Happy Birthday to Anne @ 7 Lakes

Anne recently had a birthday (the exact date will not be posted on this blog because I cannot remember it to avoid potential identity theft).  As is tradition, Anne and Mark do something special on her birthday to celebrate.  Last year, Anne and Mark went to BeerFest in St. Paul.  Anne had a great time, although the only way she knows that is because everyone tells her so.

Anne having a great time at BeerFest!

And because BeerFest had positive consequences for about 4 hours and negative consequences for the next 24 hours or so - and because Anne is a little wiser now - the birthday festivities for this year were a bit more scenic and much less imbibe-able.

Anne decided that she wanted to go hiking to the 7 Lakes for her birthday.  The 7 Lakes is a very scenic hiking and campground area located within one of Bulgaria's three national parks.  It is about an hour and a half drive from Blagoevgrad to Panichishte, where most visitors begin their journey to the 7 Lakes.  After arriving there, a ski lift takes visitors to the lodge at the base of the hiking trail.  Anne and Mark had decided to stay the night at this lodge, so once they arrived at the lodge, they took their time getting ready to hit the trail.

Birthday meal: Bean soup.  Mmm mmm good.

After a hearty breakfast at the lodge, the birthday girl was ready to hit the trail.

Let's go this way.

The path from the base lodge to the highest of the seven lakes took about 4 hours to hike.  It was fairly well marked and manageable.  This is not to say that it was an easy or simple hike.  No, instead, hikers on this path need to bring their "A" game.  In addition to the climb of several hundred meters (for those of you who are not familiar, the current exchange rate is 100 meters = $57 and 3 gallons), there were also obstacles that tested balance, dexterity, endurance and courage:

Crossing the raging rapids.

Scrambling across the melting snow (notice the use of arms to maintain balance as well as prepare for a fall into the stream)

As Anne and Mark got closer and closer to the peak, they began to ask questions.  Was this really worth the risk?  Was the view from the top that much different from the view from here?  Why are all of these old ladies passing us?  But eventually, Anne and Mark put these questions aside and pressed on.  

Every once in a while they looked back and noticed the scenery.  In the photo below, you can see the kidney lake on the left and three small lakes on the right.  Between them is a large field with barely visible formation of rocks.

If you cannot see the rocks, you will have to take our word for it.  Anne and Mark did a little checking and found out that there is a group called the "White Brotherhood" that may use this area.  

CAUTION: DO NOT GOOGLE "White Brotherhood."  

The group that we are discussing (that may use this circle) is NOT a racist prison gang - wrong white brotherhood.  The "W.B." relevant here is a group of followers of a guy named Petar Dunov who came up with a cult/religion involving yoga, sun worship and the like in Bulgaria right before communism came in.  The group got small under the rule of the communists, but did not totally die out and they still practice today.  The brotherhood that follows Dunov's practices dress all in white (hence, "the white brotherhood") and meet here to worship the sun on what they consider to be new year's day, August 19 (give or take a day or two).

After noticing all they could notice, Anne and Mark bravely risked life and limb and continued to the top of Mt. Idontknowhowtopronouncethis.

Anne arrives on the top of the mountain, which is also the place where they hold the Bulgarian Jenga championships.

Other than a pair of unfortunate slips on a snow-covered side of a mountain - which Anne and Mark agreed to not photograph because they both fell and would look equally as silly recognize the importance of supporting one another - Anne and Mark made it to the peak unscathed.

Well, relatively unscathed...

Oxygen...  

After a rough day (well, afternoon, at least) of sunshine, fresh air and sightseeing, it was time to enjoy the fine accommodations provided by the Rila Lakes Huts.