Edelweiss-Park

Bansko scenes 1

by ger4444

My trip from Rila to Bansko was a fabulous trip. Although by bus (with no airconditioning and windows that couldnt be opened and a temperature of 30 degrees Celcius) the scenery of the landscape made a good compensation. The road was mainly a mainroad and no highway, so that is better when you want to enjoy the scenes of little villages passing by. However, it was quite funny that the bus took in the area of Blagoevrad a part on a highway, that was a result of a project of the European Union. It was so relaxed and also quite bizar to see now and then farmers on their donkey-driven carriages riding on the highway! In Bansko I first searched for a hotel, and the owners of the hotel I stayed the first night were so friendly to let me pay only the half of the prize (as I am such a poor student…) So, it was a great contrast to stay at a more luxurious hostal compared to the Spartanic dorm where I slept the night before next to the Rila monastery. In Bansko I spend my first day exploring the old town. I couldn’t get enough of the beatifull and atmospheric small cobblestone streets and old houses. I visited some of the houses from inside and imagined myself living in these places in the nineteenth century. It was also funny to visit the local taverns at the border of the old town district. There was a very pleasant tavern were locals were singing folk songs and drinking local Plonk; unfortunately I couldn’t make much of the content of the songs they were singing…I felt a bit like an unvisible spectator watching a 3D Bulgarian television show on folk music. I also had to pay a visit to the Pirin national park office to get some infos for hiking in the Pirin mountains. The staff was enormous helpful and could speak French and gave me all kinds of info’s and maps, and I could leave my luggage over there during my hike. They weren’t used that tourist came to their office, so they had a pleasant intermezzo in their workingschedule I guess. Since I had to get up early the next morning for my trip to the mountains I only had a local dinner at one of the many taverns at the old town and didn’t go for any nightlife on my first day in Bansko. Yet, before that I spend some time at the International Jazz festival, which was that week in Bansko

local food was very delicious. You have a good choice of different dishes and of course you choose plonka from the wine munu

When you are in winter in Bansko you can go to see Kukeri.

The festival of local folk music and dance happened to be in Bansko in August too!