Staying in the Kempinski in Sofia - which is posh but out of the way & a long trek to the city centre. The Panorama Restaurant on the 19th floor has - inevitably - good views of the city & surrounding hills. I had dinner there on my first night - some lovely turbot (from the Black Sea) (i assume they farm it) - and then for dessert a plate full of gorgeous ripe cherries & some red grapes - a fine (Bulgarian) Sauvignon Blanc to wash it all down - magi...

On leaving Veliko Tarnovo - and sadly having to say goodbye to the captivating Liliana (who is studying finance at the university in Veliko Tarnovo and working in the Hotel Yantra during the holidays) (and who kindly chatted to me & answered my daft questions about life in Bulgaria) - we set off for the rather unlikely sounding city of Plovdiv - Bularia's second-largest city... Plovdiv reminds me of the Central Asian rice-based dish "plov" - and it...

Greetings from Veliko Tarnovo - a former capital of Bulgaria until it was captured by the Ottomans. The old part of the city is really charming overlooking the Yantra river valley and surrounded by ravines; valleys & forest. The fortress of Tsarevets is the main attraction. Well, i say that but it may no longer be true - the English appear to have moved-in and not because of the fortress...... The estate agents here advertise properties in English and give ...