Читать книгу Walking in Bulgaria's National Parks - Julian Perry - Страница 8

PREFACE

Descending from Todorina Porta into the Banderitsa valley with Vihren (2914m) on horizon (Walk 10)

According to an old Bulgarian legend, when God had made the world and was partitioning out the land, the Bulgarian people ended up at the back of the queue. By the time their turn finally came, there was nothing left, so God decided to stitch together a tiny piece from all the other countries and give them this patchwork as their homeland. Indeed, despite its small area, just under 111,000km2 (less than half the size of the United Kingdom), Bulgaria is one of the most geographically and biologically diverse countries in Europe.

During the 20 or so years that I have been exploring Bulgaria, I have witnessed many changes. Not only has the country emerged from behind the Iron Curtain, it has also successfully thrown off the shackles of its communist legacy to become a fully-fledged member of the European Union. Furthermore, in the last few years alone, Bulgaria has developed from being a country usually described as ‘forgotten’, ‘unknown’ and ‘secret’, to a place that is now regularly declared to be ‘one of the hottest new destinations’ for both tourists and property investors alike. However, despite these dramatic developments, one thing has not changed – Bulgaria still remains a paradise for walkers and naturalists.

Cascade formed by the Retizhe river near Popovo Ezero (Walk 10, Day 1)