I've been to hell and back... or at least the river Styx

The view outside the "Devil's Throat". The cave has a river at the bottom of it that has no known source. Because of this, it is thought to be the River Styx.

You'll notice there are no pictures of the actual cave... this is because inside all pictures come out dark and look stupid and no one really appreciates them. So, let me tell you... the cave was dark and cold and there were creepy bats.

(And you're welcome for not posting annoying dark pictures.)

Me and Jessica after our 401 step climb out of the bottom of the cave. It was so steep!

Locals sit outside the cave and sell fresh fruit, honey, jams and herbs. My blueberries were delicious. Although, I thought it was weird that the tour guide kept referring to them as the "Rhodopi viagra".

View of the Rhodopi Mountains from the road

Most of the Southwesterners outside the cave

Me and Jill taking our stereotypical Tridelta picture.

being delta like again...

You can kind of see the waterfall next to the huge boulder... in person its a lot more impressive.

Turning twenty-one in a foreign country is anticlimactic

My twenty-first birthday was not as exciting as it might have been in America... mostly because after being in Europe for a almost two months and being able to drink whenever/where ever, buying alcohol on my birthday wasn't as exciting as it might have been. Nonetheless, I went to dinner with a couple of girlfriends and had my first legal-in-every-country-cocktail, a Cosmopolitan. (It would have been a Margarita or a Mojito, but Margaritas in Europe are disgusting and they were out of mint leaves for a Mojito.)

Before

After

After dinner I was ever so privileged to meet with my professors for a Pinocchio meeting from 9-11pm. They then felt guilty for making me meet on my birthday and so my professors bought me drinks in the theater cafe where everyone eats and hangs out. Afterward, I met up with some friends and we got dressed up and a large group of us went out to the discotheque. The discotheque is not really my thing, but here that's what you do...

Jill, me and Jessica

Also, I got a delicious banana (bread) cake made by Edward and Jill. They spent a lot of time and effort making it because in Bulgaria, or at least Smolyan, ingredients and a working oven can be hard to come by. (I'm spoiled because I also got a delicious banana bread cake before I left home for Europe. Jessica did a delicious job!)

Other pictures from around Bulgaria...

Built in the 1970's by the Communists, Smolyan, a town of less than 20,000, has the largest theatre complex in all of Bulgaria. We have all of our classes and most of our meals here. (there's a cafe downstairs)

Statue outside of the theater of Eurydice and Orpheus.

Taken from the bridge that links our hotel to the theater at sunset this evening. This is why people actually live here...

Overall, I had an excellent birthday, despite being slightly homesick. I'm ready to have clean laundry again! :)