Again in The Rhodopes

I live only 20km far from the Rhodopi mountain and I have to say it's one of my favorites.I remember when I was a little girl we were almost every summer weekend with my parents in the mountain. Then I grew up but it is still my best known and prefered destination in Bulgaria.

That lovely mountain

It was in the middle of the summer when our friends called and said they're in Chepelare(a small town and resort in the mountain,60km far from Plovdiv) and came up with the idea of taking a trip in the mountain. We jumped early in the morning and it was 10.00 am when we met them in their hotel.Our first aim was Smolyan(another mountain city).We wanted to see The Planetarium,I remember I was 6-th grade and we were on a trip with my school.I was so excited to see the stars then so I just wanted to live that experience again with more knowlage. Ufortunately we were late for the only one projection for the day.They said they don't work on Sunday  but they had a Russian group visitig so they opened.Now I think they have different working hours.
A little disappointed we couldn't enjoy the Planetarium,we decided to visit the Historical museum.It is situated in Ustovo neighbourhood,in the center of the city. The museum presents the life of people in that region of the mountain from Ancient times to present. There are exhibitions from Pre-History,Thracian times,Middle ages,Revival period,etc.Plan at least an hour to take a tour around the museum.

The museum is over there

Kukeri costumes

The bronze bells that hang on the Kukeri costumes

The square downstairs the museum

It was already noon and we found a place to have lunch.I'll be never bored of Rhodopes kitchen.The most delicious patatoes in the country comes from Rhodopi mountain,they have a huge number of specialties that deserved to be tried.(Writing about it at 12.00 pm,I'm starving).
After the great lunch we took the map and found our route to the next destination - Uhlovitsa cave. On the map we saw our way should pass through Turyan village.We had to drive 15km along a narrow road to find ourselves in that village where the road is over.After hardly trying to find people there,we turn up on a group of guys that were parting in one house.Unfortunately they didn't know anything about the village,they were there only for the weekend.Finally we saw a route,that was definitely offroad we realised that this was the route on the map.We felt so screwed up but it was our fault,we had to inform ourselves earlier.Anyway we went back to Smolyan and then took a different road through Smilyan village,famous with its beans.We were already full and we didn't have much time so we continued our way without stopping.
In half an hour we were already next to big signs "Uhlovitsa cave". We were told that we need to climb the mountain and it would take us at least half an hour.We had to hurry up,it was already 3.30pm and we we supposed to be there at 4.15pm not to miss the last entering .Climbing was really a big challange but it was worth it.It is one of the oldest caves in the region and is famous with its dendroid forms reminding sea corals. There are seven enchanting lakes, filled with water in spring and dry in summer. Over one of the lakes there are stalagmites overhanging very much like a waterfall. 

Get ready for climbing

Amazing view from the cave

The sea coral forms

"The waterfall"

The day was long but we were so exciting of our trip that I felt we could go on.Well,this was my wish but we decided that is time to go back and in 2 hours we were already at home.I realised that I would never be exhausted of exploring that beautiful mountain again and again.