Day 9 - Vidin, Bulgaria

6-6 Thursday

from the OAT itinerary:

Day 9:

Early this morning, your ship passes through customs at Vidin, Bulgaria's main port on the Danube. Then travel to Baba Vida, a medieval fortress of two walls and four towers. Baba Vida was the city's main defense in the Middle Ages, and also the most important fortress of northwestern Bulgaria. Please note: Some walkways at Baba Vida have tough and uneven surfaces and dark passageways.  

After lunch onboard, we'll cruise on to Ruse.

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We woke up this morning in Bulgaria. The city Vidin is a very small town but is revitalized as fast as they can do it. But, first, breakfast starting at 7 am til 9 am as usual. We never try to be the first ones because then the line is long. Much nicer to wait and then the buffet is very accessible. 

Itinerary said that the golden (yellow) group was going by bus at 9:15 am. We are always reminded to bring the receivers with us when needed (sometimes called whisperers). It wasn’t very far and we were there in no time. We went to the Baba Vida Fortress first. A field of roses with a statue is first impression. We learn that this area is famous for the rose water/oil. Later we saw little wooden flasks with it, created as souvenirs. The roses are gorgeous. The photo (unfortunately) doesn't show it.

We wandered around the fortress and it was interesting. The weather was super which makes everything more enjoyable. I am a bit saturated with history right now. I think I have to read up on it at home - especially when I have better internet.

So steep. Everybody tried to be very careful.

Picture of two nice couples who travel together. They taught me the card game “5 Crowns” and we enjoy chatting with them. We think we have a lot in common with Glen and Joyce, Shirley and David. If they lived closer we could be really good friends. 

The second photo: Helen and I used to call those "bathroom photos". Perfect to decorate with them. Always bring me happiness.

The Fortress had a chapel too.

Afterwards the whole group walked back toward the ship. Here is the Vidin Synagogue, built in 1894, which was abandoned by the Jewish community when they emigrated to Israel following the end of World War II. It’s now a roofless ruin but some are attempting to reconstruct it to use as a museum.

Just an example of some houses.

We walked passed the house of the orthodox bishop and right next to it the orthodox church.

Opposite: the mosque of Osman Pazvantoglu which we visited next was built in honor of his father, and next to it the library he had built in honor of his mother. We were invited inside. The imam (left) welcomed us and then answered any question we had. We all were very impressed with him and what he had to say.

He was asked whether he was allowed to chant for us and he did. VIDEO!   (0:20)

James raised the question about the radical moslems and he answered in an incredible way … that we all breathed the same air, used the same water etc etc, and in none of the religious books was it written that it was created for Christians or Moslems or Jews but that our Creator created it for ALL. He strongly said that we all prayed to the same God just in different ways. He was all about peace and love to your neighbors. He encouraged us that this was the message to spread. 

We continued walking towards the city/ship. 

When we reached it and Monika “let us loose” James and I decided on a beer in one of the promenade places (even though it was free on board). We chatted with another couple and watched local mothers with their toddlers.

Lunch at 12:30 pm. We were served soup as always and then picked what we wanted from the buffet. We had a choice of dessert too of which I picked warm bread pudding with marzipan sauce.

After lunch James and I wandered out again into town to find the church we should visit. We found St. Dimitrius. Not sure if it was the right one but we enjoyed seeing it. The icons are special to see.

So many trees you can’t see the church building.

We did have to hurry back to the ship because we kept hearing rumbles of thunder. We were lucky not to get drenched.

The ship left at 3 pm. I enjoyed some peace and quiet on the top deck. The ship glided along and I could not believe the many birds I could hear in the trees and bushes on the edge of the river. It was lovely.

James had signed up and went to a visit in the wheelhouse with Captain Titi. He enjoyed that.

At 5 pm was another Learning & Discovery lecture: “Customs & Traditions in Eastern Europe”. Our three guides wore traditional clothes and told about customs in their families. It was very nice.

It was a leisurely afternoon, mainly in the lounge or wandering around. 6:45 pm the Port Talk about tomorrow again. 7 pm dinner. We sat with two other couples tonight we had not chatted with yet which was very nice too. As main course I had “Tony Curtis Favorite Fish” which was grilled salmon filet with mango cucumber relish presented on a bed of buttered leaf spinach, carrots and new potatoes served with lemon grass sauce.

I had looked up earlier when sundown would be … shortly after 9 pm. Good timing because dinner was done. We went to the top deck and the sundown was so nice. 

We took each other’s photos. One couple liked theirs after I had taken it and said that it was for the Christmas card.

Is this not incredibly gorgeous? Everyday I have to think how incredible our Creator is to create all this around us.

After dinner the guides arranged again the entertainment. It was some kind of a dancing game. I was very reluctant in the beginning but once I understood what they intended it was rather good entertainment. Everybody was asked to fill out which dances are the most favorite (at which dance the most people would be on the dance floor).

Even James and I danced several times.