Route Map through BULGARIA. Covered approx. 1,100km on the motorcycles.

June 27, 2006. Entering Bulgaria from Turkey at Malko Tarnovo. Mike stands beside a road sign that we can't read.

Our first gasoline stop in Tsarevo. Stepping back in time. Hoping the writing on the gas pump means unleaded.

Camping just south of Sozopol on the BLACK SEA.

June 28, 2006. The beach of our campsite.

Find sand, clear and warm water....

....how can we resist not going for a morning swim in the Black Sea.

One of the nicest beaches and sea we encountered on our trip.

Beside our shadows, one can see the sea shells through the sparkling water.

NESEBAR is a UNESCO World Heritage site (village) and sits on a small rocky isthmus.

The ST. JOHN ALITURGETOS CHURCH,located in Nesebar, is one of the 80 churches still remaining,....

The Church is a water facing (Black Sea), earthquake-battered church, with only the outer shell still standing.

The ST. STEFAN CHURCH stands diagonal from the St. John Aliturgetos Church.

The medieval murals are incredible inside the church.

Most churches are built between 6th & 14th Century.

The woodwork is very elaborate.

Most of the murals are in excellent shape.

Looking up inside the St. Stefan Church.

The outside of the St. Stefan Church.

THE PANTROKRATOR CHURCH, a 14th century church stands proud in the centre after the old gate entrance.

The Church houses an art gallery.

THE ST. SPA'S CHURCH.

In the centre of Nesebar is the towering frame....

... of the 6th century Brasilica.

The road from Sliven to Veliko Tarnovo.

Overgrown by lush greenery, most corners are totally blind.

The road winds through the mountain range, passing the occassional village.

Mike uploads the GPS tracks onto the computer on the side of the road.

Arriving in the medieval capital of Bulgaria, Veliko Tarnovo. Here we stay at a Pension.

June 29, 2006. In the morning we visit the TSAREVETS FORTRESS.

We follow the western wall, past the watch tower seen here...

... to the execution rock...

Once upon a time the accused were pushed off the execution rock into the deep gorge below.

The fortress sits high above a hill, with a gorge surrounding its three sides and the Yantra River winding its way around it.

The Thracians, Romans and Byzantines all had occupied this site at one time. The view of the town of Veliko Tarnovo.

The Bulgarian Flag flies high on the ruins of the Royal Palace.

We decide to climb up the interior for a better view.

The outside walls of the Royal Palace contain pilfered grave stones.

Ruby stands beside more pilfered structrual grave head stones.

The staircase leading to the upper level of the Royal Palace.

View of the Patriarch's Complex sitting high in the centre of the fortress.

The Bulgarian Flag.

Close up of the Patriarch's Complex.

View of the outer walls of the fortress.

One last look back as we leave the ruined citadel.

War memorial of the 1876 liberation from the Ottoman regime.

Heading south from Veliko Tarnovo to the DRYANOVO MONASTERY.

Inside the courtyard of the Monastery.

This beautiful stream makes it way past the monastery.

View of the exterior of the Dryanovo Monastery.

The walking path from the monastery leads past several waterfalls,...

...green lush forest...

...and more waterfalls to...

...the entrance of the BACHO KIRO CAVE.

The cave is 1200m long....

... and is an excellent way to get out of the heat of the day.

Ruby stands in the "Concert Hall".

From the Dryanovo Monastery we head up the Shipka Pass and visit the six-storey FREEDOM MONUMENT.

360 Degree views of the Stara Planina and Valley of the Roses below.

View of the Sredna Gora hills by Koprivshititsa.

Staying at the Hotel Kalina in KOPRIVSHTITSA.

Entrance to our hotel and the KARAVELOV HOUSE.

Same picture as previous one, only taken 60 years earlier. Not much changes in these parts of the world.

Inside the hotel, $35 including breakfast for a nice theme room.

Bulgaria still uses horses and wooden carriages for farming and main transportation.

June 30, 2006. Leaving our Hotel through the wooden gate. Maneuvering the beemers through tight space is not easy.

This small village of Koprivshtitsa has some 400 19th Century Buildings....

... with six of its homes being converted into museums.

We walk along the small cobble stone roads...

...enjoying the layed back atmosphere.

Another traditional home, painted a bright blue color.

Yes, these cars still exist in Bulgaria.

Wandering the streets.

Visiting one of the traditional homes converted to a museum. The OSKELOV HOUSE.

This home used to belong to a 19th Century Tax Collector.

It is a well detailed home with beautiful wooden designs.

Another traditional home we visited was the KARAVELOV HOUSE.

Inside the kitchen.

This is the press used by Lyuto to print the revolutionary press.

The home consisted of three sections. Seen here is the winter and summer house.

We say good-bye to a village, which was key in the revolt against the Turks on the 20 April 1876.

A deserted open-pit mine on the road between Pazardzhik and Velingrad.

After passing through the Pirin Mountains we end up in the Rila Mountains and RILA MONASTERY.

The monastery is now a UNESCO World Heritage site and was first built in 927 AD.

Seen here is the oldest part of the monastery, the 23m stone Hrelyu Tower.

The Nativity Church, built in the 1830's....

...contains 1200 incredible murals.

300 monk cells fill four levels of balcanies...

...which are lit up beautifully at night time.

We tried staying here, but were unable.

It is a huge complex.

Instead we wild camped in the forest nearby the monastery...

...beside this enchanting stream.

Heading to the Bulgarian/Macedonian Border Crossing at Delcevo.

1 km to the Macedonian border and after checking out of Bulgaria, we had to re-enter since we did not have a Visa, which can not be obtained at the border.

Bulgaria has a unique way of displaying its ice cream.

It is very yummy and very hard to resist.

Since we couldn't enter Macedonia we re-route to Greece and enter at Promahonas.