Sofia, Bulgaria

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I didn't realize how much I would like Sofia. It is such a tranquil city with a manageable center, full of cafes and good restaurants, parks and streets lined with trees that help keep the city cool in summer. The food was so good, especially the grilled vegetables at Happy's. Apparently sushi is quite popular in Sofia. The parks are a very popular place for Bulgarians to hang out and in the evening they are packed. Even some of the very small parks had beer gardens.

One odd thing is the trams stop right in the middle of the street without any safety platform for people to stand on. Doesn't seem very safe.

There was a free outdoor concert in the park, which was quite a major event with a full orchestra. It was sponsored by an American organization so there was a mix of American and European music. When they played the Darth Vader theme, the audience started cheering. For the encore, they played the theme from Star Wars IV: A New Hope (the first Star Wars film from the 70s) with a fireworks display. The fireworks were shot from the stage right next to the musicians. Amazing that they weren't distracted. I guess Star Wars is popular in Bulgaria.

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