On the Road from Belgrade, Serbia, to Sofia, Bulgaria

To me, this could be a Southern Californian vista of our mountains and hills. The topography of this part of Serbia and much of Bulgaria is very similar to that of So. Cal.

Serbia Countryside

Except for a very big difference––Southern California is not green like this. But I enjoyed seeing what So. Cal. could look like if we had enough rain and also fewer houses, cities, people, and freeways.

Serbia Countryside

One of the churches seen along the way.

Leaving Serbia

We had to go through both Serbian and Bulgarian immigration. Very nice of Serbia to say “Goodbye.”

Crossing into Bulgaria

Bulgarian border.

In Bulgaria

Pretty Bulgarian countryside.

Arriving in Sofia

Arriving in Sofia. Bulgarian uses the cyrillic alphabet. However, most signs also are in Latin letters.

I have put my photos of our drive from Belgrade to Sofia on a slide show. Go to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/belgrade–to–sofia/

(Slide Shows, Eastern Europe, Serbia, “Belgrade to Sofia”).

Sofia

Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, was colorful as Belgrade was not.

Sofia

Wide streets and colored buildings.

Sofia

Streetcars.

Sofia

People on the street. An old woman and probably her grandchild.

Sofia

A very pleasant–looking city even with some of the old and ugly Soviet apartment houses still standing.

Sofia

Also, many new, modern buildings reflected on one of the new, modern buildings.

Sofia

We had a local guide named Violette for our entire stay in Bulgaria in addition to our Cosmos tour manager Sandra. We stayed at this very nice boutique hotel in the photo (I failed to take a better photo of the hotel) which was in an expensive section of large homes and embassies.

Sofia

Violette took us on a walking tour of the main sights in Sofia. This photo is of the St. George Roman Rotunda  Church and the remains of the ancient town of Serdica from which Sofia evolved.

Sofia

The most impressive sight in Sofia is of the Alexander Nevski Cathedral built between 1882 and 1912.

I have put the photos Sofia’s sights on a slide show. Go to

http://www.peggysphotos.com/sofia–sights/

(Slide Shows, Eastern Europe, Bulgaria, “Sofia Sights”).