Whoah there, I'm actually looking forward to moving on to a new place tonight. That's totally out of character for me. I like to stay planted, avoid traveling - comfort, predictability, familiarity - you get the point. This morning while we're preparing to leave, I'm actually the first one packed.

We're leaving the sleepy little town of Belbovo behind. You wonder if you'll ever return. The place, like so many others, definitely get's under your skin. It's just a whole nother world, so quiet and laid back. Everytime we drove through the town to our villa, the joke was, will the guy holding his cat be on the corner of the street. And more often than not he was, and would just stare at us till we were out of sight. It's hard to reconcile the
often outrageous pace of our home in Fort St. John, to this life here.

By the end of the day we hope to be in the second largest city in Bulgaria (*sigh*, goodbye Belbovo), a seaside place called Varna, or more specifically, a village just north called Albena (I think). After two weeks, we'll be saying hello to our old friend, the Black Sea, once again - only from the opposite shore.

Back in Veliko Tarnovo, we return the van and buy bus tickets to Varna. After that's settled, we take a drive to the old quarters for a close-up look at this ancient city of the Bulgarian Tsars! At the heart of their empire is a hill-top fortress. I know what you're thinking: "Another one?!" Yes, yes. But it's as awe-inspiring as the first old castle we saw in Gastonbury, England - maybe more. Picture a beautiful land with rolling hills and a winding river snaking it's way through. Suddenly you come upon an oval-shaped plateau, protected on all side by natural cliffs AND a medieval wall, with guard towers stationed every few hundred yards. At the centre (highest point) of the medieval fortress rises an old church with a tower jetting 200 feet into the air. This place has been inhabited since 2000 BC, with the current ruins dating from 1000-1300 AD. It's pretty impressive. And there are no "keep off" signs, so the kids are walking all over everything, jumping up old steps, sitting on the remains of Roman pillars, and even walking along the top of the wall for awhile (which makes Sara VERY nervous). There's a booth where Levi get's dressed up as a knight, climbs up on a horse, and poses for...I don't know, a 100 shots :-). The entire tour of the old fortress: $4 for everyone.

Walking back through the old town, we're hungry and looking for something authentically Bulgarian. Vioila! A little place that seems to fit the bill. There are room enough for about a dozen to sit in the outside veranda which looks out over an OLD church (it's just there, no signs, and clearly not in use, but beautiful to look at). The food is amazing, and new to the senses (score). Luke orders rabbits and makes a comment about how cool it would be if you could pick out your rabbit first, kind of like seafood restaurants do with lobster. Levi's eyes water at the thought :-), even though it was his idea to get rabbit in the first place!

Traveling is a step of faith in Bulgaria. The lady who sold us the ticket says that Bus 33 goes to Varna. The bus driver says "nyet" or no. The lady says YES. We get on the bus. And hope it goes to the right place. so far the iphone GPS is telling me we're heading in the right direction. That's good enough for me!

20:46pm

We've arrived in Varna :-). Black sea here we come!