Sept 4 – 5….Our last few days before Pam and Miles' departure back home

Sept . 4

Pam and Miles played tennis in the morning then we went back to the Wooden Restaurant for another great breakfast. This was going to be a beach day so, off we went to immerse ourselves in the glitz of Sunny Beach. Once we found a place to park, which was no small feat, we found numerous spots that had wooden paths to access the beach. We parked our gear on the sand and, while Miles, ecstatically, body surfed in the waves, we sun bathed and watched the parade of people. I was, again, amazed at the lack of self-consciousness that so many of the European women have about their rather large bodies…evidenced by the bikinis that they were able to stuff themselves into. I wish I could be so immodest. There was one, in particular, that was sitting in front of us, that definitely won the prize.

After a few hours, we walked up to the boardwalk, that stretched for miles, filled with souvenir shops and a huge variety of restaurants. We stopped at one for a beer and had an amusing conversation with a young Bulgarian man who was an aspiring actor and wanted us to take him to the States so he could make a hit in Hollywood . Interestingly enough, he told us that, here in Sunny Beach, he had only encountered about three other Americans in the last few years. I guess Bulgaria isn’t high on the list of where most Americans go when thinking about European vacations. We, now, understood why the locals, who always asked where we were from, always acted surprised when we told them we were from the States.

This had been a very relaxing day, for a change, and, after we got cleaned up at the condo, back we went for another fabulous dinner at the Wooden Restaurant, a game of cards afterwards, then off to bed.

Sept. 5

Today we took a 45-minute ride on a passenger boat from Nessebar to the ancient town of Sozopol, one of the oldest settlements on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast. The first settlement on the site dates back to the Bronze Age and undersea explorations in the region of the port reveal relics of dwellings, ceramic pottery, stone and bone tools from that era.  Many anchors from the first and second millennium BC have also been discovered in the town’s bay, providing proof of active shipping and trade since ancient times. Sozopol’s Old Town was declared a museum-reserve in 1974. The reserve includes remnants of the fortified protective walls, built in the 5^th century, and more than 180 residences, constructed from the middle of the 18^th century to the beginning of the 19^th century . These houses are built of stone and wood and conform to the so-called Black Sea school of architecture. The people of the community actually live in these unique houses, giving Sozopol a much more intimate and personal feel than that of Nessebar, where the streets were filled with charming restaurants and shops, but felt far more commercial.

I was enchanted by these unique stone and wood houses, as I’d never seen this type of architecture before. The combination of the breathtaking rocky shoreline, cozy restaurants, sandy beaches, numerous historical sites and these interesting cottages, created a very captivating effect. To complete this idyllic setting, there are villagers who can still be seen fishing from their old wooden boats and older women sitting in front of their picturesque homes, chatting, while crocheting beautiful lace pieces and selling freshly picked figs and homemade jams and jellies.

While meandering through the narrow streets, we happened upon a small Ethnographic Museum that had just opened this past July . It was a lovely little museum with colorful exhibits related to local crafts, practiced for thousands of years, that had such a strong influence on the life and culture of Sozopol.   My favorite was the display of vibrant and colorful clothing and textiles.

Miles, as always, was hankering to get into the ocean so, while he took a swim, Pam and Bill and I watched him from a little restaurant above while drinking a beer and eating popcorn. We all walked around a little more, after Miles was finished with his swim, and then met at the dock for the departure back to Nessebar. What a magical visit to this unique village and a lovely way to spend our last full day together.

We stopped at our favorite restaurant for our final dinner before heading back to the condo to get packed. Pam and Miles were leaving for the States very early on the 7^th and would be driving to Sofia, where their flight originated, and dropping off the rental car at the airport. We had another home exchange lined up in a different part of the Sunny Beach, an area called Sveti Vlas, and the plan was for them to drop us there before driving to Sofia to catch their plane