David Berger

Category: Travel

  • Night trains… To Brasov, To Beograd… Or not to

    Night trains aren’t sleeping night trains if they require more than three major changeovers, especially if those change overs require more than an hour’s wait at a station before the next train comes. Grumpy, sleep-deprived and sore I arrived in Brasov after a delay in Gorna, Ruse, and Bucharest (eww). Leaving Brasov to come to…

  • Veliko Turnovo

    I arrived around 9pm (closer to ten) in Veliko Turnovo, a classical city etched into two steep cliffs surrounding a winding river valley. The city itself is built on either side of the river with three distinctive fortifications. I ended up having to take a taxi to find the hostel I was looking for (the…

  • Daniela and Shumen:

    After some frustration at the bus terminal, I was told to board a bus that had left 15 minutes prior. Then, when I asked about the next bus to leave, the information booth told me I should go to each office and ask each individual company what time their next bus was (most of which…

  • Varna – Night trains and cute little Bulgarians!

    From Plovdiv I caught my bus and train connections toward Burgas and then Varna. At 2:14 am I was sleeping happily, stuffed under arm rests in my train car when my sleepy world was thrust into awareness. A young Bulgarian girl maybe 21 or 22, knocked and then opened my cabin door. Noting that the…

  • Catching Up. Plovdiv Bulgaria

    I believe the last time I left you, I was heading away from Cappadokia and into the wide world of Bulgaria. Having finished my Turkish Bath in Nevsehir, I headed north the next day after my tour on the night bus to Istanbul. Staying an hour and 15 minutes the next morning wandering around the…

  • From Efes to Cappadokia!

    I boarded my bus to Cappadokia much to the displeasure of my guide – frustrated that I wouldn’t stay the night in Selcuk and take his tour to Panakkale (hot springs with extensive calcium pools) and then stay the night there and take another bus to Cappadokia. I’d decided that I would do the nightbus…

  • Istanbul To Selcuk – Visiting Ephasus (Efes)

    Boarding my night bus, munching away on my stuffed mussels I found my seat next to the window and settled in. Wedging my backpack against the cool glass, adjusting the vents to make sure I’d get some fresh air during the trip and sliding my feet up to my shins under the seat in front…

  • Traveling by Nightbus

    Traveling by Nightbus is a special experience. Special… yes that most definitly the correct word haha. The nice part about it in Turkey is that you have a hostess, like an airline a host/hostess walks the aisles bringing Chai tea, Cola, Water, or Coffee on request. In addition they provide access to Twinkies. Making them…

  • Istanbul Day three – Impromptu Decisions

    Well, Day three in Istanbul opened up cloudy and threatening. Rain and wind were on the schedule for the day. I wandered about the city walking and taking the metro system around parts of the central city I hadn’t had a chance to see. I wandered down through the Park around Topkapi Palace, discovered walls…

  • Istanbul Day II!

    I woke up a little later than usual, rousing myself around 10am instead of 8. It felt good and I wasn’t worried. I had 3 nights here and on Monday morning I would head down to Izmir to see Ephesus. I then plan to take the long trek back to Bulgaria and the lands where…