Hello - Goodbye Sofia
Trip Start
Apr 17, 2012
1
28
39
Trip End
Jun 17, 2012
Sofia, Bulgaria
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
However, the closer we got to Sofia - we started to think that maybe there was some truth to what we'd been told. The first site of delapitated & abandoned communist buildings & factories was moving and kind of sad thinking on the whole situation for the people. The houses in the small towns and villages were old and tired - nothing looked happy or prosperous.
The border crossing took at least 1.5 hours. We had to disembark the bus, we were single filed through a chain link fence/corridor for passport control. We got back on the bus and there was another delay. We all had to get off the bus and all the suitcases were removed from the bus for inspection - some were opened - ours were not?
The country itself is very pretty - lots of rolling hills and snowcapped mountains and as we got closer to the capital city of Sofia things started looking modern and progressive with fantastic architectural designs. As our bus was drawing nearer to the bus terminal it was obvious we were entering a derelict area so we started searching out hotels along the way so we new which direction to start heading. Once we arrived at the bus station we checked out the bus schedules to Budapest, Hungary and then went to the train station for their schedules. Low and behold there was an overnight train leaving for Budapest in one hour, we had to switch trains in Beglrade, Serbia and then onto Budapest. Or we could wait until 10:00 the next morning and take the 12 hour bus ride to Budapest. We opted out for the overnight train.
Interesting to say the least:)
