retiredmartin

April 2024. Plovdiv.

Only a night in Plovdiv, so a bit of a shame we spent (2) hours walking the duller suburbs to check out the location of our 8:30am bus the next morning.

Bulgaria was easy to negotiate even with the impenetrable language (no worse than Sutton Coldfield to be fair), but booking a bus remains a challenge in the Balkans, and the bus to Veliko Tarnovo only ran once a day.

So it was important we remained focused and alert heading north from the Old Town, and not become distracted by a craft bar at the first turn.

Someone needs to be blamed, and that someone is the estimable Tony Lea of Farnborough, Hampshire, who’d just been through Bulgaria on a craft rampage.

Usual rules. Something local, not too strong.

Three from Sofia Electric, the stars of the trip. The IPA had run out. The NEIPA had run out.

“They have Overflow in cans” said a helpful local.

Do I look like a tourist who goes for cans when there’s draft ?

It was Mikkeller or a 13% Imperial Stout.

” **** it it’s fine” as Olivia sang about inappropriate beer choices.

The helpful local looked on in awe. Blimey it was gorgeously rich, Tony Lea was right. He probably always is.

Lo/Hi was great. Crosscountry cycling v basketball v Oasis competing for your attention.

Mrs RM noted that “Don’t Look Back In Anger” was a “dopamine hit”. “Like Torn” I said.

The Cure came on. Do they have a “dopamine hit” ? I thought of asking the local, but he didn’t look a Cure fan.

And just in case you wondered..

….yes, Madri has made it to Bulgaria.