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First Impressions of Sofia
My first trip to Sofia was back in 2019, on my way home from Greece. We decided to enjoy our stopover and see the city for the day. We only spent eight hours in the city but it was very impressive, in a few different ways. I didn't know much about Sofia but was very happy to spend the day there. The city was a great mix of old and new. You could see both the history and recent developments. The people of Sofia also seemed to have a unique style from their history and many cultural influences over the centuries. When it was time to leave, I remember thinking that this would be a great city to come back to and explore some more.
Sofia - Round Two
A few years later, I got my chance with a German-Bulgarian wedding! It was a great opportunity to spend a few more days in the city and try to understand and enjoy the city a little better. At first, it was the same as I remembered, with old architecture mixed with new cafes and both modern and old light-rail trains on the same track. I walked over old cobblestones and ran into beautiful, new buildings with modern architecture. The feeling of the city shifted throughout the day from very calm to a lively nightlife. The first night allowed me to learn more about Bulgarian culture through their food.
Bulgarian Feast!
On the first night we went to a very traditional and beautiful restaurant. The stone walls were covered with a lot of clothing, instruments, pots and other pieces of Bulgarian culture. The menu was perfect for meat-eaters but was maybe a bit more difficult for vegetarians or vegans. The appetizer had great grilled and pickled veggies with a few types of cheese and some tasty garlic bread. I was very hungry from all of the travel and German conversation, so I was happy to see the massive dish that came out for my new friend and I. It was brought out on a large, round cutting board that hung from the ceiling. It was a great way to get a lot of food onto a full table and gave the restaurant a very unique look. Once we finished the large plate, more meat came out that smelled amazing 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. We ended the night with a local liquor, Rakia, which is found throughout the Balkans.
Café Culture in Sofia
After a lot of food and many drinks from the night before, I was excited to have a coffee to start my day. Luckily, there was a nearby café that served fredo espressos. The first time I tried this drink was in Cyprus in 2010 and now I try to get it whenever it is hot outside. In addition to this drink, I got a pastry filled with spinach and cheese. This was a perfect combination to wake me up and get some energy for the day. Unfortunately, we had a more difficult time finding the courthouse for the official wedding ceremony. We had to run around, 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. Afterwards, we all took a short break with some champagne and air conditioning before we went to the next event across town.
A Marriage of History and Nature
We called a taxi and went outside of the city center where we saw large office buildings and more international companies. We also had a nice view of the mountains that surround the city, such as the Vitosha peak. We were then able to see one of the largest parks in Sofia and it was pretty impressive! They had tons of imported plants and trees from all around the world, even a group of sequoia trees from my home, California. After some beautiful pictures, the group moved 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 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.
Cutting a Rug in Sofia
Following the ceremony, 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 to the center of the room. The bride and groom had some great games and traditions to symbolize their love to all the guests. Once that came to an end, the rest of the wedding party came in order 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.
Expect - To have an understanding and feeling about how something may be, before it happens. A feeling about how something might go.
Influences - When something or someone has an effect on something or someone else
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
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
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
Cut a Rug - Idiom used to describe someone dancing or letting loose on the dancefloor
Make their way to - To move in the direction of something
Symbolize - to represent or give an example for an idea or concept; From symbol, which is typically a design or character which represents something.
Let Loose - to let yourself relax and enjoy. It is often used for dancing or other situations where people may initially feel tense or nervous and get past their discomfort.
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