Adventures from Bulgaria: Summer in the Mountains – Days 4 & 5

Forest and Water

By Valeria Idakieva

[Sequel to “Days 2 & 3,” published on February 12.]

I woke up early in the morning to find out that the village was wrapped in thick, white fog, but I knew that when I went higher it would vanish. Climbing up the steep forest hill early in the morning was not to my liking, but I quickly reached the neighborhood where I had entered the village the previous day.
    All of a sudden, two dogs jumped out of nowhere and started fiercely barking at me, showing me their big, white teeth. I stepped back and since the ground behind me was lower, I tumbled over. For a moment, while I was falling on the ground, I could see one dog’s bare teeth right in front of my face. Everything happened very quickly and very slowly at the same time.
    I jumped to my feet right away, the dogs retreated, and people came out of the nearby houses and started shouting at the dogs. I breathed a sigh of relief, assured them I was all right, and went on climbing the hills over the village.
    Soon the path took me inside the forest, climbing up and down among the trees with little to be seen apart from the forest itself.

At noon I came to Karatepe resort village and headed for a nice place about which I had previously read. And it lived up to my expectations – spic and span and hospitable. I had a lovely rest and a delicious lunch in the coquette, a little garden in its yard.

    Some people from the local forestry were also having lunch there. We started a conversation in which I learned that a man had died in the thundery storm the previous day. They advised me against walking that day, because the weather forecast was for another storm. The kind host assured me that I could stay there and continue the next day.
    Although the offer sounded alluring, the idea of wasting half a day and falling behind my schedule did not appeal to me. So I tightened the laces of my shoes and hit the road again. I hoped to spend the night in the “Forest Centre” on the banks of Golyam Beglik Dam. I telephoned the place and when the man there told me they were full, my shelter receded in time and space, and I voiced a horrified “Not a single bed?” The voice on the other end of the phone said, “Let me check once again and call you back.” Luckily, in a few minutes, he called me and said they could put me up for the night.
    Now that I had a promise of shelter, I was free to complain that the trail was hot and steep. After some climbing, I started going down along the picturesque banks of a river, crisscrossed by small wooden bridges.

Just before sunset, I was savoring the view of the sun going down behind the hills and listening to the water lapping gently against the banks of the dam.
    The Forest Centre was bustling with people, their lively talk and laughter. The Centre had some cats and two dogs, which the children tried to include in their games. The dogs seemed so tormented, that when the children neared them, they ran away in distress. As it was getting late, the noises gradually faded out. I could hear faint singing and a guitar somewhere, but my fatigue was stronger than my curiosity and I fell asleep.
    Early next morning I left the Forest Centre and started walking again. I had to go along one of the sides of the dam and continue to the nearby Shiroka Polyana Dam.

    The sun was gently stroking the turquoise waters and the surroundings revealed breathtaking views before my eyes.

It was almost lunch time when I entered the forest between the two dams and enjoyed its green shadows.
    Soon Shiroka Polyana Dam was enchanting me with different views of water touching sky and forests. I was surprised with every curve of the bank I took.

    After the dam I continued climbing in the forest and finally reached the lodge where I was going to spend the night.

Copyright © 2018 by Valeria Idakieva