The moment I was accepted at university in London with Journalism, I knew I had to do one last thing before leaving my motherland Bulgaria behind my back. Somewhere deep in my heart I felt the need to stop time and start wandering in the mountain nooks of Rhodopes with my family. Rozmari De Meo, a Bulgarian writer known for performing the ancient sacred Bulgarian ritual of “calling the joy”, has a saying: “To be happy, you need to reconnect with your roots. Do not be a single branch in the forest: find your tree.”
During the one-week journey in the Rhodope mountains we visited numerous places that made us connected to something bigger, even than the Universe itself. Our haven in Smolyan town where we engulfed sunbeams, fresh air and organic food, was called “Chapov”. Located only two kilometres from Smolyan’s lakes, it is a traditional, three-storey, untouched by time and modernization house, hidden mysteriously behind a high fence. I spent every morning with a boiling hot cup of sweetened milk on one of the logs in its pretty garden, which had a palette of flowers more abundant in colour than the rainbow. The owner of the chalet, grandpa Stoyan, prepared breakfast typical for the region- rodopski patatnik, rodopski klin or katchamak. We devoured every bit of these delectable dishes to gain enough power for adventures and new knowledge with our old cherry-coloured friend, Renault 19.
We had the chance to tickle our palate and actually make a difference between various kinds of cheese and milk. In Smilyan, a hamlet embraced by the mountain’s hands, we went to the “Dairy Inn”, where we tried home-made Bulgarian yogurt with strawberry jam. It was one of a kind dessert, not solely because of bacillus bulgaricus, the bacteria used in the yogurt that can be found only in Bulgaria. What contributed enchantingly to the taste sensations were the wild strawberries, forming the marmalade’s consistency. For a while, with the spoon in my mouth, I started thinking about how properly handmade food and icy air penetrating our lungs with its purity can lift our spirits. Before this holiday, I had never woken up so early in my life, rejuvenated and clear of toxic thoughts. And while most of the people search for happiness in the immense beauty of Indian villages and their gurus, I found my India in the core of Rhodoppes with its good-humoured shepherds.
After we recharged our physical batteries, it was time to thrill our souls with the peculiar landscape revealed from Orpheus rocks. They fill your body with adrenaline and gratification when you reach the top, and are ideal for non-experienced hikers. The whole Smolyan shines with his red roofs and white chalet houses at the foot of the mountain, and you can get to the village really fast if you are not careful with the steep cliffs. The magical atmosphere coming from the rocks is still tangible, as if Orpheus, captivating in his sorrow over the loss of his wife-to-be Eurydice, hides somewhere in the bushes and plays mesmerizing, yet dramatic melodies with the help of leaves.
Not only did we take delight in gazing at the astonishing nature of Rhodopes, but we also turned our look to the stars. We had the chance to visit NAO (National Astronomical Laboratory) Rozhen, the biggest on the Balkans, and cast a glance at the Sun. This reminded us what tiny particles we are, and yet how much we brim with life-constructing energy.
The final stop of our trip was Snezhanka tower, which unveils scenery beyond description. Our breaths were taken away when we caught sight of the Aegean Sea along with Rila, Pirin and Rhodope mountains from the café on the last floor.
On our last day in Chapov chalet grandpa Stoyan showed us a corner of his garden we had not noticed before. There he grew Leontopodium, an endangered flower included in the Red Book of Bulgaria. “Your life is as important as this plant’s. Make sure you always water it, give it space to grow, and cherish it,” he smiled and gave us seeds as a gratitude for being his guests.
Kristina's Writing Adventures 