The Valley of the Kings - Kazanlak
A land hospitable and fertile, abundant in mystical le gends about Thracians, in stories of dignified and hard-working Bulgarians and a precious gift bestowed from the above........
It is May, early morning, with the first blossoms bursting out the rose-picking starts. For the people of Kazanlak it is a sacred ritual, an occasion for work but also for rejoicing and pride. Traditions have been kept / abided by since time immemorial and every tiny detail is of importance. The white shirt is manually made by the young girl and the ornaments in the embroidery are an expression of her unique spirituality. The tunic is in red festive colour. The apron is green… there is an image of a bird on the buckles…
The day is woken up by a gentle maiden song and intoxicating flavor. With its eyes barely opened the morning stretches out among the clamor of the early rising rose pickers. And when the first rays of sun kiss the earth, the real magic and sweet fragrance of the place called the Rose Valley unfolds!
Here, under the strong shoulders of the Balkan a gentle and humble form of life is born - the Damask rose - a symbol of Bulgaria! It enchants anyone approaching it with its fragrance and unreserved, selfless love... So much colour, so much beauty, so much life....
There is a reason the call the fragrance of the Bulgarian Damask rose heavenly. The power of this little flower is so mystical that in a miraculous way rose oil fragrance has been forever scattering around the relics and icons of holy men and women on the days of their commemoration... Yes, the Creator has given this precious gift in its most perfect form to us, the Bulgarians. Let’s use it with dignity and take care of it responsibly… And let’s learn how to give…beauty, delicacy, joy and life… like them… the roses... And they will always do that, for us.