The golden domes of the Alexander Nevsky cathedral against the snow filled clouds

28th October
Sofia, Bulgaria.



Snowing! Little flakes melting before they hit the ground, the first snow of the winter, on the first day we are here. Shorts and tee shirts one day, wooly hats, gloves and scarves the next! A bit of a shock to the system. Bulgarian souvenir...2 pairs of warm leather gloves bought as the snow floated down.

We have had a walk around the old part of Sofia today and saw old churches, a small flea market selling antiques and souvenirs. The stall owners warmly dressed under their plastic covered outdoor stalls, I wonder how much longer they brave the weather before they pack up for the winter. The stalls have a mixture of old jewelry, religious icons old and new and relics of the Communist era for sale.

We like the cost of food and coffee here especially as the cold makes you hungry. Bulgarians apparently love pizza, a huge slice costs about 2 leva , just a little less than $NZ2. The piece I had for lunch had slices of lovely tasting bacon. We are off shortly to find dinner. Alan hopes to find a Bulgarian specialty, Shkembe Chorba a creamy soup made with tripe. I think I will settle for Bob Chorba... bean soup.

There is not a lot to see in Sofia so we are off to Plovdiv tomorrow. Plovdiv is Bulgaria's second city.
Sofia Guesthouse where we are staying is very nice and is well situated, within walking distance of most places worth visiting and nice people.