Outskirts of Europe. Impressions from a trip to eastern Europe

The trip by train from Sofia to Pleven fascinating: this railway line, winds on the ledges of cliffs, is considered one of the most impressive in Bulgaria. 

In Eastern Europe the right to travel by train. In its hallways, worn-out and these relatives are still living that have long passed. Exacerbated by a sense of some special thin fabrics that remained common to the countries of this region for many years. Someone ironically calls the combination of these sensations "scoop." Negative if this description? In many ways, and for many - yes. And at the same time, for someone it - nostalgic.

The majority of Russian-speaking passengers, which can be found in the international train from Moscow to Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, Serbia remained strong relationships with independent countries now: someone from the Soviet era lived there for permanent residence, someone after the fall of the eastern Block abroad were relatives, friends and colleagues. Someone in the former Soviet bloc spent his carefree childhood. The train everyone - has a history. Train filters of people associated with the life of Eastern Europe from tourists and casual travel, preferring mostly airplanes. He crosses the border, shows in the windows of films about the past, changing landscapes as slides in a projector, but leaves the idea that the glass is still close to the world.

In the train Sofia-Moscow can meet amazing characters.

BULGARIA. KAMIENNA GORA

When was the last time was in Haskovo, driving along a street, noticed the store work clothes on the shelves of which there were several models of shoes, according to the form suitable for tourism. Naturally, I stopped and went to look. It turned out that some models, it seemed to me, very suitable for trekking, bad, that those models that I liked were the wrong size, or to order (look in the catalog). Talking about shoes, gradually switched to all sorts of other topics (interesting places in Bulgaria, fishing, hunting, photos, etc.). Met and exchanged coordinates. Dimitar (chef company) was very interesting and sociable person. When I was about to leave, he looked at me with a sly look and zagovornicheskim voice: "Come on, something interesting to show you ...".


We went down on the floor below and he showed me two rooms. At the same wherever we can, on the floor and on shelves, on tables - lay the stones. Such a variety of types and forms I have seen for the first time. It was very interesting to consider a collection of comments by the owner. In another room there is equipment for stone processing and collection is waiting for their turn. Multiple photos on a theme.
It's in his office.