I'll be doing some sightseeing with the other new teachers at the American College.  We're going to Rila this morning on our way to Melnik and then tomorrow we're heading to Kovachevitsa. I am looking forward to the trip and to seeing Bulgaria in the late summer. The funny thing is the fact that this will be my third trip to Melnik and my second to Rila.

It's not a bad thing to go to these places more than once.  In fact many of them are beautiful enough and interesting enough to merit a second visit but what gets me is there are a number of specific cities that are very traditional sightseeing stops in Bulgaria while there are so many interesting cities that are at least as close as some place like Melnik but these smaller cities are often overlooked for the charm of Melnik or the flashiness of a revival town like Koprivshtitsa.

This said, I am totally looking forward to visiting Kovachevitsa.  The Lonely Planet guide for Bulgaria describes Kovachevitsa as "one of southern Bulgaria's most picturesque villages" but they also say that it's "one of the most difficult to get to."  Again according to the Lonely Planet: Kovachevitsa has been declared an architectural and historical reservation by the Bulgarian Government because of its unique building style, which is influenced by Macedonian designs and uses abundant stone rather than wood.  Apparently: there's little to see or do in the village, except appreciate the fresh air and stunning scenery.

Given my love hate relationship with this guide book, I can hardly wait to see what this little village is all about.  Expect a full report when I am back in Sofia in a couple of days!!