Arbanassi - Bulgaria - 2014

Overnight we docked at Rousse in Bulgaria.
It took about an hour for our bus trip to Arbanassi.



Arbanassi is a hill-top village in northern Bulgaria.
It was a religious haven for Christians during the times of the Ottoman rule.
Arbanassi is popular for its stone houses, unique architecture and according to our guide, Anna Marie, its high real estate prices.

First stop was at a rose souvenir shop ... rose everything ... rose perfume, rose soap, rose balm, rose brandy, rose liqueur, ...  
Bulgaria is renown for its roses.







Many merchants settled in Arbanassi in the 17th and 18th centuries.
They traded with Translyvania, the Danubian Principalities, Russia and Poland.

We visited a museum, the former home of an 18th century merchant.






There was a strong Turkish influence on the furnishings.




















The original stone floor.






 



 














Next we visited the Church of the Archangels, Michael and Gabriel where we heard a 4-man Orthodox male choir sing a series of chants.























At a restaurant we had a typical Bulgarian lunch ... bread dipped in honey or spice as a welcome on entry, salad, soup, chicken stew and yoghurt.
We were entertained by traditional Bulgarian dancers in the attractive gardens of the restaurant.