Robyn and I just back from a day and night in Kazanlak.  We had great fun.  I think.  After a three hour bus ride and one dead horse by the side of the road we made it to the town of Kazanlak.  Kazanlak is know for being part of the "Land of Roses" where rose oil is made but also for a great old Thracian Tomb which was found in 1944 while soldiers were trying to dig a bomb shelter.

The tomb was amazing--sure we had to pay 20 leva to see it but it was well worth it.  I think we got to spend about 15 minutes in the tomb which is a World UNESCO site.  The one funny thing is that you have to go to a museum to pay for your ticket and to be let in.  We were clearly the only visitors on Monday and we had to wait around a little bit to see the tomb.  Oh and at the museum they really only speak Bulgarian and German.  Good thing my German is better than my Bulgarian.

[caption id="attachment_825" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Me, my guide book and the sign for the Thracian Tomb"]<img class="size-full wp-image-825" title="CAE at the Tomb " src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/dsc06414.jpg" alt="Me, my guide book and the sign for the Thracian Tomb" width="500" height="375" />[/caption]

Robyn and I did get a kick out of the fact that there is also an exact replica of the tomb in the museum so while we were waiting to be let into the real tomb we were allow to poke around the in the replica.  Really it was incredible to be inside the tomb.  We had to wear white coats in but it's so small that you can get really close to the paintings on the wall. <!--more--> In my book, it was completely worth the trip to Kazanlak simply to see up close the tomb and the paintings.

Then we poked around town and found a hotel for the night. Hotel Roza was a good price.  We paid in cash and in leva (rather than Euro).   We were very happy with the hotel, the service and the breakfast we ate.

[caption id="attachment_826" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Our Hotel: Hotel Roza "]<img class="size-full wp-image-826" title="R and our hotel " src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/dsc06507.jpg" alt="Our Hotel: Hotel Roza " width="500" height="666" />[/caption]

And then we took the bus to Shipka to see the town and to visit the Shipka Monastery (it's maybe a 25 minute bus ride and 1.50 leva.  Take bus number 6).

[caption id="attachment_827" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Shipka Memorial Church also called the Shipka Monastery "]<img class="size-full wp-image-827" title="Shipka Chruch " src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/dsc06452.jpg" alt="Shipka Memorial Church also called the Shipka Monastery " width="500" height="666" />[/caption]

The church is beautiful.  As is the view from the church.  All in all it was a great day of tourism and then we ended the night with a Bulgarian dinner at the restaurant Magnolia (on Nikola Petkov near the Thracian Tomb) and we called it a night after a beer at Cafe Lido (on General Skovelev).  This was  a street that we were suprized to see so many cafes and bars on including Vio, Credo and Avenue after reading in our guide book about what a dreary little town Kazanluk is.

[caption id="attachment_828" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="The view from Shipka Monastery "]<img class="size-full wp-image-828" title="CAE and Shipka" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/dsc06447.jpg" alt="The view from Shipka Monastery " width="500" height="375" />[/caption]