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First Impressions of Sofia
My first trip to Sofia was back in 2019 on my way home from Greece. On our way back home, we decided to take advantage of our extended stopover and see the city for the day. For only spending 8 hours in the city, it was very impressive in a few ways. I didn't know what to expect before I arrived but I ended up being very happy with the decision to spend the day there. The city was an incredible mix of tradition and modernity. You could see the history and, at the same time, see the explosion of recent developments. The people's unique style also seemed to be a product of their history and various cultural influences over the centuries. While boarding the plane, I thought to myself that this would be a great city to come back to and explore some more of.
Sofia - Round Two
A few years later, I got a second chance to visit Sofia with a German-Bulgarian wedding! It was a great occasion to spend a few more days in the city and try to understand and enjoy the city a little better. I couldn't wait to see all of the nooks and crannies that I had missed the first time. At first, it was just as I remembered with old architecture mixed with new cafes and light rails. A route that eventually led me to a beautiful orthodox church, took me on a tour through the centuries. The road was paved with old cobblestones, some buildings had old stone architecture and others had large glass facades. At one moment a soviet-era light rail passed me and a couple minutes later a brand new model on the same tracks. The feeling of the city shifted throughout the day from very calm to an incredibly vibrant nightlife. The first night allowed me to learn more about Bulgarian culture through their food.
Feasting in Sofia
The restaurant we went to was a very traditional and beautifully-decorated, Bulgarian spot. The stone walls were covered with tons of clothing, instruments, pots and other Bulgarian art and cultural objects. The menu was perfect for carnivores but maybe a bit more difficult for vegetarians or vegans. The appetizer had great grilled and pickled veggies with quite a few cheeses and incredibly tasty garlic bread. I was very hungry from all of the travel and German conversation so I was happy to see the massive mixed-meat dish that came out for my newly-acquainted friend and I. It was brought out on a large round cutting board that was suspended from a few chains above the table. It was a great way to get a lot of food onto a crowded table and gave the restaurant a very unique look. After finishing way too much food, more odd-looking, wonderful-smelling meat came out and I had to try it out. All of the items were new to me but I love trying new foods and was excited for the experience. The "cherry on top" for the night was the local liquor, Rakia that is found throughout the Balkans; it was a great way to end the amazing meal.
First Café in Sofia
After the large amounts of drinks and food from the night before, I was looking forward to a nice coffee to start my day off on the right foot. Luckily, there was a café around the corner that served one of my favorite coffee drinks, fredo espresso. The first time I tried this drink was in Cyprus in 2010 and I try to get it whenever I get the chance on a hot day. The cafe's other nice surprise was one of my favorite baked goods, borek, which is in a spiral shape and often filled with spinach and cheese. This was a perfect combination to wake me up and get a little energy for the day. Unfortunately, we had a more difficult time with the next step of the wedding day, which was to find the location where the bride and groom were getting married. We ran around in a slight panic, asking the people on the streets where to find "the place where people get married" since none of us spoke Bulgarian. We finally found the spot with only a couple minutes left and got to congratulate the family before the ceremony ended. After this stress, we all took a short break with some champagne and air conditioning before we continued on with the next event across town.
A Marriage of History and Nature
We ordered a taxi and started to drive outside of the city center where there were tons of large office buildings and more familiar, international companies. In addition to this, you could also see the huge mountains that surrounded the city, especially the famous, Vitosha peak. Another great experience for us was to see one of their largest parks and it was quite impressive! They had tons of imported plants and trees from all around the world, even a group of Giant Sequoia trees from my home, California. Following our quick photo session, we continued on to the main wedding venue near a large lake on the edge of the city. It was a gorgeous setting with mountains and greenery all around the altar. The couple had a nice metal theme so it was great when we had lighting strikes in the background during their ceremony; it felt very fitting and added some excitement to the situation.
Cut a rug
Right after the union was finalized, we got to head toward the dance floor for some more entertainment. We started the night with some drinks and food and eventually the married couple started to make their way toward the dance floor. The bride and groom had some great games and traditions that represented their love for one another. Once that came to an end the rest of the wedding party came in to join in on the fun and dance a bit. They all joined hands for a traditional Bulgarian dance and invited the other guests to join in if they wanted. The unique blend of guests, traditions and music motivated everyone to get involved and let loose. What followed was hours of dancing with huge smiles and laughs with the DJ mixing genres beautifully.
Terminology
Take advantage of - To seize or make good use of an opportunity.
Influences - When something or someone has an effect on something or someone else
Nooks and crannies - common collocation that means every corner or hidden areas
Architecture - The design or style of building or construction
Cobblestones - hand-formed stones used for roads and pathways
Decorated - to add items in order to make beautiful or create a certain style
Veggies - Common short-hand term for vegetables
Suspended - to hang or be held up with some type of line or cable; e.g. a suspension bridge
Crowded - Describes an area that is either filled with many people or without much space.
Unique - different and special; often in a positive way
Cherry on top - expression for a perfect final touch or aspect
Off on the right foot - expression used to mean first correct first step of many
Spiral - Describes a shape that begins in the middle of an object and circles around in an ever-expanding radius; the shape found in many shells
Panic - A feeling that comes from being afraid or stressed; uncontrolled and nonsensical, negative response
Congratulate - to give a positive praise for someone in an accomplishment or positive outcome
Ceremony - A cultural event that signifies something important
Venue - A location where something such as a concert takes place
Fitting - When something fits or makes sense in the situation
Alter - A ceremonial stand often used for religious purposes
Make their way to - To move in the direction of something
Let loose - to let go of fear or restrictions and be comfortable to enjoy a situation, especially with dance.