Alinsky Monastery, 2019

Photos from our hike to Alinsky Monastery on Plana yesterday. The day was coldish, with crisp, fresh air; the sky was cloudy with a promise of rain and we felt simulated to pace ourselves at a higher than our usual hiking speed.

:From time to time the sun managed to break through the clouds

: The trail has a gorgeous view to Rila to the south

: The snow covered peaks of Rila shone beautifully in the far distance

: The monastery. We here surprised to find a construction brigade there, engaged in beautifying the old church and the area. Pity, the place had its charm in the old dilapidated way it had preserved itself through the centuries - the church is from the XIV century. Now they are not restoring it, but turning it into a modern kitsch, from  what we managed to glimpse.

: We climbed the nearby hill with the ruins of the old fortress that was erected there to protect the monastery.

: The cloudy sky added a lot of character and beauty to the scenery

: Vitosha to the west

: The recent rain down in the city was in the form of fresh snow on the high plateaus of Vitosha

: The highest peak of Plana - Manastirishte in the distance

: Always a delight for the eyes - St. Cyprian's Chapel