We left Haskovo on a perfect day for cycling. The sun was up and the temperature comfortable. At the edge of town a local cyclist, Lazar, saw us and after the usual introduction rode along with us to the next town about 15 km away where he was also headed. We were joined by another cyclist along the way and by the time we reached Dimitrovgrad two more cyclists joined us. Who says Bulgarians are not friendly. My rear wheel need some fixing up as it was wobbly and that was done by Nikolai ( a fireman ) When all were done we had some tea at a cafe before we moved on The four cyclists actually rode out to the edge of town with us and we parted when we were shown the right road. There are many cyclists in Bulgarian towns going about with their daily chores , and some of the bicycles ridden by the elders are of the old models without gears.
Stara Zagora is a medium sized town with a population of about 90,000. As it is still winter and conditions and temperatures change drastically within a short time , not many people are seen about town. There are a number of international shopping supermarkets like Carrefour, Kaufland, etc but when we passed the Carrefour outlet it seemed closed or it might still be under construction. Mac Donalds and KFC outlets are available but they are not crowded. The Shopping Malls are are also not crowded and many of the outlets too don't see many shoppers. There are luxury cars like the Mercs and BMWs too but their numbers are not significant.
Cycling tour in Bulgaria is possible but not all roads have good surface or cycling lanes.. We have so far encountered undulating stretches with little traffic outside the towns but where the road shoulders are absent or not well paved it can be very scary when heavy vehicles pass you. I believe there would be more cyclists on the roads during warmer times . Most significant is the absence of motorcycles. During the whole time on the roads in Bulgaria so far we have seen only about half a dozen of them and they were all big bikes. I haven't seen a single 'kapchai' on the road at all. The same goes for Turkey.
The thing I like about all the countries I have visited is the number of Gardens and Parks available in the cities and towns. Even in India and Pakistan where one sees so much poverty, there are many large parks and gardens for the people to go and unwind or for the children to go and run around or just kick a football. Many of these places have been there for centuries, so just imagine that even rulers of those times placed importance on recreational areas for the people. Our city fathers in Malaysia must make real attempts to ensure our people can enjoy such facilities. It's of no help for the Ministry of Health or the Statistics Dept to publish figures of the health hazards of not exercising or the rising numbers of excessively obese people if we don't live in a healthy surrounding. Stop depriving schools of playing fields and the cities, towns, and housing areas of recreational facilities. And what better way to stay fit and healthy than to cycle. Yes, cycle.
With my cycling friends from Haskovo
My bicycle (right) needed mending
Time for tea
Time to part
Stop when you need to
Approaching Stara Zagora
In the Park
Parking facilities for bicycle
even at the supermarket
NB: After the misfortune in Kolkata where my wallet was picked I made some appeals for contributions from some sources as I had no access to funds with my ATM cards ( my mistake of not keeping the cards separately ) and since then some sponsors , family members and friends have come to my aid. I must stress that what I have now is enough to see me through to the completion of my journey to London. The media had also highlighted my plight and having said that, please do not make any contribution to any party regarding the matter. However, I should also add that my journey is also to raise funds for the Malaysian Aids Foundation. Therefore if there are generous people who wants to contribute please do so to the Foundation's account no. Maybank : 5141 0542 1257 . Every sen raised will go a long way in making a difference in the lives of Malaysians infected and affected by HIV. God Bless You and thank You.
Stara Zagora is a medium sized town with a population of about 90,000. As it is still winter and conditions and temperatures change drastically within a short time , not many people are seen about town. There are a number of international shopping supermarkets like Carrefour, Kaufland, etc but when we passed the Carrefour outlet it seemed closed or it might still be under construction. Mac Donalds and KFC outlets are available but they are not crowded. The Shopping Malls are are also not crowded and many of the outlets too don't see many shoppers. There are luxury cars like the Mercs and BMWs too but their numbers are not significant.
Cycling tour in Bulgaria is possible but not all roads have good surface or cycling lanes.. We have so far encountered undulating stretches with little traffic outside the towns but where the road shoulders are absent or not well paved it can be very scary when heavy vehicles pass you. I believe there would be more cyclists on the roads during warmer times . Most significant is the absence of motorcycles. During the whole time on the roads in Bulgaria so far we have seen only about half a dozen of them and they were all big bikes. I haven't seen a single 'kapchai' on the road at all. The same goes for Turkey.
The thing I like about all the countries I have visited is the number of Gardens and Parks available in the cities and towns. Even in India and Pakistan where one sees so much poverty, there are many large parks and gardens for the people to go and unwind or for the children to go and run around or just kick a football. Many of these places have been there for centuries, so just imagine that even rulers of those times placed importance on recreational areas for the people. Our city fathers in Malaysia must make real attempts to ensure our people can enjoy such facilities. It's of no help for the Ministry of Health or the Statistics Dept to publish figures of the health hazards of not exercising or the rising numbers of excessively obese people if we don't live in a healthy surrounding. Stop depriving schools of playing fields and the cities, towns, and housing areas of recreational facilities. And what better way to stay fit and healthy than to cycle. Yes, cycle.
With my cycling friends from Haskovo
My bicycle (right) needed mending
Time for tea
Time to part
Stop when you need to
Approaching Stara Zagora
In the Park
Parking facilities for bicycle
even at the supermarket
NB: After the misfortune in Kolkata where my wallet was picked I made some appeals for contributions from some sources as I had no access to funds with my ATM cards ( my mistake of not keeping the cards separately ) and since then some sponsors , family members and friends have come to my aid. I must stress that what I have now is enough to see me through to the completion of my journey to London. The media had also highlighted my plight and having said that, please do not make any contribution to any party regarding the matter. However, I should also add that my journey is also to raise funds for the Malaysian Aids Foundation. Therefore if there are generous people who wants to contribute please do so to the Foundation's account no. Maybank : 5141 0542 1257 . Every sen raised will go a long way in making a difference in the lives of Malaysians infected and affected by HIV. God Bless You and thank You.
5 comments:
salam abang nan & aede, probably its easy going [ i mean riding ]in eu countries.but things are expensive.i really admire u 2 4 overcoming all the challenges, bravo.ella ella see u in next stop.Deen j.b. Malaysia.
salam encik adnan... not sure if u still remember me... my name is zul... we use to be officemates when u work at Deloitte in PJ a few years ago though your present at Deloitte was a very short time... really proud with your courage to raise funds for the Malaysian Aids Foundation... all the best to u & do take care of yourself... wish u success & hope u will reach London as what u targeted.... insya allah...
Looks like every country you you go to has a very interesting history that is being celebrated all the time. That's what makes a country great - not tall flashy buildings or vulgar displays of wealth!! Keep on biking, amigos!!
Where next?
abang nan,have u reached Sofia? Bulgarian capitol must be beautiful. more fhotoes of the city will be nice to see. take care abang,salam to aede. bye. Deen j.b.Malaysia.
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