We leave Istanbul heading to Bulgaria. The exit from Turkey is so easy we don't realize it is over until we see the Bulgaria sign. You don't even get out of the car. The Bulgaria entry is equally easy. The Immigration official (at the drive through immigration window) says "you drove from where!?" The next customs window: "you have any whiskey?" – No " you have any guns?" –No " You have any drop?" – Stanley could not answer, wondering why the officer would be interested, but Niels and Julia quickly replied: "No, we don't have drugs either". Must be the cravings that amend the hearing…"We only need to get out of the car to purchase a 'green card' – 3rd party insurance for the EU. One month is a whopping 388 Euro!! But with no alternatives we shell out the money. We have one question on the fine print and the agent has to make some phone calls to get the answer. While we are waiting she looks at us and asks "Are you Christians?" No, it isn't possible!. We are having flashbacks to the doctor in Aswan and we stand there dumbfounded and half expecting her to launch into a Christian speech. Instead she says – today is a really big holiday (I guess explaining why it is taking time to get the answer). Really? "Which one?" we ask. She has to look it up on line because she doesn't know the English word. It turns out to be Easter Sunday. Not being diligent Christians we have no idea although we thought it was Easter in March. Maybe this is a different one? We'll have to look it up on line when we get the chance. We are heading to Sofia to meet up with Anguel, a good friend from Rwanda. He meets us on the side of the highway just before Sofia when we get there around 8pm.
