60.32 Bulgaria: Pamporovo: A morning of reclimbing walls, rocks and cliff-edges in an autumn setting of splendid color. Miracles continue despite...

  Against a backdrop of our nation under attack (what's new, unfortunately?), we have part of our minds and a lot of our hearts elsewhere. Nevertheless, it helps not and feeling someone else's pain may be empathetic, but it certainly doesn't assist them much, if at all. That has us thinking and we hope we can develop a useful personal strategy. So, as we all have to do, we carry on living, a great alternative. We are fortunate that our activities on most days are so incredible that we feel blessed and enjoy a number of other advantages through them. We hope it continues and peace descends upon Israel and all decent people. 

  We continue to see sights and enjoy hikes that are fantastic. I use superlatives often as a reader has probably noticed but it's because that's how I feel most of the time in the wilderness. In the towns and cities, especially the latter, less. In fact, after a few weeks of soaking in the beauty, challenges and satisfaction Bulgaria has showered upon us, I mentioned to Jenni, not for the first time, that this is my favorite country to visit, live for extended periods and explore the wilderness. Of course, she as good as said, 'Here we go again, every place you visit is your favorite'. I did not dare to look but I'm certain her eyes were rolling. Sure, I have a lot of favorites but there's something about Bulgaria, or rather the regions around the Pirin and Rhodope Mountain Ranges, that I literally love. 

  There's much about the country that is problematic, of course, but then again even Switzerland isn't what it once was. Fortunately, the Swiss (and Bulgarians) are refined and won't throw bombs or try to destroy me. Danke! Blagodarya. Because this blog has an enormous quantity of pictures, we'll complete the text at a later occasion. 

Hmm! (Heck, that was such an easy caption).
A triangle backyard (foreground right)...one less corner to negotiate. The neighborhood behind the triangular garden impressive...maybe?
Jen goes climbing rocks and walls with background.
Via Ferrata, one way to make the day blood-pumping and hence, exciting.
After some rock climbing, Jen reaches a top.
Discover some unique sights and colors along a cliff edge.
Are these colors genuine?
'Reach for the sky, Pardner', exclaims Jen as she positions herself across the way on a great rock. Each photograph costs me $10, her way of discouraging this 'foolish' behavior.
Jen heads into the forest to scale a wall that will take her to a path toward the car.
A favorite of the many.
No where else to grow...you take what you can get plus the rent is quite low on the wall. We believe this is the ultimate wallflower.
Having a whale of a time...sounds better than a wall of a t...Also, completely safe...from whales and sharks.
Shades of green, still.
The quick way down to Smolyan, a city with prospects.
'Downtown' originally Petula Clark now Smolyan.
'I am a rock' and a glorious one, too.
Jen arrives at a cliff edge. (See below next picture for relevance).
3-days later, we hike down to the lake (above photo) from just below the peak and return.
Without kidding (per 'Joe'), some of these places are as close to heaven as I am likely to ever get.
Yet another view of Snezhanke, our beacon in the province, inter alia.
This is the original Hotel California, beautiful and free to leave, too.
The chains do not extend to the cliff top at the extreme left. However, they sure go high enough on the right side.
Depth, color, positioning. As a famous literary giant was heard to exclaim when he saw this: "Man! Oh My."
Can't believe this. And Jen thinks I'm a show-off.
A pond and a pound of green.
By next week, the colors will be superior. Is that even possible?
Cheers, 

Jenni and Jeffrey 

עם ישראל חי

6.34 Bulgaria: A glimpse of the initial effects as the season makes a glorious change.

Captions are superfluous in this blog.

  These pictures were taken over a short stretch of a hike as we made our way toward Rohzen Observatory. We are beginning to witness the glorious change in seasons via the effect on plant life (and the chill). We know from previous visits to this country that it's going to get even better before a type of hibernation sets in and growth ceases. 

  In a human world that has been turning an even duller grey over the last decade and more, it only takes spending time wandering in the wilderness to experience and witness the beauty and miracles that abound outside humanity's destructive reach and arrogant nature. 

  One of the great benefits of spending much time in the wilderness has been the humbling effect nature has imposed upon us, but in the most positive manner. We have come to realize and understand our place in the world. Frankly, we truly are irrelevant but at the same time are privileged to enjoy some of the finest opportunities on offer, to witness and almost be part of nature's miracles. For that we are grateful, and truth be told, more fulfilled than at any other time in our lives. We would not wish to have it any other way.

A thank-you to beautiful Bulgaria.
Complete blogs to follow in the weeks ahead. 

Cheers, 

 Jenni and Jeffrey

60.31 Bulgaria: Beden (village) and above: The beginning of the end of growth: We have waited for you, Autumn...impatiently.

                                                                   AM YISRAEL CHAI (a beacon of hope/light in a harsh/dark world.) 

And you are always worth waiting for...and this is only the beginning.
Jen showing off her speed but we all know she is on a decline...
  Many sayings exist that sound glib or even brilliant. Our hats go off to those with such insight. Nevertheless, as insightful as these thoughts expressed to wider audiences are, it takes implementation for there to be a potential effect, to have significance or meaning. We have much time on our hands to consider many things in our lives as well as opportunity to do something about those thoughts and ideas—ideally to bring them to fruition. We’ve realized without action, they are merely cute ideas, nothing more. 

  Today, we were thinking of one of many of these concepts. We’re currently in Devin, a town we enjoy much that’s surrounded by many large mountains. We love that except there aren’t many trails and if there are, the Bulgarians are not too keen on sharing such information. We have always liked to explore mountains with intention of seeking ways to find trails to peaks. It’s very convenient when existing trails abound but less so when a scramble is called for. The idea is to seek ways of achieving the greater purpose using some basic sense (short supply) coupled with imagination. 

  It was one such day when we were able to find a combination of roads, trails and paths to reach a peak way above a town a few miles from Devin. By researching from the road the day before while returning from Yogadina, and experimenting today, we had without exaggerating, a spectacular day of hiking. Adding in the first glimpse of autumn colors made the experience even more memorable. 

  What's the ‘saying’ we referred to earlier: 'If a person thinks she cannot succeed, then she’s right. If that person thinks she can succeed, she is also right.' It works but of course, that doesn't necessarily make it easy just having the right attitude. In fact, most tasks and challenges that are easy are usually meaningless. The good life is a struggle but invariably, filled with rewards along the journey. 

The road into the village from the gorge. It's a pretty good road relatively speaking. We began our hike much lower down.
After forty minutes, we face part of the village, nestled ideally on the side of the mountain.
We pass the village and look back...it looks even nicer. What we'd do for a cup of coffee/tea now...
Going higher.
Let's continue...
We've noticed the colors becoming more striking each day.
Flora is varied and most attractive.
There's a power to the forests in this country...the trees abound.
In the previous blog we pointed out the views of Snezhanka Tower from a multitude of sites. This is the furthest position for us.
On our way down into the gorge, another gorgeous place.
Cheers, 

Jenni and Jeffrey

Talking of coffee earlier, another thing I love about the country are the vending machines, as we return from the peak and walk through the village.

60.28 Bulgaria: Pamporovo: The Snezhanka Tower, a beacon of light, a landmark par excellence.

                                                                   AM YISRAEL CHAI (a beacon of light in a dark world)  

  Besides being an attractive and distinctive structure in the Rhodope Mountains, above the village/town of Pamporovo, it is a very useful beacon to aid strugglers such as ourselves, find our way, particularly when surrounded by dense forests. Perhaps the forests are the enlightened while we are the dense ones. Nevertheless, just spotting the tower is an exciting feeling especially when miles distant. 

  When we noticed it from a mountain village over an hour away by road, it produced a very warm feeling within each of us. At the time, the weather was cloudy which made it quite a challenge to see. Even when we thought we had identified it, it was only after seeing a photograph taken with the telephoto lense that the Snez. could be confirmed. We undertook another hike on a mountain close-by two days later, the weather being clear, and the distinctive features of the tower were obvious to the naked eye.

  The pictures below illustrate many of the positions from which we have observed the Snezhanka Tower.

Perspective of the tower from ground level.
As we make our way up from the bottom of our 6th ski/chairlift route taken.
Jen approaches from one of the slopes, close to arrival at destination.
Spotted miles away from via ferrata area.
Viewed from another village, Chepelare, many miles distant. 

The full tower and someone looking full of herself.
Can't get much closer.
Deceptive views because of deceptive slopes.
From Yazovira Dam, Studenetz.
From a mountain above the town of Beden on the outskirts of Devin, over an hour distant by road.
Probably the only place thus far we've been above the tower at which position it was visible. We were a few kilometres from Perelik Hut.
That should be a breeze as we commence ski slope 4, another black diamond. 

 Her Royal Highness, Queen Jennifer, the First.
Cheers, 

Jenni and Jeffrey