Old Plovdiv 

Arriving in Plovdiv, Tom Tom, our GPS, directed us through narrow one-way streets, to a boom-gate featuring a large sign in English: NO PARKING. Our hearts sank. A gate man appeared and we uttered the magic words "Boris Palace". His stern look dissolved into a smile, "Ha Boris - yes," and the gate was raised. From that time on, we joined the select few able to park in the Old Town and up went the gate when we approached.  

Boris Palace is a guest house-cum-hotel (more the former) with large 'period' rooms and a bath tub, in the ensuite, into which one must climb to have a shower. We are starting to recognise this as a universal feature of soviet era bathroom architecture. The better to drown dissidents?  Indeed, Boris Palace has several resemblances to other ex-soviet places in which we have stayed in Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan: Luxurious after a fashion. And just so slightly, comical.

Boris Palace

Plovdiv is a town with many pasts. Now the second largest city in Bulgaria, a democratic Republic and member of the EU, with elections for both approaching in June, the Soviet past is still evident in the architecture. 
Yet, so too are other pasts including the: Ottoman; Byzantine; Roman and Hellenic.  In winter, it's a ski resort.

Plovdiv - traditional house styles; the Roman amphitheatre; and the minaret

According to Wikipedia:  Plovdiv is often referred to in Bulgaria as "The City of the Seven Hills".

There is evidence of habitation in the area dating back to the 6th millennium BCE, when the first Neolithic settlements were established. The city was subsequently a Thracian settlement, later being conquered and ruled also by Persians, Ancient Macedonians, Celts, Romans, Byzantines, Goths, Huns, Bulgarians, Thraco-Romans, Bulgars, Slavic tribes, Crusaders, and Ottoman Turks.

Bulgaria prides itself for its religious tolerance. Over 60% of Bulgarians identify as Christian - by far the majority of Christians are Bulgarian Orthodox. Islam is the next largest faith community (15%) - with a greater percentage of Muslims practicing than do the Christians. 

The Christian Church has had a cross to bear (and bare). It has been revealed that during the 'Cold War' period some members of the Orthodox clergy were filing reports to the Committee for State Security on deviant views and behaviour among their parishioners (spying on fellow citizens). As a result, the reputation of Christian Church suffered, as it has elsewhere due to paedophilia, in a way that Islam has not. 

Different religions

Only about a thousand people identify as Jewish. In 1934 there were almost fifty thousand Bulgarian Jews. The decline is due to the impact of the Nazi Holocaust and a post-war mass exodus (officially: 43,961) to Israel.

In the 1940's due to its geographical position, Bulgaria was caught between the greater powers of Germany (the Axis) and Russia (the USSR).  Initially this went well under the The Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact (Treaty of Non-Aggression between Germany and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics). But that went pear-shaped in June 1941, when Germany launched Operation Barbarossa and invaded Russia. Now Bulgaria was a firm ally of Germany, and the Axis, and invaded Greece. They also implemented sanctions against Jews and Roma. The US Holocaust Museum has more details. Also see: Bachkovo Monastery (below).

As the war drew to a conclusion, and the Axis was obviously going to lose, the pro Russian faction sized power.  And from that time, until the collapse of the Soviet Union, Bulgaria was a staunch Russian ally and Fascism was replaced by Communism.

Today, Bulgaria is a unitary (single house) parliamentary republic, a member of the European Union and of NATO.

Yet, like Romania, it's not a member of the Euro zone. The currency unit is the Lev with exchange rate pegged to the Euro. And like Romania this has allowed it to establish favorable trading and the lowest labour rates in the EU, resulting in the inflow of foreign investment and strong economic growth. Favorable exchange rates also encourage tourism - like us.

It was in the lead-up to the European Elections, in two weeks time, and the local parliamentary elections were to be held simultaneously. These have more importance than the Presidential elections.

As in Australia, the Prime Minister is appointed by the majority party and effectively rules the country. The President has similar (limited) powers to our Governor General (Viceroy to Charles, King of Australia; of England; of Canada; of New Zealand; etc). Ireland has a similar President. They have thus avoided the presidential usurpation of Parliamentary sovereignty, common to almost all ex-Soviet countries. Not to mention (potentially) the United States.

 The thriving democracy was on full display - a number of the electioneerers spoke English and were happy to chat
Several were candidates

One doesn't have to look far to see the residue of Bulgaria's diverse history.  Have a look at the soviet style post-office and flats; the main mosque; the churches; the Roman ruins and the amphitheatres (above).

Roman and Soviet era remains

There's quite a big Art Gallery here in Plovdiv. Yet, despite all the tourists invading the old city I seemed to be the sole patron - maybe the entry fee, of 3 Lev, puts them off. Yet, they crowd into the churches.
It's a pity as although none of the artists are familiar to me I really liked some of the paintings.

Plovdiv Art Gallery
Click on the image to see the full album

 Asen's Fortress

The after enjoying Plovdiv for a couple of days, we drove out to Asen's Fortress, pitched as: "Centuries-old mountaintop fort ruins with a restored church, plus a terrace & panoramic views." It was quite high - a winding road up and then lots of steps. The sheer drop from the top of the fort was suitably caution inspiring. It reminded us of Vlad's (the Impaler) fort in Romania.

Asen's Fortress (Wendy's photos - my phone was resting in Plovdiv)

Asen's Fortress Church - The Church of the Holy Mother of God

The church is quite interesting - Byzantine Greek script surviving in places. 

Bachkovo Monastery

A bit further on from Asen's Fortress is the Bachkovo Monastery recommended for tourists:

Bachkovo Monastery [Uspenie Bogorodichno]  The stainless steel plaque at the entrance reads:
"In this holy monastery lie Patriarch Kiril and Exarch Stefan who, in a selfless display of courage and humanity,
played a decisive role in preventing the deportation of Bulgarian Jewry to the Nazi extermination camps in 1943.
Were the world blessed with more individuals of such valour and nobility as that shown by Patriarch Kiril and Exarch Stefan,
surely more Jews would have been spared their tragic end.
May the memories of Patriarch Kiril and Exarch Stefan be forever blessed."   (Wendy's photos)

 
I was fascinated by the faithful venerating the principal icon and then doing the rounds of the others. Then they light their candles in a fume cupboard, very like one in a chemistry lab. Very sensible, as it protects the ancient images from smoke and wax.