The insane Easter rocket war of Chios

The Easter rocket war of Chios. Photo credit: Adam Rifkin, Flickr.

The Greek island of Chios hosts the most explosive Easter celebration ever! Each year on the eve of Easter, the congregations of two rival Orthodox churches in the town of Vrontados engage in a full-scale fireworks war against each other.

From two hilltops about 400 metres from each other, participants aim for a direct hit on the rival church’s bell tower. Whoever scores more direct hits is the winner… though the rivalry always remains unsettles at least until the next year!

The fiery tradition, known in Greek as Rouketopolemos (Рουκετοπόλεμος), has been practiced for hundreds of years. Reportedly, real cannons were used in the beginning, until the ruling Ottomans prevented the locals of Chios from blowing each other to pieces and suggested fireworks instead.

Happy Orthodox Easter!

Thought Easter was last week? Think again! Bulgaria’s Eastern Orthodox majority celebrates the resurrection of Christ this weekend, on the night of 23 to 24 April. Due to the complex way the date of Easter is calculated each year, Orthodox Easter may be quite far in time from Western Easter… but it may be on the same date too.

So if you’re celebrating Easter the Bulgarian Orthodox way, enjoy a few days of egg fighting with elaborately painted eggs, feasting on delicious kozunak sweetbread and following many other curious Bulgarian Easter traditions.

Hristos voskrese (Christ is Risen)!

Centenary ice: Europe’s tiny southernmost glaciers are in Bulgaria

The Banski Suhodol Glacieret under Koncheto

Did you have any idea you can see Europe’s most southern glacial formations in the alpine environment of Bulgaria’s Pirin Mountains?

True, they may pale in comparison to mighty ice bodies like the Aletsch Glacier in the Swiss Alps or the Perito Moreno Glacier in Argentine Patagonia, but they’re still the southernmost glacial masses you can find in Europe, at the latitude of Rome, Corsica and Barcelona!

Lying at altitudes above 2,600 and 2,400 metres respectively, the two small glaciers (scientifically called glacierets) are the Banski Suhodol Glacier and the Snezhnika Glacier. They’re located in Pirin’s highest reaches, in the Big Cauldron (Големия казан, Golemia kazan) cirque under the mountain’s tallest peak Vihren and at the foot of the breath-taking vertical Koncheto ridge.

The Snezhnika Glacieret and its surroundings are a favoured habitat for mountain goats

The Snezhnika Glacieret and its surroundings are a favoured habitat of mountain goats

Now, these two Bulgarian glaciers are not some random patches of snow that have happened to stay intact over a summer or two. Fed by avalanche snow, indications are that they’ve been in existence ever since the Little Ice Age! This means that they’re 500 years old, at least. And the hundred-year firn ice of Snezhnika has been measured to be at least 11 metres thick!

While access to the larger Banski Suhodol Glacieret may be quite hard, with its position under the inaccessible marble slopes of Koncheto, the Snezhnika ice formation can easily be visited via the main hiking trail from Banderitsa Hut up towards Vihren Peak (at 2914 metres). And you can very often see mountain goats scaling the centenary ice of Snezhnika and the nearby rocks, making for an unforgettable sight of Bulgaria’s mountain fauna!

kashkaval tourist turns 1 year old!

Today, 12 March, kashkaval tourist turns exactly one year old! For the past year, this blog has had:

46 posts, or nearly 4 per month
almost 100,000 views, or an average of 8,000 per month
almost 6,000 views on a single day, the incredible 9 April 2014
1,670 loyal subscribers to the kashkaval tourist Facebook page.

Here’s to another successful year together and may the kashkaval cheese not get spoiled for many more years!

Happy Baba Marta!

On 1 March every year, Bulgarians celebrate the traditional beginning of spring with the arrival of the mythical Baba Marta (“Granny March”). The unpredictable sister of January and Fabruary, Baba Marta is honoured by the wearing of martenitsa (мартеница), an adornment of red and white wool threads.

On the first day of March, all Bulgarians gift their friends and relatives a martenitsa to wish each other health and prosperity. Baba Marta is an ancient pre-Christian tradition that goes back thousands of years and is perhaps linked to early Balkan farming rituals.

Typically, a martenitsa is worn until one sees a blossoming tree or a migratory bird coming back from the south for the first time. Then, it is lain under a stone or more often hanged on a tree, which makes for an unforgettable sight in parks and forests all over Bulgaria!

Kashkaval tourist wishes a happy Baba Marta to everyone!

7 reasons to live in Bulgaria

Historically, Bulgaria has been a country of emigration more than immigration, and this is a trend that mostly continues today. Each year, thousands of Bulgarians seek their fortune in Western Europe and North America, mostly due to economic dissatisfaction.

However, after living abroad for two years, first in Chilean Patagonia and then in north Germany, I’m moving back to Bulgaria in about a month and I intend to live there for the foreseeable future. So what reasons might there be for people to make Bulgaria their new home?

From the delicious local cuisine to the lowest income tax in the European Union, kashkaval tourist presents 7 reasons to live in Bulgaria!

1. Mountains and beaches: Bulgaria’s nature is diverse and attractive

Mountains and beaches: Bulgaria’s nature is diverse and attractive

Switzerland is world-famous for its breathtaking mountains and Portugal is undeniably a great beach destination. However, you’d be hard-pressed to find a decent beach in Switzerland and Portugal isn’t exactly a top hiking place either.

Bulgaria is one of very few countries in Europe (and indeed the world) which offer awe-inspiring mountain sceneries next to a sunny and sandy seaside in a very compact area. You can be leaving the lush Alpine forests of Borovets after lunch and still make it in time for a late afternoon Black Sea swim in historic Sozopol on the very same day!

2. Local gourmet: Bulgaria’s cuisine is fresh and delicious

Local gourmet: Bulgaria’s cuisine is fresh and delicious

With outstanding regional vegetables, fragrant spices and quality barbecued meats, Bulgarian cuisine is an absolute Balkan jewel. Add a glass of aromatic rakia (or why not some well-aged Bulgarian wine?) and you’re in for a memorable Bulgarian meal.

Now imagine having this variety of tasty local food and drink available to you every day. Freshly baked pastries and the world’s best yoghurt for breakfast, a rich salad with white cheese for lunch and a nicely seasoned Bulgarian mixed grill for dinner. Doesn’t get much better than that, does it?

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It’s Trifon Zarezan: happy Wine Day!

What? You thought 14 February is Valentine’s Day? Not in Bulgaria… or at least not traditionally. On 14 February, Eastern Orthodox Bulgarians celebrate Trifon Zarezan (Трифон Зарезан) or the day of Saint Tryphon, patron of vine growers and wine makers, according to the Old Style (Julian calendar).

This curious Bulgarian holiday stems from the tradition of cutting the vines in February so that they grow properly and provide a great quality and quantity of wine come autumn. And of course, Bulgarians saw fitting to add a fair bit of wine drinking to this feast, ensuring some unforgettable fun is to be had in the evening! That is, if you don’t black out instead…

Of course, in the last few decades Valentine’s Day has gained in popularity among couples in Bulgaria, yet some pairs and particularly singles prefer honouring Trifon Zarezan. Though who’s to say you can’t celebrate both? A candlelight dinner with a few bottles of enchanting Bulgarian wine and your significant other by your side… it hardly gets any better!

9 extraordinary bridges in the Balkans

For centuries, bridges have connected the cities and nations of the Balkans over rivers, gulfs and valleys… and in rare cases, over no obstacle whatsoever. Some Balkan bridges have become symbols of unity, while others have been a cause for division – after all, World War I practically started on a small bridge in Sarajevo!

Whatever their story or peculiarity, it is without doubt that these bridges have left a mark on the region. From the place where the love padlock tradition started to the world’s tallest railway viaduct, kashkaval tourist presents 9 extraordinary bridges in the Balkans.

1. Nobel Prize winner: Bridge on the Drina in Višegrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Nobel Prize winner: Bridge on the Drina in Višegrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina

If the Bridge on the Drina sounds somehow familiar to you, it must be because of Yugoslav novelist Ivo Andrić’s eponymous masterpiece. In the novel, Andrić manages to capture a microcosm of the Balkans by telling the story of the bridge from early Ottoman times till World War I.

Actually named the Mehmed Paša Sokolović Bridge, this 16^th-century stone structure is a work of art on its own. Designed by famous Ottoman architect Sinan, the bridge has 11 gentle arches and spans a total of 180 metres over the waters of the Drina in Višegrad, eastern Bosnia.

2. Bridge with shops inside: Covered Bridge in Lovech, Bulgaria

Bridge with shops inside: Covered Bridge in Lovech, Bulgaria. Photo credit: Klearchos Kapoutsis, Flickr.

Hanging over the Osam River in north central Bulgaria, Lovech’s Covered Bridge is a remarkable engineering oddity. Today’s pedestrian bridge was constructed in 1982 as an accurate replica of legendary architect Kolyu Ficheto’s creation from 1876. And while the original featured 64 tiny workshops used by the craftsmen of Lovech, the modern version boasts the variety of three workshops, nine souvenir shops and two cafés serving traditional confectioneries.

The Covered Bridge in Lovech is one of the few commercial covered bridges in the world. It has become an emblem for the quaint Bulgarian town much like its Swiss counterpart, the Kapellbrücke in Lucerne.

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8 imposing castles in Bulgaria

Because Bulgaria lies on a vital European crossroad, its history has inevitably been a string of battles and wars. Romans conquered Thracians, Bulgarians fought Byzantines, Ottomans fended off western crusaders, you name it. As a result, throughout the ages majestic castles and fortifications popped up throughout the Bulgarian lands.

And while few of these have been fully preserved, even those that have been ruined are impressive with their sheer grandeur. From the formidable medieval capital of the Bulgarian Empire to the Balkan version of a Disney castle, kashkaval tourist presents 8 imposing castles in Bulgaria!

1. Stronghold of emperors: Tsarevets

Stronghold of emperors: Tsarevets

Towering above the historic town of Veliko Tarnovo, Tsarevets (Царевец) must be Bulgaria’s most famous medieval fortress. For some 200 years, this spacious and well-guarded castle was the capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire. It housed the palaces of the emperor and the patriarch as well as Bulgaria’s most holy patriarchal cathedral and its dungeons were the resting place of Latin emperors and petty criminals alike.

These days, Tsarevets is famous for the Sound and Light audiovisual show, which relies on powerful lasers and searchlights to bring the historic castle to life to the tourists’ delight. Head to Veliko Tarnovo on official holidays (like 22 March, the town’s own holiday) to witness this captivating spectacle!

2. The beautiful headland: Kaliakra

The beautiful headland: Kaliakra

Kaliakra (Калиакра) loosely means “beautiful headland”, which happens to be the perfect description for this castle’s setting. Set on the steep cliffs rising 70 metres above the depths of the Black Sea, the scenic fortress of Kaliakra may have been briefly been the capital of the independent Principality of Dobruja in the 14^th century.

If you go through the castle gate and reach the very end of the headland, you’ll discover a picturesque Orthodox rock chapel. And if the sea vistas of Kaliakra have had you dreaming of a pleasant swim, then finish the day with a visit to the sheltered nearby beach of the Bolata Cove!

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Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Or as Bulgarians say, Честита Коледа и щастлива Нова година (Chestita Koleda i shtastliva Nova Godina)! Christmas Eve may have brought temperatures and sunshine more typical for Australia for that time of the year, but today’s snowstorm made sure Bulgaria is now covered by a layer of snow. Perfect for some merry holiday spirit!

May 2015 bring us lots of wanderlust and many exciting opportunities to discover Bulgaria and the Balkans together with kashkaval tourist! Nazdrave!

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1. Mountains and beaches: Bulgaria’s nature is diverse and attractive

2. Local gourmet: Bulgaria’s cuisine is fresh and delicious

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1. Nobel Prize winner: Bridge on the Drina in Višegrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina

2. Bridge with shops inside: Covered Bridge in Lovech, Bulgaria

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1. Stronghold of emperors: Tsarevets

2. The beautiful headland: Kaliakra

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