Yambol City Centre Park - Drinking Water Fountain

Yambol's city centre park hold a drinking water fountain that is well use in the warmer weather. There is a statue of a mother and child alongside to make it an elegant place to take a sip of Yambol water. This fountain is always working and another example of respect for public property and facilities here.

Yambol's Woman In War Statue Relocated

This Yambol women in war statue used to be 20 metres away and hidden from most of the passing public. Now a new garden area had been built and the statue now relocated standing prominently in a higher position where all can now see it. Notice the swastika that had been sprayed and partly clean off. The defacing of walls and others surfaces in public places is an unfortunate increasing trend in Yambol.

Sinbad - Yambol's Fast Food Joint

Sinbad has been around in Yambol City centre for years, this one is near the Kabile Hotel. It is a fast food joint serving donor kebab, publically roasted chickens and pizzas. This is a favourite place for many locals with their seating area outside in the warmer weather. We don't use it that much, perhaps two or three times a year, but many Bulgarians do at lunchtime and after work. I am glad to say we haven't got any global American style hamburger or fried chicken fast food joints here yet. This is also a good place for scavenging Gypsies who hunt the bins for left overs to eat without scruples.

A Yambol Hairdresser With Two Tarriffs

This is my local Yambol hairdresser that I use. There are now signs outside you just look in to see that is a hairdressing shop. Inside there are no tariffs displayed but a two tiered tariffs system where local Bulgarians are charged 2 Bulgarian Lev and foreigners 3 Bulgarian Lev. I still use the place and argue the price each time, but the female hairdresser feels that there is nothing wrong with this policy. Another reason I still go there is that even with the foreign rates being paid it is still cheaper than other hairdressers who also top up on foreigners in Yambol. Also she does a good job. I'm sure the EU will step in one day and stop this, but strangely enough I like the non-mandatory system here.

Another Yambol Bike

A visit to the local hospital saw this bibcyle of character parked by the entrance. These are common in Yambol and is one of my wants one day. I never had a chopper type when I was younger and now is my chance to acquire one. These aren' t of course chopper bikes, but they get Bulgarians effectively and cheaply albeit rather slowly. Slow is the Bulgarian way though.

Old Yambol Tree Signs

In the same street were I live in Yambol there is a school. Just on the corner sits a tree where I found this old sign saying 'MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN, HAIRCUTS. I found the other smaller sign advertising a garage for gasoline, repairs and service. The hairdresser and garage are no longer there now. I also caught another Yambol cat to the base of the tree ont he right, it had just paid another regular visit to the big metal wheelie bins only two metres away.

Inside Yambol's St Nikolai Church

This week I manage to sneek a picture inside Yambol's St Nikolai's Church. This is always a busy place under the umbrella of the Bulgarian Orthodox practice. Whole families often attend many times a year on special occassions or if they just feel the need for a spiritual uplift. I love the place and often pop in when I have a spare few minutes. Everyone is made welcome there. Because it is so busy it is difficult to take pictures there although I have never been approached or questioned - It just doiesn't feel right to do it.

Balloon for sale in Yambol from a street seller who carries a chair as a trade stand The festivities continue after Easter weekend here and why not. If there are balloons left over from Easter try and sell them all off a few days later. They brighten Yambol city up, make the children even happier then they are already and compliment all the brightly coloured flowers that are now showing their blooms.

Yambol Park - Iron Sculpture

If you visit the Yambol park in the City centre you will see an iron sculpture that stands there. No inscriptions are apparent, but is does resemble a floral type figure. Somehow it fits in witht he surrounding area perfectly, not obtrusive at all and has a calmng presence about it, perfect for sunny warm days like this to relax at lunchtime as many Bulgarians do.

Yambol Gypsy Bottle Collectors

These two Yambol Gypsies have the hands full with bottles they have scavenged from the big wheelie bins scattered around the city. They will be sold somewhere or used for heating their homes in the slightly chilly evenings. Nothing is wasted here in Yambol, always recycled or used until it drops. Bulgarians would use these bottles for gardening purposes, but the Gypsies just are not green-fingered at all here.

Yambol's First Lilac of Spring

As I walked through Yambol's City centre park on this Sunny Easter Monday, I couldn't fail to notice that an early lilac had already taken bloom just waiting to be sniffed and photographed. So that was exactly what I did. The scent was pure perfume and the photograph for you to judge.

An Abandoned Car in Yambol

Abandoned cars in Yambol are a common sight, but even though this one seemingly has no use to anyone it does. It is used as a store for a a shop adjacent the postion. You can see the boxes of clothing inside the car. I assume the locking system work ont he doors, certainly no one can make a getaway in this vehicle, not that this sort of thing goes on here anyway. This picture does sum up some parts of a Yambol that is being modernised very fast. There will be no more sights like this anymore as laws will come in for abandoned vehicles.

An Empty Yambol House In The City Centre

This house is right in the middle of Yambol city and is unoccupied. It sits right in the middle of two street cafes in the pedestrain area. Every time I walk pass it I think, what a shame it is not being used and maintained. The over grown climbers make it look haunted, maybe that's why it remains empty.

A Smoking Yambol Chimney in April

One of the better condtioned chimneys in Yambol smoking away in April. Although the days are warm the evenings are still a little chilly so woodburners still fill the air with the smell of burning wood. These chimneys are becoming rarer as air conbditoning system are slowly taking over Yambol.

Vegetables For Sale On The Side

Passing by a small Yambol secondhand clothes shop it is common that alongside their main goods are vegetables for sale which have been picked from their gardens. This example here is of fresh garlic on the gas meter and onions leaning on the side. So you can buy a jacket, garlic and onion and save yourself a trip to the bazaar. There are also daffodils for sale by the side of the chair, but it looks like they have almost been all sold out of those.

Puddles Galore in Yambol

It only takes a light shower to create big puddles in Yambol where the streets drainage system just doesn't exist. It is a good thing however that Bulgarian drivers do have consideration when driving past . They almost always slow down on the approach to a puddle that could potentially soak pedestrians to the skin when passing by. Luckily there isn't too much rain here and when there is it dries up really quickly in the heat of the spring, summer and autumn.

Three Statue-Like Trees

Three trees stood like stautes as I walk the backstreets of Yambol today. Spring is here, but the trees haven't noticed yet. I know though that by May they will be shooting branches skywards ready for another crop in the autumn. How nature works is quite wonderful. Notice the three staged wall in the background. Stone foundation brick and then concrete moulded blocks hiding the vine trellis in the garden.

A Classic Moskovitch - With Racing Stripes?

I generally don't like cars, but they are a fact of life in this modern world. What I do find interesting are the old Ladas and Moskovitch cars imported from Russia. Many of these cars are 20, 30 or even 40 years or older and still running, just. they are the workhorses on Bulgarian roads and outclass all other modern vehicles in personality. This classic Moskovitch has racing stripes or is the tape there to hold the bonnet together? Whatever the reason, this car is still working and runs although there is a brick behind th back wheel so the handbrake doesn't work. The number plate is brand new so it got through the 'tough' ministry of transport test somehow.

Healthy Tree Roots - Unhealthy Pavement

You have to walk in the road to avoid tripping over the roots of this tree. A fine tree I might add with healthy roots, but the pavement is certainly not healthy and quite dangerous - Dangerous walkways are normal here in Bulgaria so no surprise there.

A Yambol Kindergarden Play Train

This train in a kindergarden playground reminded me of Thomas the Tank Engine, but they haven't heard of that in Bulgaria. The hand-painted face on the front of the train certainly make the difference. Nice to see it is in poerfect condition and even out in a public place not tempered with by vandals.

A Yambol Pedestrian Walkway - With Dangers Attached

I often walk this way along this narrow Yambol pedestrian walkway one of the best paved way in town, but is has its own dangers. In winter the icicles hang from the ledge above and many people have had injuries from the falling ice spears. Luckily 99 times out of 100 this is not the case as today. Just a bit of rain and a cover from that as well. I like the tree lined path that is created here.

A Fearless Yambol Cat and Diana's Hunting Dog

A Yambol cat crossed my path as a walk took me toward Yambol's Diana Park. It was heading towards Yambol's favourite Goddess Diana's hunting hound. Undisturbed by the sight of this threatening Kanine, the cat just strolled past unabated. I just found this quite a strange moment as I stood and watched this happen.

A Long Lasted Yambol Garden Wall

Another Yambol Street, another Yambol home and another Yambol Garden wall, this one in very good condition. There is a brick background the to concrete facade which it probably why is has lasted so well compared to its contemporaries. This was a pleasure to walk past although rather frustratimng not being able to see into the grounds and be nosey.

A Unique Styled Yambol Town House

There are quite a few unique styled house in Bulgaria from the old days. They must have been built for the important and more than equal comrades of the old communist regime. This one is just on the outskirts of the city centre and although not in pristine condition is an interesting design. Square on one side and rounded on the other, but it works quite well in contrast. The windows on the rounded turrent are also unique and almost pencil-like. I like it.

Another Plastic Bottled Public Garden

Clear, green and brown plastic bottle in another public garden next to one of the big block apartment buildings in Yambol. These are attended by the local residents and for a change they are growing geraniums and not food produce this time. Again, the respect that this little garden has based in a resdiental area of the City centre is total from all the community.

A Typical Yambol City Garden

Through the rising sun garden gate you can a a typical Yambol City garden. It is in immaculate condition just waiting for a feast of fruit and vegetables that will see then through the new year fresh and stocked for winter. As yo can see on the gate this house has been awarded a merit for being a model home (Obraztsov dom), a scheme that ran Nationally prior to becoming a capitalist regime.