Chudnite Mostove (The Wonderful Bridges) - Bulgaria

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Chudnite Mostove or The Wonderful Bridges is located in the karst valley carved out by the Erkyupriya River that flows through the Western Rhodope Mountains. I first learned about karst on my last trip to Bulgaria when we visited Devetashka Cave. Topographically speaking, these caves are formed above and below ground over time as water soaks, dissolves and carves the rock (usually limestone, dolomite or, in the case of Chudnite Mostove, marble.) Let's take a look at Mother Nature's spectacular sculpting skills, shall we?

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My first glimpse came after a short hike from the parking area. I thought I would survey this place from above first to get the lay of the land. My strategy didn't pay off because this is all I could see. I'm not complaining about the view...I mean, come on, look at it! I would have to wait to experience the full beauty of this place until hiked down below.

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Here is a closer look from the lower trail.

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The lower trail is a little bit more challenging but nothing too strenuous. As I was walking, I wondered how long it would take to get there because what I was seeing was nothing like what I had found on the internet. But, I turned a corner and BOOYAH! I think I actually let out an audible gasp! I was not there at the optimal time of day and the weather was not perfect but the beauty trumped all of that. I had entered another world!

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Here is Mother Nature's sculpting tool, the Erkyupriya River. I was having trouble capturing all of the openings in the rock but you get the idea.

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Here's a little drama for you. And speaking of drama, there is a legend about this place. It speaks about a mysterious dragon that was ravaging the goat herds near the village of Zabardo. The shepherds, desperate to defeat the dragon, loaded up a donkey with tinder, lit him on fire (poor donkey) and pointed him toward the bloodthirsty beast. The dragon swallowed the slow burning burro but soon found himself with an unrelenting case of indigestion. The dragon lost his mind attempting to find relief and ended up burrowing into the rocks which became his final resting place. Over the years, as the dragon decomposed, only his bones remained which formed the beautiful large, arched bridges that we see today.

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Here I am all aglow / sweaty. Just thought you needed to see my face...which is really an exercise for me to get more comfortable taking selfies. You're welcome! 😎

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I just have to say, there is something about southern Bulgaria. I feel an extra dose of energy and an inexplicable sense of belonging when I visit. I relish every minute there and sometimes wish time would stand still, if only for a little while. I have much more to share from these parts so stay tuned!

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!steemitworldmap 41.783211 lat 24.591937 long Chudnite Mostove (The Wonderful Bridges) d3scr