| enter keyword to search: |
|
Images db
|
|
|
Articles db
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Crossing the Rhodopi Mountains |
|
The beautiful Rhodopi mountains is a karst area with spectacular gorges, large caves conifer woods alpine meadows. In the heart of the fairy
Rhodopi landscape the dam of Dospat, close to the town with the same name,
is one of the biggest dams in Bulgaria. Located 1200 masl it is the highest in
Bulgaria, the nature around is incredible and old pine forests surround the lake. The dam is rich in fish and we had a lovely time eating fish in
a restaurant overlooking the dam.
Rhodopi mountains Bulgaria |
|
Leaving Dospat the road conditions are so bad that the modern world seems
remote.
This is one of the less developed rural areas of the country, home to Bulgaria's most isolated and ethnically diverse communities.
Villages distinguished by minarets and women attired in smocks and wimples, it is here
that most of the Muslim population lives:
the Pomaks, in many villages of the region they form the majority of the population.
Pomaks are descendants of ethnic Bulgarians who accepted the Islamic faith during Ottoman rule, between the xvi and xviii centuries. They remained isolated for centuries and did not become ethnically mixed with their coreligionist Turks during the
occupation. They largely retained their Slavic physical features, saving the old
Bulgarian language and some old customs which took place before xvii century.
Life in the villages continues much as it did centuries ago, both Muslims and Christians live in stone houses cultivating tobacco, which dries on racks in every
garden.
The Rhodopi mountains gave life to the Orpheus and Evredika myth . The crystalline rocks that can be found in the mountains are called by local people
'the tears of Evredika', and the earth itself is her body.
This is the place where the Orphic cult originated. Orpheus, musician, magician and healer, was a native Thracian born in the Rhodopi
. After having lost his Evredika, Orpheus roamed inconsolable the mountains spurning female company until the women of Thrace (Bacchantes or Maenads followers of Dionysus) tore him apart and flung his dismembered body into the river. His head floated along the river Mesta to Lesbos where it began to prophesy and became famous as an Oracle. Archaeologists believe that beneath the
myth there may have lived a real Orpheus, a priest of Dionysus who introduced a new spiritual movement linked to the sun god Apollo and claim that a tomb recently found in the Eastern Rhodopi could possibly be the grave of Orpheus.
|
Rhodopi mountains Bulgaria
|
Village of Shiroka Luka
In the narrow valley of the Shirokolashka river, at the foot of the Western
Rhodopi Mountains, at 1060 masl Shiroka Luka is a museum village well known for its original
Rhodopi architectural style, musical traditions and history.
The village, declared an architectural reserve, has preserved its
original appearance, its numerous old houses of the Bulgarian National
Revival, winding narrow-pebbled streets and bridges arching the
river.
The village is famous for its authentic folklore and it is also the birthplace of several popular kaba
bagpipe players.
The Holy Virgin church (xix century) has frescos painted by
the brothers Zachary and Dimitur Zograf.
Shiroka Luka Bulgaria |
|
The Trigrad Gorge and The Devil’s Throat
Spreading for about 3 km, this magnificent gorge is situated in the valley of Trigradska
river. The 250 meters high, sheer rocks rise at the two sides of the river and form a narrow rocky bed. The average altitude of the gorge is 1450
m, the lowest part is at Bukov most (Beech-tree bridge) – 946.5 masl, and the highest point is the peak of Kulata (1543masl).
Following the gorge one arrives at the Devil's Throat Cave, near Trigrad village, the most famous of the more than 150 caves of the region.
Following the 150m artificial tunnel one can reach the impressive hall, so
high that could accommodate the Alexander Nevski Cathedral in Sofia. From the hall
a staircase leads to the natural entrance of the cave where the visitor can see one of the highest underground waterfalls in Europe (42m).
A legend says it was here that Orpheus went under earth to the kingdom of Hades to save his beloved
Euridika.
According to a Thracian legend it was here that the chieftains threw themselves into to become immortal. People believed with veneration that it was the entrance to the other world, the way to immortality. To propitiate the evil they offered as a sacrifice the most beautiful girls.
|
Devil's Throat Cave Bulgaria
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
|
Welcome to Traveller Dreams on-line stock Photo Gallery. This website provides a large and growing original collection of high quality high resolution photographs/pictures immediately available to browse.
Our photography online Library is a source of worldwide unpublished images with online search facility for genuine photo buyers, a major collections of digital downloadable stock pictures for fast and efficient delivery.
With our Web Site Picture buyers may conveniently access inspirational photography from around the world. Images are organised coherently with an intuitive navigation so you can find what you want with the fewest number of mouse clicks. Our photos are indexed according to categories and keywords. Browse through picture categories for ideas and inspiration.
Our stock photography expertise is in the category of active adventure travel experience: the country, the places,
the culture, people, the architecture.
Our catalog covers numerous themes: from landscape nature stock photography to architectural details photography, still life, religious photography, outdoor photography, scenic photography, travel photograph, people photo, background photo, Beach, Coastal, Forests, Geography, Habitats, Landscapes, mountain photo, Plants, Rivers.
Stock Photos collection of Cities and City Skylines, Lifestyles; Stock Photography of Architecture and Tourism Destinations; Rural lifestyle, archaeology photography, traditional markets, bazaar suks photography indigenous and native people.
The extensive range of editorial images will stimulate the imagination.
vibrant color images from around the World Europe & Mediterranean destinations and landscape photography (particularly Italy, Europe) plus a selective worldwide coverage.
Photography gallery which showcases the European cultural heritage, stock Photography web gallery of landscape and Mediterranean nature.
New places around the world are continuously added to our photo collection.
All the photographs on this site have been scanned up to 50Mb file size for immediate use. High resolution scans are delivered ready within 1 day of ordering.
You can purchase
fine art print
License for print editorial use (newspapers, magazines, brochures, etc.)
or license for non-print use (web, CD-ROM, video games, etc.)
Fine-art Print
Our photo library is perfect if you look for fine art photography
We sell Photographic Prints as fine art in custom-made beautiful photo print made with the latest photographic print digital technology.
|
