Sunday is for berry picking. Last day I was off with my Bulgarian family, Yordan and Valentina and their 23-year old daughter, Ralitsa, and her boy friend, Ivan. High above Sapareva Banya we headed for Rila National Park in the Rila Mountains. This is a popular park on an August Sunday and more than a hundred cars were parked at various places along the dirt park roads.
Ralista drove up as high as we could go and then we set out to hike. Ivan frequently hunts in these mountains and he knew the way. He likes to hike and has a degree in natural history, so he was a good companion for me. Up above 6,000 feet we left the other park visitors behind. Ivan knew where the good berries were.
The forest was absolutely beautiful. At this elevation it was all evergreens, spruce and fir. Down lower were pines and deciduous trees but up here were only conifers. We hiked over several small streams with water pure enough to drink. The water was so cold and refreshing. I was glad that I kept in good shape. Everyone here was 15 to 40 years younger than I and the hike proceeded at a pleasant pace.
Although no animals crossed our path we did see signs of deer and small rodents. Ivan showed me pictures of the bear that his father shot high in these mountains. I kept an eye open hoping for a sight of a mechka (bear) but had no luck today. Maybe they were hiding because I was up here to pick bear food, the berries.
I did get to see 1% of a life bird. Ivan found a tail feather of a capercaillie, a large black grouse almost the size of a turkey. But one feather does not make a bird and I couldn’t count it on my life list. I took this huge feather along and it now decorates my bedroom.
But we were really not looking for birds and bears. We were here for the berries. They’re small, the size of a garden pea. They’re also purple and delicious. I just had to eat some while the picking was going on. Some came back to town inside of me instead of in the bucket. These berries grow on short bushes, often no more than a foot high with only two or three berries per bush. I thought that this could take a long while to pick by hand, one berry at a time.
Ivan had the answer. He brought some berry pickers. These were small boxes about 8” x 6” x 4” thick and open on one end which was lined with metal teeth like a comb. With the box we could comb the bushes and the berries popped off into the box to be later emptied into a bucket, at least the ones that didn’t end up in me. These boxes looked like the ones I’ve seen for picking cranberries.
Of course, there was a picnic. Food is an important part of all events. Our picnic in the forest included tomato and cucumber salad with feta cheese on top. A string of sausages tasted like hot dogs. We washed it down with cold mountain water. Of course rakia was available along with a thermos of café (coffee). I’ve always loved fresh cucumbers and the tomatoes here are the best I’ve ever tasted. I’m sure it’s because they are all garden fresh.
It was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday in a beautiful forest, with delicious berries, good company, cold mountain water, and 1% of a life bird.
The world is a book. Those who do not travel read only one page.
Saint Augustine
Ralista drove up as high as we could go and then we set out to hike. Ivan frequently hunts in these mountains and he knew the way. He likes to hike and has a degree in natural history, so he was a good companion for me. Up above 6,000 feet we left the other park visitors behind. Ivan knew where the good berries were.
The forest was absolutely beautiful. At this elevation it was all evergreens, spruce and fir. Down lower were pines and deciduous trees but up here were only conifers. We hiked over several small streams with water pure enough to drink. The water was so cold and refreshing. I was glad that I kept in good shape. Everyone here was 15 to 40 years younger than I and the hike proceeded at a pleasant pace.
Although no animals crossed our path we did see signs of deer and small rodents. Ivan showed me pictures of the bear that his father shot high in these mountains. I kept an eye open hoping for a sight of a mechka (bear) but had no luck today. Maybe they were hiding because I was up here to pick bear food, the berries.
I did get to see 1% of a life bird. Ivan found a tail feather of a capercaillie, a large black grouse almost the size of a turkey. But one feather does not make a bird and I couldn’t count it on my life list. I took this huge feather along and it now decorates my bedroom.
But we were really not looking for birds and bears. We were here for the berries. They’re small, the size of a garden pea. They’re also purple and delicious. I just had to eat some while the picking was going on. Some came back to town inside of me instead of in the bucket. These berries grow on short bushes, often no more than a foot high with only two or three berries per bush. I thought that this could take a long while to pick by hand, one berry at a time.
Ivan had the answer. He brought some berry pickers. These were small boxes about 8” x 6” x 4” thick and open on one end which was lined with metal teeth like a comb. With the box we could comb the bushes and the berries popped off into the box to be later emptied into a bucket, at least the ones that didn’t end up in me. These boxes looked like the ones I’ve seen for picking cranberries.
Of course, there was a picnic. Food is an important part of all events. Our picnic in the forest included tomato and cucumber salad with feta cheese on top. A string of sausages tasted like hot dogs. We washed it down with cold mountain water. Of course rakia was available along with a thermos of café (coffee). I’ve always loved fresh cucumbers and the tomatoes here are the best I’ve ever tasted. I’m sure it’s because they are all garden fresh.
It was a wonderful way to spend a Sunday in a beautiful forest, with delicious berries, good company, cold mountain water, and 1% of a life bird.
The world is a book. Those who do not travel read only one page.
Saint Augustine
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