Dog days in Bulgaria
The double act
We encountered these two wonderful creatures whilst walking through the streets of Kazanlak. They followed us for several hundred meters, crossing a busy intersection and pausing while we waited outside a shop. Together, they combined to create an overwhelming sense of pathos which was impossible to resist. They appeared healthy and well nourished and I imagined that they were looking for affection although I suspect food was the priority.
Stray dogs are common in Bulgaria and in recent years neutering and vaccination programs have been established by organisations such as Four Paws International. These programs have proved successful and the numbers of homeless dogs has reduced but sadly many still remain.
Now, which one would I take home? Surely I’d have to take both of them!
Vango
In September 2018 we stayed at the wonderful Kosovo Houses in the Rhodope Mountains. It was here for the first time that we met this magnificent beast.
He is a karakachan - a Bulgarian shepherd dog - and was found by Dimitar from Kosovo Houses wandering alone in the village. Dimitar noticed that he had most of his right ear missing and so named him Vango. During our short stay in Kosovo we became very attached to Vango - if we could have, we would taken him with us but I’m not sure London would have been the place for him.
We asked Dimitar if perhaps they could take Vango but he was unsure as he they already had two dogs but it was clear that he had grown fond of him.
This year we stayed again at Kosovo houses and we were delighted to discover that Vango is now an established and much loved member of the family! Dimitar has since married and his partner, Vanessa and Vango have a wonderful bond.
Gina
Gina is the senior partner at Kosovo houses. Dimitar explained that she she recently taken to creating shallow burrows in the flower beds for the purposes of extended snoozes.
She really loved to sleep - and why not when you’re thirteen years old?
Raya
Raya is both beautiful and independent. While friendly, I sensed that she needed time for a relationship to be forged. Unfortunately we only had a few days with this gorgeous puppy. Her reluctance to maintain eye contact meant that I had to work for my photographs - she certainly left me wanting more.
Our time at Kosovo Houses was too brief but I look forward to returning soon to these wonderful dogs and this enchanting Rhodopian retreat.
Varvara - the office manger
Meet Varvara - the defacto office manager at the coworking space, Studio More in Sinemorets.
Varvara takes her position very seriously, providing a relaxing work environment and is always available for morale boosting stroking sessions. Together with her human colleagues she has created a wonderful office space just minutes from the beach.
Naya
Naya works on reception at the hotel Casa Domingo in Sinemorets. It’s thought that she’s 16 years old but nobody seems to know for sure and it would be perhaps impolite to ask.
A sweet and tender soul, her main task - in which she excels - is snoozing on the cool stone floor.
The one with the fluffy ears
This one - the one with the fabulously fluffy ears. First encountered at the beach, she joined me the following morning for coffee at the excellent Hombry Craft Wine and Beer Shop in Sinemorets.
Have you ever seen a face evoke such a sense of sadness and longing? I asked the young woman who worked at Hombry if she was hungry. ‘Just look at the face - everybody feeds her’, she laughed.
Even though she was clearly a master manipulator, I would have happily taken this street dog and given her a forever home. Just imagine having continuous access to those ears!
Lazar the great!
What can I say about Lazar the Great? Well, let’s start by saying that he more than deserves the title. At eight years old he is in his prime and the suggestion of grey around his muzzle only adds to his gravitas.
I first met Lazar December 2013 when he was just a young pup and he has since grown into a majestic German Shepherd.
Lazar lives with his human friend, Stassi, and divides his time between his city residence in Sofia and his countryside retreat in Vrachesh. Through Stassi’s work in the entertainment industry, allied with his abundant charisma, Lazar has become a Bulgarian celebrity in his own right. Always ready to chase a ball, frisbee or stick, Lazar has boundless energy and can be highly persuasive. You didn’t think you wanted to play and yet here you are, gazing into dark brown , hopeful eyes. Thirty minutes later - you’re still throwing the frisbee…
Rex
Our final days in Bulgaria took us Blagoevgrad, an hour’s drive south of Sofia. Here we visited Rex who lives with his human, Kami and her daughter Yvonka. Rex is a majestic thirteen year-old long haired German shepherd.
This gentle and extremely fluffy spirit lives in the small village, Bela Pole. Older and slower now, he spends his time resting in shaded areas of Kami’s beautiful garden. Time may have mellowed him but his bark remains deep and fearsome.
In a year of such uncertainty, our summer in Bulgaria was a welcome interlude which feels more vital than ever as winter approaches. Our travels were enriched and our souls recharged by the many wonderful canine characters we encountered and photographed along the way.
I am more used to taking portraits of people professionally, but perhaps it’s time to consider these expressive and most loyal of human companions as a similarly worthy subject.
