Best memories are connected to the Sea. A photogenic place in Bulgaria must be this corner at the Black Sea, with the Botanical Garden and a Palace. Former summer residence of the Romanian Queen Marie of Edinburgh, complementing also Bulgarian traditions.
How to start to describe a moment from the past that feels so present in my heart? Memories from Balchik flashed through my mind. It was the first trip outside my home country, a lovely trip, with a perfect ending. After staying in Golden Sands resort and passing by Varna, our last stop before returning home was Balchik.
Acknowledgement of the Past
I could have definitely spend hours at the Balchik Botanical Garden, admiring all. Is what we did when we discovered it, in one 1st of May, many years ago, in a family trip, with the camera in one hand, and the map of the garden in the second. I read later that the official name was the Quiet Nest Palace. Address is Kurortna Zona Dvoretsa 1, Balchik.
Besides the flowers, there was a small palace. I remember at the entrance we bought two different tickets. Although when I arrived I thought that the palace was more important, in fact the garden was impressive. Was the park’s entrance surrounded by palm trees, species of cactus and many tulips? Yes, yes and yes. It was a huge beautiful garden, full of flowers and sculptures, tastefully decorated. Back then, I couldn’t find the words even to describe it, but I felt like lucky because I came in May when all the flowers were blooming.
We all met later to visit the “palace”, which actually was a villa, in an Oriental style with Italian influences, very beautiful and elegant. It wasn’t very spacious though: there was the ground floor with the living room, and upstairs a bedroom and bathroom. In the basement there was a gift shop. Nearby were also a chapel and a winery. We went up the stairs to explore, it was gorgeous and the panorama seen from above was wonderful.
Definitely the Queen Marie had very good taste, creating a royal oasis with such a great view. You could see the whole garden and the sea on the right from the windows of the bedroom. I think it was her favorite place. The queen spent often time here, even after the brief period this part of Bulgarian territory was under Romanian administration.
It was so hard also for me to leave. That morning at the hotel, when I was getting ready to go to breakfast I didn’t know, but now I know, it was the most beautiful May 1st I’ve spent so far. I am glad I wrote about it back than.
Credit last picture https://visit.varna.bg/en/arhitekturno-parkov-kompleks-dvoretsa-i-botanicheskata-gradina.html
Read also Brussels Flower Carpet
Travel Journal 