Friday, January 22, 2016
Thursday, January 21, 2016
Trip to the mountain V - Leshten }
Leshten is an old Bulgarian village with authentic historical houses from Revival period. It`s situated on the south slope of West Rodopi mountain, and has splendid landscapes and views from above, as well as very fresh air.
Location: from Sofia -194 km distance, from Plovdiv city - 147 km, Kovachevitsa -18 km.
The village is pretty small, it has around 30 houses, half of them are now renovated, but their unique architectural style is well preserved. The houses have big porches (kind of village terraces with stairs), picturesque yards with gardens and place for preparing food. Many of them are given under rent for touristic purposes, so you can enjoy one very nice weekend, resting in such place for small amount.
The central street is covered with cobblestones and has little souvenir shops on both sides. One the top of one hill in Leshten there is an amazing house, build entirely from clay. Even it has authentic old look, the house is furnished in modern style, so you can enjoy a night inside it.
The former church school is now transformed into a hospitable inn, which offers to the visitors delicious local dishes.
This time, because of the season and cold of the month, I was not able to visit the clay house, but I intend to do that next time! I had very nice impression from the village, the quiet atmosphere and crystal air.
Traditional historical Revival houses
View to the mountain slope with houses
St. Paraskeva church, renovated
Panorama on the hill
Beautiful panorama on the way to Kovachevitsa village
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Monastery Hajidimovo }
The monastery is situated in the village of Hajidimovo, it`s called "St. George". It was build on old christian sanctuary in time before Ottoman Turks to conquer Bulgarian land, around 1290. The temple was burnt to ashes several times in the middle of 14. century. Then it was forgotten, and later re-discovered and re-build.
The legend says that the old shepherd diado Atanas Lazarov had a strange dream. To him appeared young mane riding white horse. He told him to start work of digging in the mound nearby, which was all covered with wild bushes and grass. (later on this exact place church was raised). Diado Atanas didnt pay any attention of this dream and didnt start digging. The next night the dream repeated. This made the old person concern to share the dream with his wife. She also didnt take it seriously and even laughed on it. On the third evening the young man on horse appeared again and insisted that Atanas should start digging work on the place. In the dawn he left the sheep to his wife and went digging. Turkish people, who had property around the hill, saw him and started negotiate with him to stop his work. He didnt want to give up, but as they were stronger, he finally went back home and left his work. The same evening the young man appeared to him telling him to not be afraid, and that the people, who disturb his enterprise will be forced to go away. Encouraged in this way diado Atanas went back in the morning to the area of hill and continued his work digging.
The Turkish man, who had a field nearby, came with his oxen to plow up. He went to see what is matter in the place of hill, as he noticed someone is there. When he understood, that this area should become a christian sanctuary, he became extremely angry and even started to beat the poor old man. he drove him away from the place again. Turkish man thought he won the fight and returned happy to his field. During that time his oxen were lying to rest. He urged them to got up, but they didnt want, then he started to beat them, but nothing helped. The oxen didnt want to continue the work. Other Turkish people came to help him and wonder how such strong and young oxen cant got up to work. When they understood what happened with the old Christian man, who was driven away and beaten, they didnt approve this. They said: "Because this man came here to dig the ground without anyone to pay him for this work, here there is the finger of Allah already!" They Persuade the Turkish man to call back the Christian. When he did so and diado Atanas came to place of the hill, the oxen immediately got up from the ground. The man was shocked and took the animals to his home and donated the whole field to the future monastery land.
Now no one wanted to stop the digging work, as it was with help of God. So after some days of digging (also he had now more helpers) the Christian found an old icon of "St. Georgi", which was completely well preserved. That made everyone excited. More people join them and shortly they build a little Christian chapel on the place. This is the story known about the nowadays church in Hajidimovo.
Later by scientific research it was found out the icon of St. George dated back to 1750 -1800. After burning several times in Ottoman era, the only preserved icon of the church was this. The visitors can still see its original there, but are not allowed to take photo of it. I saw it and bought one big card with the miraculous icon of "St. George", which survived the time.
The monastery now is in process of renovation, it has a huge library part with a Clock tower, beautiful garden and in the middle - spring, round pavilion and an amazing tree. The place would be wonderful in spring too!
The Clocktower and library
The monastic chambers section
Beautiful treeThe old church close up
Icon of St. George in the anteroom of the temple
The ancient miraculous icon of St. Georgi found by first digging
Monday, January 18, 2016
Delchevo village in snow }
Delchevo is so beautiful under blanket of white snow...
Legend: it was a day of celebrating the annual birthday of St. John the Baptist (in Bulgarian called Eniovden) On the village square there was traditional folklore round dance. Local people celebrated also one ancient festival of "Herbs" magical and healing, called the "Holiday of Ivan Biliober" in this places.In this day young and old people are rolling in the dew meadows for good health. The maiden take outside in the air their trousseau (collected items and clothes for the wedding day by tradition) so the sun to see and bless it. The maidens also play lively ring dance in the square.
For evil fate, just in this day the evil dragon from the mountain decided to steal the most beautiful maiden and make her his wife. But here the good overcomes the evil, as the maiden said to the dragon, she will be his wife and mother of his child if in return he becomes protector of the village. The words of wisdom and devotion of the young woman to her family awaken the kindness inside the dragons heart. So he started to defend the village and people realized that the evil forces will be always weaker then the Good. The maiden lived in the village with the dragon. To prove that he is now not on the evil side, the dragon made a wonder with the magical power he possessed. He touched the water fountain in the square and from it springed healing water.
The legend has deep roots in the traditional folklore in the village, so every year on Eniovden (Birthday of John the Baptist) the story is played and re-created with fun and joy. The holiday is known as "Dragons Wedding" and is celebrated on 23-24 of June. Now many folklore dance groups gather in this place for competition and performance.
It will be great to visit Delchevo in this time!
Roofs from the balcony of "Pavlovata kashta" (house)
Traditional women wear of Pirin area -inside "Pavlovata kashta"
Traditional Bulgarian folklore dress
Song from Pirin area
Trip to the mountain IV : Delchevo }
Delchevo village is situated high in the mountain of South Pirin, on 1050 m above the sea level.
Location: about 200 km from Sofia, 9 km from Gotse Delchev town, 18 km from the Greek border.
Landscape: Beautiful Pirin mountain
Near 45 km to the ski resort of Bansko, the dam of Dospat is 50 km from it.
I went in winter, month of January and the village was covered by quietness and stillness of landscape. There were hardly any other people, except us. We saw 2 lovely goats climbing the mountain sloops for grass. The goat keeper told us the village used to have 1000 people inhabitants, but now they remain just 20! So wonderful place with fresh air and so little people. (I thought of the hard path with many curves we went with the car, in order to reach to the village. How modern people feel difficult to give some effort and used to a comfort way of life in the city).
My photos preserve the atmosphere and feeling of stillness, like no sound it was to be heard, except of bird occasionally. The only "living" place was the little hotel- traditional house where we spend the night (Pavlovata kashta)
Sweet village dog
Pavlova kashta (house) where we stayed
Panorama from up with a fog
Old house with created from wood "family tree on it"
The occupation of people in this village (with the previous Turkish name Iuch Duruk) was connected mainly with agriculture - tobacco planting, logging and livestock breeding.
The village of Delchevo has an authentic, ethological outlook, attracting many visitors with its amphitheater location of houses, narrow streets, covered with cobblestones. Big part of the houses here are announced as architectural monuments of culture, as there are build in the end of 19 and beginning of 20 century, and belong to Bulgarian Revival style houses. Most of them have solid stone base and wooden upper part. For touristic purposes are renovated many of the buildings and the square of Delchevo. There are many nice houses awaiting their visitors for a warm meal and staying over night.
Here takes place one old cultural festival in February - "Day of Trifon Zarezan" (the wine and grape vine festival, on which we can see re-creation of traditional "Delchevska wedding" and competition for home made wine.
Another yearly festival is called "Konstantin and Elena" on 21. may.
Really charming village, specially in the pure white cover of snow!
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