Belcheva skala

A memorable hike we had today on Vitosha - from the village of Zeleznitza to peak Belcheva skala (1832 m). The peak is not very high - almost as high as Kamen del, but the elevation gain from down the village up to the peak along the fairly short and extremely steep trail, was a killer! 

:The day was very hot and humid, with promise of rain, which came in the early afternoon, with the first rain drops falling just as we got back into the car. Talk about timing :)

:In late May the south-eastern slopes of Vitosha are like an English garden - juicy green and abundant with flowers

Hike info:

Destination: peak Belcheva skala (1832 m)

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 12 km

Elevation gain: 700 m

Total duration (plus picnic and rests): 4 and a half hours

Average difficulty: 6.5 / 10

:The Blue Arrow shelter, a place we often hike, down to the left

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxers, Knipmode cargo pants

I: lingerie, striped tunic, hoodie

:Finally, on the peak. It was difficult, but the reward was fitting - gorgeous panoramas, beautiful vistas and sweet solitude - we were the only hikers on the peak at that time

:We ate our lunch here, taking in the view, and planned an even harder hike for the future - along that ridge across to Kupena hut and from there down to Zeleznitza and back to the car

:A wild orchid - Orchis masculata

Gaby's Graduation

This past Friday, on the eve of the National holiday of the Bulgarian Alphabet and Bulgarian Enlightenment and Culture, Sofia University officially handed the diplomas of its 2021 graduates.

It was a nice and heart-touching ceremony and our girl is now officially a holder of a Bachelor's Degree in Molecular Biology.

Just a few photos I took during the ceremony, I really liked the solemn togas and hats the graduates wore.

:The moment of handing the diploma. Gaby also received an honorary certificate for graduating with  excellence.

:The stained glass mural in the University, depicting the Holy Brothers Cyril and Methodius, creators of the Slavonic Alphabet

:A moment with her closest University colleagues

:Hats in the air :)

:And now off to the next degree - she is currently pursuing a Master's from Vienna University

Kamen Del 2022

This weekend we had Gaby visiting us for the official graduation ceremony from Sofia University. On Saturday the weather was absolutely perfect - sunny and warm, and husband, Gaby and I hiked on Vitosha along a circular trail we composed, based on the map. Because we chose mostly paths off the well trodden routes, some of the places we passed through turned out to be true hidden treasures and this circular trail or parts thereof are definitely entering the list of our hiking staples.

:Vitosha is at its brightest green at the moment along the mid-high altitude paths

:The snow melted only a week or two ago here, so there were plenty of big fresh purple crocuses. Down in the valleys the crocuses are long gone, but up above the 1800 m line they are just in bloom.

Hike info:

Destination: peak Kamen Del (1862 m) along circular trail

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 13.5 km

Elevation gain: 500 m

Total duration (plus picnic and rests): 5 hours

Average difficulty: 5.5 / 10 

:The plateau

:On peak Kamen Del (1862 m)

:The higher peaks of Vitosha are still partially covered with snow

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxers, Knipmode cargo pants, grey t-shirt

I: lingerie, Burda 6202 blouse, flared leggings, hoodie

Gaby: lingerie

:Peak Ushite

:A big snow drift. We had to cross one of these along our way

:The trail from the plateau down to Kikish hut was breathtakingly beautiful, definitely the best part of the hike

:A scenic view of Sofia from the stone covered hills of this unusual part of Vitosha

Polka Dot Blouse

I finished a new blouse for myself. I am a big fan of this style of polka dot pattern, last year I made a  wrap dress out of a similar ITY print and so the moment I saw this cotton jersey I knew I had to have it.

I debated between several styles of jersey blouses - the Carmen blouse, the Adrienne blouse (which I made for Gaby last year) and in the end I settled on this Burda 6202 raglan blouse with 3/4 elasticated sleeves - simple and easy to make and wear.

Pattern: Burda 6202 from Burda Catalogue 1 / 2020

Size: 36, shortened

Fabric: cotton knit fabric, 1m.

Time to make: 2 days

I matched the new blouse with a pair of capri pants I made at the end of last summer and which I refashioned this year. In the end I did not like the cuffed up style of these pants, so I let the cuffs down as much as was possible, narrowed the legs and turned them into fairly straight 7/8 trousers. I definitely prefer them this way.

In my usual daily-walk-in-the-park style, by the poppies in front of our building