Day 30: Sun 26 Jun - Ruse, Bulgaria

Ruse or Rousse or Pyce.  The different spelling of the same places in Bulgaria is downright confusing. It's related to the phonetic and Greek/Bulgarian alphabet used in this country.... I think. They often have signs in only one form, G/B, which bears little or no relationship to the phonetic. Maps in both forms often get us by. Bulgaria entered the EU in 1997 and billions of Euros have flowed in since. Hence Ruse's lovely city square is currently a messy construction site. Out with the ugly communist era monstrosities in with the wide open spaces and the democratic soft touch. EU money is also the reason we saw so much roadworks.    

The tourist brochure refer to Ruse as little Vienna. While it's okay I think that term is drawing a very long bow. Apart from both cities being on the Danube it takes a great deal of imagination to conger up any other similarities. However we will keep searching as we have TWO WHOLE rest days. Anyone would think we've been working hard. The accommodation is called the English Guesthouse, a rambling, old converted mansion close to the city centre.