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Abroad, Guests, Iceland

Adventure: Georgia Koseva in Iceland – Part one

posted by Dario
Dec 4, 2018 909 0 0
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Land of Fire and Ice

  • (Places you can visit)
  • Part one

(Places you can visit)

Part one

“Iceland is a living geological masterpiece, a peerless volcanic land of dramatic skies, bubbling earth, thundering waterfalls and thermal lagoons. If you want an insight into how the planet was sculpted by the forces of Mother Nature, exploring … will provide many answers.”

This little island state is positioned on the border of the Arctic circle and it is home to 300 thousand people only but it gathers thousands of volcanoes, waterfalls, mountains, hot springs, glaciers, rivers, lakes, canyons, volcano fields, endless black beaches… On the border between Eurasia and America, Europa and the eternal ice.

If you’re headed towards Iceland be prepared for sun, wind, snow, cold, rain and between the rain drops – a lot of smiles. Those were our first few days in the southern part of the island. Rainy but exciting. Setting up camp in the rain, our morning coffee accompanied by rain, sun for our short breakfast and then rain again. The waterfall and the rainbow in the rain and meanwhile the sun is glowing above us, but I wouldn’t exchange these days for something else. We spend couple of nights in Hamragardar camping site, which is minutes away from two quaint waterfalls – Gljúfrabúi and Seljalandsfoss and another one 30km away – Skógafoss.

Iceland has the staggering amount of 10 thousand waterfalls, which every single one is so different and impressive than the other ones. Those three are really special to me, because they’re “together”. Besides their close distance they fulfill each other and if there is something that you cannot find in one you can find it in the other. For the first waterfall you have to cross the river and then you pass between the giant crack in the rock just so you can lay eyes on it.

The second waterfall has a footpath behind it and you can actually go “around” the waterfall. The third waterfall, well you can see it from kilometers away. Quite hard to get close to it and you’ll be soaking wet if you do so, but if it’s a sunny day, the rainbow that the waterfall casts in a way, makes quite the unforgettable scene in front of you. From the camping itself you can see the first two waterfalls – so when was the last time a waterfall was the first thing to see when you open your eyes in the morning?

In the most southern part of the Iceland the small town of Vík. Only in the span of few kilometers you can find the most beautiful non-tropical beaches on the planet, but not only this. These beaches not only show their gracefulness, but the power of Mother Nature itself. When you look at those calm waves during the day when the tide is coming in and the beautiful sunset, suddenly they become these large destructive waves that hit the enormous rocks in front of them.

The southernmost point of the island is the small Dyrhólaey peninsula with its distinctive white lighthouse and its rock arch. It oversees towards the Reynisfjara beach when you look towards the west and when you turn around and look east, you can only see endless black horizon. At dusk this exact view kind of brings you back to the Viking times, sailors in distress which look for salvation at the white lighthouse.

Not far away from the southern coastline you can find the Fjaðrárgljúfur canyon. In contrast to the black beaches, on the bottom of the canyon lays a small, quiet river which was tainted with time. How long – 2 million years to be exact. Somewhere around that period during the Ice Age was the time when the canyon was formed. Only then when you stand on top of the edge looking down the 2-kilometer-long canyon, you can say that our live is few seconds long compared to the eternity of nature.

All of the glaciers in Iceland exist since the Ice Age. The biggest one of them is Vatnajökull which takes 1/10 of the area of Iceland. Jökulsárlón glacier lake is the perfect spot to see the ice cap. And if you listen carefully you can hear in the distance how large pieces of ice fall off the glacier into the lake. From the lake itself is the beginning of a small river which after less than kilometer flows out into the ocean carrying big chunks of ice with it towards the Atlantic where the waves are “polishing” them and take them to the “Diamond Beach” right next to the outlet of the river.

This beach is one of those places where you run towards the waves like a little kid and after when they’re coming towards you, you run away from them before they catch you. The crown jewel of the beach are the stunning “diamonds”. If I have to list one reason to go across whole Europe is just to get to this beach.

We spend our last night in West Iceland where the snow finally caught us. We camped in the coastal town of Grundarfjörður, where is the symbolic mountain Kirkjufell. Next to it there is a waterfall which is looking over the mountain and from there the mountain looks like a perfect triangle.

This is maybe one of the most photogenic places on the planet, but the thing that caught my eye the most was the little town next to it. We went out for quite a while, going around its harbor and small streets. A perfect symphony of nature and modest urbanization. A symphony of life. Who would have thought that an arctic harbor town will be more beautiful than the most cosmopolitan capital?

Not a single adventure in Iceland is complete without the hot mineral lagoons. For these we picked the valley of springs Reykjadalur. An hour hike during sunset while the mountain was literally smoking was simply breathtaking.

A fertile and moderate European country on one hand and a deserted frozen land in the Arctic on the other – Iceland is a place where you can see everything… but it’s not for everyone. There you can find everything, but the thing that makes Iceland special is there you often find the one thing you weren’t looking for and it will always have a place in your mind like in a dream, which it never was, but it will change your perspective towards the world as you know it…. forever.

Text and pictures Georgia Koseva.
You can follow Georgia and her adventures on her instagram profile

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Adventure: Georgia Koseva in Iceland - Part two

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Travel Blogger

Dario Dionisi



If you want to know something more about me – my soul is a traveler, my origin is Italian and my true essence is a faithful friend. I am always open to new ideas and will be very happy if you want to contact me at dario@beyondsofia.com

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To the Rhodopes we go! On this adventure we visit To the Rhodopes we go!

On this adventure we visited Sitovo waterfall - a place far away from the human and industrial hand and completely preserved by the surrounding nature. 

It is located in the Rhodopes, 30 km from Plovdiv, right at the junction between the beautiful Rhodope villages Sitovo and Lilkovo. They can be reached by a unpaved, but relatively flat road. The left road continues to Sitovo, and the right - to Lilkovo. 

Under the bridge at the fork, which turns to Lilkovo, the passing river has formed a cascade of waterfalls. The waterfalls have a maximum drop of about 2 meters and are extremely picturesque as you can see from the pictures.

 #Waterfall #Bulgaria #hike
Skakavitsa is the name of the highest waterfall in Skakavitsa is the name of the highest waterfall in the Rila Mountains. Located in Rila National Park. The waterfall is located on the Skakavitsa River in the Skakavishka Valley at the foot of the eastern slope of Kabul Peak, Northwestern Rila. It is located at 1950 m above sea level, and the height from which the water falls is 70 m.

The hike can be challenging during the winter but the final destination is pure wonderland. Although you can visit the waterfall every season because it is always “working”. Skakavitsa is in fact one of the most majestic and amazing waterfalls in Bulgaria, so don’t miss to visit it.

#Bulgaria #Waterfall #hike
Happiness is having a travel partner and dog like Happiness is having a travel partner and dog like Yuki-Doro!

Can't describe how much I love this little sassy piece of fur. 😄

Anyway about our new destination - Slivodolsko praslkalo. It is located in the Dobrostan part of the Western Rhodopes. The nearest settlement is the village of Yugovo located in the southeast.

The water falls from a height of 49 meters, making the waterfall the highest in the Rhodopes.

This waterfall is absolutely magical so it is worth to do the hike to reach the place even if at some spots it is a little bit difficult but the pleasure and views at the end is worth doing the hike!

#bulgaria #hike #dog
We are continuing with the exploration of the Bulg We are continuing with the exploration of the Bulgarian waterfalls. This time we are finding ourselves in the Rhodope mountains. 

There we went to the beautiful village of Manastir. Near the village is situated the waterfall "Holy Spirit". Its height is about 15 meters and is the highest in the period April - June. The waterfall is located on the river Manastirska and is about 1.5 km walk from the center of the village of Manastir. It was declared as natural landmark in 1965, and the area of 0.5 ha around it is protected.

Curious fact:
The village of Manastir is the highest altitude village on the Balkan Peninsula - 1500 meters above sea level.

#Waterfall #Bulgaria #hike
Our last gem waterfall in Belasitsa mountain will Our last gem waterfall in Belasitsa mountain will be the Sramejlivetza waterfall or directly translated in english the Shy waterfall.

The waterfall is located on the river Kameshnitsa between the villages Samuilovo and Kamena. It is locked by a rock in the shape of the letter "P", which surrounds the entire gorge, starting from the waterfall. It is 21 meters high, making it the highest waterfall in the Belasitsa mountain.

It is quite impressive and its totally worth it to go over all the obstacles that the trail has.

#waterfall #bulgaria #hike
Exploring the Mangaro waterfall another nature gem Exploring the Mangaro waterfall another nature gem of Belasitsa mountain.

#Bulgaria #waterfall #hike
Let’s open the season of the waterfalls! Finall Let’s open the season of the waterfalls!

Finally, the warm spring days have arrived and was time to start exploring the awakening waterfalls in Bulgaria. For my first stop I choose the village of Skrat – a place in the very corner of Southwest Bulgaria.

The first waterfall is called waterfall Dubitsata - an easily accessible spot. The hike is around 40-50 min depending of your speed of walking.

It is a wonderful place to explore and to dive into the Belasitsa mountain’s nature.

The face of our mountain expert Yuki-Doro is the living proof of this experience!

#Waterfall #Bulgaria #hike
Click bait post! Just joking, or maybe not? Last Click bait post! Just joking, or maybe not?

Last week we had the chance to visit once again one my most favourite Eco paths in Bulgaria – View to nine mountains.

I always say that only because you visited a place once that doesn’t mean automatically that this spot is not worth visiting again. On the contrary, it is much more worth it to do that. In that way you can see how the place has developed, changed or just refresh your old memories here or even create new ones!

An adventure is always an adventure no matter whether the place is new or old, it is just up to you and how you will live it!

#bulgaria #hike #dog
The Radetzky was an Austro-Hungarian passenger ste The Radetzky was an Austro-Hungarian passenger steamship built in 1851 in the shipyard in Óbuda, Hungary, and used for regular services on the Danube, mainly between Orşova, Austria-Hungary and Galaţi, Romania. Named after Bohemian nobleman and Austrian general Joseph Radetzky von Radetz, it is most notable as part of the history of Bulgaria as the ship which revolutionary and poet Hristo Botev and his band bloodlessly hijacked and used to reach Kozloduy, Bulgaria.

On 29 May 1876, after the ship left the port of Bechet, the Bulgarian revolutionaries, who had boarded it from different ports disguised as gardeners, forced the captain Dagobert Engländer to change course and transport the group to the Bulgarian port of Kozloduy, from where they would attempt to organize an anti-Ottoman uprising as a follow-up to the already crushed April Uprising of the same year.

Nowadays the steamship Radetzky is a national relic of Bulgaria. A village in Sliven Province bears its name, Radetski, and national writer Ivan Vazov wrote a poem based on the events of May 1876, which is today a popular patriotic song called Still White Danube Undulates.

#Bulgaria #history #museum
God's Bridge also known as Jabokrek, is a natural God's Bridge also known as Jabokrek, is a natural rock bridge in the Chirensko-Lilyashki karst region about 15 km north of Vratsa. It is about 20 meters high, 25 meters wide, and along its main axis the "tunnel" formed by the Lilyachka River is about 100 meters long. During the dry months of the year, the river under the bridge dries up and there are several ponds full of frogs. Hence the other name under which this rock phenomenon is known.

The place is quite phenomenal and it’s very interesting to explore. Here you can easily hike for an hour and enjoy the nature that offers not only this but a long side river with small waterfalls, amazing panoramic views and also a bit of history thanks to the vicinity of Borovanska Mogila where remains of a fortress from Roman times are found.

#Bulgaria #nature #hike
Dive in the animal kingdom of Budapest. Being hug Dive in the animal kingdom of Budapest.

Being huge fan of animals, it was a must for me to visit the zoo of Budapest after hearing so much positive feedback.

Saying that, the Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden is one of the oldest in the world with its almost 150 years of history. Having more than 2000 species it makes this place one of the best maintained zoos in Europe.

During my visit here, I was surprised how well divided the the zoo is, every continent had its personalized building where you can enjoy the rich variety of animals and plants.

But probably the best part of this whole experience was the chance to be with some of the cage-free animals, without cages or restriction, just to build that special human - animal bond.

#Budapest #zoo #botanicalgarden
The street habitants of Budapest. As a big fan of The street habitants of Budapest.

As a big fan of every type of art I couldn’t resist but make my research to find the best murals and graffities in the Hungarian capital.

Must say -  I wasn’t disappointed! Budapest is famous with the big spaces and buildings that give chance to talented artist to create and make the urban atmosphere more fun and colourful.

Most of them can be found in the centre of the city in the so-called Jewish neighbourhood, also known as the creative spot of Budapest.

#Budapest #art #graffities
The little cultural art universe of Budapest. The The little cultural art universe of Budapest.

The Museum of Fine Arts is a magnificent example of how well preserved and maintained can one art space be. It is made up of international art (other than Hungarian), including all periods of European art, and comprises of more than 100,000 pieces. 

The Museum's collection is made up of six departments: Egyptian, Antique, Old sculpture gallery, Old master paintings gallery, Modern collection, Graphics collection.

Visitors can enjoy the enormous variety of pieces of art from different decades making this museum one of the best spots to visit in Budapest.

#Budapest #museum #art
Hungarian’s most iconic building ✨ I am sure Hungarian’s most iconic building ✨

I am sure that when someone hears about Hungary one of the first thing that pops in their mind is the building of the Parliament and for a reason. It is one of the most beautiful administrative buildings in the world! 🤩

Building this impressive edifice took 17 years, from 1885 to 1902, based on the design by the architect Imre Steindl. Richly decorated, both inside and out, was inspired by the Houses of Parliament in London, thus it was designed in Neo-Gothic style, although it also bears Renaissance and Baroque stylistic flourishes. The third largest parliament in the world, it was built on the 1000th anniversary of the foundation of the state of Hungary. 🤓

Nowadays you can visit the building with a special tour that will show you the most significant places inside and explain you details about the evolution and roles that this place took part in, in the past and now. 👀

#Budapest #building #architecture
Budapest – The little Paris 👀 Many people de Budapest – The little Paris 👀

Many people describe the Hungarian capital as the little Paris but the question is – is it really? 🤔

The answer is yes, in a very strange way. While exploring Budapest I could see the resembling style and symbol of East Europe but at the same time I could feel the Western influence in the buildings, atmosphere and in the overall view. 🧐

The city is a unique mix of both Europes, showing an interesting and intriguing side of the cultural treasure that our continent has. But probably one of the most important events that marked this place is when Budapest became officially a city in 1873, when the three neighbouring cities of Pest, Buda and Óbuda united.  The unification was extremely important and lead to a rapid development of the city that we can see nowadays. 🤓

#Budapest #Hungary #capital
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