9 June
10:14 a.m.
Yesterday, me and my dad woke up, I started my routine with a work-out, some belly muscle training, and we went for breakfast with the family in the hotel's restaurant. For me, breakfast is a time to reflect on the previous day, make plans for the day ahead and know what to do in the hour of business tasks that will follow to set everthing in place, so I can enjoy my day, while the automated systems work in the background.
The plan today was to hike with my dad to the spring of the Golyam skok waterfalls from the village of Maglizh. Around 11 a.m. we drove there by car, parked in the village and got our feet up for a 10km walk to the source of the river. I love those tiny villages here, the colourful houses, the old doors, the silence, elderly people sitting, and chatting outside, the nature, flowers, and multiple types of butterflies. I think we're here in the right season of the year, while everything is blooming and the forests are green. I truly love the silence while we were walking, and I kept thinking of the mindset I had before when I got to walk a distance like this.
When I was half the way earlier on, I started to block myself mentally. 'O, it's so hot. I can't go any longer. I'm sweaty. I don't want any more.' I know that everything gets worse when I keep on thinking those kind of thoughts. My legs are going to feel heavy, and I keep on playing the record with my negative mindset.
But now I'm thinking of where I want to go, and that I know that we will reach something that's worth our trip, worth to sweat for, and make me feel great and relieved that I did this. So while were walking, I'm thinking about how proud I am that I changed my mindset, that I keep holding on, and am able to look to the broader picture, instead of the obstacles on the road.
Because in the moment you stop, it feels good. But in the end, when the other person would go further, and comes back with amazing pictures, you would be frustrated about your own behaviour. That's when you say to yourself that next time you have to put yourself over your mindset and go till the end so you can really see what's there too and enjoy the moment togehter.
On our way back, we got a lift from a Spanish driver, who was searching for Porchini (some kind of mushroom) in the mountains. My dad was really tired, so I said 'yes' to him to drive us back the last 2 km to the small village. We bought something to drink, went back to the hotel, got ourselves refreshed and went on for dinner with my brother and his girlfriend. They are flying back today, but the restaurant where we were, next to the lake, with wonderful surroundings and astonishing food, really made it a worthy evening together.
Today we're heading over to our next stop, which will be Plovdiv!
10 June
10:20
Yesterday the temperature was about 32 degrees and I felt uncomfortable. The heat was on, and it turned out to rain, and thunder in the evening.
First we checked out at our hotel, said 'goodbye' to a couple of family members, and went to the center of Stara Zagora, just to have a look and explore the surroundings. Even when this is quite a big city, there's not much to discover. There's the National Museum, where the wedding of my cousin has been hold, the center with some small streets, there was a local market, and a park to walk through, and that was all. We strolled around, and went back to the car (where the garage guy only wanted us to pay in Bulgarian coins we didn't have, no card payment available, but in the end he got frustrated, and send us away with a free parking ticket).
We got back in the car, and drove to Plovdiv, what took us like one hour and 30 minutes to get there. Fortunately, our host was already done with cleaning our appartment, and we could go inside immediately. Because there's no buffet or standard breakfast, we first headed over to a supermarket, bought some vegetables, fruits, drinks and yoghurt, went back to our appartment, refreshed, and got ready for dinner.
And, even when we just refreshed ourselves, after three steps outside in the heat we already sweat again like fulfilled sponges. We went to Liberation Hill, where we climbed to the top. Well, I went to the top. Dad was drenched in sweat and didn't want to go further than halfway, so he got back to the park and waited there for me on a bench. I climbed to the top to see the view over the city, the massive statue, combined with loads of different birds singing all along. It's the nature that you really get to love when you go here. While walking through the forests, seeing the birds, butterflies, salamanders, and lizards combined with all the sounds they're making, you dive into your own thoughts, feel resilient and grateful for what you have.
That inner piece, the way you have places to explore on your own, that's the big difference with the rush in Holland, and I enjoy having the time to experience this.
The world moves twice as fast.
Or twice as slow.
It's hard to tell when it feels like you're watching your own life instead of living it.
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