One can be transformed by a very inspiring journey. It has been known by the great travelers, common people, irreparable dreamers. All know it but very few has the chance and the courage to make it true. And those to who it happened to be a sea journey are the luckiest. These adventures are most often shown in movies but as well as that in the memories of old Burgas families. In the 70-ties they arranged marvelous trips to the most refined places in the European capitals far in the frozen waters in the North sea, to the pretty shores of Lisabon.

One of these lucky travelers is Katya Kobarelova, the daughter of the first apothecaries in Burgas. She traveled 5024 sea miles, sailing through Black, Marmara, Aegean, Mediterranean, Baltic, North and Tyrrhenian Sea, through the straits of Gibraltar, and Messinian Channel, Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits, Atlantic ocean.

“Varna”- a cruise ship with three cabins, a pool and several levels of sunny terraces expects the ladies of Burgas and their best friends- Katya Kobarelova, doctor Rajnova and Maria Ivanova on the port of Leningrad.  On board they are placed in a confortable and spacious cabin on the second level. From the start the traveling turns into an adventure. The departure is postponed due to the freezing of the FinnishGulf  and a part of the Baltic sea. In the dark night of 22^nd to 23^rd of April “Varna” blazes its way, led by the powerful ice-breaker “Murmansk”. Blocks of ice crashed into the ship's hull and in the cabins passengers flutter in each row rumbling from deep sea. Sweden remains distant, inaccessible to the thirsty eyes. The first stop is Copenhagen, where besides the ancient castle Kristianebok, Katya sees for the first time in her life beatniks who described as "miserable creatures with dirty and torn clothes."

On the way to the Atlantic Ocean day at sea diversify the many amenities of the ship - cinema, hairdresser, food, recreation and books. Kiel Canal is the gateway to the ocean, where they expected HavreBeach. From there through the beautiful French countryside and the "city of 100 bells" Rouen, the group heads to Paris. To surprise and delight our Burgas traveler she meets under the EiffelTower friends.

This luck can not miss all together embark on to visit the shiny Champs-e-Lise, the Louvre, the steep streets of Montmartre, Grand Opera, the cathedral "Notre Dame", the Latin Quarter.  At sunset they split with a promise to meet again in Bulgaria. It is time for London and after that for Lisabon. There Katya and her friends are lost in the alleys of fragrant garden with a glass roof, built around the monument of English King Edward III. Each bears the name of the rarest plant that grows on it, and countless plates are blurred before the eyes of Burgas ladies. After carelessly wandering around Lisbon mysteries, follows the most exotic place on the route - the "door" between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean Gibraltar. There they expect Hercules rocks, small artificial caves that are hidden guns, an unforgettable concert with music by Bach in the cave St. Michel on the beach.

The travelers completely forgot the cold and the tribulations from the beginning of the journey of "Varna", it was a time for celebration. The 4th of May is the day of the Czech culture and on this occasion is dedicated to Czech cinema. Just then they are passed by the largest ship in the world at that time-  "Elizabeth II". All day the most visited place is the commercial theater while the ship is drifting towards yet another fabulous destination. People mix, talk and imperceptibly come to Barcelona, ​​then head to Rome. Disembark and walk at the "Eternal City" to the "Solar" autostrada. Sometime it merges with the ancient Via Apia and the three Burgas ladies and their companions with trepidation wear in the footsteps of tribes and peoples of the history books. Tracing the past they see the marvelous sunset at the Neapolitan bay, closer and closer to home. All spend the night dreamy and  divided into small intimate groups on the decks or in the cabins. Some have become friends, others have felt love. The travelers feel the end of the trip is approaching, and they all exchange addresses. During the day walking around Athens with its white antique splendor and lavish around Istanbul the group is further united. Prior to their separation all together they receive a sea baptism. The journey is commemorated with a Diploma and a sea name in the realm of the god Neptune. Katya choose the name of the goddess Demeter, the goddess of the nascent life.

 After this trip she will never be the same. Every day, year after year, will spend their mornings watching the sea, going back at least an hour on that ship that took her to the icy shores, bays and dangerous exotic caves. In her hands faded with the time the diary pages thanks to which I told you this story.

text: Gergana Kostova

Sneakys road: personal archive, Kamelia Velichkova

magazine. "Vij! Burgas" No.. 17