Escape to myself

Well I arrived in Sofia after a gruelling six hour overnight bus ride, I’ve been awake for 30 hours. Now I’m in the hostel but I arrived 5.30am and couldn’t register until 2.00 pm. I left my bags and toured the city for breakfast, being Easter Monday not much was open so was left with the dreaded Starbucks.

I really like Sofia. A great contrast with the bustling, lively, and ramshackle Bucharest. Is more sedate and the city centre is one of big squares, immaculate municipal buildings and government offices interspersed with beautiful parks and gardens and roman remains, Byzantine churches and Mosques reflecting its Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman past until independence in 1878. It’s original Roman name was Serdica. It feels rather upmarket though the backstreets are more mundane. There are a lot of good graffiti. The city is famed for its mineral springs and as I wandered early this morning locals were filling their bottles at the public water point.

Being Easter Monday the Orthodox churches were holding services but tourists still visited respectfully. Their liturgy and services feel very different. Orthodoxy has no music except bells and call to prayer is accompanied by banging metal or wood. Worshippers stand throughout the service. The priests intoning the liturgy have deep sonorous voices which fill the churches and the choirs are beautiful. The smell if incense, the glittering icons on the iconostasis combined with prayer and frescoes throughout create a mystical atmosphere. The Russian orthodox church held an outdoor procession around the church which was beautiful to hear. All in all I’m sorry I only have tomorrow as a full day but I have already covered a lot of ground! It’s quite a remarkable city in many ways.

Now for a nap before I venture forth for food.