When reading about Ruse I saw a Lipnik Nature Reserve just nearby.  We didn’t make it there, but did walk to find Lipnik Boulevard.  Both seem to be connected to the Lipa tree or Linden tree. 

Slavic mythology

     “In old Slavic mythology, the linden (lipa, as called in all Slavic languages) was considered a sacred tree.[15] Particularly in Poland, many villages have a name "Święta Lipka" (or similar), which literally means "Holy Lime". To this day, the tree is a national emblem of Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and the Sorbs.[citation needed] Lipa gave name to the traditional Slavic name for the month of June (Croatian, lipanj) or July (Polish, lipiec, Ukrainian "lypen’/липень"). It is also the root for the German city of Leipzig, taken from the Sorbian name lipsk.[16] The Croatian currency, kuna, consists of 100 lipa (Tilia). "Lipa" was also a proposed name for Slovenian currency in 1990, however the name "tolar" ultimately prevailed.[17] In the Slavic Orthodox Christian world, limewood was the preferred wood for panel icon painting. The icons by the hand of Andrei Rublev, including the Holy Trinity (Hospitality of Abraham), and The Savior, now in the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow, are painted on linden wood. Its wood was chosen for its ability to be sanded very smooth and for its resistance to warping once seasoned. The southern Slovenian village of "Lipica" signifies little Lime tree and has given its name to the Lipizzan horse breed. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tilia#Slavic_mythology

http://www.poloniamusic.com/Folk_Lipka_Zielona.html  more about the Lipa tree and some Polish folks songs that tell about it.

http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/polcrt/Linden.html  THE LINDEN TREE – Lore and Significance

Written by Margaret Odrowaz-Sypniewska

Ode to a Linden Tree

Dear Guest, sit down beneath my leaves and take your rest.

The sun will not strike you there, I do insist,

Though it beat from its noonday height, and its direct rays

Should pierce such scattered shade as a tree bestows.

There, a cooling breeze is always blowing from the field;

There, nightingales and blackbirds their tuneful tales unfold.

It’s from my fragrant blossom that the timeless bees

Take the honey, which later ennobles your lordly feasts;

Whilst I, by my soft murmurs, can easily contrive

That gentle sleep should overtake the unsuspecting fugitive.

It’s true, I bear no fruit; but in my master’s eyes

My worth exceeds the richest scion of the Hesperides.

Written by "Squire of Czamolas" – a vernacular poet

http://www.angelfire.com/mi4/polcrt/PolNobility.html

Липа  lipa = Linden Tree

The English suffix -nik is of Slavic origin. It approximately corresponds to the suffix "-er" and nearly always denotes an agent noun (that is, it describes a person related to the thing, state, habit, or action described by the word to which the suffix is attached).[1] In the cases where a native English language coinage may occur, the "-nik"-word often bears an ironic connotation.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/-nik

Lipnik Boulevard…. But no trees at all now, but maybe once upon a time. 

I noticed this sign which says Lipnik in Cyrillic though I have no idea what the top word is.

One day we set off for the Transportation Museum because that attracted Rick and Randal. 

The city of Rousse is the place where you will find Bulgaria’s only transportation museum. The national museum of transport was created to commemorate 100 years since the existence of railway transportation in Bulgaria. It is located in the building of the first city railway station and opened doors for visitors in 1996.

     Rousse’s railway station, where the museum is located, was constructed from 1864 to 1866. The railway station functioned until 1954. Today, the station has been recognized as historic monument.

The three museum sections present the development of railway transportation, shipping and communications.

Communication technologies, photographs, documents, personal belongings of transportation workers and slogans will show you the history of transportation in Bulgaria.

Some of the exhibit items are unique. You will see Sultanie, the special car that sultan Abdul Aziz specially ordered in 1866. The car impresses with its rich decorations. Its color is blue and the exterior is covered in ornaments.

Another interesting exhibition items is one of the first locomotives imported in Bulgaria. It was created in Newcastle in 1866 and was used for the transportation of passengers from Rousse to Varna until 1901.

You will also see the car that tsar Ferdinand ordered. The museum also preserves the first movable television station in Bulgaria.

The museum library contains tons of information about transportation in Bulgaria through the years.

The national transportation museum is situated on the bank of the Danube, at Bratia Obretenovi 5 street. It welcomes visitors each day apart from Sunday from 9 am to 5.30 pm.

http://www.bulgariainside.eu/

Another interesting exhibition items is one of the first locomotives imported in Bulgaria. It was created in Newcastle in 1866 and was used for the transportation of passengers from Rousse to Varna until 1901.

I think I can, I think I can….

Some of the exhibit items are unique. You will see Sultanie, the special car that sultan Abdul Aziz specially ordered in 1866. The car impresses with its rich decorations. Its color is blue and the exterior is covered in ornaments.

We had to knock on the door of the museum to gain attention of the custodian who looked to be living in part of the museum.  She waved to us from her window, changed her clothes and then came to let us in and give us a tour.

Here she is showing us how tea was served to Abdul Aziz and where he and his guests could relax and smoke their water pipe.

Not so private but here’s the tollette and wash basin.

I had some coins so dropped them into the bucket in the sink.  Our guide motioned for me to take them back out so I did.  Then she motioned for me to put them back in.  So I did.  Then 3 times she poured water from the pitcher over my hands  which went down the drain ( coint bucket had been moved.)

I have no idea why but there you have it.

You will also see the car that tsar Ferdinand ordered.

The discrepancy between rich and poor may be in part what caused some of the problems leading to WW 1.

Oriental,  Central (time in Europe) and Occidental time.  The Occident is the west so both have the same time showing on the clock.

Air pressure gage for the brake on the side of the car

I always wanted to do this.  Rick and Mary pulled one way down the short piece of track and Randal and I pulled us back. 

Very useful clock in the station museum

Men connected to Bulgarian transportation history.

I thought these caricature plates were quite funny though I’m not sure they were intended to be seen that way.