Sofia... Bulgaria (Eastern Europe) - The first post which Kevin wrote some captions...

Out first trip to Eastern Europe, which was quite a different experience from the usual other parts of Europe. We met up a foreigner who was working there and he told us how the country seems to be run by maffias... Apparently behind the scenes, these were the rich people of Bulgaria. Check out our mini adventure there... hahahha... Kevin specially even booked a room at Sheraton hotel to celebrate our 2nd year ROM anniversary. :)

Arriving at Sofia Airport, a really bare and deserted airport with lots and lots of empty space....

Arrival Hall of Sofia Airport

Our very nice Balkan theme Sheraton Grand Sofia Balkan Hotel. It was a treat for our two years wedding anniversary.

Complimentary wine, fruit and deserts from the hotel

The corridor of the Hotel, reminiscent of the Communist structures. If you have been to the Great People's Hall in Beijing, you know what I mean

A night scene while we were out...

We found this nice Bulgarian flavour restaurnat which served nice Bulgarian food.

This soup was nice but damn damn salty!

Mousakas, just like what the Greeks have too. It is layers of minced meat and eggplants sandwiched by cheese and baked.

Bulgarian schitnzel.

Fries with Bulgarian cheese.

Night shot of Russian Church. Built from 1912-1914 to appease a Russian diplomat afraid to worship in Bulgarian churches, the church is named after St. Nikolai "the miracle maker". To this day, wishes are written on slips of paper and place in the wooden box by the white sarcophagus of Bishop Serafim (1881-1950), who is buried in the crypt. The gold domes were recently re-glided with gold leaf donated by the Patriarchate of Moscow, making the Russian church one of Sofia's most attractive photo motives.

Me posing...

Streets of Bulgaria...

The Archaelogical Museum behind our hotel....

Bulgaria money! ahhaha...



Nice Bathroom... Rather rustic feel...



Shower and bath...

St Nedelya Church outside our hotel... In 1925, it was largely destroyed in a bomb blast assassination attempt on Tsar Boris III, in which over 200 people were killed, although the intended victim was spared.

Hahaha, Kevin wanted to pose with the Bulgarian wordings on the church...



Interior of the church...



Tram line of Bulgaria...



The St Nedelya Church... with me in it... heheh...



Check out the signage bside me, it says "Ratatouille"... not sure if the restaurant offers the same food as in the movie... hehehe...



The remaining ruins of St. George Rotunda. Set among the excavations of ancient Roman ruins, this charming round red brick church dates back to the 4th century (although it did not become a church till the 6th century) and is Sofia's oldest preserved building. Three layers of frescoes can be seen, the oldest dating back to the 10th century.


Change of guard outside the parliament house...



Quick, take picture! ahaha... typical chee-na... hee...



Kevin's turn... with a different set of guards this time... Check out the uniform.



The former Party House (until Aug 1990 was the Communist Party headquarters). The "red star" was removed from the top of the building with the fall of Communism.




The Central Baths. It was completely derelict and is currently being painstakingly restored to its former spelendor. The restored Baths will eventually house the first City Museum dedicated to the History of Sofia.




Tram and me... hehe.. crossing the road for some thing... check it out below...



The area in front of the Baths with its free flowing spring water!!! Drinkable!



The locals form long queues to collect the warm mineral water at the tapped springs in the park area.



Wow!!! Check out the bottles!!!



Posing together... Behind us is the beautifully restored Halite, the former food market built in 1909. The focus of this market is once again food, with stalls selling fresh fish and special dietary food, as well as a variety of shops.



Entering the Halite... A bit like our People's Park... hehehe...



Lamb's head for sale...



Another Bulgarian structure...



Pirotska Street, a main shopping street of Sofia...





Check out the roast chicken! yummy!!!



At the local market, the Zhenski Pazar (Ladies Market). It's a bit like our wet market. Locals buying bread from a stall... which is very funny... coz' we see the bread, but couldn't see the person selling... it is like the seller is locked up inside... hee...



Barrels selling all types of wine...



Food products... at the market...


Butcher... The meats and sausages are all hung inside...



Strike a pose with the colourful food!!!



Buring freshly baked bread!!! Very very nice and soft... :) See how we are growing fatter... hehehe...



On Lion's Bridge



Blur blur me trying to cross the road...



Yet another church in town...



National Museum Boyana Church. It is a UNESCO site... It was a little out of the city area of Sofia, we had to take a tram and transfer to a cab to go up hill...



Signage with info...



The Boyana Church Architecture...



Interior... with the frescoes...



Kevin posing at the side of Boyana Church...



Pose again with the sign... hahahah... scared you all cannot tell... hahahah...



Back to the streets of Sofia...


Encountering a Bulgarian wedding at St. Nedelya Church... :)



The wedding car... quite nice, so many balloons!!!


Recently erected (2001) structure of Sofia, which we see from our hotel window... The 24 metre high bronze and copper sculpture weighing 4 tons is the creation of Bulgarian artist Georgi Chapkanov and architect Stanislav Konstantinov. Sofia holds the symbols of fame and wisdom in her hands and wears the crown of Tjuhe - the goddess of fate.



The underground metro of Sofia...




The Mall of Sofia... One of the biggest shopping mall in Sofia. Something like our Ngee Ann City.... hehehe...



In the Mall...



In front of the former Communist Party headquarters...



The Archaelogical Museum...



The Tsar's Palace, nowadays known as the National Art Gallery and the Ethnographic Museum. Built in 1873, it was the residence of the ruling governor during the Ottoman occupation, with administrative offices and police headquarters on the lower floors.



The Ivan Vazov National Theatre. The 40 metre high facade, is fronted by a large pediment, supported on six white marble columns and depicting Apollo and the muses, behind which rise twin towers crowned with sculptures of the goddess Nike.



Inside the theatre... we are the leads... hehehe...

The building was quite grand...



Just outside the Theatre is the City Garden with its many different statues...



Very arty... hehehe...



Funny pose... hehehe...



Look up into the sky... 望天... hee...

Spot me! hehehhe...



Trying to imitate... which made me look fat... hahha...

Looks a little like mosque yah??? heheh...


A mini bazaar towards the main attraction in Sofia, the Alexander Nevski Cathedral... I have this sheepish look on my face... hahhaha... Trying to bargain for something probably...



The Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia. Named after St. Alexander Nevski, a Russian Tsar who saved Russia from invading Swedish troops in 1240 and became the patron saint of Tsar Alexande III. Built between 1882 and 1912, in the neo-Byzantine style typical for Russian churches in the 19th century, the cathedral is 76metres long and 53metres wide and is said to be able to hold up to 7000 people.



Entering the cathedral...


Interior...

Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, Sofia (Overview...)



My attempt at an artistic shot... hahhaha.. not very artistic in the end lah...



Hagia Sophia Church...



Who looks fiercer?? hahah...

The International Art Gallery

The Vassil Levski Monument in the middle of a busy traffic roundabout. An obelisk marks the spot where the revolutionary Vassil Levski was hanged in 1873 by the Ottoman police.

The Cyril and Methodius National Library...

Behind me, that's the Sofia University...



The National Assembly



The impressive Tsar Osvoboditel monument, portraying the Russian Tsar Alexander II on horseback. It was erected as a gesture of gratitude to the Russian Tsar and his troops, who finally liberated Bulgaria in 1878 from Ottoman rule. The statue is 14metres high and made of bronze by Italian sculptor Arnoldo Zocchi.

Bulgarian signages... hahahah... not that I understand.



The Great Baths again...


Leaving our hotel... Bye Sheraton Sofia... hehehe...


The hotel exterior... Last shot before we leave...


Views we snapped from the bus on the way to airport... A typical Bulgarian building we saw on the suburbs of Sofia. According to my Greek friend based there, many of these Bulgarian buildings have no lifts!

Hehehe, on our way...


Another Bulgarian residential building... looks a bit like our HDB or Hongkong's old flats...



Sofia Airport...



Ta-ta, we're leaving...



Our plane is here... Bye Sofia... :)