Stuck in Bulgaria

Trip Start Jul 06, 2008
1
5
7
Trip End Jul 17, 2008


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Flag of Bulgaria  ,
Friday, July 11, 2008

Yeah so thank you Gus' people for going on transit strike while we're out of the country trying to get back in.  So we've absolutley LOVED Sofia and I can absolutely see myself coming back here and visiting the rest of the country and spending more time in Sofia.  We spent the past 2 days hanging out with my friend Mario from Semester at Sea and had a great time.  Yesterday we went to the Rila Monastary about 2 hours south of Sofia and began to really experience life outside the city.  Small villages, town, gorgeous people and even more beautiful scenery.  Flowing hills with towns on top and steep tree covered mountain ranges. The Monastary was gorgeous, about 500 yrs old.

We napped in the cab ride back, we traveled with a Scottish woman we met, and awoke to The Beatles. :) Made me super happy.  So we get back and walk to the train station to buy our tickets for today and realize there is a strike. No trains going into or out of Greece. Awesome. So we meet some ppl who want to rent a car with us, nope! Can't take it across the border.  Let's take a bus!! Twice the price.  Let's just take a plane...doable but soooo tired of planes.  So now we're just trying everything. Sleeper train but in a regular seat for 12 HOURS!

So we give up for a while and go and meet Mario at a traditional Bulgarian restaurant, VERY traditional.  It was called the little village.  We drank stuff that tasted like fire and food that was amazing.  Some very good beer as well. And I thought the italians took their time eating...we got there at 745 and left around 1230!! They had live music and dancing and at a certain point EVERYONE was up dancing...especially Gus and I. We had a great time.  We're very hung over now bc we went to a club after and just more drinks ensued. 

Thanks again to Mario, if you see this, for being an amazing host and Bulgarian Ambassador to us "foreigners" :)

So now Gus is on his way, after breakfast, to the train station...making up for not getting up in time to catch the 630am train, to try and figure out what options are available....Train, Bus, Plane...that's the order of our options.

We'll see :)
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