City Tours

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First Solo Trip to Yablanitsa

Groceries were down to the bare bones today. Since I had no work in the queue, I figured it would be the perfect day to see just how accessible Yablanitsa is. Google Maps told me I had a 6KM walk ahead of me and Apple Maps said 10KM! 12KM roundtrip would be just doable, but 20KM would be pushing it and I’d definitely investigate the taxi service Jenny told me about.

I set off with my backpack, once again pleased that I bought it for my trip. I loaded it with water, documentation (I was told to always have my passport on me as ID checks are common), and, of course, money, and set off.

It’s straight downhill into the village. I I didn’t look forward to that slog on the return trip!

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Here’s the gate into the property. Duck when going through the door!

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Street sign. Says, “Street Zdravets.”

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Now at the bottom of my road at the intersection of the main road through the village.

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Sign indicating that there is a monastery that way. Max and Jenny told me I have to go there. I will when I get more details.

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Our little village square with the small shop where you can get essentials (where the brown overhang is).

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Looking back up the main road.

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A restaurant. I could read the menu, but my dictionary didn’t recognise much on it…

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Heading out of town, I saw a car with a Czech plate. All cars in the EU appear to have a similar license plate, either white or yellow (I saw both in the UK), with the left side being blue with the symbol of the EU and a two-letter country code. I think you can legally drive a car plated in any EU country in any other EU country.

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This rather nice looking property is for sale.

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16,000 Euro sounds like a bargain…

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The flora here is similar to back in Quebec. Cornflowers…

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And these little bell things I like whose name I really should know.

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The mountains up here remind me of driving to Durango.

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Leaving the limits of Malak Izvor. I didn’t know it, but I was just shy of a third of the way to Yablanitsa by this point.

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Unlike the UK, Bulgaria has stop signs. I had to turn left here.

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Funny that there was no sign at the corner saying Yablanitsa thataway, but in the opposite direction, there was a sign for Malak Izvor.

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I was surprised when I saw this sign, thinking I’d arrived, but I still had a good 2KM to go.

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About 1KM from town, I man pulled over and offered me a ride. Max, Jenny, and Sarah all told me to accept such offers during the daytime as hitching is a very common thing to do around here and nothing untoward has ever happened. The local population is fairly small and people get to know each other. If I declined the lift, the odds were good I’d never get another offer. So I got in and said, “Yablanitsa ATM” and he said, “Sure” and then rattled off something. I stared at him and he smiled and said, “Malak Izor”? AH! “Da!” 😀

He dropped me off in front of the green bank (there’s also a blue bank, but Max told me to use the green one) and I thanked him.

Here’s the main square in Yablanitsa. For some reason, I put my camera away after and forgot to take more pictures!

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After making a withdrawal, I had to find the supermarket. I wandered around a bit trying to get my bearings and then identified that the street the green ATM is on (the one you see in the photo above going left and right, not the one with the cars parked) is a main thoroughfare. I headed down it (left in the picture) looking for the supermarket and eventually spotting it. I wasn’t sure it was the store I’d been in with Max, but it said supermarket so I figured it would do even if it wasn’t, but it was.

I took my time shopping, managing to get everything on my list except chicken broth. My dictionary app proved to be useless (glad it was a free one) and I was happy I had access to Google translate to confirm what I guessed I was holding (like tomato sauce with mushrooms, *shudders*). I knew that the good butter was in the deli case, so I took a deep breath and went there, where I said, “Butter, please,” to the clerk. She nodded and said, “One?” holding up a finger for a good measure. “Yes, one. Thank you!” My first successful exchange in Bulgarian!

The till was less successful. I knew from my first trip that I would pay and then be asked for 0.25BGN deposit on my beer bottles. So I was all ready for that, but the cashier took my 0.25BGN from what I’d paid her. It took me a moment to understand that she was telling me, “I already took your bottle deposit from your change” and not “You still owe me for the bottle deposit.” Now that I know the deposit is 0.25BGN for two bottles, the next time I buy beer there I will put the 0.25 with them when I get to the till to show that I know I’m expected to pay a deposit.

I came out of the store and loaded up my backpack. I had too much for it unless I wanted to smoosh the bread, but I got all the heavy things in and only had some light things to carry separately.

That was the limit of the excitement I could handle for one day, so I decided to head home. As I did so, I passed a convenience store with an ice cream cooler outside. I grabbed a chocolate Magnum-style bar (chocolate ice cream covered with chocolate and peanuts on a stick). The price was listed as 1.45BGN, so I dug out 1.50 before going inside to pay. My treat was really good! 😀

The trip home was a bit of a slog since most of it was uphill. I really don’t mind walking to Yablanitsa, but I will definitely figure out how to arrange for a taxi back from now on. I’m told it’s only 6 to 8BGN (4.80 to 6.40CAD).

My trip only took me three hours so I should be able to cut that to two if I take a taxi back. Yablanitsa is definitely further than I’d been told it was, but is certainly close enough to feel accessible. I look forward to going to the market on Friday and having more time to browse at my leisure.

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Afternoon Tea at the Wolseley

I just happened to find myself in London on the anniversary of five years of running my transcription business and wanted to do something special to celebrate surviving all those lean years. Afternoon tea felt like the right thing, but I was intimidated by the prices and the fact that you have to dress up. I did a lot of research my first night in London, during those long hours when I couldn’t fall back asleep, and The Wolseley seemed to be perfect for me. It was the least expensive tea I found that was still in an upscale, by my standards, place and they didn’t seem too snotty about people dressing up. The cost was just over £30 with the service charge. I could have had tea for £10 (or more!) less at a small informal café, but I wanted the whole experience.

The Wolseley is located right next to the Ritz, between Piccadilly Circle and Green Park, but much closer to the latter.

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I wore a long black skirt, a plain dark grey top, my walking sandals (not too sporty), and earrings and felt chicer than most of the patrons there, many of whom stood out from the elegant art deco surroundings in their jeans and sneakers. I was greeted like a valued customer and promptly seated and served. They don’t like folks to take pictures, so I respected that (although I did sneak a picture of my meal!). The atmosphere was comfortable. Definitely upscale, but not intimidating.

When I booked online, I had made a point to say that I have an intolerance to eggs, so I didn’t want mayonnaise, egg salad, or meringue, but a bit of egg wash or egg in a cake was fine. Someone came out to confirm that the kitchen got my order and told me the proposed menu, which was fine.

There didn’t seem to be that much food when it all came, but it was enough even though I was offered more!

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I was surprised that they replaced my egg salad sandwich with a second of smoked salmon instead of something cheaper, like cucumber. All the sandwiches were great. I think the chicken with tarragon (on my plate) was my favourite, but the smoked salmon with butter was a close second!

The cakes layer had a chewy chocolate and nut thing that I didn’t care much for (difficult to eat), but I loved the strawberry tart and the cake with marzipan around it, so much so that I did accept a second piece of it! I finished my meal with the two raisin scones with jam and clotted cream.

For tea, I chose their Wolseley afternoon blend. It seemed really pale in the cup, but had a good strong flavour that paired beautifully with my food.

Service was stellar and attentive all throughout the meal. I had asked for water and every time my glass was empty, it would magically fill up.

My celebratory afternoon tea at the Wolseley was even better and more special than I could have hoped for. It will be my fondest memory of my brief trip to London.

I then decided to go check out Piccadilly Circus. On route, I checked out a menu that reminded me of something I wanted to share that has surprised me. Look at the coffee and tea prices.

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Coffee has been consistently cheaper than tea. I wonder if that’s because you get a whole pot of tea?

I passed Fortnum & Mason, but wasn’t tempted to go in.

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So strange to see a Mexican bank here in London.

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Piccadilly Circus was hopping and there were buskers…

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Until it started to rain. My rain coat is great!

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I wanted to go check out Soho, but it really started to pour, so I headed home. Piccadilly Circus is on the Bakerloo line, so I didn’t have to change trains again until Queen’s Park. For some reason, even though the Bakerloo line goes much further, you have to do it in two trains. Kind of a pain when I’m only one station from Queen’s Park.

It was an awesome last day in London! Now, I am trying to work up the energy to walk the 20 minutes round trip to the nearest pub for a final pint…

I will do a sum up post of London later, as well as a write-up about Oyster. I don’t think I’ll do much tomorrow since I’ll have my luggage with me.

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Guildhall Art Gallery & Roman Amphitheatre

I’d asked my best friend Bast what she would like to do in London. Most of her list was of interest to me, but the only thing on it that fit in with my itinerary was the Guildhall Art Gallery & Roman Amphitheatre. It was about halfway between the Tower of London and St. Paul’s. Considering what an amazing find this amphitheatre was, it really isn’t that well known. Thanks for bringing it to my attention, Bast!

London is really easy to get around. There is tons of signage everywhere, so even getting to something a little off the tourist path was super easy. I never did get a SIM card for my phone, so I couldn’t use it for directions and I also never got a paper map. I didn’t need either.

On the way, I decided to mail Bast a postcard. That was… trying. I passed a business marked “Post Office,” but it didn’t say Royal Mail anywhere. I logged onto the free WiFi provided by the Tesco Express a couple of doors down to confirm that “Post Office” is just that and that Royal Mail has been privatised. So I went back to Post Office and a very large and scary looking man demanded to know what I wanted. I said that I wanted to mail a postcard and he looked at me like I was a complete idiot (maybe that’s not how you say that in the UK?) and told me to use one of the self serve machines.

I wasn’t keen on doing that and tried to get to a counter, but he blocked me and repeated that I had to use the self serve machines. I went to a machine and poked around the menus for a bit until I was fairly confident that I had located the correct postage. I then had to figure out where to insert the coins I wanted to use for payment. That done, a stamp printed, but I had no idea where to mail my letter. I went back to the entrance and found two slots marked “Franked mail”, one for 1st class and the other for 2nd class. Mr. Big Scary Dude was gone and there was a long queue at the service counter, so I went back to Tesco for their WiFi to look up which slot I should drop my letter into and got nowhere. So I went back and stuck it in the 2nd class slot… Bast, I hope it gets to you. If not, I tried my best! 😀

I then found the Guildhall Art Gallery, located in a pretty courtyard. The amphitheatre is below it. The entrance is to the right where you can see people queuing. Admission is free, but you have to put your bags through a scanner, hence why it took some time to get in.

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The amphitheatre was found during the construction of the art gallery and was one of the most important archaeological discoveries in London in over a century. The discovery meant that major changes had to be made to the art gallery’s design.

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The amphitheatre would have been oval. You can see here a drawing of what it would have looked like.

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I liked this door. 🙂

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Remains of the wooden drainage system.

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The ruins were amazing!

It was already past noon by this point and I knew St. Paul’s could warrant a couple of hours, so I didn’t visit the art gallery, although I did check out a couple of works that caught my eye.

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Morning At Tower Bridge

It’s a good thing this was my last full day in London since I’m exhausted and my legs hurt! 😀 Last night, other guests were extremely loud and traipsed up and down the stairs into the wee hours of the morning and then got up at the crack of dawn, so I didn’t get much sleep. I’m definitely ready to be in my own space again, and especially my own bathroom!

I spent some time on Google Maps last night trying to come up with an itinerary that would get me to Piccadilly for my 3:30 reservation for afternoon tea without spending a lot of time going between places and still allowing me to cross off a few things on my list of things I thought I might want to see while I’m here. I still had two big and expensive things left, the Tower of London and St. Paul’s. Having poked through ancient castles before, it was very easy to decide to just look at the exterior of the Tower of London. Plus, a fellow I met on the London Eye had told me that Tower Bridge, which should have been on my list, would be a great place to view St. Mary’s Axe/the Gherkin.

If I started my day at the Tower of London and ended it at Piccadilly, I could fit it in St. Paul’s and the Roman amphitheatre as they were right between the two points. So there was my plan for my last day!

To get to Tower Bridge, I rode the Bakerloo Line to Baker Street, then the Jubilee Line to London Bridge. There, I wandered around for a bit as the area was interesting.

The Shard rises above London Bridge Station.

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This was an interesting foot path. Don’t want to misstep!

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First glimpse of Tower Bridge.

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The Gherkin at last!

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A lot of folks think this is London Bridge, but it really is called the Tower Bridge.

 

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The Tower of London.

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Before crossing the bridge, I decided to explore this unusual street, Shad Thames.

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So much history in these worn steps…

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I think the Gherkin is rather beautiful…

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I hadn’t had coffee or breakfast yet and was starting to get peckish. I passed this restaurant on the way to a café that looked promising.

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Found a Café Rouge on the St. Katharine Dock and enjoyed breakfast while looking at the activity on the quay.

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Pain aux raisins and an Americano count as breakfast when you’re on vacation and spending a lot of time on your feet! The pastry was not what I was expecting at all, but dang was it yummy! I was surprised when the bill came since the coffee was about £3 and the pastry about the same, but my bill was only £3.85 with the service charge. Must be a coffee and pastry deal. I’m trying not to freak out over prices (and doing a really good job of it), but that was appreciated.

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After breakfast, it was already past 11:00 and so it was time to hoof it to the amphitheatre. But first, a few more glimpses of the Tower of London.

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And a purple cab for Vicki.

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And a closeup of the top of the Shard. Wow!

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A Day at the British Museum

The only thing on the plate for today was to spend it at the British Museum! Getting there was super easy. I just had to take the overground from Kensal Green to Euston Station, then walk a few blocks down Gower Street. Since the exterior set for “Sherlock” was literally on my route, with no detours, I stopped for a picture and to have breakfast at Speedy’s Cafe, also featured on the show.

I got to the museum just before 11AM. I had a plan to tackle it. I would start with what I came to see, the Rosetta Stone and the Egyptian artifacts, then work my way down from the top. Ha ha ha ha ha. The British Museum is a warren of rooms and staircases and it was impossible create any sort of logical path through it. I ended up doing the museum very haphazardly, often doubling back multiple times to the same rooms by a different staircase. I’m pretty sure I got to every room, but, obviously, I did not read everything!

I had lunch in the Great Court on the ground floor, a wonderfully flavourful baguette loaded with cheese, pickled onions, Dijon, and more. I could not believe how good it was! A few hours after that, my aching legs shaky, I went to the Great Court restaurant upstairs to have a cream tea. As research had told me, service was dire, but it was nice to sit for almost an hour with my treat and work on my Bulgarian. 🙂 A cream tea is a pot of tea with scones, jam, and Devonshire (clotted) cream. I have a full afternoon tea booked for tomorrow!

I stayed at the museum almost right to closing, going back to see things in less crowded conditions. The order of my pictures will reflect that.

The British Museum was everything I’d dreamt it would be and MORE! One thing that really delighted me was that there were “touch stations,” where you could handle real ancient artifacts.

After the museum, I thought of doing “something else,” then realised that I was completely tuckered. So I headed home, going out again about an hour later to the Kensal Rise high road to get some fish and chips for dinner. That walk did me in. My legs are sore!

Tomorrow is going to be interesting because of my Oyster/public transportation problem. More on that after the pictures. I’ve got some notes, but the pictures are more meant to be things that caught my attention than a way to educate my readers. 🙂

So my Oyster problem. The Oyster card is a prepaid card. You tap it when you start a journey and tap it at the end and whatever your fare is gets deducted from your card balance. I only had enough money left to travel today. I tried to “top up” three times today and each time, the transaction failed. No one at the ticket booths could help me. I called the bank and they said that the money was charged. I called Oyster (yay for Skype on both accounts) and they said there was nothing to do for me since they only refund money to UK residents with a bank account here. So now, I’m out about 60CAD (!!!), although I’m pretty sure I can get my money back by filing a fraud report with CIBC once the transactions post, although that will very likely take months to sort out. But what do I do tomorrow since there’s not enough money on my account to go anywhere? Needless to say, I’m not giving Transport for London my credit card again! Public transit in London is excellent, but you have to be very self-sufficient as there is no help available and the payment system is unnecessarily complicated and convoluted. What I will try tomorrow is a newsagent on the Kensal Green high street who has an Oyster symbol. Maybe I’ll be able to pay with cash…