//Day 18/29-03-22 /Negotin-Vidin

I needed to cycle only 65 K today, from Nigotin to Vidin, a small city near the border with Romania in Bulgaria. So I stayed in bed until 8.30, made an espresso and sat on the terras of my chalet-studio. Bojan, the owner/host, promised me he would arrange breakfast around 8.30. Around 9.00 he brought me a filo based  pastry filled with a green vegetable (which I did not know) and cheese, real espresso and some fresh orange based limonade/juice. All was perfect again, totally in line with the level of service received since I arrived at Bojan’s place. After breakfast I slowly packed and was ready to roll around 10.15. Bojan asked if he could join me to the border and taking me via a route through the hills to the border. I happily accepted. I was somewhat surprised that for my stay, the welcome beer and breakfast the cost was only 14 euro. I would have paid without any questioning the double. 

The plan was to go to Vidin, Bulgaria , and tomorrow follow the Romanian Eurovelo 6 route via Bucharest to Constanca at the Black Sea. Typically you would go directly to Romania via the Serbian-Romanian border but I wanted to visit Vidin, a small Bulgarian city with some (Roman) historical interest. Challenge is that the Bulgarian-Serbian border is not always open and supposed  to be used for transit only for commercial traffic. Bojan had called the day before to check if the border was open. He was confirmed it was. When I arrived at the Serbian part I was informed that the Bulgarian side was not open for me, only for trucks and commercial transport. The problem was that there was no doctor available to validate my COVID pass. A doctor was required as the Bulgarian border police at site did not have the means to scan my (triple) European vaccination certifications. The Serbian border police made some calls wit their Bulgarian ones…..Eventually they said that I should go to the Bulgaria side but explicitly say I was on transit through Bulgaria to Romania. I also understood that I needed to stress that I had an e-Bike, as “motorised” vehicles had a bigger change to being let through….So I cycled the 1 K through a John Le Carre no-mans land to arrive at the Bulgarian side where they looked very supprised to see an cyclist arriving. The first remark was that it was not possible to pass. I kept my friendly self and explained that I was only in transit and would go to Romania with my motorised bike…Some additional people were called, some discussion, the explanation they could not check my COVID pass,…..I smiled and repeated transit, motorised,….Eventually the waved me through, without checking my ID…..passed the barrier and was in Bulgaria.

I started cycling though the poorest part of Bulgaria ; a lot of people have emigrated to European countries or have left the farmer villages for cities. It became immediately visible. Mostly derilict houses and schools, shops..mainly old people in the street.

The people, visibly poor, where friendly and mostly waved, or even give a thumbs up when I passed by. At a certain moment I passed a garden where a trailer stood with a Dutch numberplate with a man working on ruin of a house. I passed. But then decided to return and ask the man if he was Dutch. He was. Steven, originally from Zwolle, and his wife had bought the ruin and a great plot of land some time ago and had the plan to build a new house. They were currently living in a caravan,  both product designers who could work from anywhere. The fell in love with Bulgaria (and assume the low cost of living) and decided to come an live in Bulgaria. Steven informed me some other non-Bulgarians had bought houses/land in the village. Personally I could not imagine to live in such a place (no shops, 35 K from the closest small town, almost empty village), but Steven seemed to be happy ! 

I continued to cycle through a northern France-like landscape : big fields, tractors at the horizon, tree lined lanes.  Sometimes cycling through small villages with an European sponsored village square (assume to support the social village network)  where people are talking and drinking with each other as there is nothing else to do. Besides farming, a big vineyard and some non-descript hangars I did not encounter much economic activity. 

Before I entered Vidin I crossed the highway to the Romanian border. I think at least 10 K of trucks were lined up waiting to cross the border. I did not take any photographs today but will definitely try to document tomorrow.  I stopped at a truckstop to buy a drink and swap my simcard. The lady behind the counter was supper friendly, her colleague managing the pump stations less so. See shoed me away as I was supposedly blocking the entry of the shop for the non-existing customers….

I found the hotel which I booked, had some discussion about the price (asking an invoice increased the price with 25%) and after cancelling my booking.com reservation and paying directly the hotel checked in for the foreseen price with invoice. I changed to my city-visiting clothing (which means I put on pants and shirt which are not to dusty) and discovered the city. I encountered a museum on the Roman historical background.I felt the  door but it seemed closed. When I walked away the door suddenly opened and a lady asked me in perfect English If I wanted to visit the museum. I said yes, paid the entry fee and the lady put on the electricity and lights…..The museum covered the city’s history and had some interesting Roman artefacts but all explanation were Bulgarian only. In addition the presentation was very 70’s…

I spend a good 30 minutes at the museum in order to avoid suffocation and continued my city exploration. I visited a beautiful small cathedral and strolled in a lovely park along the Danube, with a a people having a drink and snacks on sunny terraces, which inspired me to do the same until it was time to have some photo-chill time in my room. 

In the evening I had a pleasant slaschik (probably written wrongly) dinner. Made a short walk back to my hotel and fell a sleep (this is what I plan  to do whilst writing this post now…). All by all a nice day and first acquaintance with Bulgaria, which I will be leaving already tomorrow but will return to within 10 days. The next couple of days I will cycle the Romanian country side and will sleep in small villages. The first village will be Bechet, 120 K away, home of the famous Tata SI Fiji  hotel.  

Lessons learned : 

• It’s good to be in transit. 
• Not all European countries seem to have capabilities to read an European covid certificate easily.
• Serbia has been a interesting country to visit - nice people.
• There is less plastic waste in Bulgaria. 
• You can buy a house in Bulgarian countryside for around 5 K.
• Temperature will rise to 23 degrees - time for shorts….
• Good news will be delivered……

Song of the day : I waited for you - Daniel Norgren