Henry was an imposter. Jake was also an imposter—and he eliminated me. Kristian was another imposter and managed to eliminate Michael very stealthily while making tea as his cover. Michael was killed first, which everyone agreed made sense because, as we all know, he asks way too many questions. The game ebbed and flowed throughout the week with everyone trying to figure out who was lying. It became increasingly difficult to trust anyone that week. Thankfully, the imposters did not prevail in the end.
Monday brought another hike with a plant and herb specialist. He taught us about the different edible plants growing in the mountains and showed us how to identify them. We even picked some herbs and made oregano tea from what we found.
Lucas was nursing a cold this week, but that didn’t stop him from getting out and spending time with his friends. The kids built spaghetti towers, played together, and even spent some time with the street dogs that have become such a big part of life here in Bansko.
Emmy, the hub owner, organized a charity running event to raise money for the Bansko street dogs. Lucas and Henry both ran laps to help raise money, and Henry really went all out. He ran 38 laps, which works out to about 2.4 miles!
We also made another trip to the hot springs, which continue to be a fan favorite. There is something about spending the day soaking in warm mineral water surrounded by the mountains that makes it easy to understand why everyone loves them so much. We also played paintball this week. Paintball is not on the top of my list of activities, but sometimes the activities you are least excited about end up being the most fun.
The moms also managed to get a nice night out while the dads took the kids out for dinner. A win for everyone!
Friday was supposed to be a relatively easy hiking day. What was planned as a one-hour hike somehow turned into a three-hour adventure up a steep mountain and then back down through the forest. The trail was steep, challenging, and, at times, treacherous. Somehow, the entire group made it back down mostly unscathed. Henry, of course, thought it was great. Apparently, the more difficult and adventurous the hike, the better.
We also managed to squeeze in dental cleanings this week. One thing we’ve come to appreciate about traveling is how easy it can be to keep up with routine medical and dental care while we’re abroad. We’ve found it much easier—and significantly less expensive—than getting the same routine care in the U.S.
Three weeks into Bansko, and the kids continue to stay busy, make friends, explore the mountains, and find new adventures around every corner. Between hiking, hot springs, paintball, charity runs, street dogs, and secret imposters, there certainly hasn’t been much time to get bored. We have packed so much into three weeks, and we have one more week to go!
