Greetings!
We arrived in Sofia, Bulgaria yesterday. Our flight from Varna to Sofia took less than an hour. Bulgaria is about the same area as Tennessee according to the CIA fact book.
We participated in a walking tour of the old city in the evening. Our guide, Boyko, was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable young man who one could see truly loved his city and country. ( and this was a free tour!) I wish our guide in Turkey had had 1/3 of his energy. I think Hafiz was a bit burnt out ferrying tourists across Turkey.
The buildings began to glow as dusk fell. Several of the churches had metallic roofs/structures and it was a magical experience. By chance we are here during a holiday weekend so there are less cars therefore less noise and exhaust. We learned about the importance of mineral waters of various types that course through the city. After the tour Joel and I went to a traditional Bulgarian restaurant with several of the participants and the guide. I like the drink 'Ayran' which is basically watered down yogurt.
Sofia is a city that is both new and old, and feels wide open compared to the narrow streets in the old part of Istanbul. The local men and women dress very fashionably. I don't know how the women are able to walk in their stiletto heels on the uneven sidewalks and cobblestone streets! There is a lot of graffiti on the buildings. Lots of monuments. We learned a little bit more about the history of Bulgaria during our walking tour. It's very complicated.
We plan to take a bus to the town of Plovdiv tomorrow.
The cashews are delicious and Joel doesn't like the dried peas for a snack.
As with college tours, so with others: the guide has an extraordinary influence on our impressions.
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