Veliko Târnovo by default

2 days ago, we were late for our bus, amper was ek in groot kakski! Ordered the taxi too late, and caused the old folks some anxiety! We then took a private taxi to Hisar because we did not know that there were 4 bus stations in Plovdiv, and which one had the bus that goes to Hisar? Dont know and cannot speak Bulgarski!!! Quite difficult to try and get information, and then yesterday we were 2 hours too early at the station, waiting for the train! Bulgarski and Afrikaanski is a little bit of Greek to another. A lot of misunderstandingski! At Plovdiv we take the slow train to Varna in stead of the fast one. Greekski again! We sit next to a beautiful train driver and in broken (vely broken) English he explains that we are on the slow train to Veliko Târnovo, but to him it is the most beautiful train trip in the world, so we should just enjoy it!

We train through more than 200 km of pristine forest, uninterrupted nature, incredibly beautiful! The trees are more than 60 to 70 meters high. And finally we arrive at the former capital of Bulgaria, a city hanging on a cliff next to a river.

Clinging to a sharp S-shaped gorge split by a snaking river, Veliko Târnovo is one of the real highlights of Bulgaria! This medieval capital and major university town is a pleasure to explore.

So absolutely breathtaking! By now we are so high on all the oxygen, and everything is hilarious! At the station a thinnervouslookingfasttalking individual, accost my dad for a room to rent, after endless negotiation, because there is no taxi in sight, and Rosan could not take no for an answer, we get into his equally dilapidated skedonk of a car! My dad with no tact, says! Seems that you're a bad driver, just look at the state of your car!

Rosan drives the way he talks, very fast! We enter the old town, by now dad says the car is so claptrap that only the wheels and axel will get to the top and we will be left at the bottom.

Rosan stops at his accommodation, so poor and run down, he is a short tempered linguist; his mother, Maria Popova, was a very famous opera singer that lived in Italy all her life.

There is no way were going to stay there, and now Rosan is plain demoer in! He races up to the hotel over potholes and cobble stones and drops us in the street swearing under his breath. I give him a lot of money out of guilt and also because I can see he is a struggling artist, he is a Latin American dance instructor.

I don't know if we are historically hysterical or if we can contribute it to all the fresh air, but by now we laugh about everything! My father blames my mother for his constipation. The previous evening mom gave him some Myprodols for relaxing and a good night's sleep, he didn't sleep well. Today he complains again and mom chirps: Wil jy slaap of wil jy skyt? Nou wil jy seker kasterolie hê?

To top it all, our bathroom has a leak and the shower doesn't work. This is the first luxury hotel with a 'wee' bit of a problem, but the views make up for it!

I see a sign that reads: I am in love wiz you! Engleeshki translated into Bulgarski!

Mom says in Bulgarian: weski loveski youski!

Now we are at the station again, waiting for our train to Romania! Mom is looking forward to meeting her vampire family at Dracula's castle! She will let her hair down for the occasion!

An archeologist gives me some Thracian coins and a part of a bangle for R10 (South African), more than 2000 years old.

And for Michelle, mom says: dis Alles 'n klomp kakski, sy byt sommer vir Dracula self, drawing some blood on your behalf!

After all this laughing mom says: lag maak vet! Nou verstaan ek eers my status as potjierol! Ek vra: nou hoe so? Sy sê dis 'n ou Afrikaanse gesegde! Nou leer ek weer iets nuuts!