SOFIA - OCTOBER, 2014

After a short flight from Bucharest, Romania, I landed in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. I really liked Sofia, which had a more small town feel than Bucharest. I stayed at the Radisson Hotel which was across the street from the National Assembly building. This is a view from my room, with the National Assembly building [white] across the street. The golden dome of the Aleksander Nevski Memorial Church is seen in the distance behind the National Assembly building.

On my first day in Sofia I took a two hour walking tour of the central part of the city, where most of the historical sights are located. Our guide was high energy, fast talking and fun, that reminded me of a dark haired Charlyn.

Sveta Nedelya Cathedral is one of Sofia's major landmarks. Completed in 1863 it is famous for its rich Byzantine-style murals. It was blown up by communists in 1925 in an attempt to assassinate Tsar Boris III. Over 120 people were killed in the attack including most of the cabinet, but the Tsar escaped unharmed. I guess that terrorism has been around for a long time.

The Banya Bashi Mosque is Sofia's only remaining working mosque, reflective of the period when Bulgaria was under the domination of the Ottoman Turks. Its red brick minaret is a convenient landmark when you are finding your way around the old town area.

The Mineral Baths, originally built in 1913, are being restored, and are the site of occasional art exhibitions. The mineral baths themselves will be opened in the near future.

The President's Building houses the private offices of the Bulgarian President. The entryway is guarded by costumed guards, and there is a changing of the guard ceremony every hour.

Sofia's major tourist attraction is the Aleksander Nevski Memorial Church. It was located only a short 5 minute walk from my hotel. It was built between 1882 and 1912 in memory of the 200,000 Russian soldiers who died fighting for Bulgaria's independence during the Russo-Turkish War. These are views of the exterior of the church:

On my second day in Sofia I took a day trip to the Rila Monastery, which was a 2 1/2 hour drive from Sofia. It was a pleasant drive, and provided an opportunity to see the rural area outside of the city of Sofia. The Monastery is located in a forested valley in the Rila Mountains. The Monastery was founded by a hermit monk in 927 AD, and was vital in the preservation of Bulgarian culture under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. In 1833 almost all of the monastery was destroyed by fire, but has been restored. In 1983 it was declared an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Monastery consists of a main church, two museums, guest rooms and a post office. It was a very quiet and peaceful area, and because the fall foliage was changing colors, it was even more beautiful.

The 23 meter high Hreliova Tower, built in 1335 is the only remaining original structure at the Monastery. It was used as a place of refuge to protect the monks and pilgrims from marauding Turks and bandits.

Because the people of that time were unable to read the bible, murals on the interior and exterior of the church depicted the biblical stories that we are familiar with today.

After touring the Monastery grounds, I had about 20 minutes time to look around the area surrounding the Monastery. There were several souvenir stands, and a small outside restaurant, all with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains and creeks flowing through the valley.

After leaving the Monastery, we drove a short distance and had lunch at a small restaurant located alongside the river. I had a delicious grilled trout lunch. I really enjoyed my trip to Sofia, and the countryside of Bulgaria and have many fond memories of the sights that I saw there.