Good morning! Today one of our cars had to go to the service station to have the windscreen replaced. Since we had only 95 km of running scheduled, part of the team stayed behind enjoying a day off. The rest of us took off at 9 o'clock...

... and ran in to the first ceremony just one hour later.

In Asenovgrad, local volleyball and basketball players were waiting for us and accompanied us to the main square, where the mayor was already waiting for us.

Here in Bulgaria they also have the tradition of welcoming guests with bread. But while in other countries we were given salt with the bread, here you get a very tasty mix of spices in the north, and in the south, honey comes with the bread. Yummy...

Kids holding the torch after a beautiful singing performance.

The mayor, with an olympic champion who was born here.

... and after refreshing ourselves in the town hall, we went back on the road.

It was getting more and more hilly here. We are running now on quieter side roads, near the mountains.

Breaks are very enjoyable. You can write your diary...

... or try to juggle the devil sticks.

Beautiful view...

... go Maria - GO !!

These two girls from Kardzhali tried to hide from the camera - but no chance...

At the last ceremony, a marching band was playing...

... and boys in smart uniforms were saluting the runners.

Together with the majorettes, they marched to the monument.

While the mayor Hasan Azis addressed us with kind words, the boys were 'guarding' the torch.

Sword and (I don't know what those fluffy thingies are called:)).

Afterwards the dancing started. First the girls...

... then the boys.

Attention! Salute!

At 8 o'clock we met the deputy mayor in the restaurant at our hotel. We had dinner together...

... and afterwards Ivan presented her with the Torch Bearer Award for her kind support. Thank you!!

– Martin Leitner

Distance: 95 km

Team Members:
Martin Leitner (Austria), Matthias Eckerle (Germany), Daniel Schenke (Germany), Emese Gero (Hungary), Judit Toth (Hungary), Tatjana Chochlikova (Slovakia), Lenka Chobodicka (Slovakia), Sarah Newton (Canada)

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