Plovdiv (Plovdiv)

Thursday, April 18, 2019, we're back on tour. After saying goodbye to my grandparents in the early afternoon, we head to Thum, Annaberg, Bärenstein, Weipert, and Klösterle, and then to Prague. From there, I want to continue to Budapest or Košický, depending on what seems more affordable. At the train station in Prague, it quickly becomes clear that I need to modify my plan a bit. The hall is packed and all international train connections are fully booked. Easter weekend is approaching and we're not the only travelers. So, due to lack of alternatives, I decide to first go to Brno and spend the waiting time there in front of Burger King.

Shortly after midnight on Friday morning, we sit on the crowded train to Brno, sitting on the floor among a group of teenagers. Rango lets himself be caressed almost continuously for two and a half hours, and I try to doze off. At the Brno train station, I can buy tickets for the next IC train to Budapest, and I manage to get some sleep until shortly before six-thirty. I also sleep most of the train ride to Hungary. We reach Budapest-Nyugati around half past ten. Unfortunately, we have to skip the train to Debrecen, as dogs are not allowed on the train. However, this time it starts early. So, we have the whole day to get to Keleti train station. We enjoy the sunny weather in various parks and finally board a night train to Romania around eleven o'clock.

Early in the morning on April 20, 2019, we leave the Schengen area and finally get off the train in Simeria shortly after eight o'clock. I immediately book a further trip to Craiova. Until then, there is enough time for breakfast and a coffee in the small village. At first glance, the surrounding landscape has more to offer than the town itself. In the early afternoon, we continue to Craiova, where we arrive around half past five in the evening with a good hour delay. The view of the surrounding landscape, which we passed by until then, made up for it a little. Among other things, I caught a glimpse of the foothills of the snow-covered Retezat Mountains. Unfortunately, the next train to Vidin departs only the next morning. I organize a small dinner and then make myself comfortable in the train station hall. After a short time, we are asked to leave, as dogs are not allowed. So, we spend the night directly on the platform. Not nice. Especially the Dicke (nickname for Rango) can hardly rest. The loud steel animals with their white eyes in the front and their red eyes in the back seem rather eerie to him.

But this night, too, passes, and at eight o'clock on Sunday morning, we sit in the train to Vidin, Bulgaria. It's so cold in the train that I have to unpack my sleeping bag again. The train covers the roughly 100 km in about 3 hours. So, we're moving rather slowly. In the early afternoon, another passport control is due. Then we take a small walk around the town, I spend a few Leva, buy tickets to Sofia, and shortly after twelve o'clock, we're already on the train again. During the journey to the Bulgarian capital, I chat a bit with a couple from near Cologne who are traveling with an Interrail ticket for three weeks. Upon arrival in Sofia, I have about an hour to organize something for dinner and have a coffee. Then we can already continue to Plovdiv. In the European Capital of Culture 2019, I want to take a first break. According to the internet, there are a few pet-friendly hostels, and I hope to spend two nights in the city. We arrive in Plovdiv shortly before nine o'clock and start looking for accommodation. In the end, we can check in at the Hikers Hostel directly in the historic old town. I put Rango to bed, take a shower, and then have a small dinner in illustrious company. So, the time passes quickly until well after midnight.

I completely oversleep the next morning (April 22, 2019) and don't get out of bed until shortly before eleven. After a small breakfast, I'm invited to join the hostel's lunch. So, I can start exploring Plovdiv in the late afternoon. Our path leads us up to Nebet Tepe and then through the old town and along some promenades to the train station. Unfortunately, a larger group has booked the Hikers Hostel for the next night, and our stay ends earlier than hoped. Since a train journey with the night train to Istanbul is rather difficult again, I buy a ticket to Swilengrad for midnight. Same train, but a different wagon. On the way back to the hostel, we stroll through the city again, to the banks of the Maritsa River and back to Old Plovdiv. In the hostel, I treat myself to another coffee break before using the evening for another stroll through the old town. With its many small alleys lined with typical houses (similar to half-timbered houses), several parks, and its churches, the town certainly has some charm. The hilly location and remains of long-gone days round out the positive impression. So, after a small dinner at the hostel, with all our belongings and full of new impressions, I head to the train station. We sit on the train again shortly before midnight.