Troyan Bulgaria Day 196 24 October 2018
Moving house today, travelling to the central Balkans region and Troyan town. More driving than sightseeing – being a cold miserable day we did not mind.
Arriving in Troyan Nadia had found us the Tavern Old House for lunch. Entering the old building the interior was warm and filled with the buzz of happy eaters. A series of small rooms and low ceilings with a bar at the end of the room one entered. Seeing the food as we found a table, I was excited.
This was THE meal for me – every bit of it was absolutely delicious. Despite thinking (beforehand) I would just have soup – the Lamb roast was too inviting. Cooked to fall apart silky perfection. Chris had thee home-made sausage which as a recent growing expert on Bulgarian sausage – he declared excellent. With the meal we shared a plate of grilled vegetables and home-made flat bread which was warm, fresh and sprinkled with herbs.
After lunch a stroll through the old town. It was here the joke about the river began. Our first sighting of the Ossam river which when we heard the name it sounded like “awesome”. And so it became the Awesome river. Along the way the real estate was checked!
We opted for a visit to the Troyan Museum of Folk Arts and Crafts. Much of the ground floor was a display of the pottery of Bulgaria through the ages including early Roman pots and the distinctive colourful patterned Troyan pottery.
The museum included a model of an old town artisan’s street prior to 1877 with its Revivalist buildings. Upstairs a wide range of crafts from weaving, clothing, jewellery-making to wood work.
Tools and utensils made from wood were common and the display showed the breadth of the use of wood as a medium. In one display a series of wooden wine flasks with leather bindings gleamed with a warm rich polished wood.
In a special cabinet was an early cameo necklace – I think from Roman times – definitely ancient. The magnifying glass enabled the carved face to be admired.
Happily as the weather got colder we headed for our accomodation in the Chiflika Complex. The hotel was up in the mountains in what seemed a resort town – maybe for the ski season. Our hotel had hot mineral pools which I was less than enthusiastic about when I saw the large outdoor pool with steam rising. Nadia pointed out the lovely inside pool very near to our rooms.
Nadia had asked us days before if we minded a Guide joining us who needed to gain certification and needed her oversight. After readily agreeing we met Lubo over dinner at the Chiflika and immediately the four of us blended well. A raucousand wonderful evening leading into the following day together.
On the wall of the restaurant was a painting that interested me. It depicted a tall man in Bulgarian traditional dress dancing with another man also in traditional dress dancing what appeared to be a local dance. It is apparently in a tavern as they are surrounded by people. We were told the tall man was an Irish man James Bourchier. In Bulgaria it seems there is always more than one story and so it was with the picture with some describing the story about James Bourchier we were told and others suggesting it is two Bulgarian men dancing the Horo together.
