Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/396493
travel planner Various North American and European airlines serve Sofia via European hubs. Canadians do not need a visa to visit Bulgaria for stays of less than three months. For information on the Rhodopes and the rest of the country, visit the Official Tourism Portal of Bulgaria at bulgariatravel.org. opposite top: The Church of the Holy Mother of God at Asen's Fortress occupies a lofty perch. opposite bottom: A potter demonstrates his craft in Sofia's Ethnographic Museum. top: A grand entrance welcomes visitors to Sofia's Ethnographic Museum. Vasile Szakacs Enjoy insightful writing, brilliant photography, and detailed information on travel to Florida. Order your copy of the 2015 Travel Guide to Florida today! Name Address City State/Province Zip/Postal Code Phone Email Cheque enclosed — Payable to Globelite Travel Marketing Inc. Please charge my Visa Mastercard American Express Card Number: Expiry Date: Name on Card: Signature: PLEASE MAIL THIS ORDER FORM TO: 3 Bluffwood Drive, Toronto, ON M2H 3L4 Canada OR FAX TO: 416-497-0871 OR CALL: 1-888-700-4464 | EMAIL: tigc@rogers.com globelitemedia.com S AT IS FA C T ION GU A R A N T E E D OR YOUR MONE Y B A CK ! THE ESSENTIAL GUIDE FOR YOUR FLORIDA GETAWAY. D I S P L A Y U N T I L J U N E 3 0 , 2 0 1 4 $6.95 DISTINCT REGIONS So many reasons to go! 8 Map out your favorite BEACHES SCENIC DRIVES THEME PARKS CAMPGROUNDS HISTORY • ARCHITECTURE • GARDENS ARTS & CULTURE • SPORTS • SPAS • GOLF and much more Plus 1 , 500 VENUES AND ATTRACTIONS more than Y O U R A W A R D - W I N N I N G G U I D E T O T H E S U N S H I N E S T A T E D I S P L A Y U N T I L J U N E 3 0 , 2 0 1 4 $6.95 • GARDENS SPORTS • SPAS Plus $ 9 .95 including taxes, postage & handling And if our guide Valeri is worried about the decline of religion, he need have no concerns in Momchilovtsi: the village has 28 chapels in and around it, serving a population of fewer than 1,400. The Eastern Orthodox faith has certainly left its mark here. Religious landmarks of note include Bachkovo Monastery, the country's second largest, founded nearly a millennium ago, and the recon- structed 12 th -century Church of the Holy Mother of God at Asen's Fortress. The lofty location of the fortress—impregnable from three sides thanks to the sheer topography—affords stunning mountain views, though the 14 th -century frescoes inside the church, depicting saints and biblical scenes, are sim- ilarly captivating. A SOFIAN SOUVENIR Religious art, in the form of small icons, is a popular souvenir, but I go home with something else. Back at Sofia's Ethnographic Museum, a potter is effort- lessly fashioning bowls on his wheel in a display for local schoolchildren. Noticing my interest, he pres- ents me with one. It suffers the odd chip as it slowly dries on the journey home, but arrives intact. It's the perfect Balkan memento: somewhat battered, not swanky, but given with kindness and utterly unique. Fa l l / W i n t e r 2 0 1 4 49