Aladzha Monastery

Today I will show you a new way. A new way of living.

Near Varna we will find a park that is qualified as a natural reserve.

But we will not simply hike in nature. My friends welcome to the Aladzha Monastery.

When I entered the Aladzha complex, my first thought was that it is one of the most serene places I have ever visited. Very feng shui, if I can share a feeling maybe slightly out of place.

As we move on, you probably notice a cliff rising ahead of us.

So, you think that the monastery is on top of the twenty five meters high cliff? Well not. It is in the cliff itself!  

The Aladzha Monastery was hewn in the karst cliff in the Middle Ages. The medieval construction industry had limited tools and resources. But karst is a type of rock that is prone to alterations and sensitive to water so smaller and larger caves from naturally.

The caves that form the monastery are spread on three levels.

Aladzha housed a hesychasm community of monks who focused on contemplation and prayer. Hence the chapel was rather large.

The monastery covered a three levels. Let's go down to where the monks lived.

The cell of the abbot was modest.

This is what it is believed to have looked like in the twelfth century.

If the cell of the abbot was modest then I am not sure which word to use to describe the cell of a monk. I think the space is only sufficient to lie down and sleep. No personal belongings, no privacy.

At least the refectory and kitchen were large.

The highest floor includes a smaller corridor. I would expect the monks did nothing but kneel there - it was probably 1.5 meter high.

But the best reward from climbing up the cliff is the view. With the see in front and the mountain behind - it is very feng shui in the end.

Madara

Madara is a village in Bulgaria, with only a bit more than a thousand inhabitants. You probably wonder why on Earth I am taking you there. I hope that this sign will serve as the best explanation.

The area of historical interest is not very large. By the way - have you noticed that the map says Magapa rather than Madara? Actually, this is because the word is written in the cyrilic alphabet which  is used to write in Bulgarian, where "g" is read as "d" and "p" is read as "r".

We need to start by climbing a bit. Luckily the stairs are large and in good shape.

Finally, we reach our destination. Please pay your respect to the Madara Horse (or officially the Madara Rider), triumphing over a lion.

If you are not over impressed, maybe you need to realise that the Rider was carved in a cliff that is a hundred meters high. And that it was created at the beginning of the eighth (not eighteenth!) century. So no cranes, no drills, no dynamite at hand.

In large parts of Eastern Europe people were still living in small tribes deep in the woods. But the Bulgarians had already their own state ruled by Khans. On top of the cliff, they have built a fortress. Shall we go?

The cliff in which the Rider was carved is almost vertical.

Below, the land is flat. A perfect place to defend a fortress. And to show one's strength to potential invaders.

The stairs are getting more and more demanding. Be careful as we climb.

Finally, we reach the top.

The fortress has an excellent strategic position. The walls have been built of massive cut blocks. They are preserved at a height up to two meters.

Its shape is irregular and conforms to the feature of the area itself. It played an important role in defending the former Bulgarian capitals Pliska and Preslav.

So take a deep breath and feel for a moment as if you were the lord of the castle.

Säntis

We have been already several times in Switzerland, but a place where I want to take you today is special. Here three cantons meet: Sankt Gallen, Appenzell Auserrhoden & Appenzell Innerrhoden. And in a good weather conditions you could see six countries: Liechtenstein, Austria, Germany, France, Italy & obviously Switzerland.

Let's start our trip at the parking place Schwagalp.

High above you can see the goal of our trip, a bit in the clouds.

Let's take the table car.

Our destination is called Säntis. Let the journey begin.

Here comes the second cable car.

One special thing about Säntis is its topographic prominence of 2021 m.

Not everyone had chosen the easy way as we did.

I hope that they are well prepared, including crampons and ice axes.

Welcome at the top, 2'502 meters above sea level.

Unfortunatelly today it is very cloudy.

But there are plenty of interesting items on the peak, like the topographic pole, …

gentiana flowers, …

and a 123.55 meter high transmission tower, using prominance to allow signals to reach really far destinations.

If you would like to go down the hill and take a hike, here you can see a few propose destinations. all between two and a half and three and a half of walking.

I see that the sun is getting through the clouds.

With a bit of patience every moment we can see more.

And more.

And more.

Time to go down.

Say "tschüs" to the local family. They are very conservative. To give you just a few examples: women got their voting rights in 1991, New Year's Day festivities are still governed by the Julian calendar and are thus currently held on January 14 and they always reject any federal Referendum.

Probably the adults work at the local dairy famous for the Appenzeller cheese. Although the recipe and the taste are traditional, the equipment is extremely modern.

We are leaving this beautiful experience behind.