Summer Travels- Week 2 (1/2) in Bulgaria

It's actually about halfway through my third week in Bulgaria, but my son was ill for four days so I wasn't thinking about blogging. However, all is now well and it's time for another picture heavy post to collect a week and a half's worth of snaps. Nothing particularly fashion-y in this post, mainly I just photographed whatever struck my fancy as I was out and about dashing to the pharmacy or the grocery store! Sometimes I literally just stop in my tracks, look up, and take a picture because I want to remember these moments forever.

The little restaurant where I've been eating pretty often is called The King’s Breakfast. I like their tarator (a cold soup consisting mainly of cucumbers and plain yoghurt) and they have a sister bakery next door where my son like to get a cookie after lunch. Plus it’s cute, with flowers all around! There’s indoor and outdoor seating, but why would you want to eat inside when the outside looks like this?

Of course, I can’t stop taking photos of all the lovely buildings I see. Despite the decay, graffiti, and general lack of care, if you keep your gaze upward you’ll find plenty of lovely places to rest your eyes!

Even if you take in the whole scene, warts and all, I still think there’s a romantic charm to be found. Walking along these streets gives me such a peaceful feeling!

Even at street level you can spot the occasional pretty detail; an ornate carved door or intricate cast iron gate. I love the street lights as well, and the potted flowers that hang here and there (geraniums maybe?)

One day I walked past these particularly well preserved houses, one of which was so pretty that even though I was in a hurry I had to pause to take a few quick shots. My grandfather told me that before the Communist revolution, this home belonged to the police commissioner of the region. Sadly, the man was secretly seized and executed during that tumultuous period, but his house remains. My grandfather couldn’t tell me anything else about the commissioner, but he did recount a memory of himself at age 5 or so, have a snowball fight with his friends in that very same yard. I’m glad the house is still there, and I hope the interior is as cared for as the exterior.

My hometown (and Bulgaria in general) used to have a lot of homeless cats and dogs, which always made me quite sad when I visited. However, this year I’ve noticed that the homeless canine population is greatly decreased! I haven’t seen a single ownerless dog while I’ve been here. In fact quite the opposite, pet ownership seems to have exploded and I’m noticing a huge number of people out and about walking their dogs. Yorkies in particular a very popular breed it seems, and it makes me glad to see so many Yorkies with uncut tails. They look quite dashing I think!

As for the cats, there are still many homeless cats but I’ve noticed they seem to be welcome in many of the business establishments, both retail shops and restaurants. Many businesses even seem to be feeding them, as I've noticed very early in the mornings cats will gather at certain door and wait patiently. A street cat sleeping in a shoe shop made me smile, and I spotted some kittens in a neighbor’s yard too- wild to be sure, but living a pretty good life just the same I think.

My husband and I did have a few opportunities for some late night strolls, and although I have no outfit shots to share he did manag to take a quick candid snap of me when we were out late one night. It’s not much, but the smile is genuine! We had a lovely evening. ♡ 

*** This post is not sponsored in any way. ***