Our hotel breakfast was great - the kind where you feel you might need a nap afterward. There were pastries, fruits, cheeses, eggs in every form… the works. But as we were heading out, we made a rather tragic discovery: they’d hidden the sparkling wine somewhere off to the side, far away from the rest of the buffet. By the time we noticed, we were already walking out the door. A true breakfast crime.
Today’s plan: a little road trip to Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s charming ancient city. We had a rental car booked, of course, and were meant to pick it up at 9 a.m. When we rolled up around 10 (details, details) to the edge of the park where the car was supposedly waiting, we quickly realized… there was no rental office. Just trees, benches, and a very patient lady who had been standing there for an hour waiting for us. Apparently, the “office” was simply her favorite parking spot. Fifteen minutes and a few signatures later, we were off!
Plovdiv is only about an hour and a half from Sofia - but why go straight when you can dramatically detour into the mountains?
The beginning of the detour was stunning: fiery autumn leaves, winding roads, postcard-perfect scenery. Then, as we climbed higher, the fog rolled in - thick enough to make us feel like we were driving through heavy clouds. Visibility dropped to about two meters, and in an entire hour we saw exactly one other car. It felt almost eerie.
Our first planned village stop involved a steep, gravelly road descending almost vertically, so we took one look and collectively decided: not today. The next village was friendlier - perfect for a photo stop. As soon as I stepped out of the car, though, I managed to plant my boot squarely into a pile of something organic that clearly wasn’t leaves. Ten solid minutes of scraping later, I had learned a valuable life lesson: never step off Bulgarian roads without checking your surroundings first.
Luckily, a bit further along, we found a random outdoor tap with running water in a park (what are the odds?), and I gave my boots the spa treatment they deserved. We crossed over a hydroelectric dam, descended from the mist, and an hour later rolled into Plovdiv.
Our first stop: doughnuts. There’s a place there rumored to have the best ones in Bulgaria, and after one bite of the salted caramel and cherry ones and without even having seen any other doughnuts yet, I can confirm - the rumors are true. We even got a plain one “for the road,” though to be honest, it barely survived three steps before disappearing.
We wandered through the Old Town, climbing up to the ancient ruins. Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe, and you can feel it - cobblestone streets, pastel houses, and the kind of views that make you forget your calves are burning. From the top, you can see the modern blocks stretching out below. Scott took one look and said, “You know, Lasnamägi is starting to look pretty good.” A true compliment - if you know, you know.
After some aimless strolling and a few disappointing cookies, we headed back to Sofia for dinner.
The plan was a famous ribs restaurant — smoky, hearty, the real deal. Except… when we arrived, they told us it was fully booked. Just as we were about to slink away in defeat, the hostess came running after us, waving her notepad: “I checked wrong — we can fit you in!” And just like that, we were saved. Dinner was superb.
Today’s plan: a little road trip to Plovdiv, Bulgaria’s charming ancient city. We had a rental car booked, of course, and were meant to pick it up at 9 a.m. When we rolled up around 10 (details, details) to the edge of the park where the car was supposedly waiting, we quickly realized… there was no rental office. Just trees, benches, and a very patient lady who had been standing there for an hour waiting for us. Apparently, the “office” was simply her favorite parking spot. Fifteen minutes and a few signatures later, we were off!
Plovdiv is only about an hour and a half from Sofia - but why go straight when you can dramatically detour into the mountains?
The beginning of the detour was stunning: fiery autumn leaves, winding roads, postcard-perfect scenery. Then, as we climbed higher, the fog rolled in - thick enough to make us feel like we were driving through heavy clouds. Visibility dropped to about two meters, and in an entire hour we saw exactly one other car. It felt almost eerie.
Our first planned village stop involved a steep, gravelly road descending almost vertically, so we took one look and collectively decided: not today. The next village was friendlier - perfect for a photo stop. As soon as I stepped out of the car, though, I managed to plant my boot squarely into a pile of something organic that clearly wasn’t leaves. Ten solid minutes of scraping later, I had learned a valuable life lesson: never step off Bulgarian roads without checking your surroundings first.
Luckily, a bit further along, we found a random outdoor tap with running water in a park (what are the odds?), and I gave my boots the spa treatment they deserved. We crossed over a hydroelectric dam, descended from the mist, and an hour later rolled into Plovdiv.
Our first stop: doughnuts. There’s a place there rumored to have the best ones in Bulgaria, and after one bite of the salted caramel and cherry ones and without even having seen any other doughnuts yet, I can confirm - the rumors are true. We even got a plain one “for the road,” though to be honest, it barely survived three steps before disappearing.
We wandered through the Old Town, climbing up to the ancient ruins. Plovdiv is one of the oldest cities in Europe, and you can feel it - cobblestone streets, pastel houses, and the kind of views that make you forget your calves are burning. From the top, you can see the modern blocks stretching out below. Scott took one look and said, “You know, Lasnamägi is starting to look pretty good.” A true compliment - if you know, you know.
After some aimless strolling and a few disappointing cookies, we headed back to Sofia for dinner.
The plan was a famous ribs restaurant — smoky, hearty, the real deal. Except… when we arrived, they told us it was fully booked. Just as we were about to slink away in defeat, the hostess came running after us, waving her notepad: “I checked wrong — we can fit you in!” And just like that, we were saved. Dinner was superb.
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