You have to go to the Vitosha...
by Vassia
You have to go to the Vitosha mountain which makes Sofia (by the way I live here and I study Tourism in Sofia University) so unique .It's very near the city- 1/2 hour by bus and it's cool.In winter you can ski or snowboard and there are very nice small villas where you can eat traditional food and warm up your body and soul. When I leave Sofia I always think about its many fases - the nice nature , clubs and friends and on the opposite side the dirty streets , poor people etc. I don't know what I exactly miss but I miss it!!
Waitress habits.
by Basandro
Waitress usually keep the change rounding at the higer integer leva. This is a bit unplesant use that occur to me three times in two days, so that I assumed it is a local custom.
To all the Bulgarian friends reading: suggest your co-citizens to stop this! I reckon that such handsome waitress would get even higher tips, allowing people to decide by themselves.
For VT'ers do not get pissed off if waitress wouldn't give your change, it is typical in Sofia.
Ignazhden (St. Ignacius) 20 December
by Scarlie
In different region, people call it Ignat-day, Idinak, Polyaz, Polyazovden. On this day begin the celebrations for Christmas and New Year. This is the first day where the dinner table is ritually blessed.
The dinner is entirely vegetarian (we are still in Xmas Fast) with dried fruits compote ("oshaf"), boiled corn, wheat, barley, walnuts, beans, cabbage, onion, garlic, pickled peppers, plain pita (leavened bread unlike the pita-bread known in eastern cuisine), kravajcheta (type of small bread), potatoes & rice, bulgur.
A candle is lit on the bread and the wheat, while the oldest person in the family blesses the table with charcoal and incense. The ash, candles & walnuts are then kept aside to be used the remaining days until Xmas.
The most characteristic is the ritual of 'polyazvane'. It is said that whoever enters the house first will be indicative for the health, harvest, property in the year to come. This person is called 'polyaznik' ( also poleznik, spohodnik). He must go to the hearth, stir the fire with a pear or oak tree stick and say:
"As many sparkles and flames in this fire, that many chickens, lambs, kids, calves, horses and children in this house".
For his blessing, the 'polyaznik' is showered with wheat and dried fruit, and given a shirt, socks, towel or wool. Then the hosts make a rich table and everyone sits down to eat.
On this day, it is said, began the labour of Virgin Mary, and this is why on this day young married women should not work -- so they can get pregnant & deliver easily. Also, nothing is borrowed or lent out (so the harvest is not wasted) and no visits are paid (so the chicken don't stray away to the neighbours).
Central Graveyard of Sofia
by desert_princess
Central Graveyard of Sofia - Tzentralni Sofiiski Grobishta
It's been awhile that I wanted to see the Central Graveyard of Sofia, but was always too lazy or was looking for a reason. So Recently the death of my former french teacher and mom's schoolmate Diana Radonova ,was why I got there.
It is strange ,I have seen so many graveyards in Austria and Italy and never really took a walk in the one in my hometown....
It is enormous !!! Alleys bearing different names take you into all 4 directions. The ground seems have been quite unstable as alot of tombstones are leaning at one side . Especially the jewish tombstones that seem to be there for centuries.....
UNDERWORLD concert
by ChristinaNest about Akademic Stadium
One of the best concerts I've been to, I'd been waiting for it for almost 10 years. Finally they made it to Bulgaria, and those guys don't grow old! Absolute blast!
Underworld,Darren Price, FelixDaHousecat, Sofia, Academic Stadium
July, 6, 2005, 30 lv!!
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Painting at Rila Monastery
284 Bus Leaving City Along Vasil Levski
National Palace of Culture
My chicken shashlik and Ayran
