There is something decidedly special about being somewhere that many people have not. Over and over I read about the same places - Paris, London, Berlin...you know the rest of the list. Well, I'm here to tell you some important information...forget the list.

It's not that these places don't have value, they do, in immense quantities, but it's worth taking the time to explore places that you haven't learned about just by nature of being alive. I knew what the Eiffel tower was and what Big Ben looked like before I knew exactly what they were, and why they might be important. The point is, when I got to those cities I was delighted, but I wasn't surprised.

There is immeasurable value in the moment of surprise.

In the misty foothills of Bulgaria lies a place you probably have never heard of, but need to know about. The Rila Monastery is astonishing for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is its age. It was founded in the 10th century, and it is the largest, most famous, and most coveted Eastern Orthodox monastery in Bulgaria, and some would argue the whole region. This place is so important to the Bulgarian people that it is actually on the back of the 1 lev note.