Need for Nature – Erich

My wife is a wise one. She decided that though we are traveling the world to see its many people and cultures, we also needed some time to see its natural beauty.

That's the wise one there.

So we are spending a week in Bulgaria, but not in a big city. We are near Sofia, the capital, and we can ride a bus to get there. But we are staying outside the city in an area of national parks and green, lush mountains.

Green, lush, and cloudy!

This week we can hike, breathe fresh air, picnic outdoors, and relax in a slower pace.

Not as though these two have a "slower pace" setting.

Plus, we can learn about nature and see some of its interesting features. For example, we saw plants whose leaves make a bowl that holds water and then creatures live in that water. It's like a bromeliad.

Tough to see in the picture, but there is a pool in there.

Or sometimes there is just the beauty that is waiting to emerge.

So pink, just about ready to open up into a flower

Even when we lived in the States, we loved to go hiking. I am thankful for the great state parks we had near us, in most any state we lived.

Sometimes you really need to pick some clover

I think people everywhere need more nature. I know that after many amazing cities, and we did love them, but after a long string of them a walk in the woods is a very good thing.

With a big ridiculous hat, of course