The second stopover of our day trip was by far the best one: Balchik, seaside town and resort close to the border with Romania, which has literally been passed over from Romania to Bulgaria a few times throughout history, following various wars. Eventually, it was passed over to Bulgaria in 1940, at the beginning of World War II.
What makes Balchik special? Surely, it is famous for its association with Queen Maria of Romania, wife of King Ferdinand I, who, back in the 1920s, when Balchik was part of the Romanian territory, has chosen this location as a summer residence. Therefore, the summer residence was built between 1926 and 1937. The guide will tell you the entire story on the spot, as well as some trivia on the royal couple's life. Did you know that, apparently, each of them was secretly in love with someone else? Oh well, it looks like heartache happens also for the blue-blooded! :)
At the time of the visit, unfortunately, I was quite unwell after all the heat I endured in Kaliakra, so I may not have been as 'fresh' as I wished. And a trip to Balchik also comes in the package with lots of walking and lots of stairs. Nevertheless, all the flowers and vegetation makes the entire experience more refreshing and relaxing.
The first stop on the way to the Castle was the botanical garden, with a variety of over 2000 plants species, layers of colour, and, as our guide repeated a gazzillion times, more than 300 species of cactus, as well as a separate rose garden.
On the way to the castle, there are also several small houses similar in architecture, each of them with its own destination. The most famous is the Queen's Winery House, traditionally decorated, where you will be scheduled for a wine tasting session, which happen behind closed doors. As we were moved from the Russian-speaking guide from an English-speaking one, our group was international, consisting of Finnish, Slovak and German tourists. Our host was a girl sommelier of about... 15 years old. That young, and already knowing so much about wine! :) It's true that with those high temperature alcohol might have been the last thing we needed, but you have to taste, a list a sip of a couple of sortments. My favourite was a rosee' sweet wine with a hint of, of course, roses.
Queen Maria's Castle is the main attraction of Balchik, and rightfully so. It is not an imposing castle, but rather a small and pretty vacation home. Beautifully built and decorated, containing some rural elements of the Dobrogea region, but also a Turkish minaret. Inside, it looks clean and cosy, a mix between a country home and a museum. Nevertheless, it is still full of tourists, and you need a lot of time and patience to get around. I would say that Balchik is a place where you must come and relax, patiently, without being rushed by anyone, and with more time on your hands. Last but not least, don't forget to sit on the Queen's throne, right outside the Castle, and admire the sea view.
In the end, what can I say? Will I go back to Bulgaria? Probably, especially because I would like to enjoy Balchik a little more, and eat some more tarator, and refill the supply of rose-based cosmetics. And last but not least, because, of all Eastern European nations, Bulgaria has probably the closest cultural profile to Romania, especially in food and artisanal crafts. Българиа, you rock! :)
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