//Day 35 /15-04-22 /Sofia-Kyustendil

I woke up early and left Sofia, a city where I hope to return to. A lot of morning traffic but a designated cycle path guided me safely outside the city. In one of the many bakeries I passed I had croissants and espresso as breakfast. The first 20 K Black Horse and I had to climb to 900 meters, following a busy road, no other option. It promised to be again a sunny day and cycling most of the times on small roads, so the climbing was a small price to pay.

Sometimes I was able to follow a road  parallel to the dual carriageway which is the main road south, but the first 40 K I mostly had to cycle it. Traffic was not to heavy and the  cars and lorries kept enough distance. The views were again great. I do love the mountains, even from afar.

After 40 K I took a right and found myself for the next 60 K on small roads, asphalted, cobblestones, unpaved,…the regularly steep climbs could not spoil the fun : no traffic, no people,  beautiful scenery, blue skye , VRT radio top 1000 Classics in the ears……At first I passed a bigger city but afterwards it was mainly me, Black Horse, the scenery and the road. 

In the villages I passed the mini-markets were closed or the villages were to small to even have a mini-market. Most villages seemed abandoned or mainly populated by elderly people. A lot of unfinished and derelict buildings. The scenery though remained  beautiful. 

I’m a great admirer of the work of Filip Dujardin, a Belgian photographer and artist, who creates imaginary buildings who look real.  Today I passed a small village where  Dujardin’s imaginary world was real…The contrary to the fantastic work of Dujardin my photo does not involve any photoshop except to take away a “TO BUY” poster, yes this piece of art is to buy. If people are paying millions of euro for NFT’s then this (unfinished) building is worth more.It it as a piece or art.

Eventually I found an open mini-market, the soft drinks were cold but not as cold as I hoped. Anyway I enjoyed my time on the terrace sampling various soft drinks. The local drunk  joined me only to make sufficiently conversation to try to make me buy him a beer. On another table 2 chain smoking men, coughing away, were sitting who I (still) believe, are twins. I asked them in my best Bulgarian google translate if they were, but they said no…what do you think…let me know in the comments.

After the coughing (non-)twins the road went only downwards….the last 10 K to Kyustendil was a breeze. Except for the big dog, with the big teeth, which I thought to be behind a fence, but was not….mean bastard….

After some navigating I found my hotel, checked in and had a shower in my toilet, had some discussion on paying with creditcard or  not….Kyustendil is a nice small city, promoting itself as the Orchard of Bulgaria and touched by the hand of god. God touched certainly the Salate Caprese and the pizza Quattro Stagione I had ….I tried to convince the owner to open a Italian restaurant in Ghent…one of the best pizza I ever had….

Maybe it was not God’s hand who touched the pizzeria but the local choires who gave a performance in the nearby park…

Tomorrow , and the next 2 days, I will continue cycling through Bulgaria. I considered to go to North Macedonia but could not find accommodation easily…In addition the weather will be slightly better in Bulgaria, still rain and dropping temperature, but less then in North Macedonia. I wil return to NMA later on my route…

Sunday I will enter Greece (In time -and if internet allows- to follow Paris-Roubaix)  On Monday I will be in Thessaloniki, where I will stay 2 nights and have Black Horse checked out. 

Great day. Happy to be on the road……

Lessons learned :

• One of the best pizza I have ever eaten to date was in Kyustendil
• Twins lie that they are twins - not sure why…

Song of the day : Road to Nowhere - Talking Heads