23/08/2022 - Stage 14 from Istanbul, Turkey to Plovdiv, Bulgaria (438 kilometers)

Now we slowly began our journey back home. We started early in the morning at 7 o'clock, so we were ahead of schedule and only needed 2 hours at the border to Bulgaria. Here we had another border experience. The Bulgarians require disinfection of the car when entering from Turkey. We automatically drove through a disinfection lane and the car was sprayed, of course not for free, they charge 3 euros for that. We continued on the route and were already in Plovdiv, the second largest city in Bulgaria, around 2 o'clock in the afternoon. We had a really nice accommodation, the nicest we had on this trip so far. We enjoyed it a little longer and then took a leisurely stroll through the beautiful city. From our apartment, we walked through a large park with a huge water basin and various fountains, past a playground full of noisy children and chattering parents. In another area of the park, the older men of the city sat at many small tables and played for the best move of their lives. We strolled through the city's shopping street and came across evidence that the city became the European Capital of Culture in 2019. Right next to it sits Milyo. He was mentally unstable, but one of the most famous jokers in the city. People still remember him and he has become a symbol of the city's spirit. We walked towards the Old Town of Plovdiv. Automatically, we passed by the Dzhumaya Mosque, which is right next to the Roman Stadium. It was built in the 2nd century during the reign of Hadrian and could accommodate 30,000 people. Historians suspect that competitions similar to the Greek Olympic Games were held here in the past. The Old Town is located slightly higher up and we reached it via narrow cobblestone streets. The most significant building in the Old Town is probably the Ancient Theater, which was built at the beginning of the 2nd century. In the 4th century, a large part of it was damaged by an earthquake or fire. After a landslide, the structure was rediscovered by chance in 1968 and is now used for events. We visited the Orthodox Church of the Holy Mother of God and then walked to the Kapana district. We ate a typical Schopska salad and some other delicacies in a small restaurant. To conclude our city walk, we marveled at the amazing street art that is spread across many house walls in this neighborhood.