Ruth: We entered Bulgaria on the 1st of August at Ruse. While we were crossing the bridge over the Danube the weather seemed to change as the forecast had promised it would. Right after crossing the border we bumped into Martin, an Austrian cyclist that we had met the day before and planned to meet in Ruse for dinner. We spent a lovely evening with him, sharing stories and enjoying some excellent fish and seafood. The following day we enjoyed a much needed rest day in Ruse where we actually rested.
Then we took another side trip into the canyon to visit the UNESCO designated rock churches of Ivanovo.
We started talking to the archeologists working on an excavation, who encouraged us to have a look at the 13th century church they have excavated. They have found 37 graves under the floor and revealed some fragments of frescoes. When we returned from the site of the dig, the archaeologists pulled up chairs and offered us some beer. So far the people we have met in Bulgaria have been very friendly.
