Ruse, 20 August

I Carl decided to stay one more day in Ruse. Tintin was leaving for Bukarest to fly home to Stockholm. Thank you for one week of enjoyable travel companionship. 

Now Leslie will try her skill of toe tip steering. 

We went to watch the start of the yearly kajak regatta in Ruse. 

Carl and Les happy to be together again 

Our Marina manager Christian with lady friend ready to take off   

Here they go. 

In the Marina Port Ruse LB is lying side by side with Beluga of Nassau. 

Interior from Port Ruse Yacht Club 

Exterior of the club. 

Les and I took a walk to the Ruse swimming pools and cooled off with a beer. 

Svistov-Ruse, 19 August

Today to Leslie in Ruse. Yippee. 

Leaving the police harbour pontoon in Svistov. 

Tintin has learnt the skill to steer with his toes. 

Carl and Tintin happy and lucky to have made it from Belgrade to Ruse

Leslie saying hello to Aldona from Beluga from Nassau am Lahn, Germany. 

Leslie still in Ruse. 18 August

Last few days in Ruse. The Pantheon of the Revivalists and some photos.

Visited the Pantheon of the Revivalsts. According to the English brochure, which was given to me "as a gift" by the curator, this is a nations temple-ossuary for 453 activists of the Bulgarisn National Revival, some of who are natives of Ruse. It was unveiled 28 February 1978 on the occasion of the centenary of the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman yoke.

And not to forget the ever present Baba Tonka. According to the brochure " a well-merited respect is also paid to the worthy Obretenovs family, to which belonged the admirable Grandma Tonka. She used to hide revolutionaries away in her house, participated in the struggle against the Greek clergy, and acquired almost mythological traits, thus becoming a symbolic mother of Bulgarian freedom.

And here we have Baba Tonka. Lovely name!

Down by the river a statue I passed every day. Just liked it, reminded my of my childhood.

Much excitement on the river today because of the International Danube Tourist Regatta which has been stopping at Ruse since 1966.

There must be about 100 people with their kayaks camping on the shore. Apparently they start in  Germany (do not know where) and end in Sulina.

Some of the beautiful houses they write about.

Could not resist taking a photo of this gentleman with the largest moustache I have ever seen.

And Carl arrives in Ruse tomorrow!

Kozliduj - Svistov, 18 August

The shore side is shifting more on the Bulgarian side than on Romania. On Bulgarian side there are more changing landscape with high sandbanks, dense forests, white high cliffs while on Romanian side it is just dense leaf tree forest. The shores are sparesly populated and the small towns or villages looks run down and empty. 

Bulgaria

Bulgaria

Bulgaria

Romania

Svistov amfi theatre

Svistov port. The river cruiser Amadeus checking in to Bulgaria. 

LB nicely tucked in behind the police boats. 

Vidin-Radetskiy, Kozloduj, 17 August

I woke up at 0530 because of some strong swell and funny noice. We were hanging from a ponton with quite long lines but the swell and wind asked for even longer lines. So up and fix. The swell lessened and I could go back to well deserved sleep. 

Vidin port authority building. 

Ponton #4

Ponton #4

Fortress Baba Vida

All across town we find these posters in memory of persons who have died. 

Duna at Baba Vida

Cow wash

Just before arriving to the harbour a rain storm came and apart fro tons of water also brought a perfect rainbow. 

At steamship Radetzky, Kozliduj harbour. The steam ship was captured in 1867 by revolutionary Christo Botev and his 200 man strong army. He is a national hero who made revolution against the Turks and tried to attack them from the river. Not successful at all and in Kozoduj they met their destiny. But the brave attack started the joint Russian Bulgarian war against the Turks. 

Mixed grill

Magic moon over Duna 

Ruse, Basarbovski and Ivanovo 17 August.

See if you can beat this, Carl!

Took a trip to St. Dimitar Basarbovski Rock Monastery and the Ivanovo Rock Churches.

According to information outside the Monastry the legend says that the Monastry was founded in the 14 th century by the  Wallachian king Basarab I. A young man named Dimiter became a monk and after his death the whirling waters of the Rusenski Lom river carried his body to the village. Miracles began to occur and it was known that St Dimiter was protecting the village. During the Russian-Turko war 1769, general Salticov took St Dimiters remains and on the request of the ( did not see) community of Bucharest left them for safekeeping in Romania. St. Dimiter Basarbovski seems to reunite Romania and Bulgaria.

This is what I read. Once again I need to do some research, who is Genersl Salticov? king Basarab?

Inside one of the churches..

a monk was signing certicates. Was not sure if I was allowed to take a photo.

The port of Basarbovo, not for us!

The stairs up to the churches

Another one of the later churches.

A view from ground level.

On the way to the Ivanova Rock Churches my driver pointed out these two storks.

View of Rock churches from ground level.

View from the Rock Churches of the Nature Park.

This dog met us at the entrance. Cannot work out what race it is ....

....or what mixture it could be.

Inside the rock church, beautiful.