This cemetery was a few miles (OK, kilometers) south of Blagoevgrad, on a gently sloping hillside. You can see a ceremic image of the person on the right of the headstone. At the foot of the grave is a bench for sitting, reflecting, visiting, picnicking. (Jill is on the right edge.)

This photo gives you a little sense of both the scenery in the area and the way that the graves are close together and gardened.

This is a different cemetery, in town in the city of Blagoevgrad. It was very near Skaptopara, my residence hall. Again, you can see the ceramic etched "photos" of the people and get a sense of the gardens. People would leave small items that were favorites of those departed - cigarettes, a bottle of Fanta, strong Bulgarian coffee.

Some of the older graves in this cemetery did not have a cross, but rather a communist star on the headstone. The plots were so close together that it was difficult walk around, and I tripped more than once in the areas that were less well-kept.