Surprısıng Sofıa

*Travel Waffle (MHO again)*

I have to confess that Sofia has surprised me. I didn't identify it, but I came here with a lot of preconceptions. I could say I came to look at the poor backward ex-Communists, recently escaped from their Iron Curtain grey. Completely wrong!

Apart from the Cyrillic, Sofia could be any other European city (in a good way). forty-odd years have left amazingly little negative effect on the city centre architecture, although I'm sure a local could tell you different.

I suppose a lot of side-streets are still cobbled, rather than tarmacced over, but these days that's probably a bonus. I guess some of the imposing government buildings (around the "Party House") probably date from the Communist era.

Looking from the train windows, the rural story is the same - it could be Holland (although slightly rolling rather than dead flat like the Croatia/Serbia border).

I reflect that the Iron Curtain and supposed economic deep freeze of the Soviet era has been lucky for Western Europe. Before WW2 Czechoslovakia, for example, had an international reputation for engineering. The rise of Skoda within Volkswagen-Audi is a restoration, which most UK people have no idea about:
"What do you call a Skoda with a sun-roof?" "A skip."
"Why do Skodas have heated rear windows?" "To keep your hands warm when you're pushing them."

As East-Central and Eastern Europe get into their stride, I wonder how the world will change? Nothing will change the macro-picture of the rise of India and China, but the more-micro-picture will be worth watching.

*Other*

Having toured (tourised? touristed?) hard yesterday, I treat myself to a quiet morning in the hotel, apart from a trip to the station to get tonight's ticket. For some reason, a compartment to myself (like I had coming here) on the same train, now has to be 1st class rather than 2nd. At the exorbitant price of £30ish I don't debate the point. Maybe the sockets will work in 1st (they didn't in 2nd), so I can watch another DVD.