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Roman gold in the surroundings of Arbanassi
Romans had lived in this lovely land before the Bugarians and on the site of today’s Arbanassi there was a settlement inhabited by Roman soldiers. They guarded the ancient road that passed through Kamenets and went down to Tarnovo, thus linking the lands on both sides of the Balkan Mountains. The soldiers guarded something else too – somewhere in the mountains there was a Roman mint. The Emperor Justinian had moved it far away from his capital; he thought that it would be more secure in the inaccessible mountain heights. They say that deep caves far down underground the gold was smelted and great amounts of coins were struck for…
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Bulgarian cuisine: the favourite chips and cheese
Chips are a guilty pleasure all over the world. In Bulgaria, they are doubly so – because they are rich in calories and because they are “simple”. If there is an underappreciated food in Bulgaria, it is ‘kartofi sas sirene’, or chips with cheese. Even the most inept housewife can make them. In their absence, drinking beer loses its reality and becomes a meaningless act. You can order them at roadside pubs with only three items on the menu and in posh restaurants where the list of dishes is longer than ‘War and Peace’. Under Communism, they were a social status symbol. And yet nobody outside of Bulgaria has ever…
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Between Heaven and Earth: the Rock Churches of the Ivanovo
Once, the rock churches of Ivanovo drew hermits, kings and pilgrims. Now, it’s the tourists’ turn. At the beginning of the 13th Century, a monk named Joachim was so charmed by the picturesque cliffs near the Rusenski Lom River that he decided to settle there with his three disciples. The beauties of the place and its proximity to the diocesan centre of Cherven attracted votaries’ attentions to the church that Joachim carved out of the rock. The hermit quickly became popular and soon began welcoming eminent visitors. One was King Ivan Asen II, who donated a considerable amount of gold to the church complex. Four centuries earlier Ivan Rilski, Bulgaria’s…
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Bulgaria for Beginners: all you need to know
As an up-and-coming destination for tourist visitors and business travelers alike, Bulgaria has become increasingly cosmopolitan over the past 15 years. At least cities have, to varying degrees. Meanwhile, out in the countryside, there are plenty of places where time seems to have stood still for centuries, with villagers in traditional garb riding along donkey-carts – until you see them talking into their mobile phones. Once you have made your first Bulgarian friend, though, you will definitely not have made your last. Bulgarians are very social and love any occasions to gather for conversation, eating, drinking, dancing, or cultural or sporting events. As regards practical matters, Bulgaria is forging ahead…
