Sofia, Bulgaria: A Hard Place for Hard People

As I eluded to in the last post, I was dearly hoping for a relaxing night-train ride down to Sophia, Bulgaria. What I got was an insane, chaotic, and thoroughly terrifying night that left me well worse for the wear when I arrived unslept, unkempt, and unprepared at the ungodly hour of 8am. But let's back up. I left the hostel in Nis relatively refreshed and relaxed after watching some good old fashioned American Football. It was around 2:15 in the morning. I collected my pack and started walking down the street. I had gone no more than 15 feet and it started to rain.

That's fine, I'm don't usually melt. As I progressed toward the station the intensity of the rain gradually rose so that by the time I had arrived at the station it was an outright downpour. Still not the end of the world, I'd have plenty of time to dry off on the train. There was only one train at the station and upon inquiry I discovered it was the one I needed. Now, just need to find that sleeper car. This simple task proved one too difficult for me to overcome. First, about 2/3 of the train was exposed in the pouring rain. Each person I asked told me the sleeper car was on an opposite end of the train. I started at one end and decided to work my way through until I found it, however, as I started down the train I discovered this:

These were the standard cars. Doesn't seem so bad right? The left wall is the outer wall of the train and the doors on the left open into cabins of 3 seats facing another three seats. The problem was, the hallway was so narrow that only one person could walk down it at a time, especially if that one person was me with a huge backpack on. As the rain kept pouring down, so too did the people onto the train. I was causing a massive traffic jam- and catching all kinds of hell in Serbian for it. 

Finally, I exited and walked through the rain toward the other end. I re-entered at what looked like the last car before the engine. But I still couldn't see any sleeper cars and I was running into the same issue with people boarding the train. I asked one of the conductors I found on board and he merely shrugged and pointed me toward the regular cabins. Exhausted and frustrated I thought it best to just find a seat before the whole thing filled up in the event there wasn't even a sleeper car at all. I saw a cabin with only three people in it and went in. 

What I didn't see was that the three people in there were large guys in their mid-twenties who had already drank 3 tallboys of Serbian beer since boarding the train and were almost done with their fourth. Before the train even pulled out of the station they had informed me that they were in the "middleman" business and were making a run to Bulgaria. I asked them what goods they were "middlemanning" and the guy that appeared to be the ringleader laughed, pulled out a liter of warm vodka, took a long pull, and, somewhat menacingly, offered it across the car to me. It was going to be a long evening.

I'm usually not intimidated by people but these guys immediately reminded me of a movie I had recently watched about low-level British gangsters with hair trigger tempers likely to smash a passerby's face with even the slightest provocation. So if they wanted me drinking warm vodka, warm vodka I would be drinking. I should also note that it was a non-smoking car and they were chain smoking the entire way. At one point the conductor came by and told them it was no smoking to which, as far as I could discern, they replied that he could kindly "f*ck off" in Serbian. 

It was an intense 6 hour ride. In addition to the vodka and cigarettes they were also involved in some other items which I'll refrain from discussing here except to say that they were so out of their minds they were continuing this insane behaviour even as the border control inspection guards were combing the train. Not to mention the fact that the were smuggling cigarettes (which is generally what the border guards look for) and as soon as we were past, they each pulled out about 10 packs somehow hidden on their persons. That part, I must admit was impressive. I've never quite seen guys operate with this level of in-your-face-bravado with regard to the authorities or regulations.

So, hence my lack of desire to do anything to turn their favor against me. Some cleverly placed lies kept me out of any activities outside of the vodka, (e.x. "I just quit smoking so I'll politely decline the pack of cigs") As you might imagine, in addition to my personal safety, I was also concerned that if I fell asleep one of them may decide to "middleman" some of the valuables in my pack. So the little sleep I did get was with one eye open. 

When I stepped off the train at 9am (yes it was late) I felt like I had just barely survived a gang initiation. I was in no mood to do anything other than take a shower, drink a huge bottle of water, and go to sleep. Unfortunately it was 9am and I couldn't check into the hostel until 1pm, and said hostel was a 25 minute walk from the station. When I did finally arrive, however, I was greeted by some of the nicest people I have met on the road. The hostel itself is awesome- set in a historic Bulgarian Inn that was saved from demolition during the Communist era. You can see it there behind the trees.

It really made the difference that the place and people were great. It was the closest I've been on my 5+ months on the road to actually snapping. It was one of those situations where your patience and nerves are tested to the breaking point and one little match and the whole powder keg is going up. But they diffused me nicely- well done Hostel Mostel. They even let me use the wash rooms, gave me a map with an outlined walking tour, and pointed me in the direction of a bakery where I could get some sustenance and sort out my poor state of being. And I did precisely that. The item on the left is a fresh bread roll with cheese and on the left is a Bulgarian pizza. I don't normally drink soda but this morning I absolutely had to have a Coke. 

In less than 30 minutes the day had gone from a cataclysmic failure to a battle already won. Coming back to life I set out on the self-guided walking tour. Despite feeling better, and it may have still been partially the circumstances or partially the dark grey skies and cool wind, or a combination of other factors, but I found Sophia immeasurably drab and depressing that morning. It was like the entire city encompassed every mental stereotype I had of a Communist era city. Complete with old trolleys, bizarre traffic boxes, old cars, grey concrete buildings, dour looking personages, graffiti, and 1984-sounding edifices such as the "National Palace of Culture."

I also couldn't believe how many stray dogs there were. And if you approached them or even circumnavigated their location they would growl threateningly at you. 

I passed by a number of interesting historic looking buildings but without any context to them, there's no point in posting them. One building worth noting and a picture is the national theater. It's located in one of the main city squares (and probably the most picturesque) where you'll find lovely people selling art or performing music. There is also a great fountain and somehow the tint got all screwed up on my camera giving the whole thing a rose-aurora. There was nothing rosy about that day but the photo is cool enough.

The most staggering monument that I came across was the Soviet Army Monument. It's a sprawling canvas of concrete with a centrepiece of Soviet soldiers raising arms into the air. But it wasn't the monument I found so alarming. It was the number of kids- couldn't have been older than 16 or 17- hanging out all over the plaza drinking beer out of the Balkans trademark 2-liter bottles. Moreover, it was maybe 11am at this point... on a Monday. Even in the craziest of our University days, I can't ever remember drinking beer, certainly that much beer, at that hour of the day on a Monday. These kids are setting themselves up for a life of hard living... a theory that would come to prove itself out during the rest of my stay in Sophia.

The remainder of my walk took me by two of the most beautiful churches in the city, the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and the Russian Church. Both were pretty great so, since you've been such a good sport and suffered through my bitching about Sofia, you get pictures of both.

At this point I officially ran out of gas. I was informed there was a free walking tour setting off a the curious hour of 6pm, and since it was only approaching 1pm, the obvious choice was to repair to the hostel for a much needed (and deserved) nap. The nap was awesome. 

At 6pm I joined up with the tour group and one of our first stops was in the very city center where excavations had been long underway to build an undergound metro line. I say excavations because apparently anywhere you dig for construction in Sofia you are likely to uncover ancient ruins which thereby, inexorably, leads to a long series of excavation and preservation before you may proceed. In this case, remains of the old Byzantine city of Sredets were uncovered right along one of the main roads and adjacent to where the metro was designed to go. In the background of this picture you see "the mosque" which is according to our guide is the only remaining mosque in Sofia proper. 

Sofia itself has been inhabited in some format or another since the ancient Thracian settlements, and remains of Thracian walls have been found dating back to the 7th century B.C. Likely the main reason the area has been continually inhabited for millennia is due to the natural mineral springs that run under the city. To this day there are numerous fountains throughout the city that spout natural mineral spring water (at a temperature you could bathe in). You'll regularly see people filling up water jugs from these fountains.

The other principal use of these waters I just eluded to: mineral baths. And the largest and most historic of Sophia is mere meters away from the fountains pictured above. Unfortunately it is in the process of wholesale renovations, however, when it's complete it will add an excellent dynamic to a city that, in my opinion, is lacking such dynamics- among other things. 

Some other interesting sites we stopped by are the Largo (Stalinist style building that was the former Communist party HQ), the ruins of the old city walls (located under the Sveta Nedelia Square), and Presidential Palace (where you can watch the marching of the guards every 15 minutes). Feel free to check them out on flickr. Worth posting here is a shot of the St. George Rotunda, a chapel that dates back to 4th century and is still standing. Although, humorously, it's now surrounded by government offices, shops, and a Sheraton hotel.

The remainder of the walk took us by the Royal Palace, back to the National Theater, the Church of St. Sophia (for which the modern city name was taken), the Cathedral, and finally Sophia University. An interesting note- the city is paved largely in gold colored bricks. This was apparently done as a gift from one of the Hapsburgs when Bulgarian royalty married into the Austro-Hungarian royal family. It's supposed to make the city look "paved in gold." Along the route we stopped in the park by the National Theater and our guide told us about a Bulgarian tradition.

On March 1, people will exchange martenitsas which are red and white bracelets. You tie it around your wrist and wear it until you see a stork or the first blossoming fruit tree of the spring. You then tie it to a blossoming fruit tree for good luck or happiness or fertility or whatever you wish to improve your life in the coming year. He then gave out martenitsas for us to exchange with each other. Very cool. Here are some tied to a berry tree in the park.

That night, as they do every night, the folks at the hostel hostel a pub crawl. I was really in no mood for a full on pub crawl especially since I had an early train to Brasov, Romania the following morning. But, after such a long day I was certainly up for a beer or two. And for one of the only times in Wanderlust history, it actually turned into just a couple beers and an early night home. I'm growing up... or maybe just getting older.

We did end up at a cool pub where they were playing live music (piano, violin, and guitar) and the guys there knew about the Bulgarian bar Menahata in NYC! Apparently it's famous in Bulgaria. Small world! After a couple beers one of the other guys from the hostel and I headed back- but not before acquiring a kebab at this crazy guy's place. When we rocked up he was across the street drinking, and upon seeing us, came shuffling over quite drunk. Not great when the guy making your kebab has had more drinks than you- ha. As soon as he knew we were foreigners he cranked up the music and put on a whole production in making them. Because he was so smashed we basically ended up with everything he offered in our kebab. Great stuff.

As badly as the day began, it ended well enough. Not sure if it was enough to convince me to ever go back to Bulgaria or specifically Sophia, but at least it was a start. Three days in the Balkans remain. I should note that the next morning on my way back to the train station I passed a woman starting her day with a half-liter of beer and a pack of cigarettes at a cafe. By herself. 7:30am. A hard place for hard people.

Bonus Photo: National Theater and fountains at night