Greetings, friends!
I've been traveling a lot this summer, compared to most of them. Back to Sofia now and planning to do a few series of stories about those trips. I kind of started, already, but it's just the beginning. The tip of the ice cream...sorry, berg.
But there came, at this time exactly, the challenge by 
And for almost all of you Sofia, Bulgaria, is a foreign place, anyway. Not that popular but still, there's diversity around here that won't leave an active person bored (especially if you're not working here all year long).
I changed about eight or nine accommodations in Sofia for the almost fifteen years I've been here. Basically, after high school. Here's a view from one of those, the window by the staircase. The same scene, photographed in the afternoon...
17:13
...and in the morning before that...
09:10
See how the shadows move to the other side of all buildings?
Here's an even earlier one...
08:40 but also in December while those above were taken in November.
When you go downtown to the places you can see in these pictures, you will find another angle and more details. I think the distance is about three kilometers.
That Johny has been walking there forever. And on the right, you see the domes of Sofia University. The blue down-arrow signs are for the subway stations.
A lady sculpture tries to survive the cold nearby. That's near the national stadium, not five minutes walking from the previous location.
Behind that stadium, a central park begins. It's called Borisova Garden. Lots of people go there daily, looking for recreation, respite, sports opportunities like tennis, jogging, skating, etc.
Even this...although it's more likely the person on the photograph was just passing through.
And I go there wildlife shooting...but with a camera, not a weapon, you know...
It's diverse, all right...
Sofia, I mean. It's a lot like the Steem blogs in that regard. You can find anything from hiking, climbing, biking, and rowing opportunities, to shopping, sight-seeing, shopping, museum and gallery crawling...yeah, drinking, too. It's nature, history, culture, industry, cuisine and more. Much more exhibitions, sports events, competitions and initiatives than one can keep track of. I would like to do a lot more than what I am able to and there will be more left to do.
What do I like to do when I am not on the job? Anything of the above, if I can spare the time. But most of all, of course, I enjoy photowalking. Nothing makes much sense to me otherwise ;)
Vitosha is the closest mountain nearby, you can walk there or get the city transport to reach good starting points uphill. Just an hour or so by foot, along a steep and rocky path, you can get to a relatively large waterfall.
Some wait for it to freeze and climb it the hard way...
I wait for it to thaw and go around.
There's a view of the city from up there and you can probably recognize the oxidized copper domes of the university again. And the stadium I wrote about — a bit to the right on the photo below.
Near Vladaya River. I already published the brother shot of this one and a whole story about my hike there. Months ago.
Part of Borisova Garden again.
And somehow I went into sculptures and monuments mode again. Let's roll with it for a while.
Eagles' Bridge.
And a few more angles of it...
Its counterpart, the Lions' Bridge.
And another lion at the Palace of Justice.
Lady Sofia or Sophia, The Tamer of Owls, and Maybe Lions, and Maybe Eagles...
And a lady we don't know but we try taking a decent photo of.
In that central part of the city, we sometimes have deep views, going for hundreds of meters. I enjoy finding those and practicing my skills there. A favorite one begins at the Lions Bridge and goes towards the perfect center, very much where the Lady Sofia statue is. I took this shot while showing the city to a couple of travelers, the Travel Owls, as they call themselves.
Yeah, I like using this view as a background. The Sofia statue cannot be seen in this frame but we can see the minaret of the mosque and the dome of Saint Nedelya (Sunday) — separate buildings, by the way, standing a hundred or so meters from one another. A synagogue is also visible from where they rise but not in the frame.
Another shot in the presence of the Travel Owls — in the background we see the honor guards of the president in front of the...Presidency.
Another structure of national significance, once a royal palace, now a gallery of arts. From the perspective of a hedgehog.
Same hedgehog has seen other political regimes as well. And their humble homes.
But Sofia existed even before that hedgehog was born. As far back as Roman times, it was a fortress and the reason for it growing there was the convenience of hot mineral springs, still giving water to the populace. At least to those who would like to use it instead of tap water.
Then, there are those buildings from before the world wars or so, some of which — amazing and still in ruins, nobody to take care of.
And some more recent stuff which shares the same fate.
Naturally, not only Nature serves as inspiration. It does, but so do social problems, history, and even chance.
Yeah, I said Chance because of this. It might have been deliberate but...
I'll finish the topic of modern art by showing you a couple of shots from a cafe where people go to listen to readings or...do writings while sipping their hot drinks/wine, etc. in a cozy atmosphere.
I've worked there on a couple of occasions, shooting during book signings, for instance. After all, a good place to mix hobby and work, Sofia. And learn from the city's wisdom.
Let's (not?) talk about the weather...
All right, we shall.
It's...
Well...
Sofia has a relatively high altitude, by the way, one of the highest for a capital city in Europe, actually. So, besides the snow you already saw, there's a lot of rain, too.
Sometimes raining cats and dogs...
...but that doesn't mean people wear nylon bags on their heads.
Or does it?
Well, at least we know lightning doesn't strike twice...
...or does it?
More violent, those rains of summer or late spring, yet I prefer them. The continuous and cold but mild autumn drizzles do me no favor. In general. Maybe I have to find a way to use them, too. There's plenty.
Where I live now...
...I am watching the farthest reaches of Sofia. From above.
And that's good for me. May your place be good for you!
Take care and until next time!
Yours,
Manol
