Povdiv was selected to be the European Capital of Culture in 2019. I am not sure what the criteria were or which other cities were contenders, but it beats Katovice in Poland any day.

There are beautiful parks and the centre of the city is great for wandering. And there are some special Bulgarian touches. The street lights in the city centre are set to all blink in unison whenever a child is born in either of the city’s two maternity hospitals. The parks have chess and card tables where groups (mainly old men) meet each morning. And the city is filled with sculpture and art installations.

My favourite statue is Miljo. He was well known in the city and, at least now, is well loved. He was intellectually impaired and people would seek him out to bare their souls. It is said that, unlike the priests, Miljo wouldn’t judge you or tell your secrets to others. Locals still go to Miljo to talk to him. I think I’ve taught a few lads like Miljo.

The city is more Turkish than any we’ve been to outside Turkey, apart from Sarajevo. The call to prayer echoes across the Old Town at the prescribed hours. The food is Bulgarian Turkish – kebabs, filled flat breads, even the abundance of pomegranates resonates. I have become addicted to merkitza, fried dough with sweet or savoury fillings, as well as the local yoghurt and cheeses. Sadly, the abundance of cats is also very Eastern.

Plovdiv is cat heaven. It seems that every shop, every park bench, every apartment block has food out for stray cats. Some of you are aware of my feelings around cats. I felt deep shame and that I’ve failed as a parent watching as Mitchell pats stray moggies here. Or even worse, that my own daughter owns a cat. Even someone as determined as your good scribe would struggle to get every cat in Plovdiv to a different type of cat heaven were I given that task by the city authorities. Yes, Remington, I fear more gifts with a feline theme are pending.

Today we will not move far from home as Austrian Airlines has promised a wife and luggage reunion this morning. We shall see. Linda is a tad over her limited clothing choices, and Bulgarian women seem to have a thing for leather pants this season. Post-communist fashions, even in the European Capital of Culture, do not appeal.

Though I’m sure she could find a pair of leather pants with a print of different cat breeds on them….

Farley of Plovdiv

Miljo will listen to your stories.

I think this statue could be telling the story of a Samurai warrior from Asia walking around Plovdiv with a Brazilian monkey, an African hunting dog, and a Canadian pheasant looking for a kangaroo so that all continents can be united?

Why ask me? I’m not some kind of Bulgarian statue expert!!

Sunday chess in the park