retiredmartin

April 2024. Veliko Tarnovo.

Our third Bulgarian city, a third characterful hotel under £40, the snappily titled HiStory INN unique guest house (Houses of Olden Times) in Veliko Tarnovo was a cracker, at the end of the ancient houses of cobbled Gurko Street.

A smiley face above Mrs RM’s name on the room door,

a sign instructing you to shut up,

and this view from the garden;

Three (3) hills and two (2) fortresses to explore; well, we failed to tick Tsarevets or Trapezitsa but did manage a walk around the banks of the Yantra as the showers started.

We barely passed another soul, bar the construction workers who’d installed a temporary footbridge where the budget for the crossing ran out.

I commend Bulgaria for their regular placement of coffee vending machines, this one outside a garage.

But you’re here for 13th century Orthodox churches not 30p espressos, and as we emerged from a soggy walk round the fortress at the foot of the northern slopes we found our prize;

Actually, I wouldn’t have gone in the Church of Saints Peter and Paul, especially not with an entrance fee approaching £2.50 (each !),

but then we’d have missed the astonishing frescoes being admired by an awestruck German couple.

My average time in a medieval church is 3 minutes 25 seconds, we spent 10 minutes here,

in part due to a lengthy discussion with our German friends about the merits of the church within the fortress.

We listened attentively to their complaints about military weapons in a house of God (they should see Serbia), decided we’d skip the fortress,

and headed towards the Old Town (with the best views from outside anyway).

“Have you got a pub stop in mind ?” asks Mrs RM.