9 Novemeber 2023, Shumen
Nights Botevi 36.4lev [R364]

1300 stairs, commemorating 1300 years of Bulgaria (681 to 1981), climb Ilchov Bair Hill to the Founders of the Bulgarian State Monument.
On our rest day, we decided to accept the challenge and climb the stairs. There are usually 21 stairs per floor in a building. 1300 stairs translate to 61 storeys. [The Empire State Building has 102 floors; the Twin Towers had 110 storeys each.]
Sadly Google Maps led us not quite to the start of the staircase, so we probably climbed 1000 stairs only (!), though we did descend each and every one of the 1300.
Again Bulgaria has surprised and pleased us. The monument is enormous, unusual, cubist, quirky, stirring, wasteful, wonderful and reminiscent of the Transformer movies.
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"Bulgaria was founded in 681 AD, and in 1981 the country celebrated its 1300th anniversary with the creation of many new monuments... Undoubtedly the largest of these, is the Monument to the Founders of the Bulgarian State...
The capital of the First Bulgarian Kingdom was at Pliska, an ancient city close to the modern settlement of Shumen. And so the plateau above Shumen was chosen as the site for this remarkable memorial complex commemorating the founders and early leaders of Bulgaria (who took the title khan, until the Christianisation of Bulgaria, after which they became tsars).
[The] monument takes the form of concrete pillars rising around an enclosed courtyard to a height of some 50 metres. Cubist sculptures decorate these pillars, illustrating Bulgaria's early leaders.
The ensemble also features a mosaic decorated wall that illustrates the establishment of language and culture in Bulgaria, and is reported to be the largest mosaic panel in southeast Europe. The monument is reached by a processional concrete stairway with 1300 steps. It stands at a height of 450 m above sea level, and can be seen from 30 km away."
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This may interest some... I asked Google Bard "What are the political issues in Bulgaria today?
Here is the answer:
Bulgaria is currently facing a number of political issues, including:
Corruption: Bulgaria is ranked as one of the most corrupt countries in the European Union. Corruption is widespread at all levels of government and business, and it has a significant negative impact on the country's economy and society.
Organized crime: Organized crime is another major problem in Bulgaria. It is involved in a wide range of activities, including extortion, trafficking, and money laundering.
Organized crime undermines the rule of law and economic development.
Political instability: Bulgaria has had four elections in two years, and it has been unable to form a stable government. This political instability is hampering the country's progress on other issues.
Rule of law: There are concerns about the rule of law in Bulgaria. The media is under pressure from the government, and there is a lack of judicial independence.
Energy dependence: Bulgaria is heavily dependent on Russia for its energy needs. This makes it vulnerable to Russian pressure.
In addition to these general issues, there are a number of specific political issues that are currently being debated in Bulgaria, such as:
Whether to bring back paper voting slips: The government has proposed bringing back paper voting slips for elections, but this has been met with opposition from some quarters who believe that it could increase the risk of electoral fraud.
Whether to provide military aid to Ukraine: The government has agreed to provide military aid to Ukraine, but this has been opposed by some parties who have close ties to Russia.
How to reduce the country's energy dependence: The government is considering a number of options for reducing the country's energy dependence on Russia, such as building new nuclear power plants and increasing renewable energy production.
These are just some of the political issues that Bulgaria is facing today. The country is at a crossroads, and it is important that the government and the people work together to address these challenges.