Sunday 27 July JWOC relays and last day

The relays started in a thunderstorm with heavy rain, but the sun came out again later.

Before catching some of the action, Trish went up the road to Tsarska Bistritsa or royal hunting lodge, built by Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria between 1898 and 1914. I had the grounds to myself, although the palace itself is closed, nobody knows why. However, it was lovely, and I found at last what I heard was the oldest hydro power station in Bulgaria! Right there, built by the Tsar in 1912 and still busily humming along. 170 kw it says. In 1945 the whole place was taken over by the (communist) government, but returned to Tsar's son in 1989, and now mostly open to the public. Forest setting, a beautiful little chapel with lots of icons, a gallery of pictures and costumes in what might have been a cow barn as stables seemed to be elsewhere. And of course I could see all of palace from outside. Power house was attractive too.

Courtyard of palace

Power house

Technical stuff in Bulgarian, good luck! Wikipedia will help!

 Chapel, and one of many icons...

Water feature!

President of Bulgarian O Federation presenting NZ team with flowers as 6th place getters - well done those chaps!

All 18 now on the podium, bit squashed!

And a somewhat wet and worn girl with Grandma!

 That's it for now, what an event.

Saturday 26 July JWOC Middle distance final

Held on this map, which hopefully you can zoom into enough to see how tricky it is!

(Disappointingly, when the hangers-on got to have a go at the end, the W65 course was only in the middle open area and sort of yellowish-orange!)

Two NZers were in the A final as determined by the qualification races on adjoining map yesterday; here are Anna and Jane anxiously awaiting the arrival of Nick at the last control...

And yes, oh good, here he is, in time for a fifth place ... Well done him!

The other A finalist was Alice who had a good run but not fast enough for the podium!

All the other team members were in the B final and had ok runs. ( There was also a C final so a creditable performance from NZ)

On the way home, the stall with garlic and spuds which had looked like this in the morning was still there looking much the same, but the stork nest which was empty in the morning ...

was occupied when we came back...

Hay making is in full swing, and we followed this load for a while, and yes that is a centre line to the right of his left (ie. outside) wheel. But then there are a lot of potholes and it is easier often to drive in the middle of the road. Too bad if you'd like to pass!

Friday 25 July

Perhaps this is just the place to start today's story...

beside a little stream surrounded by grass and flowers, having just descended the steep part of the track from Musala, at 2925.4m the highest mountain in the Balkans, let alone Bulgaria. As the day was forecast as the best of the week, Trish decided to grab the opportunity and scarper off. A lift, 4827m long, goes from Borovets village at 1323m up to Yastrabets 2369m, so one only has to climb the remaining 556.4m to get to the top. Cost 12 lev for up and back down again, which is a bit less than $10. Horizontal distance from top of gondola about 6 km, starting with a flat walk along sort of 4WD track for about 3 km.

Nearly at the top station

Heading for the rounded but pointy one on the right!

 Along the 4WD track

past a lake

and a hut before the last pull uphill

View back downhill

Admiring the ridge!

On the top, Musala Cross

The hut 

Weather predictions even bettered,so it didn't rain at 3pm even!  Chilly on top, which was lost to view by 4pm. A very good track through the granite rock, and well worn, especially today, as every man and his DOG were there!

Technical information ... A weather station on top of the hut at the top, readings being taken at midday

 And something well locked down belonging to the Bulgarian Institute for Nuclear Research and Nuclear Energy

But more beautifully many many wild flowers!

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Meanwhile, Robyn went off to the JWOC Middle qualifications which were held in a new area of lovely beech forest with micro detail - still at over 1000m asl. Very challenging as 6 courses (like in a relay) laid out on a small map. Nick and Alice had fantastic runs to be in top 20 of their groups and in A finals tomorrow. Ed an early starter had to wait for the last few to come home to find he was pushed out of the A selection by only 8 seconds. Everybody else gets to run again tomorrow on a very similar map.

Thursday 24 July

Scheduled as a rest day for JWOC, so an opportunity to take off on an expedition, which for us was to the Rila Monastery. This is situated in a steep forested valley which runs up unto the Rila mountains. 

Best to read about it on Wikipedia or similar, but we can say it is surprising, beautiful, calm, dramatic.

 On the way there we saw people going about their business, 

Keeping an eye on their cows grazing beside the road,

 Wheeling bunches of herbs in an old pram

Selling honey, from nearby hives

Which are predominantly blue or yellow. 

Jane keeps bees herself in Wellington and was able to fill in with information in addition to what the girl managing the stall could tell us (in very good English). We tried herb honey which is the early season honey when all the meadow wild flowers are out, and oak honey which is the end of season honey which is harvested when no flowers left as forage but apparently oak leaves or sap not sure which are attractive. Very tasty too!

Other road users, in addition to quite a lot of trucks, were this baler being taken into town,

 And various carts

A great trip, and we were still back in time for the afternoon party put on by the NZ and Aussie JWOC team at their hotel for their supporters, which was a nice thought. They are all in good spirits and looking forward to the Middle Qualification races tomorrow.

This by the way is one of the infamous dogs which have been a source of trouble to o-ers running around the town streets ... Large and mostly unfriendly but apparently not stray or feral as often chained up like this one.

Wednesday 23 July JWOC Long distance

Map was at 43 13 37.12N 23 23 39.17E

First we watched NZ team in spectator "Shute" which was about three quarters of the way around their courses, a longish uphill stretch. The photo of Sophie in the spectator Shute says most of the story, long and hard going!

 Ed's comment ... the hardest course ever but the most fun:

Refreshments from some local villagers...

And meanwhile life went on as usual for other locals; collecting herbs and strawberries...

And taking the goats along the road for grazing ...

 Beautiful wild flowers for munching

And after a fine day and all the excitement of JWOC finishers (some of the NZ men did particularly well), the hangers on were allowed out on the map for short courses to see what it was all about. But it chose to rain as we set forth for the start1.5km up the road. So we waited wet and getting cold under trees, Trish amongst a group of Turkish youngsters, who later followed me all round the short "orangish" course. Mad! Don't know about other grades, but here is the W65 opposition with small boys in tow, watched by local bystander.

In Samokov, JWOC Sprint 22 July

9.00am Thrones being unwrapped for fastest time or current leaders. Fine and very warm. Finish Shute  across large open square in town centre.

Proud Kiwi crowd found high ground by the spectator control at 3/4 mark. Note flagstones.

Ed,first male Kiwi home. All starters had been in large sports stadium (quarantined) with covered windows and only stairs for warm up space . Threat of thunder and rain.

An hour later "cats n dogs rain", lightening, and ankle deep in places. Good concentration by Sophie. Many falls by speedsters at controls and steps.

Our winner, Tim, with washed out flag (it seemed to have no stars!) in stadium at rescheduled Opening Ceremony/Prize giving. At least 3 large flags on display with the 20 plus NZ supporters cheering from the tiered seating. National anthem but no Haka.