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Eastern europe '25
  • Meg Nyland
  • Meg Nyland

Eastern europe '25

A 72-day adventure by Meg Read more
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  • Trip start
    April 22, 2025
  • Meg NylandEastern europe '25Traveler

    Springtime park and villages museum

    April 26, 2025 in Romania ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    We took a bus across town to the Herastrau Park, and took a long walk up the lake. It was a beautiful spring Saturday, and tons of locals were out walking, running, biking, etc. Reminded us a little of walking around Green lake. We also visited an open air museum inside the park, that was hundreds of old houses and structures from across the country, from the 1700s-present day.

    We bussed back, picked up some groceries, lunch at home. Siesta, then dinner at the German pub nearby.    Read more

  • Meg NylandEastern europe '25Traveler

    Museums

    April 27, 2025 in Romania ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Went to the history museum, it was in a very cool old building, the museum itself was a bit underwhelming (we had been warned). Then into the Communist museum to learn more about life during that era in Romania.
    Being a Sunday the town was very quiet and many restaurants were closed, but we finally found a local place outside of Old Town that was pretty good.    Read more

  • Meg NylandEastern europe '25Traveler

    Chill day

    April 28, 2025 in Romania ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Spent the morning travel planning, then headed to the popular restaurant of Caru cu Bere. Beautiful interior and good food (definitely a splurge for us).

    After lunch we walked along the canal and through a park; Bill managed to see two new birds.

    We both took naps, but mine was later and longer, we ended up skipping dinner.    Read more

  • Meg NylandEastern europe '25Traveler

    More parks

    April 29, 2025 in Romania ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Another morning of travel booking. Then we metro'd up to the bus station we'll be departing from in a few days, but weren't able to buy tickets.

    Then we meandered through the botanical gardens, followed by burgers for lunch.Read more

  • Meg NylandEastern europe '25Traveler

    Travel day

    May 6, 2025 in Romania ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    Lazy morning, then a walk to the train station. Easy boarding to our train to brasov. We took the 4-hour slooow train (the timing was better) so we stopped in every Hamlet. It was fine except the train was so hot!!Read more

  • Meg NylandEastern europe '25Traveler

    Bran castle

    May 8, 2025 in Romania ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Picked up a rental car mid-morning, then headed up to Bran castle. I had low expectations, and it was way better then that! Fully enjoyed it. Then we headed to Rasnov for lunch. What a sleepy town! We wandered around sleepy streets and closed restaurants, until we finally found an open cafe with locals dining. No English spoken, but we got by with Google translate:-)

    Later in the evening we went downtown and met another nomad couple, Cindy and David. Fun times chatting.    Read more

  • Meg NylandEastern europe '25Traveler

    Trains to Bulgaria

    May 12, 2025 in Bulgaria ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    We left our Bucharest hotel at 8:30, and backtracked on the metro back to Gare de Nord, as we had to pick up our international train tix a bit earlier than our 10am train.

    Train ride was uneventful but very slow, it took us over the border into Bulgaria, and dropped us at the border town of Ruse. Large and largely empty station, so we ventured outside in our 30 min layover to get Bulgarian cash and a lunch snack.

    Back to the train station and onto a dilapidated 1960s train. But it went pretty fast! In two hours we were in a town outside of Veliko turnovo, and we shared a cab with lovely Brits into town.    Read more

  • Meg NylandEastern europe '25Traveler

    Enjoying Plovdiv

    May 14–21, 2025 in Bulgaria ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Great town! Day one we did a walking tour. In the following days we also saw the ethnography museum, the bishops basilica with amazing mosaics, we hiked up to the "monument to the Soviet soldier", Bill took a bike ride, art museum, big walk along the river, and archeological museum. Lots to see and do here, we are enjoying it.Read more

  • Meg NylandEastern europe '25Traveler

    Train day

    May 21, 2025 in Bulgaria ⋅ ☁️ 24 °C

    ~3 hour train ride to Sofia. Then taxi to our cute Airbnb. As is our routine, unpack and get settled, find a grocery store for provisions, relax for a bit on our back balcony. Then out to find dinner.

  • Meg NylandEastern europe '25Traveler

    Town meander

    May 24, 2025 in Bulgaria ⋅ 🌧 12 °C

    Today is the national holiday celebrating the professors and their students that created the Cyrillic alphabet, it's a big claim to fame here in Bulgaria. We walked by some festival streets, and school kid singing performances.

    We intended to go to the national art gallery, but it was closed for the holiday. Instead we tried across town to the bus station to scope it out, and buy our future tickets to Skopje. Then we figured out the trams headed back to our hood.

    Raining off and on but not too bad.    Read more

  • Meg NylandEastern europe '25Traveler

    Rainy Sunday

    May 25, 2025 in Bulgaria ⋅ 🌧 10 °C

    It's raining heavy and not predicted to get above 48*. So much for escaping Seattle's chilly spring.

    We spent the morning chilling, reading, travel planning, then decided to go back to the national gallery (free today).

    It's wet outside! And cold. And empty as I suspect most locals are having a cozy Sunday inside (smart).

    The gallery was fine but not that impressive. We then had lunch at a chain that served pretty disappointing "smash" burger. Oh well.

    We then hit the grocery to buy dinner ingredients, because I'm pretty sure we won't be motivated to go back out in the rain this evening.    Read more

  • Meg NylandEastern europe '25Traveler

    Tromp thru the woods

    May 26, 2025 in Bulgaria ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    Rain dissipated this morning, so we went for a long ramble. Started in a park near our apartment, then continued about 5 miles through the woods (toward the zoo). We some people, but fewer and fewer as we got deeper into the woods. A little muddy but very pleasant overall.

    We then took a tram back to our neighborhood and found some lunch.    Read more

  • Meg NylandEastern europe '25Traveler

    Churches and museums

    May 27, 2025 in Bulgaria ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    Last day in Sofia. We wandered to a cool looking blue and gold church, but no pictures allowed.

    We then went to the regional History museum which had a nice bit of everything.

    Then we grabbed lunch, and had high hopes of finding some wine tasting. But the place we stopped into was expensive, and only available at 7pm.

    Hmm, then we tried to go to the city gallery for some more art, but it was closed for a new installation.
    So we went back home and I took a nap 😂😂    Read more

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