Sofia is the capital of the newly admitted Euro-zone member, Bulgaria. It is a city that has sat at the crossroads of cultures for centuries. Ottomans, Hapsburgs, Turks, Russians and now heaven forbid the EU. It's budget friendly, parties hard and has great pizza.
My first impressions of Sofia, arriving by train from Istanbul didn’t really accord with the picture the city's name had created in my head. Instead of something nice and vaguely feminine, I was greeted by a stark reminder of the country’s more recent Soviet past. Once my train had finally stopped – around 4 hours late - I, along with some new-found American friends stepped onto a platform that once formed part of a grand old station. Now it could best be described as “derelict”. I assumed that in its better days the escalator from the platform worked and wasn’t rusted together. Adding to the gloom was the dull overcast weather which made everything seem grey.
Despite uninspiring first impression, my mood on arrival was pretty high. It was good to be back in Europe after a long time in Asia. I actually liked the fact that there was something left of the city that hadn’t yet been touched by the “Euro-zone” and made to look like every other part of Europe. Getting deeper into Sofia, the buildings started to look less Soviet and reminders of a more distant and glorious history started to emerge.
In the 14 hour train ride from Istanbul, I’d crossed from quasi-Europe into Europe itself. For the first time in ages I could walk down the street without people staring because I looked different. They still stared, but that was because I was walking through the city carrying an enormous backpack. Apart from that all the sights, sounds and smells had changed. The kebab stores had given way to Bulgarian-style pizza and corner stores now sold 3 liter bottles of beer.
It wasn't until well after dark that Sofia showed her true colors. Sofia is a party girl. The hostel I stayed at put on a plate of Pasta and a glass of beer as a warm u for evening festivities. They also provided a city map – one side with sightseeing attractions, the other with eating and drinking establishments – there were hundreds. Along with several other backpackers, I headed over to some student bars within walking distance – it was Friday night after all.
The nightlife in Sofia was like a trip down memory lane. The music was stuck at 1996, the beer prices were from 1982 and the fashion somewhere in between. To me this seemed like the best of all worlds. It was like being back in my own student days except the beer was a lot cheaper, I was now fashionable and the girls were eastern European. By the time the time came to stumbling home, I was a whole $5 poorer, but the night had been a lot of fun.
My next day in Sofia was perhaps more surprising than my first. I woke up slightly later than normal without the expected hangover from the previous evening’s festivities. Apart from that, the clouds had given way to sunshine and to top it off, the hostel’s advertised “all you could eat breakfast” turned out to be just that. More surprisingly still it included chocolate spread and freshly brewed coffee. It doesn’t get much better than that when you're a backpacker.
Free from the encumbrance of an alcohol-induced headache, I was able to set about exploring the city in Spring sunshine. In this light, Sofia could do no wrong. The gold dome of the Alexander Nevski Church shone, the Russian Cathedral boasted vibrant green, the markets buzzed with activity and on top of that there was deliciously unhealthy Bulgarian pizza available at every corner. The people were friendly, even if I didn’t have a clue what they were saying most of the time. It seemed that Sofia had managed to overcome first impressions and has reaffirmed its association in my mind with that nice girl of eastern European origin after all.
At a glance:
Food:
There are 2 types of food in Bulgaria – Bulgarian food and Pizza. Pizza is around US$1 a slice.
Drinks:
Beer and spirits at genuine 1982 prices - often less than $1 for a beers and spirits at a bar particularly "Studentski Grad" - warning the standard size for a "shot" spirits is closer to a tumbler... nights here can get messy!Accommodation:
I stayed at Hostel Mostel – a great place to stay if you’re backpacking – 10 euro including breakfast, internet, a bowl of Pasta at night, and free glass of beer at night.Customs and Culture:
Talking to Bulgarians can be a thoroughly confusing experience:- Nodding = “no”
- Shaking head = “yes”
I tried to break the habit of nodding along when listening to someone telling a story which can be very disconcerting for the storyteller, but failed miserably. Fortunately Bulgarians are amongst the friendliest people I’ve encountered anywhere and invariably seem to have a great sense of humor.