Thread by @PaliparanDotCom

Bucharest Airport on summer mornings is sheer madness. Huge queues at check-in almost everywhere, a long wait at security, and of course no fast track lane. Esp. when flying low costs like Wizz Air, or TAROM & other SkyTeam airlines, you are well advised to come 3 hours before.

Fortunately no queue at my check-in desk! Passport control is madness, but fortunately I know a shortcut. Bypass the queue on the right side, and you end up at automated e-gates which barely anyone uses! Time to relax now in the lounge with a coffee, tracking my incoming flight.

I'm on this Qatar Airways A320 to Sofia, a so-called 5th Freedom Flight (flight between two countries, neither of which is the airline’s home base). Normally I'd take the train, but as part of this trip is for work it's not convenient (would have meant leaving a day earlier!).

I got an entire Qatar Airways plane (almost) to myself, only one other passenger! This is awesome :)

Not too bad for a 40 minutes flight despite the plane getting quite crowded as five other passengers joined as well in the end ;)

Some stunning arrival views into Sofia, with Mount Vitosha as backdrop to the city and the famous Aleksandar Nevski Cathedral clearly visible below.

Extremely fast and smooth arrivals process. In 10 minutes from the plane to the metro. Time to head into downtown Sofia for some meetings (work and catching up with old friends).

Downtown Sofia around Serdika metro station.

First meeting done, quick coffee break plus some work on my laptop, and I even have some time left to walk a bit around the city centre before my lunch meeting.

Along the neoclassical court house to the central market hall..

The synagogue, Banya Bashi mosque, history museum, and a passage outside the TZUM (old communist shopping centre)..

Sofia does remind me a bit of Moscow in some places. Grand boulevards, elegant pastel coloured buildings..

One thing I always liked about Sofia is that it just feels like a pleasant city. It's walkable, the streets are leafy and it's surrounded by mountains, making it quick and easy to escape into the nature. Basically an European version of Almaty 🇰🇿 - which IMO feels very similar!

The Aleksander Nevski Cathedral is perhaps Sofia's most iconic sight!

The massive main building of the Saint Kliment Ohridski University (1), Ivan Vazov national theatre (2), military club (3) and the Russian church (4)..

Some more Sofia impressions..

Sofia has so many squares and streets that it can be hard to select one..

Delicious lunch at Aubergine. Cucumber and yoghurt soup, a perfect veg version of ćiğ köfte and a lime cheese cake. Paired with proper craft beer.

I was supposed to have a lunch meeting with a good friend of mine, but as he only managed to arrive quite late I had to look for some other (feline) friends to spend the time with..

Some more Sofia impressions..

Metro to Sofia's central station for the continuation of this trip..

The @sleeping_train for my trip across Bulgaria to Varna. Private compartment for 25 euro is a steal.

Varna station in the early morning after a comfortable (but too short!) night of sleep.

Varna has an impressive station, quite a fit for a major port and seaside resort!

Walking through the old Greek neighbourhood to my hotel. I love the cute fruit & pegetable store cat guarding the premises!

It's a nice, leafy area of town to explore. There are ruins of Roman baths which bear a slight resemblance to Rome's Terme di Caracalla.

When it comes to the amount of cats on the streets, Varna feels like Istanbul or any Greek city.

Lunch at the port of Varna at Happy Bar & Grill, a beloved Bulgarian restaurant chain which started out in this city before conquering the rest of the country. Mussels as the main, and some chocolate 'lasagna' pancakes for dessert.

The Museum of Medicine History is housed in the building where the first charity hospital of Varna is located. Entrance is free, and it's well worth a visit.

Some Varna impressions..

Varna has a large pedestrianised area in the city centre. Lots of small parks, fountains, shops and restaurants and landmarks such as the city opera (picture 2). Pleasant area for a walk in the late afternoon or early evening!

Some more Varna impressions..

Lots of nice cafés on the main street, but it's well worth deviating a bit from the main streets to discover some unusual buildings. No idea what the last one is supposed to be!

From the highrise Cherno More Hotel & Casino it's a short walk to the main entrance of the Sea Garden, a huge parks which runs parallel to the beach.

Walking through the Sea Garden to Varna's city beach.

Even though the sea here might not be the most appealing to swim in, the sandy beach itself is absolutely fine.

Cubo is a great place for a (sunset) drink in Varna. Relaxed vibe at the beach bars, seaside park and promenade. Reminds me a bit of Odessa.

Local tavern for a traditional Bulgarian dinner. Shopska salad, Parlenka flatbread with garlic, chicken, pork and veggies on a 'sach' (flat clay plate for cooking). Yummy. Cats like it too!

Today marks an interesting train travel day, as I'm heading to an unique destination! I'm on the morning train from Varna to Sofia, although I will get off at Shumen.

For the first part of the journey, the train follows the Varna Liman (estuary).

Views from the train. Lots of big ships anchored in this estuary!

Having cleared the docks and industries around the liman, the scenery becomes more lush and hilly as we go further inland. I have two compartment mates, a friendly old man who speaks a bit German and his wife who just stares blankly, having already opened two cans of beer.

Bluffs and outcrops around Provadia, the most scenic bit of this railway line.

The lush Bulgarian countryside..

And after a while we reach Shumen station right on time!

Your stereotypical Eastern European train station picture :) I already like Shumen!

The main reason to stop in Shumen is the Founders of the Bulgarian State Monument, built high up on the hill overlooking the city. The reason why this monument was built here is because the first Bulgarian state was founded nearby under Asparuch in 681 AD.

The cubist dude putting his sword in the ground is Asparuch, who reportedly said "and this is where Bulgaria will be". Other depicted people are rulers, diplomats and boyars who made an impact in early Bulgarian history. It's pretty cool brutalist stuff really!

Some more impressions of the monument, which also has cool mosaics. If you climb up here you can enter "free" as the ticket office is at the other side at the access road, but even then do buy a ticket! It's cheap and their info leaflet is very detailed about history & symbolism.

Climbing down again. The steps will bring you right in the heart of Shumen's city centre. Of course, I had to make a pitstop to try the local Shumenskoe beer at its source!

Downtown Shumen. Note the unfinished concrete highrise which probably has been standing like this since the fall of communism!

It's a beautiful mishmash of all kind of all kind of styles from different historical eras. Although the uphill layout of the city is a bit weird at first, it is easy to orientate yourself as most of the points of interest are on or just off the long pedestrianised street.

Shumen's old town (a mainly residential area away from the city centre) has a proper Ottoman Balkan feel to it.

Back in the city centre, a great lunch for just a fiver at a traditional restaurant.

Turkish coffee at a local coffee shop and it's back along the main pedestrian street to the train station.

Yes, that's a missile casually standing at a street corner. In some places, Shumen almost makes me feel like I'm back in Russia. It really is an intruiging mix and well worth visiting for a day. I'm however moving on, walking through the central park back to the train station..

Shumen station, time to slowly head back home! Most trains to the city of Ruse on the 🇧🇬🇷🇴 border are connecting services, changing trains at Gorna Oryahovitsa. There are also slow and infrequent direct services via Razgrad - and I'm on one of those.

Cute train station cat on the main platform! My train from Shumen to Ruse, taking 4 hours and 23 minutes, is however departing from the island platform. Bit grubby train, 2nd class only.

Each compartment seats 8 persons. Unreserved seating and a very light load, so I have one for myself. Plus points: windows can open fully and each compartment has four power sockets!

Departing Shumen..

The weather is not the best today, with rain clouds approaching. Typical Eastern European train snack for the ride!

Raindrops start to fall on my camera lens, so I guess it's time to close the window for now.

Stations between Shumen and Razgrad.

Riding through the Bulgarian landscape..

Some more impressions from the train as we trundle through the Bulgarian middle-of-nowhere..

Sure, it's not some amazing Swiss-like scenery, but it's a pleasant ride and the views and skies are beautiful enough! I always like such rides through 'unknown' rural parts of Europe about which you have no clue at all how it looks like from the window..

Circling around a small Bulgarian village with #fensterauf (window open).

Chitrino (1), Samuil (3) and Razgrad (4) stations.. getting closer and closer to Ruse!

As the sun sets, the train is finally approaching the outskirts of Ruse.

Arriving at Ruse on the dot.

It's a good 20-30 minute walk from Ruse's grand station into the city centre. As there are no immediate onward connections to Bucharest (the daily train has long departed and the first minibus only leaves at smth like 3am), I will overnight here.

I have always like Ruse. There isn't a great deal to see but it's a really pleasant town with some good quality cafés and restaurants, a pedestrianised city centre and a nice riverside promenade on the Danube. Not a bad town to spend a couple of hours or a night!

Staying at Hotel Splendid just because of its cheap €23 room rate. Dated room, but spotlessly clean, friendly staff and super central. However, it has thin walls and sturdy doors which dont close easily without a loud bang, making it very noisy!

Grand Hotel Riga is the top hotel in town, but I've mixed feelings about that place too as it's overpriced, w badly maintained rooms. This communist-era highrise does however have great views from top floor rooms & its restaurant is one of Ruse's best so I'm eating here this eve.

Goodmorning from Ruse! Pictured: The Palace of Justice (1), City Hall (2), the Opera House (3) and the Pantheon of National Revival Heroes (4). Colder autumn weather has temporarily arrived..

After a short walk around town, the clouds seemed to have cleared up for most. Time to stop for breakfast at one of the appealing city centre cafés.

Close to the main square you can find the Sveta Troitsa Church, Ruse's oldest (Orthodox) church built in 1632. Maximum building height requirements at the time forced the builders to partly build the church underground!

Walking towards the Danube.. If you cross the railway line (freight only), you will hit Ruse's appealing riverside promenade.

Across the River Danube is Romania! Just a short time left here in Bulgaria and I will cross over.

Some last views of the Danube, and it's back across the freight line to the train station some 20-30 mins walking to the south. Cool communist mosaic at the underpass of the road in front of the train station!

Ruse's train station with the adjacent bus station. Quite grand in style as an important border station should be, but a bit dilapidated around the bus station.

Some more pictures of Ruse station. The daily train to Romania leaves from platform 3. Bulgarian border formalities are done just before boarding or exiting the train at the platform (guards take passport, walk with them to their office, return moments later having checked them).

The train from Bucharest arrives.. Bulgarian border guards can be seen going into the train to collect the documents of passengers. The passports/ID cards of pax waiting at the platform to travel out of Bulgaria have already been collected by them.

I hate these Siemens Desiro trains. When you're unlucky enough to travel on them in Romania, expect broken windows, graffiti, uncomfortable seats and closed toilet leaking water & urine into the carriage. Bizarelly enough only Desiros on the short Bucharest airport line look OK.

Crossing the Friendship Bridge over the Danube between Ruse 🇧🇬 and Giurgiu 🇷🇴. At Giurgiu, border formalities are done on the train.

Some pictures of the same stretch..

After Giurgiu, the train climbs up a bit to the Wallachian plain.

Once on the Wallachian plain, the ride gets rather boring..

And back at Bucharest Gara de Nord after a great Bulgarian trip!

Finally back in my apartment for some cuddle time with my sweet cats and a nice homemade dinner of stuffed aubergine. Travelling is great fun, but returning home to this certainly isn't bad either. Thanks for following along virtually and see you again hopefully on the next trip!