18 April – To Veliko Turnovo (Bulgaria)

My bed on the benches

Because my tent was damp after the thunderstorm late yesterday I slept under an open arch on two park benches put together while the tent was hung up to dry overnight. I did put the mattress down on the slats first and even though it was in the open I was quite warm during the night.

A view across the border to show the horrible weather

A typical block of flats

Laura and her small plate of sandwiches

My lunch

Ready for lunch

A view of Veliko Turnovo

A view of the town

Leaving early again we travelled on the E70 to the border with Bulgaria, taking 50 minutes to cross through the two border posts. Arriving at Veliko Turnovo at 12.30hrs and in light rain we went and had lunch in a coffee shop where there was a good view of the town. A walk to the end of the street gave a view of the fort which was too far to walk to in the time allowed. It was noticeable that there were more sex shops and clubs than places to eat in the town but there were some very good craft and junk shops.

The old fort

A view of the town

Sculpture on the end of a building

Off to the camp site which was owned by an English couple and another English couple helped them to run it when they were busy. The awning was put up on the side of the truck for the first time in-case it rained, and rain it did right through to bedtime. The camp site had a bar and restaurant where we all congregated in the evening catching up on emails and blogs/diaries or playing board games. They had Strongbow cider which I had to try and plenty of English beers and foodstuff, including pork scratchings. The menu consisted of sausage and mash, English breakfast, treacle tart and custard and many of the British standards. In fact they could easily run a pudding club there with only the choices in the menu.

Toby wanted to swim in the lake in the morning regardless of the temperature but was warned off as they have a horned viper there which also went into the water and is poisonous. The lake was also used as the town water supply so swimming was not allowed because it was drinking water.

As a treat to myself I ordered a full English breakfast for the morning as did many others.