17. Plovdiv

It is all in the name…..so it is said.

And Plovdiv somehow fitted its bill rather well. Say it very slowly…….Plooovdiiiv.

It brought to mind a Miranda-esque “plunge” (you need to have seen the episode)….plunge….or….squelch even.

For it might be the cultural capital of Bulgaria…but for us it was just….wet! Very wet! And cold! Actually freezing cold! So….without the snow-shoes and proper winter gear…it was not enjoyable to walk more than a few steps outside. 

So…..in essence, we didn’t! We just….Plovdiv! 

It will be memorable to us….simply for that!

I did manage a brief wander….until even my bones were shivering….and took a few photos. But few folk were braving the weather…so its famed vibrancy was absent. 

This first photo…of our street will also forever bring back the other memory of Plovdiv. Our flat was on the right….directly opposite the bell tower on the left!! And this wee campanalia sprung to life three times day!! Thankfully at the relatively respectable hours of 8am, 9.15am and 5pm. Times etched in my memory.

For it released indeed a campanological cacophony! (…is there such a word as “campanological”…? If not, there should be!). So difficult to describe…but the background was a four note descending round which was in itself quite tuneful (maybe even C, G, E, C)….then add in before and between each note an off-tone bell an octave higher…maybe b-flat). And then imagine each round of nine dings played in staccato fashion over less than two seconds…then repeat 24 times (..yes, I counted it!).

And…being but metres from our windows…the whole place literally reverberated as if you were inside the bells!! It was extraordinary!!

Iain was asleep at 8am…..but was certainly wide awake within a second of the first round starting!! (…hmmmm..certainly more efficient than that iPhone of his……!!)

Hilarious really! And certainly cacophonous!

Anyway…..some more photos….but sorry none overly exciting….for it wasn’t!

 We did washing (no drying rack….and wet outside)…so our living room had the aircon on full blast with clothes draped everywhere!

The bathroom tap fell off.

Memories of…Plovdiv!

We did venture out for beers and food…and found a covered place with heaters! All good…until the gas ran out…and the proffered blankets just did not cut it really. STEAL was a good distraction……(I2, N1 once again, alas!)…but the food was very average…..so we were not sorry to return to our sauna of a Chinese laundry!

I retired to bed to read…while Iain stayed up to watch the Champions League semi-final. 

Our escape from…..Plovdiv…!

A shame really….for Plovdiv…is indeed most people’s Bulgarian highlight. Hohum!