Another Year, Another Continent

 BUT FIRST WE HAVE TO CATCH UP!

I'm really getting the hang of this selfie thing

A few weeks after my week in Sofia, I hopped on a plane to Vienna. There was a major Durer exhibit at the Albertina Gallery, so I took a personal day and off I went!

I stayed at the Hotel Regina, just beside the incredible St.Votif Church.

This weekend was all about Art, Eating, and Getting Lost...Seriously, it seemed like every time I left the hotel I ended up hopelessly lost...

I actually waited in line to go into the Central Cafe, where I seriously indulged...

At the Sacher Cafe, I seriously indulged...

On my last day in Vienna, I went for a walk and got completely turned around again. So I popped into a little cafe...

One of the highlights of the weekend was going to the opera. 

Even though I was lost a lot of the time, it was okay, because Vienna is just jaw-droppingly beautiful...

I spent one entire day wandering around the Belvedere Palace, ogling the Art and architecture (once I found it after going WAY out of my way)...

Another Year, Another Continent

 BUT FIRST WE HAVE TO CATCH UP...

Ok, I see that my last post was in November 2019, about my trip to Madagascar in July 2019. A LOT has happened in that time, so before we move to Africa, let's flit around Europe and North America a bit...

Saint Sofia watches over her city

In the fall of 2019, I took a lovely trip to Sofia, Bulgaria. I travelled overnight by train from Istanbul. I booked a berth in a two-person compartment. On both trips (Istanbul-Sofia and Sofia-Istanbul) I lucked out and had the compartment to myself! Such joy! Such luxury! 

When I arrived at the hotel in Sofia, I was informed that I was being upgraded to an executive suite for the entire week! Woo hoo! 

Every evening after tramping around the city, I retired to my executive suite, and had a bubble bath in the ENORMOUS bathroom, sipping peppermint tea...

Sofia was fascinating. There is a company in the city that does free walking tours. I took a basic city tour, and a tour based on the history of the Jewish people in the city, and visited the 'Red Flat,' an interactive museum that takes you into the life of an ordinary family during the communist years. 

The Red Flat

One day I ordered 'Balkan coffee.' When it arrived, I said, 'Oh, it's just like Turkish coffee!' The waiter replied sternly, 'No, it's BALKAN coffee.' Oops...

Just outside the hotel

The National Theatre

These little nut kiosks were everywhere

Saint Nedelya Church. There has been a church on this site since the 10th century. This was the site of a tragic event in Sofia's history. In 1925, the Communist Party hatched a diabolical plan. They assassinated an important General, knowing that high-ranking government officials would attend his funeral. They planted a bomb in the church, killing 200 people. 

St.Nedelya Church

St.Nedelya Church

St.Nedelya Church

St.Nedelya Church

St.Nedelya Church

This beautiful building was once a community bath house. 

Sofia's Hagia Sofia

The National Theatre

Presidential Guard

Presidential Palace

Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. This cathedral was built between 1904 and 1912.

Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. In order to take photos inside, you have to purchase a special ticket. I bought the ticket and stuck it in my back pocket. Guards kept approaching me and I kept taking it out of my pocket. Finally one guard indicated that I should just stick it to the side of my camera. 

Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

Saint Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

The Banya Bashi Mosque was built in 1566, during the Ottoman rule. It is the only functioning mosque in Sofia. 

A stone's throw away from the mosque is the Sofia Synagogue, the largest in Southeastern Europe. 

Some historians believe that this could be the remains of a 2nd century Jewish cemetery

During WWII, Bulgaria had a complicated relationship with the Axis powers, Russia, and the Allies. The King of Bulgaria died soon after a contentious meeting with Hitler. It was widely believed that he had been poisoned. Although Bulgaria was supposed to deport about 43,000 Jews to the death camps, the transports were inexplicably delayed. Because of protests by key religious figures and politicians, these Jews were not deported (although they did lose all of their possessions and were relocated within Bulgaria's borders). There is a simple monument in Sofia dedicated by the descendants of these people, thanking the citizens of Sofia. When visitors come from Israel, they leave these rocks on the monument as a gesture of gratitude.

On my last evening in Sofia, I went for another walk and happened to see this doorway. I walked around the corner, and discovered another entrance to the same tiny church. It is Sveta Petka Stara (the old St.Petka church), built in 1241. It was unbelievably tiny, and beautiful. When I entered, the cantor was singing, and  it was breath-taking. 

Sveta Petka Stara

Sveta Petka Stara