House For Renovation Or New Apartments?

Just off the centre of Yambol is a house that once used to be the home of a Yambol family. It is ripe for renovation being in a good convenient location. Why this hasn’t been done up until now is a mystery. Perhaps a block of apartments will replace it soon is the more likely.

Yambol Business Centre - Mellowing In

Here is another view of the not so new Yambol Business Centre with the small block of apartments in the foreground. Somehow this massive building now has mellowed down a bit and doesn’t seem too intrusive and dominant as it was. Once the greenery around it has developed it will blend in even more.

From Barbecued Fish To Beds In Yambol

This vast Yambol shop used to be a restaurant that served barbecued fish. It is now another shop that sells beds and sofas added to the countless other shops that sell these goods. I think I’d prefer it as a fish restaurant as there aren’t any about that I know of and it is just around the corner from where I live.

A Yambol Tree With Luscious Growth

Yambol is now well into the growing season and the trees that looked dead a few months ago now have gone wild in greenery. Many trees have luscious growth at ground level as well as on their upper branches like this on pictured here.

A Yambol Rose - One Of Millions In Bulgaria

Bulgarian is famed for its roses and perfume made from them. In fact over half thew world's supply of distilled rose comes from Bulgaria to be made into perfume and other cosmetic products. Yambol therefore is no stranger to roses and as a visitor you can't fail to be inpressed with them. There are millions of roses blooming right now in Yambol and the whole city is alight with colour and scent. I have just taken a picture of one that is on a municiple space set aside solely for roses.

A Typical Yambol Family Grave

This is a typical grave that you would find in Yambol's cemetery. The picture of the husband and wife buried there with the details craved out. A little windowed box space at the base of the headstone to keep memorabilia and an old storage can where lighted candles are placed to protect against the wind. We quite often attend to my partner’s family graves tidying up, lighting candles and paying our respect, just like most other families do from Yambol and Bulgaria as a whole.

An Entrance To A Yambol Town house

This is an entrance to a Yambol town house only a few doors away from where we live. The house is empty, it has been for years but the entrance remians intact and full fo charactor. The birds are cut out from metal witht he typical rising sun design of the gate. As you can see the shrubbery is invading as it always does with vacant property in Yambol and surround.

Two Typical Bulgarian Bicycles Parked Up

Another fine example of the types of bicycles that are being ridden around Yambol nowadays. Both with carrier room for vegetables and two litres bottle of beer to be transported home after being bought from the local market. No locks needed as they stand in the middle of a pedestrian walkway. Bulgarian cyclists park bicycles like they park cars -Anywhere. No doubt sitting in a street cafe a few yards away whilst cooling down from their ride.

What's On At The Yambol Theatre This Week?

Not being a film or theatre going buff I don’t have much interest in what’s on at the Yambol theatre week in week out. Even if it were in English I still wouldn’t bother. Most people here would taker time look at the posters displayed on forthcoming plays and events at the Yambol theatre. It is a lovely little display on the more than pleasant pedestrian promenade.

Yambol's Cemetery Entrance

This is the entrance to Yambol's cemetery where memorial posters are placed on anniversaries of the deceased family members. The photographs always tend to show them at their best usually taken when they were much younger if they died old. This is a good way to remember these Bulgarian folk who now are no longer with us.

Another Bank Opens In Yambol

Yet another bank that has opening in Yambol. From just a handful of bank four years ago, Yambol now has around thirty and are encouraging credit to be taken out with big campaigns on TV.

Yambol's Main Library

Yambol’s main library doesn’t look like a library at all from the outside. What’s more the library sign that says ‘Biblioteka’ in gold Bulgarian writing hasn’t yet got an English version alongside, yet! Having been inside the library situated on the 1st floor, it has a distinct library smell and a very helpful librarian. Grafitti has spread it's filthy wings again as you can see.

Another Rounded Styled Building In Yambol

Rounded styled buildings in Yambol seem to have been the fashion in recent years. This still holds with this particular building, which is the headquarters of the Democratic political party for the Yambol district. I doubt whether there is a round table in the building though as politics doesn’t hold everyone as equal anymore or every has done thinking about it again!

Soon To Be Obsolete Yambol Road Signs

Most of Yambol’s road sign are now being replaced with International sterile signs and has lost their individuality. It is nice still to see there are still original Bulgarian road sign albeit in poor condition. They give the same message but with more character and less aggressive. These Yambol road signs will all be obsolete very soon now. Shame.

Yambol's Sara Supermarket - The First

We visited Yambol's Sara supermarket today for a change. It is the first big supermarket that was built there. It is more expensive than the other big supermarkets in Yambol now, so its popularity isn't as great as it used to be. At least there are no crowds when we go there, we only bought our daily bread and a beer there anyway before we went home.

Security Lockers In Yambol Supermarket

In Yambol you are not allowed to walk around the shops with personal luggage. You have to leave it in lockers that are provided in many shops. This nice neat nest of lockers is in a Yambol Vilton supermarket. A good idea not only for preventing shoplifters having somewhere to hide goods, but saves you having to carry stuff around with you. I always forget to pick my luggage up when I leave though!

Another View of Yambol's Tundzha River

Another view of Yambol's Tunzdha River looking south. This stretch is only 200 metres from Yambol city centre, but untouched and unspolt left for nature to take control. I often pass this view crossing the bridge from the lower bazaar to the mains pedestrian walkway uphill passing the Diana Hotel. A lovely walk, just a pity about the amount of cars that travel on the road looking the other way.

Another Old Car With Personality In Yambol

Not being a fan of cars, especially modern cars, they do have more personality the older they are. This one was spotted in Yambol today. Not being an expert on makes and models, I don't have a clue on this on. Anyone care to name the make and model. It is in excellent order.

Christmas Advertising Still Out In Yambol

Outside one of the many 1 leva bargain shops is a poster that is still advertising on a Christmas theme. I'm sure it will still be there for the coming Christmas. And why not it save on poster paper, very colourful and is still in very good nick. Besides there is a white van that parks right in front of it most days so you can't see most of the time anyway!

Yambol's Caramel Bar And Drinking Fountain

A bar called 'Caramel' is situated on the south Elhovo road about 2 kilimtres from Yambol city centre. I often walk past it but never go there for a drink. The reason is that there is another Yambol drinking fountian that works just outside. In fact most people like me, drink from the fountain and ignore the bar. Not a good place to put it for this business.

Big Blow Up Slides For Yambol Children

By the side of Yambol's city centre park there is a big blow up slide for children to play on. It is not there all the time, mostly at weekends when the children are about. You have to pay, but not a lot around 1 leva for fifteen minutes. Nice to see bright colours and happy children in Yambol centre.

Yambol's Turkish Mosque - A South View

This is a picture of Yambol's Turkish Mosque taken from a south view. In the front of the turkish mosque is a little park with a memorial focal point where many Bulgarians will sit and eat snacks. The stone work is typically Turkish style and is a complete contrast in comparison to other structures in Yambol.

Yambol's Sex Shop

Yambol’s only sex shop as far as I know has been here for a few years therefore it must be making business even in a recession. I have never been inside the place, but know a few who have. They buy stuff there as a birthday or name day present as a joke, well that’s what they say. I don’t think I’d ever go in the shop unless someone dares me with a bribe.

Yambol's New Commercial Centre As Planned

This was the poster that showed what the new commercial business centre in Yambol was going to look like when completed. I n fact it does look exactly as the poster shows. It remain on show next to the complex, perhaps the poster will be changed at some point advertising cigarettes, credit companies or beer.

Yambol's Coat Of Arms

I found this coat of arms on a poster outside the disabled club. The motto of Yambol says, “Coming from the remote past, going to the future.” Not too sure what the future holds for Yambol right now, seems a little confused at the moment.

Rounded Pink Yambol School Building

A school opposite the main Yambol hospital has some interesting architecture with the building with a rounded wall. It certainly creates a warm atmosphere as opposed to the straight sharp edged building you normally associate with a former communist country. Add the pink colour and this enhances the warmth even further.

A Broken Down Lada In Yambol

The Ladas of Yambol are a dying breed. Every ten cars you saw in Yambol a few years ago eight might well have been Ladas and it would take you quite a while to find ten cars! Now the volume of traffic and the amount of modern western European cars imported it quite a turn around. So when I see a broken down Lada I feel quite sorry for it. This particular Lada will be fixed very cheaply and last longer than many other makes of cars that increasing continue to pollute Yambol.

Lovely Yambol Tree

Sometimes a simple object like a tree gives a big impression. In Yambol today this tree just stood out from all the other trees in the area. Its health, colour and grandness just took my attention; it had to have its picture taken. The shade of green is quite unique to this variety of tree, fir I believe.

Bumper Cars In Yambol

The funfair is in Yambol and the bumper cars are my all time funfair favourite. Not much of a queue so not waiting involved, the troul eis there are no other drivers that you can bump into! No fun on your on so I gave it a miss. Perhaps there will be more people taking up bumper car driving seats this evening. The funfair seems to attract mainly gypsies from what I see here each year.