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City Garden

Here you’ll find travel reports about City Garden. Discover travel destinations in Bulgaria of travelers writing a travel blog on FindPenguins.

21 travelers at this place:

  • Balkan Express 2019
    Day7

    Sofia bei Tageslicht

     August 28 in Bulgaria ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    Der anfängliche Eindruck "hässlicher als Halle" hat sich nach einem Spaziergang durch den Stadtkern nicht bestätigt.
    Die historische Altstadt ist geprägt von muslimischen, christlich orthodoxen und jüdischen Einflüssen. Vieles ist liebevoll restauriert. Bewegt man sich jedoch nur wenige Meter aus dem Stadtzenteum heraus, steht man eben doch wieder in Halle.
    Dennoch lautet das Prädikat: sehr sehenswert!    Read more

    +5
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  • Balkan Express 2019
    Day6

    Sofia

     August 27 in Bulgaria ⋅ ☀️ 28 °C

    Frisch eingecheckt im Hotel Славянская Беседа.
    Das Zimmer riecht nach Stalins Schaftstiefel, dafür kostet das Bier in der Minibar nur 3leva und unser Hüpfer dürfte mit einem Fahrstuhl in die Tiefgarage fahren.
    Man, war der aufgeregt !

    +2
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  • Darren and JanetBulgaria & Romania 2019
    Day3

    Saint Sofia... not named after her!

     May 19 in Bulgaria ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C

    After breakfast of fruit and cereal we walked into the city centre for a 10am walking tour of Sofia. It's a free tour where you tip the guide as much or little as you like, and we had about 25 on our Sunday morning stroll.

    We visited all the major religious sites - cathedrals, orthodox churches, mosques and synagogue - I reckon Sofia could easily call itself the city of churches - as well as Roman ruins, relics of the communist past, and Bulgaria's brief foray into a monachy after 500 years of Ottoman rule.

    First stop was the Serdica Ruins, Roman ruins uncovered in 2012 when they were excavating for the underground station. These lie below a 6th century church, which is a level below the nearby 16th century church... and all visible from one place.

    Overlooking all of these is the controversial monument of Saint Sofia. It was erected in 2000 to replace a statue of Lenin removed 10 years prior, but isn't of any one person, but rather an amalgam of Holy Wisdom (Hagia Sofia) and the goddess Athena... so the locals are at keen to explain that the city wasn't named after her!

    We visited the Offices of Parliament and saw the changing of the guard, and finished at Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, the largest completed Orthodox Cathedral in the Balkans (the 2 larger ones are still under construction)

    After the tour finished we had lunch at a soup restaurant, then cached our way back to the hotel via the mineral springs (where locals fill containers with spring water which flows freely at 27 degrees) and the Ladies Market (mostly Fruit and veg).

    Tea was at Happy Bar and Grill, a Bulgarian chain restaurant.    Read more

    1
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  • REWE RALLY TEAMBalkan Express Rallye
    Day6

    Bulgarien

     August 27 in Bulgaria ⋅ ☀️ 31 °C

    Wir haben uns heute eine sehr schöne Strecke nach Sofia ausgesucht. Ich glaube Kurvenfahren wird unser neues Hobby . Die Löwenbrücke haben wir auch drauf. Armdrücken mit einem bulgarischen LKW Fahrer haben wir auch gemacht.
    Tagesziel erreicht.

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  • LauraHeleneInterrail '17
    Day3

    The very last of Sofia part I

     July 8, 2017 in Bulgaria ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C

    First of all: This is so what inspired Hergé! All the details in the Museum of Sofia History was taken directly from one particular Tintin movie. Or perhabs it was the other way around, same difference.
    Second: Today we did the rest of this city including a non-touristy walk with Stefan as a guide, picnic in the park, jazz festival with the sunset and the moon rising in the background, dansing barefood in the grass, and ending up at an irish kareoke bar. Sofia really got it all covered! We even experienced a bit of rain.Read more

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  • TOTALEMENT VOYAGES2018-05 Bulgarie.. Mes racines
    Day4

    Sofia prise 2

     May 14, 2018 in Bulgaria ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    On est aux anges dans notre confortable lit Queen. Tout à coup, la porte de la chambre s’ouvre puis se referme aussi tôt. On ouvre l’œil tout endormie. OMG il est 14:00. On croit revivre le jour de la marmotte. Encore passé tout droit!

    Et le téléphone sonne, c’est le lobby qui demande ce qu’on souhaite faire. Je leur dis qu’on reprend la chambre pour une autre nuit. De toute façon, on est trop poquée pour se courir. Bof! Pas grave, on est en vacances. Je rebooke donc une autre nuit! On est tellement bien dans cet hôtel moderne. Et quelle vue!

    Fini la farnisnte, on va au centre d’achat à côté pour manger. Ma mère veut un muffins et un café donc ce sera le Dunkin donuts. Elle commandera un petits gâteau sans le savoir. Oups! On en rit! Moi je me lance dans un dîner bulgare de saucisse. Le pointage de doigt est très efficace même en Bulgarie alors me voilà avec saucisse de bœuf gigantesque et salade Chopska. J’en raffole! On tente de prendre l’autobus mais avec tous les numéros, trop difficile de choisir. On ira donc en métro.. mais on ne trouvera jamais le moyen de traverser la voie rapide. On abandonne! Taxi, ce sera! A 5 leva, ça ne valait même pas la peine d’attendre!

    Par chance, on devrait arriver pour le tour de ville de 18h. On nous débarque dans le stationnement d’un grand immeuble et on nous pointe une direction. On devra faire le peu qui reste à pied. On est presque 18h et on cherche toujours le Palais de Justice où débute la visite. On appelle et par chance, ils parlent anglais. On était juste une rue trop loin. On approche de la dame au visage d’or (Sainte-Sofia) et on voit l’église au toit vert. Le Palais de Justice le voisine avec ses frères lions. Les Bulgares adorent cette majestueuse bête.

    Un tour à pied qu’on recommande sans hésiter! On manque de temps pour tout voir. On se promet de revenir plus tôt pour visiter plus en profondeur. On prend note de revenir plutôt le 24.

    On jase avec Alex d’origine Panaméenne mais élevée en Bulgarie depuis l’enfance. Elle nous conseille un resto pour locaux au-dessus des Archives Nationales. On devra dire au gardien qu’on va au resto. Péripétie digne d’un James Bond où, dans une entrée de building en totale rénovation, on nous demande de montrer passeport puis de les suivre en zigzagant à travers les travaux vers un espace de la grandeur d’un garde-robe à balais de type ascenseur. Pas très rassurant! Mais bien contente d’avoir laissé le body-guard ressemblant à un russe mafieux de série B.

    Arrivé au 6e, on sort et on en monte un autre. Et on entre dans un typique resto de quartier. On va tenter le Rakia (sans quoi, on n’est pas de vraies bulgares!), une bière tchèque, 2 salades (Hé oui! Encore une Chopska pour moi!) des fromages panés, du porc aux champignons, du poulet pour ma mère. On ressort de là en roulant presque!
    On admire la vue de la terrasse extérieure avant de redescendre.

    Deux filles nous devancent et remplissent l’ascenseur. On prendra le suivant. Et puis paf! Coupure de courant. Tout à coup, l’ascenseur devient moins attrayante, on prendra les marches! Au 4ème, impossible de poursuivre, escalier en construction. On devra se résoudre à prendre “l’armoire à balais mobile” Mafioso nous fait signe de le suivre vers la sortie, on ne l’astinera pas!

    On sort et le taxi appelé par un bon samaritain du resto, qui parlait anglais, nous attend déjà. On communique assez bien, grâce à Google Translate et mon super accent bulgare écorché. On revient dormir au Novotel. Demain sera le jour tant attendu pour ma mouman: Marcher dans le village natale de mon grand-père Tsanko. Et peut-être repartir avec de la famille qu’on ne connaissait pas! Qui sait?    Read more

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  • Alexander ButscherBalkantour
    Day3

    Tag in Sofia

     July 3 in Bulgaria ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    Morgens jogge ich durch Parks und Straßen Sofias. Eine südliche Stadt, auf deren sonnenüberströmten Straßen sich die Schatten der Bäume scharf abzeichnen, die Trottoirs sind auffallend oft beschädigt und werden überall mehr oder weniger repariert. Am Nachmittag ein Spaziergang durch die großzügig angelegte Stadt, Boulevards, wie man sie aus französischen Städten kennt, dabei viel Platz und kaum Gedränge. Am frühen Abend eine Stadtführung mit Alex, einer sehr netten und charmanten jungen Bulgarin, deren Vater Panamese ist. Wir unterhalten uns zwischen ihren Vorträgen beim Schlendern durch das Zentrum.Read more

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  • Angharad DowseEuropean Adventure
    Day28

    Transit

     May 1, 2017 in Bulgaria ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C

    Feeling pretty good considering it's 6am.
    It was an easy morning because we hadn't unpacked anything and we had paid so we just quietly left.
    We walked into town but couldn't see a taxi, it seemed as if we would have to walk to the bus station wahhhh
    But out of the mist, a beautiful sight...
    A taxi.
    We jumped in, he was nice and spoke clearly.
    Will got us breakfast from the bakery while we waited for the bus to leave. It was like a feta cheese Pastry thing - was filling.
    Onto the bus we went. I'm always sooooo friggen hot on transport before it leaves. Planes and buses especially. They need to crank up the air con.
    The bus was pretty empty so at the halfway point I kicked Will out so I could have a double seat to myself which was a great idea cause I got some more sleep haha
    It was so misty is was ridiculous. Very horror films inspiring.
    Will said the mist was at its worst when I was sleeping and that you couldn't see 10 meters in front of the bus. Lucky I was asleep or I probably would have been a little scared.
    I hope the next bus is empty so I can kick Will out again. He takes up 1.5 seats with is stupid shoulders so I'm stuck rammed into a corner with a twisted spine all the while dying of heat because he is a fernus.
    We arrived in Skopje around 10:30.
    We bought our tickets to Sofia, Bulgaria. It was only 1900 denars so around 15 euro each. Our bus leaves at 3 so we have some time to kill. It's a long day. It will take another 5 hours to get there.
    We decided to walk to the main square but it was too hot carrying our backpacks with jumpers on so we ducked into the shopping center to eat and hopefully find some ginger tablets for Will.
    And sunscreen - have still remained unsuccessful in this venture. - but hopefully that changes shortly - we were offered insider information - They only sell sunscreen at pharmacies that's why we haven't found it anywhere.
    We are eating at a burgers place without wifi. Boo.
    There is a kindly gym next to me which looks fun, I just keep thinking that the fences are too low, I would have been out in minutes.
    I had a fright on the toilet. I sat down and the whole thing moved and CLANGED so loudly.
    2 of the screws are missing so the whole toilet moved. Didn't expect that when I sat down hahaha.

    Will was successful WOOHOOO!!!!!

    He also got motion sickness tablets. Apparently the worker looked at him like he was a lunatic when he asked for ginger tablets lol. I suppose if you haven't heard of it before that would be an odd request.
    Bulgaria has a different currency so we did our best to spend all of our coinage. I bought lollies at a junk store. The lady was very patient with me and I counted out cent by cent.
    We then bought water for the bus and walked back to the bus station.
    Only 1 hour till we leave now. Will just changed over our Denar to Lev. He has also taken a motion sickness tablet so hopefully it helps.
    I'm drinking the most delicious ice teas ever! It's forest fruits and cranberry flavored. A very pleasant surprise.

    So once again we napped. So did everyone on the bus. The roads are ridiculous. Will made comment in his exasperated, cranky voice "I can't believe this is a national highway"
    It's like being rocked to sleep, you can't fight it, you just become so sleepy.
    I watched as much of the country side as I could. I find the brokenness beautiful. Everyone going on with their daily life's in pits of mud while others go to skyscraper offices in suits.
    I am so hot so I took the big risk and took off my shoes and waited for the smell... but it never came! Woohoo!
    Feeling better now.
    After nearly 3 hours we reached the border. It took so long to get through. There was 3 full buses in front of us and every person needs to be checked and stamped twice - one for exit one for entry. It was the first time in the trip I was bored.
    We got though and to my annoyance, once again Wills passport got stamped before mine so he has bright, clear, readable stamps and mine you can't even see the letters to know what country I was in. Boo hiss.
    I was pretty stamps :( he has a purple one from Thailand.. I want a purple one. Lol
    There was a quick toilet stop just past the border. Will went to the loo and came back in a state of horror. Apparently some girls have used the wrong toilet and left their used pads laying around hahahah he is mortified. Hahaha

    Bulgaria looks similar and yet different. I think it might've the foliage. It's got bigger paddocks and dirt.
    70km away now.
    We just came onto a highway and Wills mood changed. He is approves of its condition. Lol
    Got dropped off at the bus station and found a taxi.
    Showed him the address and he asked a few friends, Nobody knew where the bloody address was......
    lunatic driver. He was dodging traffic, on the phone, didn't have working seatbelts and had to rely on our phone data to have a working map which he kept checking over his back shoulder every 3 seconds.
    After this fiasco ended another one started.
    We were in the middle of what seemed a sleeping suburb with nowhere to go. The place we were dropped off at was wrong -.-
    We went searching. Will has the big shits by this time.
    We tried several buildings and asked 5 different people where the address was. The 5th person, bless her cotton socks was able to tell us and finally after 25 minutes of stressful wanderings in a dark, foreign city we found it.
    And it is great.
    It is like a hotel. It has key cards to open the door and keep the electricity on AND a big shower ! Woohoo!
    We popped down to the local dominos for dinner - we didn't want to venture too far until we know the area a bit better.
    First impressions of Bulgaria is that it's a hole and that a strong breeze will knock it over.
    It's a concrete city.. hopefully the city center is better.
    Keen for another good sleep.    Read more

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