May 04, 2004 08:21
Sunday was grand.
Koprivshtitsa is celebrated as the birthplace of the 1876 Revolution by Bulgarians against Ottoman rule. It is also one of the quaintest and nicest European towns I have ever seen. Well worth the visit. Today was the anniversary celebration of that event in late April of 1876, with locals dressed in period costume brandishing guns and rifles and drinks and rakiya. I was terrified by the casual manner they were holding the guns, mostly old rifles, some of them flintlock style, randomly pointing them at people to reload. When one inebriated local shot his pistol off next to my head in the restaurant at lunch, I nearly had a heart attack -- but also notice he was pointing it up into the umbrella and no bullet hole appeared.
We had an organized tour for foreigners, but failed to be at the right pickup place, so had to find a map and a car and drive there, a pleasant affair. We got out of the rainy and cloudy city and into the sunny hills, saw birds and hares, horses and goats. The town is lovely -- bright blue and purple and other-colored buildings with red curved-tile roofs. None of the communist monstrosities that litter every other town in this entire region. Snow-capped peaks visible in the distance. We found a table at the First Gun mehana at the site of the inn where the revolution was first begun. It was, all-in-all,a great day.
There is a Valley of the Roses up the road from here, where the Damasc Rose is bred and cultivated. Though this breed came from Tunisia and was introdced by the Turks here, this valley is the primary source -- in the entire world--for rose oil. From rose oil comes perfumes -- and rose whiskey, brandy or rakia. After searching the shops, I found some and grabbed it. We tried several cafes to get open shots -- but they looked at us like we were crazy -- you have to go to Kanzanluk to get that!!! Kanzanluk is the next city up in the valley, about 100 km (56 m) away. And I have rose petal jam made by local craftswomen. Not sure how it tastes yet.
europe,
mountains,
food,
flora,
travel,
history,
turkey,
tunisia,
party,
bulgaria