Right by the border with Greece, in the thick green hair of the forest, the heart of the Pirin mountain hides so much beauty. If the nature doesn’t grab you, the sad, deep Macedonian songs will. If the music doesn’t bring tears to your eyes, the taste of the local blackberries will. If your belly still doesn’t feel full, the joyous celebratory spirit of locals will fill it.
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| Pirin Mountain |
Sleeping comfortably in the skirts of the great mountain, forgotten by the accountants of Time, Gotse Delchev spreads comfortably among the 30.000 souls inhabiting the valley. People call it “The Town”, because for a long time it was the only town around, and for over 100 villages, tucked between the shoulders of Pirin and
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| My grandma at the weekly market |
Rodopi mountains, it represented the most important gravitational point. That’s where the weekly fruit & vegetables market comes to life to this very day (every Monday & Friday), where you can get lost in bureaucratic errands, or eye for hours the pretty girls from one of the many cafes with extensive outside seating. Summer comes on a lavish golden chariot and loves to stay around for long. It fills the lakes with the laughter of kids, the streets with gossip & sunflower seeds peels, the shades of the vines with smoking and games of cards. The past is the favourite topic of locals. It’s where most of living happens and a date with the past always requires a sip of the homemade wine or rakia.
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| The shade of the vines |
Gotse Delchev used to be called Nevrokop, it was changed to commemorate a revolutionary, who fought for the freedom of the region in the 1900s. But rarely do locals use these names. They are symbol of change, and “things don’t change around here”. The Town is forever swept away by the force of a fairy tale youth. The world keeps making its turns, but leaves unchanged the slow Sunday walks through the “Turgovska” (Market) street, the chimes of the two churches at the main square still stir the hot air. There’s a sense of stuckness for some, but for others it provides a sense of something solid and strong, a shelter from the winds and fires of life.
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| Playing cards on the street |
Locals are warriors by heart - full tempered, stubborn and energetic, and they can deploy these qualities for the best and the worst - from complaining a whole lot to celebrating like it’s their last day. There is a delicate balance between laughter & tears, between neighbours & relatives, between old demons & new prophets. This dance at the edge of discomfort is the origin of vibrant words & images that, if captured, will disenchant the mysteries of Pirin.
Why should you visit?
Places like Gotse Delchev make you a discoverer. You have to dig. Beyond the surface of the quiet existence, there is the heart of a volcano, rhythmically beating on the lid like on a drum. If you dare to take on the adventure, grab the words, seize the images, you will discover pure & limitless passion, which will engrave Pirin in your heart forever.
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| Creating a yoga tree amid the beauty of Pirin |
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