was too.

We had a delicious evening meal – the best yet- and we treated ourselves to a half bottle of wine. Wine in restaurants here has got really expensive but it was our last night so we pushed the boat out.

I have no idea what was in the food or the wine but S and I had a terrible night, absolutely buzzing with adrenaline and unable to sleep. We do encounter this now and again. I think we must have some allergy to an additive in either wine or food.

Anyway, last day and all that, so we hauled ourselves out of bed, completed a workout and stuffed down a final breakfast .

Packed and ready by 11am with a flight time of 17.40, we decided to checkout of our hotel and check out  the Tsepina fortress in a nearby village called Dorkovo. According to the Bulgarian tourist board, it’s one of the most visited historical landmarks in the area. 

I doubt this very much. There was a car in the car park but it appeared to belong to one of the builders working on something nothing to do with the fort. 

The fort was similar to the one we saw near Plovdiv except it had more walls and it was quite a steep walk to the top. It was built around the 11 century and that’s all I know or can be bothered to research. However the view over the surrounding countryside was lovely and so were the wild plants and flowers that were attracting a plethora of beetles, butterflies and other beings.

All too soon it was time to leave. Worryingly, according to Google, the time to drive to Sofia airport was taking longer and longer by the minute. S went into moderately stressed mode which peaked when we had to wait at a rail crossing for almost 15 minutes for the Rhodope train we had caught just the other day to go through. Damn trains.

Luckily Google found us a demon alternative route to Sofia so in spite of the car drop off taking ages, we were on time for our flight.

And here we are, waiting to board our plane. We’ve had a great time, and although I feel we’ve probably done Bulgaria now, never say never. Those forests and mountains are hard to resist.