I just spent an afternoon in Sofia, Bulgaria. Before I arrived, I knew almost nothing about the place, beyond a vague notion of its status as a former Soviet bloc country that was now part of the European Union.
It was January 1, so I didn’t expect to see much. Perhaps a few grand or grandiose buildings, I thought. Maybe a souvenir shop. Hopefully a restaurant.
What I didn’t expect was the ubiquitous graffiti:
I also discovered that Sofia has a long history, with a surprising number of surviving ruins:
and fog, with a surprising number of cows at the airport:
And when crossing the street, you have to look three ways in Sofia, not just two:
I lucked into a great hotel, the IHG InterContinental, with a charming lobby and fantastic service and truly delicious food:
I actually loved my afternoon in Sofia. I hope I’ll be back soon.
