The route we are on now runs almost due north across the plains, towards the Balkan Mountains. We notice a mound raised in the middle of an extensive, almost industrial-size vineyard. At the top of it there is a white monument. [ph 009] We go to investigate. It turns out to be a very well kept memorial to Russian foot soldiers who died in the Russo-Turkish War which led to Bulgarian independence in 1878. Later, on the same road to Hisarya, we pass through a number of villages. Storks on municipal buildings, independence monuments, electrical masts. A few kilometres further down the road there is a ruined building complex – a high tower with a spiral staircase and a long low building with satellite outbuildings.

The surrounding area is completely rural and climbing the tower (which has small rooms at each level) gives a panoramic view of the whole area.

The elongated block is home to a series of concrete pits in the floor and a family of hawks who are using the whole complex as their nesting place and nursery. When we enter they watch us suspiciously from pipes near the roof and swoop out the windows if we approach too closely. The three of us make a guess that it was an irrigation plant, the pumps being located in the recessed pits with visual control of the operation being possible from the lookout tower. This is confirmed by the industrial quality of the electrical wiring that used to lead here. To judge from the number of used condoms and broken beer bottles it is still a place that consumes large amounts of energy.