First of all, thank you guys, for all the support I got after my last post. Parenting isn't easy, that's for sure. I got some new parenting books to read, my candy stash replenished, my last drops of patience out of the storage and ready to tackle this drama. Or at least I hope not to crumble next time it happens.
In other news, we went on a little road trip this weekend. Kids have been asking us for a while to go on one and we decided to go check the Rila Monsatery out. According to Wikipedia it is the largest and most famous Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria. It should still be an active monastery although I did not see not even one monk walk by while we were there.
It was founded in the 10th century by the hermit Ivan of Rila. The hermit actually lived in a cave without any possessions and his students who wanted to follow him built the monastery.
Then some Ottomans came and destroyed the monastery in the middle of the 15th century.
In the 1830s it was rebuilt with the donations of the wealthy Bulgarian people.
Even the Pope John Paul II visited the monastery during his pilgrimage to Bulgaria.
And now we've been there too! It is a very picturesque and colorful monastery with all those arches. It is also very Bulgarian. I want to return there during summer as it is situated right in the mountains and it was a little too cold for walking around, exploring and enjoying it all. And it will be so much more beautiful when the nature awakes. So we will be back there when it's warmer.
So beautiful! It made me laugh that a monk lived in a cave, and his followers built a fancy building to be near him :) I love the history behind old sites like that.
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat place! Good family times. Europe is so reach in achitectural history, it's really amazing! Great pictures too.
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