Sofia and Beklemeto Pass

I started very early and in a good mood this morning. I wanted to take advantage of the morning coolness to ride through Sofia. Didn't work out 😅. I had a contact in Sofia, Violetta, she is a world traveler on her Harley Davidson and had sent me an invitation to Sofia. So, I messaged her and she sent me her home address, and just like that, I was there. She and her husband had John as a guest. John is a motorcycle traveler from Indonesia and immediately extended an invitation to Bali for me.

We had a lot to talk about, well, Violetta had a lot to talk about 😅 but in very good and understandable English for me.

Well, now the morning coolness was gone and I set off in the midday heat towards Beklemeto Pass. First, through Sofia, through dense chaotic southern traffic. Mathias, a friend, wouldn't have stopped complaining 😂. Then 20 km straight before entering the Balkan Mountains and it became curvy and cooler again. The pass road was well built and easy to drive. Once at the top, you had a gigantic view over the Balkan Mountains. Unfortunately, photos can't capture that. Above the pass, there is also a Monument of Peace dedicated to the Bulgarian freedom fighters. The monument dates back to the 1980s, and you can definitely see the Soviet influence in the depictions.

Since the time was already quite advanced, I looked for accommodation in the next town. The landlord was really nice. He gave me a free upgrade to my booked room. Since he believed that the motorcycle would not be safe here, he allowed me to park it at his place, about a 10-minute walk from here. He then drove me back here to the accommodation. Tomorrow morning, he will also pick me up again.

So, a perfect day came to an end 🤗.