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| Alexander Nevsky Cathedral |
SOFIA, BULGARIA Stray dogs everywhere - barking all night long; drivers racing through pedestrian right-aways; otherwise, what's most unusual about Sofia, for this part of the world, is its normality - relaxed, cosmopolitan, clean, with some interesting museums, churches, and historical sights; but no throngs of tourists. It's a city without airs, and sadly, from a wanna be roving anthropologist's perspective, without any apparent irony to whet one's intellectual curiosity. It's hard to find something to write about under these conditions. Nick and I made it over to the Archaeological Museum and learned how far back and rich Bulgaria's contribution to civiliation extends. Nick had some work to do, so I continued on to the International Museum of Art, interesting and enjoyable, but, with the exception of some Hokusai prints, without any recognizable artists. Consistent with the "no airs" atmosphere in this capital city of over one million there are remarkably few restaurants. We found one, though, just a couple blocks from our hotel. We were their only customers and enjoyed a modest meal of roast lamb with a very fine bottle of a local Cabernet.
