Our Bulgaria trip in January focused on three things: a Traditional Pomak wedding, the Surva festival, and exploring the Rhodope Mountains in winter. The wedding and festival were set on two consecutive weekends, so we had plenty of time in between to explore the Rhodopes (or Rodopi, as they are called in Bulgarian). We decided to base ourselves at one of the mountain hotels above Velingrad and drive around, exploring the area. We had no definite plan, just allowing things to happen naturally.
Below, you will find five stories. Even if you don’t read them all, please scan through and enjoy the images that catch your eye! Thank you.
Pesho from Osenovo
This is a short story in photos about the village of Osenovo and one of its few inhabitants, Pesho. Pesho (Peter) was a truck driver all his life. Over the years, the roads have taken him all around the Eastern Bloc countries and several times into the USSR.
Initially, when we were exploring the village with our cameras, he checked us out suspiciously. However, when he realized we were foreign visitors, he warmly invited us into his modest home. The old traditional house was in a dilapidated state, with only one room heated by a small firewood stove. As we climbed up the wooden stairs, we sat on his bed and only chair. Then, he brought out a tin box full of old photos and started to tell stories. Notably, he had several cute cats, and they were his only companions.
In Search of the Shepherds
While driving around, we hoped to meet local people, ideally shepherds with their sheep. In our minds, this seemed like a quintessential Rhodope scene.
Eventually, we stopped at one of the tiny villages, where locals told us about an old shepherd living in a remote home with many sheep. They explained how to get there via a rough, muddy dirt road infested with rosehip branches and covered in snow. We contemplated whether to take it or not, but then we thought, we are in Bulgaria—this is why we came here! So, off we went. Slowly, we arrived at an open plain with a couple of dilapidated houses. It was foggy, so we couldn’t see much. We walked around the landscape, photographing snowy scenes. Soon, we heard sheep in the forest as they came out to forage for anything edible. It was an incredibly beautiful scene, watching the sheep running around in the snow, munching on the few grasses and branches available.
Later, we walked towards the houses. Smoke was coming out of one of them. There were two dogs, one on a short, tight chain and the other free. The latter was howling at us with a mellow, friendly tone, almost like singing a song.
We knocked on the door. No answer. We knocked again. Still no answer. Just as we were about to walk away, we heard the door opening. More precisely, the door window opened. When I stepped closer, I noticed the old shepherd the villagers had told us about. Dancho spoke with him. He explained he was not feeling well, that he was sick and needed to rest. We wished him well, gave him a pack of coffee, and said goodbye.
The beautiful winter scenery, watching the herd of sheep, and our brief encounter with the old shepherd were truly memorable experiences. Now, I wish I could come back at a different time of year. Perhaps in autumn, when the Rhodope Mountains shine in beautiful autumn colors.
Exploring Gorna Dubeva Village
Gorna Dubeva or Горна Дъбева is a small, quaint village in the heart of the Rhodope Mountains. When we first arrived, the village seemed abandoned. Nobody was around. This was not surprising, given the deep snow and very cold weather.
However, while taking some scenic photos, we started to meet local people. Consequently, the village suddenly came to life! It turned out it was the day when pensioners collect their monthly pension from the post office in the village center. Fortunately, we arrived at the perfect time. There were many opportunities for a chat. Although Amadeja and I struggled with our mix of Slovenian, Serbian, and a few Bulgarian words, it sufficed for small talk. With Dancho’s help, we had more meaningful conversations. After enjoying strong, bitter coffee at the post office/market, we walked around the main street. We met Mohamed, a vital and energetic man in his 80s, who turned out to be the grandfather of our new friend from Yundola, and a few old ladies tending their sheep. Overall, it was a delightful experience in the village!
The Milk Transaction
Not far from Gorna Dubeva, we stopped at a small village. A small village mosque, snowy scene, and beautiful light caught our attention, so we decided to stop. We parked in a driveway of a small house, the only clearing from the deep snow, thinking it would be just for a few minutes. However, it turned into more than an hour of questing for photo compositions and chasing the light.
When we finally returned to the car, an old lady appeared at the house. She walked towards us, carrying two large buckets of milk. While waiting for the milk collector, Dancho and I spoke with her. Fatme lived in the village with her husband, selling milk to supplement their income. Soon, the milk truck arrived. The driver and Fatme exchanged greetings and completed their business, not minding me taking photos. In such moments, one only wonders how little money she makes with such hard work!
Beautiful Light in Cholakova Village
Following our journey through the Rhodope Mountains in winter, we arrived in Cholakova village. Dancho suggested this could be a nice place to be when the sun starts breaking the fog. And he was right!
We parked our car at the bottom of the village and immediately got involved in conversations with locals. They were curious about our business there. Photography and meeting people, we replied! Everyone was cheerful and happy to be photographed, even the cheeky young cow who followed us through the village.
We met Ali, a friendly man who invited us to his home for coffee. While chatting, he mentioned he had a baby lamb in his barn. He was more than happy to pose with it, and it was beautiful to see how much he cared for the animal!
As we continued our walk through the village, we followed the road up the hill. We reached the elevated views just in time for the sunlight to break through the clouds, creating an amazing backlight. It was a perfect winter fairytale day!
More Photos of Rhodope Mountains in Winter
These are random photos of scenes that caught my eye while driving and hiking around Rhodopes. I can’t connect them with stories so just visual pleasures for the end 🙂
Rhodope Mountains in Winter – Conclusion
I have been to the Rhodope Mountains before, but this was my first time experiencing such beautiful winter conditions. The timing was simply perfect. I have to thank my two co-travelers, Dancho and Amadeja, for being so flexible and open-minded. We were able to simply allow things to happen, which led to beautiful experiences that will stay with us for a lifetime!
This post concludes my winter trip to Bulgaria. If you haven’t already, please check out my other two posts about the Traditional Pomak wedding and the Surva festival. Thank you and see you around soon!
